Loma Prieta

support No Omega + Tvivler
author PP date 08/09/17 venue UnderWerket, Copenhagen, DEN

It's a Friday night in Denmark and fall has arrived: it's chillier outside than it has been during the past couple months, the wind has picked up, and rainfall has started. In other words, a perfect setting for the murky depths of screamo courtesy of three very different bands all cornering the genre from different directions. On top of the bill tonight we have the breakout underground cult revivalists Loma Prieta from the US, who played Underwerket a couple of years back, their Swedish peers in No Omega, and local up and coming emotional post-hardcore band Tvivler.

Tvivler - photo by Philip B. Hansen

Tvivler

Stylistically, Tvivler draws in equal measure from the spirited and energetic emotional post-hardcore of Touché Amoré as well as from the Scandinavian post-hardcore foundations of Refused. Live, their performance is passionate and drenched in chaotic energy: the band members are throwing themselves around the stage in constant waves of shaking and maniacal movement that feels as intense as it does perfectly suited for a venue like Underwerket. The 90s screamo undertones fuel a raw, uncompromising experience delivered in lightning speed d-beat style, but unfortunately, the vocals are rather difficult to hear in the mix tonight. The songs might not be particularly memorable per se, but their energy is nothing short of infectious. The semi clean howls do get better as the set goes along, and their stage presence is unstoppable. This is exactly how especially young and aspiring bands should look like every time. The songwriting needs some work, but Tvivler put most of their national counterparts to shame with their level of energy.

7

No Omega

Stockholm based No Omega are way more metallic in comparison. With hardcore and atmospheric metal as the foundation to their screamo, their barrage of heavy riffs combined with the dark blue light encompassing the stage morphs the atmosphere into an equivalent of a metal show, even if the band offers considerable variety in terms of their soundscapes. Some cuts are more atmospheric and melodic pieces with references to the 90s screamo bands and Touché Amoré, whereas others are fiery and aggressive. Just like Tvivler, the band's stage presence is good: from the ravaging screams of their vocalist to the solid energy and movement of the band as a whole, there's enough happening on the scene to keep me interested. That said, the songs aren't particularly memorable and there are few highlights to write home about. The last couple of songs are great, but No Omega is certainly one of those acquired taste types of bands that require plenty of pre-listening on record before you can fully enjoy their live performances.

6

Loma Prieta

The small confines of UnderWerket fill up with smoke upon Loma Prieta's entry and the band becomes mere silhouettes on stage before a cacophony of basement style concoction of metal and post-hardcore drown the grating vocals underneath the instrumentals: a classic Deathwish Inc records feat. The newer material from "Self Portrait" is far more melodic than their past work, with especially "Roadside Crosses" standing out with its epic lead guitar melodies and atmospheric vibe. We're still knee-deep in classic 90s style chaotic screamo, but Loma Prieta's take on the genre is by far the best of the three bands on offer tonight from a songwriting perspective. The smoke continues to encompass the stage throughout the show, creating a mythical atmosphere that suits the nostalgia-driven songs very well. It also helps cover up their static showmanship compared to the first two bands. And then it's all over: a surprisingly short set that barely reached thirty minutes in length and without the closing epic "Satellite" from the new album that would have otherwise been a perfect finishing track. So what's the takeaway from such a short set? Mostly cacophonic noise mixed with occasional spurs of beautiful melody from the new album that felt way too short overall.

7

Unfortunately our photographer had to leave prematurely from the show and therefore no professional quality photos of No Omega and Loma Prieta are available - our apologies

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