Live Review : Thy Art Is Murder + Whitechapel + Fit For An Autopsy + Spite @ Academy, Manchester on October 23rd 2023

Spite kick-off the evening and immediately set the scene for the heavy deathcore night ahead. Despite it being an early doors there’s a more than decent sized crowd here for the openers. We’re also not waiting long for a double-kick drum onslaught. They’re a heady mix of brutal hardcore and nu-metal melodies mixed with vicious tech-metal. The guitar tones are meaty, djenty and have that deliciously techy sound. Frontman Darius Tehrani delivers some undeniably heavy hardcore, almost slam, vocals, and allows a dash of variety with segments of higher register. They remain unrelentingly ferocious and engaging throughout and it’s a testament to the lineup that they are only first of four bands on the bill.

It’s mind-boggling that we’re witnessing the mighty Fit For An Autopsy second on the bill tonight. New Jersey’s premier deathcore crew honestly get better each time they step out on stage, but tonight is a strange start as the sound balance in the venue is way off – far too much drums and bass, and nowhere near enough vocals or guitars. By the time we get to a superb version of ‘The Sea of Tragic Beasts’ the vocals are notable in the mix, but the guitars remain a little lost throughout. Of course, part of their joy is the unrelentingly visceral death metal sections, but it’s just as important to be able to bask in the glory of Joe Badolato’s fury and vocal talent. They’re a distinctive and hyper-professional band who remain without a doubt a brilliant genre defining band.

Whitechapel haven’t visited these parts that often over the past few years, so you can tell that the majority of the crowd are more than eager to see them perform tonight. Phil Bozeman remains a stunning vocalist, with phenomenally deep and growling guttural vocals. He’s also a dynamic element to the band, prowling across the front of the stage and barking ferociously to the thrilled punters. The Knoxville deathcore geniuses have on more recent records branched out into some impressive clean and melodic segments, and Bozeman’s vocals more than stand up to the test. The giant circle-pit whirls and swirls, getting bigger and bigger, as the set is delivered with a robust and tight sound – it’s professional, slick, passionate and dripping with technicality. A band like this will likely always remain fairly niche, but rightly Whitechapel have become integral and successful in the scene.

It's impossible to ignore the fact that headliners Thy Art Is Murder have been through a disruptive time recently. Only late last month, one day after the release of new album ‘Godlike’, the band revealed on social media that they’d fired frontman CJ McMahon and that the new album had been re-recorded with a new unnamed vocalist. The array of responses from the fans to this news ranged from supportive to damning, but all shocked by the news. It was always going to be the case that new permanent vocalist Tyler Miller (of Aversions Crown) would be subjected to a similar variety of responses from the fan base, and with this tour so soon after joining you can feel that opinions are still being formed and wounds still fresh. 

Some things never change though, and the band only take to the stage once ‘The Venga Bus’ has had its spin. They open the set with ‘Destroyer of Dreams’ and it’s an impressive start from Miller in particular, with him hitting the low-end roars and harsh screeches as required. However, by the time we get to ‘Death Squad Anthem’ it’s notable that Miller hasn’t got the same voice as CJ. Of course, he doesn’t, everyone has a different voice, but people are going to compare them as they’ve fronted the same band and sung the same songs. it just seems to be more apparent on some songs than others. Their set may be lacking in as much banter as we’ve come to expect, but there’s still plenty of character and warmth in interactions with the crowd. ‘Make America Hate Again’ is absolutely fantastic though, that dynamic signature riff bringing a grin to the face, and it’s clear to see that those songs that are more holistic in their sound, rather than vocal-line driven, are going to be the way forward. Together with the Miller recorded songs, and any new material, the future will be different but potentially fruitful for Thy Art Is Murder. 

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
Thy Art Is Murder, Whitechapel, Fit For An Autopsy, Spite