Spring had supposedly sprung in Montreal. I say supposedly because with record setting dumps of snow and freezing cold rain, the weatherman had been treating the city like he had found it in bed with his wife. The good news for Montrealers left with a little extra aggression was that the All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us tour, featuring an international cast of screamers and headbangers, was rolling into Le National on April 4th, giving them a healthy release.
First up, fighting out of Perth, Australia, was Make Them Suffer. Although given a short six song set, they hit the stage hard and got the crowd warmed up and moving. The standout from this set was “Ether,” a track from the newly expanded edition of their 2016 Old Souls. The song shows a new maturity that may mark a new more melodic direction for the band, that still hits hard.
Next up, representing the United States of America, were Stray from the Path. Their live sound can best be described as a hardcore 311 dipped in Rage Against the Machine political angst. The crowd was involved on a level usually reserved to headliners. Vocalist Drew York has a gift for connecting to the crowd, be it with his energetic stage presence or frequent banter, taking shots at the current political leadership in the US. Their biggest pop was reserved for last, when Architects vocalist Sam Carter joined them to team up for First World Problem Child.
And for the final bout, the main event, hailing from the United Kingdom, were the mighty Architects. This tour was special, it was their first visit to North America since the passing of founding member, guitarist and songwriter Tom Searle. This was their North American fans’ first opportunity to show them love and support and it came loud and early, a large pocket chanting “Tom” as they hit the stage.
Emotions set aside, the band ripped straight into “Nihilist” from their latest effort All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us. Their speaking was done through their art, and they were performing from the heart.
Their set was evenly divided between their new album and 2014’s Lost Forever // Lost Together. “These Colours Don’t Run” was their only foray into their extensive back catalog. Leaving the past behind is a large statement to make and it was one of many loud and clear statements they made on this night. There wasn’t a single low point or moment where the crowd rested. They came out at a sprinter’s pace but ran the whole marathon.
After an encore consisting of “A Match Made In Heaven” and “Gone With the Wind,” the crowd was still chanting. Another chant of “Tom” started. The crowd was left with no choice but to head back out into the cold wet streets, but felt much better about it than they had going in. The loud collective therapy session was a success.
Review – Richard Brunette
Photos – Steve Gerrard
