by Ally Arens
Australian metalcore/post-hardcore scene mainstays The Amity Affliction are currently on the road in the United States, wrapping up an extensive run celebrating the 10th anniversary of their 2014 album Let The Ocean Take Me. They were joined on the run by fellow metal acts Currents, Dying Wish, and Mugshot on all dates.
Last Saturday, the tour filled up Oklahoma City’s Diamond Ballroom for a hot and humid night full of headbanging, moshing, crowd surfing, and a rockin’ good time. The venue even anticipated a rowdy crowd and acted accordingly, affixing pieces of foam pool noodles to the top of the metal barricade as extra protection against any possible crowd surfing mishaps, which was probably a good idea given how many surfers I witnessed throughout the night. Security did an amazing job of catching those who came up and looking out for everyone’s safety; they also passed out plenty of water bottles into the crowd between sets, making sure everyone had a safe and fun time.
First on the stacked line-up was Mugshot, a metalcore act hailing from San Jose, California. Mugshot set the tone for the night with their crunchy riffs and brutal growls, encouraging the crowd to start moshing almost immediately. Their brief set consisted of selections from 2021’s Empty Heaven and 2023’s Cold Will EPs, and the crowd got amped up as they warmed up for the night ahead.
Next to take the stage were Dying Wish, and they were a force to be reckoned with as they kicked off their set with “Symptoms of Survival” from their 2023 album of the same name. Their energy did not wane at any point, with vocalist Emma Boster screaming her heart out while multiple crowd surfers took their turns riding through the crowd. Towards the end of their set, they did turn down the brutality ever so slightly to perform “Lost In The Fall”, which features some cleaner, less harsh vocals, and it was a poignant moment as they asked the crowd to shine their flashlights. Another highlight for me was watching a couple of young girls off to the side of the audience, who couldn’t have been older than about 6 or 7, headbanging to their little hearts’ content. They would later go on to have their own “circle pit” by chasing each other around their parents in time to the music during Currents’ set, which I thought was absolutely adorable.
The final support act, and by far the act that had the most crowd surfers in the first three songs (keeping both photographers and security on our toes) was Connecticut-based metalcore act Currents. Kicking things off with “Never There” from 2020’s The Way it Ends, they ripped and shredded through their set, which consisted of selections from that album and 2023’s The Death We Seek. All three opening acts were extremely solid, and fit in nicely with each other and with the stars of the show.
Finally, around 9:15, it was time for the Aussies in The Amity Affliction to take the stage, which they did to a thunderous roar from the crowd as they launched into the opening notes of “Pittsburgh”, the opening track of Let The Ocean Take Me. Though the band may have sounded slightly different than some hardcore fans were likely expecting due to co-vocalist and bassist Ahren Stringer returning home to Australia suddenly a few shows prior for personal reasons (as announced by the band in an Instagram post on May 24), Tim Beken of True North did an amazing job filling his shoes on such short notice. There was a camaraderie unlike any other amongst the crowd as everyone sang along to their favorite selections from the record. After the ten tracks had been completed, which felt much quicker than the album’s 41-minute runtime, the band briefly left the stage before returning to play a few more fan favorites. This portion of the set included selections like their hit single “Drag The Lake”, and throwback pick “Open Letter”, and closed with the sing-along chorus of “Soak Me In Bleach” as the final encore.
This tour is not one to be missed for any fans of The Amity Affliction or of metalcore in general. Although this run may be wrapping up soon, concluding with back-to-back shows in Tempe, AZ, and Los Angeles, CA on June 5 and 6, respectively, this summer is just getting started for TAA. The band has a long slate of European and UK shows and festivals lined up throughout July and August before returning to their homeland for a string of shows in Australia in November. Tickets and dates for all upcoming shows can be found on their website.
All images of The Amity Affliction, Currents, Dying Wish, & Mugshot by Ally Arens.
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