Acres + Wayside + What Lies Below + Lifespark
Emotional metalcore full of hooks and devastating grooves
Universal struggles? The British metalcore kids of Acres can't get enough of them. For years, it has been grist to the mill for this black-painted UK powerhouse. Raw emotions are translated into massive choruses and overwhelming soundscapes.
With the release of 'Lonely World' in 2019, the five-piece set a course that allowed them to win over fans at a rapid pace. The subsequent album, 'Lonely World', followed like a Big Bang in 2023 and catapulted the band into the stratosphere, landing them at international metal festivals and supporting slots on tours for Fit For A King, Like Moths To Flames, The Devil Wears Prada, Miss May I, and Resolve. They even played at De Helling with the latter as early as 2024.
Now, armed with a new album 'Host' and a show that left us wanting more, they are back to do it all over again. Or perhaps they just want to check if our venue is still in ruins since their last show.
Loneliness is merely a theme in the music of the Brits, as for this tour they are bringing no less than three support acts: Wayside , What Lies Below , and Lifespark.
The Australian duo Wayside delivers a dreamy yet powerful mix of shoegaze, emo, and grunge, inspired by acts like Deftones, Citizen, and Limp Bizkit. With their album What Does Your Soul Look Like, produced by Will Yip, they have already garnered millions of streams and critical acclaim worldwide. Yet, they have always remained pleasantly down-to-earth; 'everyone is better than wayside,' according to the band themselves. We disagree. This band is clearly engaged in a modest campaign for world domination, and we are already at their feet.
What lies beneath Pennsylvania? Apparently, a pitch-black reservoir of metalcore. What Lies Below has tapped into more than a barrel of it. The four gentlemen are a relatively new sound in the scene, but have already amassed millions of fans. They have, therefore, been on our wish list for a while. Make sure you come stretched out, because this is going to be a workout.
Finally, the German band Lifespark. presents their self-proclaimed 'heavy pop': an energetic combination of positive, life-affirming lyrics and moshpit-worthy breakdowns. It is like seeing a punk-goes-pop CD performed live. After all, their iconic cover of Natasha Beddingfield's *Unwritten* could easily have been on it. In their own material, you can hear clear influences from 2000s heroes such as *We Came As Romans*, *A Day To Remember*, and *Mayday Parade*.
