It was an extremely cold night, after the second snowstorm in four days, in Toronto for the first date of Counterparts’ The Heaven Let Them Die Tour. Braving the streets and the cold was a harrowing task on this holiday Monday, but it didn’t take long for the crowd to warm up to the blistering lineup of four bands hailing from the US, UK, and Canada.
It was a night for the ‘Hardcore’ fans. From Foreign Hands’ self-proclaimed ‘chaotic’ metalcore to Malevolence’s deeper chugging metal; the high energy hardcore punk riffs and screams of New York’s Pain of Truth, and finally the headlining locals Counterparts, with their Hardcore Punk/Metal mix.
Foreign Hands was the first band on Monday’s lineup with a very energetic set. They have one full-length release, titled “What’s Left Unsaid”, which was released last June, and made up the bulk of their set. They did a fantastic job of getting the crowd warmed up and set the stage for a really fun evening ahead.
Malevolence, a British band from Sheffield, came on stage next. Their sound had a much deeper bass background, bringing out the ‘chugging’ feeling of older Metal acts such as Pantera or Lamb of God, etc. It was a great contrast to Foreign Hands and stood up to the idea of having a wide range of styles on the tour that fit together seamlessly. Active for 15 years, Malevolence is: Alex Taylor (Vocals), Josh Baines (Lead Guitar), Konan Hall (Rhythm Guitar), Wilkie Robinson (Bass), and Charlie Thrope (Drums). They have 3 full-length studio albums that their setlist explored, including their most recent single: Trenches, which was released in 2024.
Pain of Truth was the final opening act for the first night of this tour. A Long Island, NY-based Hardcore Punk group, founded in 2020, their high energy, ‘inability to stand still’ music had the crowd screaming, and the crowd surfers flowing quickly. Michael Smith (Vocals), Nik Hansen (Guitar), Ridge Rhine (Guitar), Zach Stachura (Bass), and Nick Baker (Drums) changed up the sound once again, with their loud, in-your-face style. Their setlist covered songs from their initial release along with their single studio album (Not Through Blood, 2023). Michael Smith was in no mood for anyone to stand still, including himself, and he never stopped running/jumping and dancing around the stage.
Just after 9:30, Counterparts took to the stage. A Church themed stage, equipped with pews and stained-glass windows and candles was the backdrop to this southern Ontario-based melodic Hardcore band. With an armful of studio albums, the band had plenty of material to draw from to make up their 19-song setlist. As this tour is in support of their newest EP release, Heaven Let Them Die, they did feature several songs off that album over the course of their set, including the title track. Their lineup consists of Brendan Murphy on Lead Vocals, Kyle Brownlee on Drums, Tyler Williams on Rhythm Guitar, and Jesse Doreen on Lead Guitar.
Melodic guitar and the rough scream of Brendan’s vocals truly encapsulate the melodic hardcore feel of this band. Listing influences like Alexisonfire (another iconic local Canadian band), and others such as Misery Signals and Poison the Well, Counterparts have been a group since the late 2000’s and have solidified their space in the genre among fans, and their fans are there for it! Their super committed fanbase showed up for the locals in numbers and spirit.
A super first date of this run for their newest EP, I hope that Counterparts and the lads in Pain of Truth, Malevolence, and Foreign Hands have a great rest of their tour!
See photos from the show below!
