It was an exciting night at Foufs as one of the most unique and offbeat bands reunited after years of dormancy, finally answering the call of devoted fans. I was a huge HORSE the Band fan back in the day, and I have to admit I was genuinely excited to relive the nostalgia of their magnum opus, The Mechanical Hand.
I arrived just in time to catch Melted Bodies, a band I had never heard of but was eager to check out since I’m always interested in discovering something new. As soon as they started playing, it became clear why they were chosen to open for HORSE the Band. Their wild and eclectic sound, featuring synths and chaotic noise rock, brought the same eccentric and unpredictable energy that the headliner is known for. It was the perfect setup for the madness that followed.
At first, I wasn’t sure if I enjoyed their blend of nu metal, noise, and electronic elements, but by the end of their set, they had completely won me over. Their sound felt like a more unhinged version of System of a Down, layered with glitchy synths and abrasive textures. They included a bit of everything: slow and groovy passages, strange syncopated rhythms, and an unpredictable mix of vocal styles. Just when you thought you understood where the song was going, it would veer off in an entirely unexpected direction. It was chaotic, but it held my attention. The band was energetic and visibly excited to be on stage. Melted Bodies turned out to be a great discovery, and I will definitely explore their discography.
To me, HORSE the Band remains one of the greatest cult acts of the 2000s. Unlike many of their heavy music peers, they never took themselves too seriously and always created something truly their own. At the time, the term Nintendocore was used to describe their signature blend of metalcore with chiptune-inspired synths.
I’ve been following them since the early 2000s and was thrilled to finally see them live again, especially with a full performance of The Mechanical Hand.
The stage was simple, featuring just one framed painting of a horse placed behind the drummer. In a time of elaborate stage productions, this minimalist choice perfectly captured the band’s absurd and playful spirit.
They wasted no time and opened their set with their iconic track “Birdo,” immediately sending the crowd into a frenzy of moshing and singing. For the first part of the show, the band was joined by an incredibly entertaining hype man who played the triangle. He jumped around the stage, sang along with the crowd, and clinked his triangle in time with the frantic pace of the music.
They continued with fan favourites such as “A Million Exploding Suns” and “Manateen,” much to the delight of a crowd that never stopped moving or cheering.
A few songs in, the band’s frenzied keyboardist Erik addressed the crowd in what sounded like German, further adding to the surreal and chaotic energy of the night.
They played through the entire album, and it was clear the crowd was reliving a cherished moment from the early 2000s metalcore era. At one point, diehard fans started chanting for “Bunnies,” a track from the band’s first demo. Vocalist Nathan responded with a story, saying that since adopting two pet rabbits, he could no longer bring himself to perform the song. Singing about killing bunnies while his adorable pets wait for him at home just felt wrong, he explained.
As always, the band was charismatic, eccentric, and genuinely hilarious with their crowd banter. Despite their long absence from touring, they played with the same passion and intensity as ever. The energy on stage was powerful. Just like I remembered from their original album release show two decades ago, Erik attacked his keyboard like a man possessed, and it was impossible to look away.
They continued with the remainder of the album, including beloved tracks like “A Rusty Glove” and “Taken by Vultures,” which were met with enthusiastic cheers from their dedicated fans.
After a short break, the band returned to the stage, joining together to sing “You’re the Inspiration” by Chicago, to the amusement of everyone in the room. They then launched into the encore with “Murder” from their 2007 album A Natural Death, and finished the night with the fan favourite “Cutsman.” The crowd exploded into a massive pit, hands in the air mimicking scissors, with stage dives and crowd surfing as everyone screamed along to every word of this chaotic classic.
I am incredibly happy I got to see this fantastic cult metalcore band again. To paraphrase what Nathan said during the set: “They don’t make them like us anymore. Actually, they never made them like us. We are a bit weird.” HORSE the Band is definitely weird—and that is exactly what makes them so great and so lovable.
Review – Jason Maher
