Death Knows Your Name

On Wednesday (the 13th), I headed down to London on the train to see the return of The Hope Conspiracy to these shores. It's been a couple of years since they were last over, when they toured with Rise and Fall and this time was only a fleeting visit making up part of the incredibly brief European tour.

Hope Con are a band I admire because they do what they want to do on their own terms. It's been a while since you could refer to them as a fully 'active' band, what with only releasing one LP and one 7" since their sophomore record 'End Note' was released in 2002 and possesing what can best be described as a sporadic touring schedule in that period, but despite this you can tell that almost everyone inside The Underworld was eagerly awaiting their set.

I can't remember the name of the first band on (apparently they're from Kingston??) but they reminded at times of both Hot Snakes - mainly the guitar tone - and also La Quiete. A strange combinaion yes, but I enjoyed their set and was left rueing the fact that I couldn't afford one of their 7"s.

Next Up were Attack! Vipers! who I like, but often grow a bit bored of around the mid-way point of their set. It's not that they're a bad band by any means, but something about their songs just fails to hold my attention for longer than about fifteen minutes. They do the discordant, rock-and-roll-hardcore style thing pretty well though, evoking bands such as Suicide File as well as the headliners themselves, but personally it begins to feel a bit samey after a while.

Hope Con are the band everyone is clearly here to see and they launch immediately into the crushing 'In the Shadow of God' from their latest 7" 'True Nihilist'. From their the band run through a set that takes in every release, including several tracks from debut 'Cold Blue', as the mass of bodies at the front screams back every word. Closing proceedings with 'The Know Not' is a personal highlight and as the band bid farewell, I'm left with mixed emotions. On the one hand, I wish they'd tour more reguarly and release a proper LP soon but then their "do what we like" attitude towards every aspect the band means that when they do make these now rare forays across the pond, it's even more special.

xo