Counterparts headlined at The Underground in Charlotte, North Carolina on February 26 for their Heaven Let Them Die North American Tour.
Opener Foreign Hands started the night with a strong set. The room was already pretty full and the crowd showed incredible energy right from the start. Made up of musicians that are all part of other projects, it is no surprise that their artistry is making them one to watch in the metalcore scene. Hailing from Delaware and Pennsylvania, Tyler Norris [vocals], Jack Beatson [guitar], Gill Gonzalez [guitar], Chuck Minix [bass], Tyler Washington [drums] make up the group. Ending their set with fan favorite “Separation Souvenir”, Norris jumped into the ground to finish off the song and kick off a high-energy filled night.
Started by a group of friends in 2010, Alex Taylor [vocals], Josh Baines [guitar], Konan Hall [rhythm guitar], Wilkie Robinson [bass], Charlie Thorpe [drums] make up Malevolence. Coming all the way from Sheffield, UK, they put on an impressive set. The band stopped in the middle of “Trenches” due to an injury in the group. They handled the situation very well, standing on the stage and quietly watching the security and medics enter the crowd. Once it was handled, they restarted the song. Even with the pause, the energy of the set never faltered.
Pain of Truth directly supported this tour and are continuing to cement themselves as a hardcore staple. New York bred, Michael Smith [vocals], Nik Hansen [guitar], Ridge Rhine [guitar], Zack Stachura [bass], and Nick Barker [drums] all started the project in 2020 and have seen great success since. The crowd was stoked for the band to play and brought a serious energy to the set. Complete with moshing, crowd-surfing, and finger pointing, the crowd really impressed me. Pain of Truth, however, blew my expectations out of the water.
And finally, Counterparts took to the stage. Creating a church-like ambience with stained glass windows, candelabras, and various other flickering individual candles, the show started with an incredible energy.
Brendan Murphy [vocals], Kyle Brownlee [drums], Tyler Williams [bass], and Jesse Doreen [guitar] have mastered their live sound. Focusing mostly on their late (surprise) 2024 release, Heaven Let Them Die, Counterparts started the night with “A Martyr Left Alive” which was followed directly by “With Loving Arms Disfigured”—the first two songs on the EP. A personal, and also crowd favorite, song played was “Choke” from Counterparts’ 2015 album Tragedy Will Find Us. The rest of the setlist was well catered and split between their discography, including songs such as “Wings of Nightmares”, “Your Own Knife”, and “No Lamb Was Lost”. As encores, “Love Me” and “Whispers of Your Death” finished the night. The crowd was louder than Murphy’s vocals for both songs. It was a perfect end to the night.
With a stacked line up and an impressive live show from Counterparts, this tour is not one to miss.
See the Heaven Let Them Die North American Tour Dates below:
2/17 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY
2/18 – Montreal, QC – Club Soda
2/19 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom
2/21 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
2/22 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza
2/23 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
2/25 – Washington DC – Howard Theatre
2/26 – Charlotte, NC – The Underground
2/28 – Tampa, FL – The Orpheum
3/1 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
3/3 – Dallas, TX – South Side Music Hall
3/4 – San Antonio, TX – Vibes Event Center
3/6 – Mesa, AZ – The Nile Theater
3/7 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
3/9 – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
3/11 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
3/12 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox
3/14 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot
3/16 – Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall
3/17 – Lawrence, KS – The Granada
3/19 – Nashville, TN – Eastside Bowl
3/20 – Chicago, IL – Concord Music Hall
3/21 – Lakewood, OH – The Roxy
3/22 – Detroit, MI – St Andrews Hall
