What better way to kick off the new year than with a ferocious hardcore lineup at Manchester’s Gulliver’s? Nestled in the heart of the Northern Quarter, this quaint venue was the perfect setting for an adrenaline-fueled evening on a chilly January night. Opening the show were local supports WitchEater and Torn Between, both a welcome surprise given that neither band had been advertised as part of the lineup.
First to take the stage were Liverpool’s WitchEater, whose intense blend of deathcore and hardcore immediately captivated the crowd. Their set was a spine-crushing assault from start to finish, effortlessly setting the stage for Torn Between’s equally thrilling performance. Their faster, thrashier take on hardcore got more two-steppers into the pit, while their skill as songwriters was evident in how their music played with space. Despite their intensity, they knew exactly when and how to tease a crushing breakdown with a brief moment of silence. Together, both acts did a phenomenal job of warming up the crowd, leaving them fired and ready for the main support, Divine Hatred.
Following a brief changeover, Divine Hatred took to the stage, wasting no time pummelling the crowd with slamming riffs and pulverizing breakdowns that made the floor creak under the weight of their movement. The Sheffield-based five-piece immediately commanded the room, their ferocious opening sparking a wave of hardcore dancing and windmilling that didn’t let up for the duration of their set. As the pit continued to surge, one particularly energetic crowd killer marched around its edges. This added some extra intensity into the fray, with this energy peaking around the midpoint of their set. Divine Hatred stood out most for their thick, quaking guitar tone and their drummer’s blistering speed, creating a wall of sound that ricocheted throughout this intimate attic-style venue. Breakdowns came and went, each one hitting harder than the last, keeping the crowd fully engaged until the final moments of their set. After their exit, everyone eagerly waited to see how Wristmeetrazor would harness this newly established energy.
When Wristmeetrazor finally took to the stage, their striking all black attire paired with touches of white makeup was immediately eye-catching. Their gothic aesthetic was perfectly suited to Gulliver's old-world charm, setting the tone for the dark performance that was yet to come. The crowd moved closer to the stage, and the pit was transformed into a slightly less hazardous space. This was to be expected with their sound leaning more towards screamo-infused metalcore opposed to Divine Hatred's spin-kicking hardcore. That being said, Wristmeetrazor's music was no less emotive, as was quickly demonstrated after they launched into their opening track, 'Turn On, Tune In, Drop Dead.'
What stood out most was the sheer energy and commanding stage presence Wristmeetrazor brought to their performance, with each member of the band giving it their all, owning every inch of the stage. Before long the American five piece had ripped through four tracks all pulled from their latest record, Degeneration, retaining the energy that divine hatred had worked so hard to establish. The second half of their set featured a few deeper cuts from some of their previous albums, most notably the song ‘Last Tango in Paris’ that they created in collaboration with ‘Knocked Loose.’ Before leaving the stage, vocalist Justin Fornof took a moment to praise the UK’s Northern hardcore scene, expressing his admiration for the standout performances by WitchEater and Torn Between. With that, another night of explosive moshing was concluded, as the crowd spilled out into the chilly January night.
Words: Josh Bicknell
Photos: Kieran Atkinson
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