This is a weird one for me. I experienced metalcore burnout almost immediately, despite being a huge fan of both melodic death metal and hardcore. Reneging on the promise of its earliest incarnations (Catharsis, Purusam), metalcore as embraced by the mainstream lacked both the DIY spirit of hardcore and the relentless aggression of metal. It pretty much epitomized cookie cutter songs, emo choruses and stupid haircuts. And while I'm unabashed in my love for Darkest Hour and Himsa, I don't think Germany's Heaven Shall Burn will be remembered as more than also-rans in a flooded scene.
Still, it's not like KL is teeming with metal shows, and being at the frontlines of any concert is a nice break from my usual Friday night routine of push-ups and file piracy. And supporting the promoters can only mean better and heavier bands coming down...my mind boggles at the thought of Fuck the Facts or even mighty Origin tearing up this sleepy town.
Opening for Heaven Shall Burn were two local Malaysian acts, Daarchlea and Incarnation, both tied to the metalcore mast despite the fact that the ship is sinking.
I'm pretty critical of local bands and their bandwagon mentality, but not without reason. Compare the South East Asian scene with the South American or Eastern European scenes from a couple decades ago, where there was a similar lack of resources and government antipathy. And while bands from those areas went on to greater success in the larger metal world, we have yet to produce anything of real note (besides Impiety and their blockheaded antisemitism). Where's our Sepultura? Where's our Vader? It seems like most of the musicians I talk to in Malaysia confuse having the right gear with having a unique vision and a work ethic.
At the end of the day, though, they've held steadfast their hxc roots when it comes to putting on a storming live show (something most of the bands in their genre lack). It's been a while since I've seen a band so comfortably interacting with their audience; and whether it's Vital Remains or Sick of it All, I'm always impressed when a band disregards the sanctity of the stage to commune with the people who came to see them. I'll admit, "metalcore" or not, these guys had me heshing out pretty hard, despite not knowing a single song...until the very last number of the night. I was shocked when they closed with Edge of Sanity's "Black Tears;" even more shocked that most of the audience knew the words. Anyone trotting the globe, teaching children to worship Swanö, is all right in my book.