LIVE FROM THE PIT: Mason Hill and Defences

Coming down to London all the way from Scotland, MASON HILL brought their energetic set, supported by the rising stars DEFENCES.

Opening the night were the Hertfordshire five-piece DEFENCES, who returned to The Underworld for the first time since 2019. Although the floor was still filling up when they took over, the energy Cherry Duesbury (vocals), William Alex Young (screams/keys), Calum Wilmot (guitar), Owen Hughes-Holland (bass) and Kyle Park (drums) brought was high and most fans did not wait for even a second to start moving.

Playing some of their most favourite songs, as well as two new songs from the upcoming album Shadowline, the band kept their short set interesting, with the frontwoman Cherry hyping up the crowd to move between each song. She also did not forget to address the current situation in the world before one of their songs, gaining a big round of applause. Closing with their most popular song Gravity, DEFENCES proved that metalcore is not dead and if there is a band on the rise, it is definitely them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HvfCyUkLF0

When the lights dimmed for the second time, the venue – now completely full, burst into huge cheers, welcoming the Scottish five-piece MASON HILL in the capital. The band has become a very prominent figure of the British rock scene since their formation in 2015, and earned a reputation amongst the fans of bigger rock acts. As the members Thomas Ward (vocals), James Bird (lead guitar), Marc Montgomery (guitar), Matthew Ward (bass) and Craig McFetridge (drums) made their way onto the iconic stage, it was more than obvious the night is going to be a special one, with every single fan knowing all songs word by word since the very beginning. 

Being known not only for their emotional lyrics, but for their captivating guitar solos as well, MASON HILL did not stop surprising not only with the amount of talent poured into their work, but with their sincerity as well, as Ward talked to the crowd every chance he had, expressing the band’s genuine gratitude to be able to play at such a well-known venue that is The Underworld. Reminding the crowd that a new album is on the way, the five-piece did not forget to include the new singles Remember and Twisted on their fifteen-song long setlist, but also please the fans with their favourites such as D.N.A., Hold On and Where I Belong, that earned an instrumental version on the set, as well as a well received cover of MUSE’s hit Hysteria.

Closing the night with Broken Son and Against The Wall, MASON HILL once again showed London how to do a proper rock show, and everyone present agreed.

Words: Katerina Stepanikova

Photos: Cate Neves