It is a rare occasion when you go to a show and enjoy each and every band on the bill. It is even more rare when almost everyone in attendance stays inside for every band, especially during one of the hottest weeks Philadelphia has seen so far this summer. Last week, however, I had the pleasure of witnessing one of those rare experiences at the First Unitarian Church. Simply put, Blacklisted, Ceremony, Life Long Tragedy, and Sabertooth Zombie all straight up killed it that day.

Read more after the jump.

Sabertooth Zombie opened up, packing a punch so hard everyone in attendance looked slightly dazed and confused. In that good kind of way, of course. The band combines powerful riffs with a sense of originality rarely seen in hardcore today. They ripped through song after song with brutal force and aggressiveness, barely stopping between songs.

Unfortunately, I missed part of Life Long Tragedy’s set because I was in desperate need of some fresh air but went back in to catch the second half. Life Long Tragedy reminded me of a slower Unbroken and any band that sounds like that is good with me.

Ceremony is another story completely. There is nothing I love more than hearing the opening notes to ‘Kersed’ and watching people go fucking crazy, climbing on top of one another without a care. Also, a Dead Kennedy’s cover (”California Uber Alles” of course) is a sure crowd pleaser. Ceremony are one of those bands that never disappoint on stage. The band’s unsympathetic live performances are what makes their brutal brand of hardcore sound all the more, uh, brutish.

Blacklisted are, of course, one of my favorite bands in hardcore today. They always deliver a flawless, cathartic experience to their faithful. I was especially glad to hear them play “Wish,” the last song on their latest release Heavier than Heaven, Lonelier than God. The song is intense but, even more so, honest.  From my usual perch on the stage, I got to watch people get into this song and it was really interesting and, somewhat, unexpected.  With it’s unconventional slower tempo, “Wish” is so much different than any other track on Heavier. However, this did not kill the set’s energy level because everyone was screaming the words with their fists in the air.

Tags: A Life Long Tragedy, Ceremony, News, Sabertooth Zombie, blacklisted, show review //