Metalcore veterans Counterparts brought their latest tour to Boston’s House of Blues last Friday night. The Hamilton, Ontario natives are on tour to celebrate the surprise release of their latest EP Heaven Let Them Die, with help from Pain of Truth, Malevolence and Foreign Hands.
One thing you should know about Counterparts is that they have only gotten heavier and angrier in time. Having been around for over 15 years, the Canadians have always found a way to make their sound cohesive-yet-chaotic, and their efforts have paid off in the past few years. The House of Blues is by far the largest headlining show Counterparts has played in Boston, and the production value was increased tenfold from their previous show at the Paradise. To put it simply, Counterparts have never looked or sounded better than they do now.
The band kicked straight into the first track from their EP without any hesitation, and the crowd wasted no time responding with waves upon waves of bodies making their way up to the front. The combination of red stage lighting and strobe lights pointed directly at the audience created a terrifying atmosphere (in a good way) that complimented the band’s sheer aggression. Vocalist Brendan Murphy has another band, END, with members of notable hardcore bands (The Acacia Strain, Fit For An Autopsy, Reign Supreme and Shai Hulud), and spent his time honing in multiple vocal styles that he has since integrated into Counterparts.
The setlist spanned a solid amount of their recent discography featuring mostly songs that were written by the current iteration of the band’s lineup. Rounded out with founding member Jesse Doreen on guitar, Tyler Williams on guitar, and their secret weapon drummer Kyle Brownlee, the band is tighter than ever, putting all their effort into crafting a live show that spares no expense. The programmed and synced lighting, the stage decoration and well-paced setlist proved that there is a little science involved with making a good show.
Counterparts continues on the road through the end of March, wrapping up in Detroit. Their new EP Heaven Let Them Die is available now on Pure Noise Records. Check out the rest of Cam’s photos below.
Check out all of Cam’s photos from the show below.
