Ahead of the final date of the huge EMP Persistence Tour date in London, which has torn through Europe for the last couple of weeks, we're giving you a full rundown of all the bands set to level Kentish Town when they hit The Forum this Sunday. The line-up for this tour includes a host of legendary acts from US Hardcore coming together side by side and flying the flag for their scene. So warm up those neck muscles and let's dive in to what is on offer! (All times below are subject to change - source from official event page on Facebook).
There are still a handful of tickets available. Head over to http://persistencetour.de/pages/tickets.htm now for ticket links!
Suicidal Tendencies - 9.50-10.50pm
Whilst the major figurehead that is Mike Muir may be the only original member left in the band, the spirit and message of Suicidal Tendencies rarely dims. They're by far and away one of the most influential bands in heavy music, a band who have pumelled through with their Thrash/Hardcore crossover style via thirteen studio albums since their inception in 1980. The band have drafted in the legendary Dave Lombardo (Slayer) in the past year, a driving force who has enhanced their live show in to new levels of intense.
Top five tracks (Spotify) - Institutionalized, You Can't Bring Me Down, Cyco Vision, Subliminal, How Will I Laugh Tomorrow
Agnostic Front - 8.45 - 9.30pm
Co-headlining the tour alongside Suicidal Tendencies, yet another iconic band as far as Hardcore is concerned are the New York bruisers Agnostic Front. Much like Suicidal Tendencies, this is a band who have influenced and driven a sound which has rubbed off on so many artists after them. In the last decade or so they've had a real resurgence under the Nuclear Blast banner and as ever are in fine form when it comes to the live shows. Both ST and Agnostic Front are going to draw a real old school Hardcore/Thrash vibe with signature levels of bludgeoning power.
Top five tracks (Spotify) - Gotta Go, For My Family, Crucified, Riot, Riot Upstart, It's My Life
Municipal Waste - 8.00 - 8.30pm
MUNICIPAL WASTE IS GONNA FUCK YOU UP. Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, the wildly popular Municipal Waste usually steal the show on most line-ups they're involved with so both Suicidal Tendencies and Agnostic Front are going to have to be at the top of their game after this. The band haven't released a new record since 2012 but it has previously been confirmed that it is something they're working on so we could well expect to hear a couple of new tracks dotted about in the set-list. Short bursts of Thrash Punk in a style that's been excellently dubbed Party Metal, Municipal Waste have the ability to smash through 15+ songs in their thirty minute slot. Prepare to be left utterly breathless. Oh and if you haven't seen it yet, check out their Donald Trump inspired artwork.
Top five tracks (Spotify) - The Art Of Partying, Sadistic Magician, Headbanger Face Rip, Unleash The Bastards, Born To Party
Walls Of Jericho - 7.15 - 7.45pm
Now to a far more menacing breed of Hardcore music, Walls Of Jericho have been on a real wave of momentum since breaking their hiatus in 2012, with their latest release No Once Can Save You From Yourself providing an absolutely monstrous slab of chaos last year. This is a band well tuned in to the current political climate, never afraid of holding back, their track The American Dream will certainly have an added level of venom to it considering the bedlam happening at the moment.
Top five tracks (Spotify) - House Of The Rising Sun, The American Dream, Feeding Frenzy, II. The Prey, No Saving Me
Down To Nothing - 6.30 - 7.00pm
Following their fellow Richmond, Virigina brothers in Municipal Waste, Down To Nothing are a straight edge Hardcore unit who have an arsenal of savage tracks they have the ability of blitzing through live. They're brimming with short, snappy and direct tracks which rarely edge over two minutes in length. It's fair to say that their popularity has pretty much remained rooted in The States and not so much here in the UK, but being part of tours like this could be all that's needed to begin changing that.
Top five tracks (Spotify) - When I Rest I Rust, Pipeline, Dirty South, Number One, Life On The James
BURN - 5.45 - 6.15pm
BURN are a band who simply disappeared for a long period of time before resurfacing last year with the release of an EP titled From The Ashes - their first recorded output since 2002. The band kicked things off as far back as 1989, releasing their debut in 1990 before their first lengthy break (barring the odd show) before their next record in 2001. Needless to say, this isn't exactly a band who necessarily might hang around for long, so if you want to see one of the early originators of the Hardcore scene in the US, do not miss this.
Top five tracks (Youtube) - Godhead, Cleanse, ... Shall Be Judged, Until The End Of Time, Drown
Mizery - 5.00 - 5.30pm
Kicking off the day are the babies of the group considering the kind of experience at hand in this year's line up. Mizery will serve as a perfect warm up for the gig as they blend Hardcore with a more traditional Heavy Metal sound. They've certainly got the right level of groove to warm up those neck muscles.
Top five tracks (Spotify) - Burn, Forced Rebirth, Casualty Of Love, One Kiss, Paramatman
So there we have it then. Hope the Forum have reinforced the walls.
There are still a handful of tickets available. Head over to http://persistencetour.de/pages/tickets.htm now for ticket links!