On August 28, 2023 metalcore veterans ATREYU and MEMPHIS MAY FIRE will be co headlining the House of Blues, Las Vegas inside the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino on the We Want Your Misery tour. Opening up for these heavyweights in the genre are CATCH YOUR BREATH, and ANOTHER DAY DAWNS.
Openers
The openers for this tour are new names to me. That’s never an issue for me though. I’m always interested in seeing who’s coming into the spotlight and changing up the game. Catch Your Breath is listed as metalcore/hard rock and I definitely can hear some of those elements that define the genres. These guys embrace a more melodic clean vocal style and it compliments those elements but they are also very emotionally charged within their sound. It kind of reminds me of early 2000’s post hardcore in that sense. It’s very easy to get lost in their music and they’re a perfect addition to this bill. They very much sound like they’re influenced by the earlier waves of metalcore, post hardcore and rock music and I’m interested in seeing what they bring to their live show.
Another Day Dawns carries a bit of a different tone to their sound. They much more embody a more nu-metal vibe, they’d honestly fit well on a playlist curated for Slipknot fans and those of the like. There are some other elements there that match the energy of the other opener, but as I mentioned, they carry a much, much different sound. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of energy these guys bring to the show.
Memphis May Fire
Spanning over almost two decades, Memphis May Fire have been a force in the metalcore/post hardcore genres. While I don’t recall them having as much of the limelight as some of their peers, these guys do not fall short on any level. Most notable in their recent releases, they satisfy fans’ need for heavy riffage but also pull on the strings of the mind and the heart with contrasting screams and clean vocals.
In February of last year Memphis May Fire released “Remade in Misery” which received generally positive reviews and perception. I’ll admit that I’ve overlooked these guys through the years, I wasn’t much of a fan of the earlier music, but the last few releases of theirs have been absolute bangers. I’ve also never seen these guys perform live so I am definitely looking forward to this treat on the bill!
Atreyu
One of my favorite memories of Atreyu is actually a show they performed on the House of Blues stage back around 2007-08. I saw them co headline with Trivium and I was pushed up against the guardrail in the front for most of the show. I remember leaving that night with a bruise on the underside of my arm that was about the size of my fist. I had seen them a number of times after that, and the last time was at When We Were Young last year. I wish they had a better sound set up that day. With all the wind and issues we were having, I was left a little disappointed. BUT I stayed and watched them play some of my favorite songs anyway.
I admittedly lost track of them after their 2009 release, “Congregation of the Damned.” Though their sound had begun changing before this release, I always found their music to be enjoyable to listen to. Is it “Suicide Notes & Butterfly Kisses” or “The Curse”? No, it’s not. But as I’ve aged I’ve learned to embrace the changing routes that my favorite bands have embarked on. I remember working my little music job at Hot Topic when this album was released, I remember putting it on the store music player quite often. I also remember some of my older coworkers being severely critical of this album specifically, but I’ve always taken other people’s opinions with a grain of salt. They didn’t matter to me anyway. I kept listening to that release.
“The Curse” is probably still my most favorite release of theirs. Thankfully tracks from that album are still in heavy rotation during their live performances. I don’t care what anyone says, that record HITS and hits hard.
The Departure of Alex Vakatzas & New Releases
I’ve been slightly indifferent when it comes to Alex’s 2020 departure. I enjoyed him musically for a long time, but I have loved seeing Brandon Saller step into the role of frontman. I mean, how fucking rough must it be to sing and play drums? Brandon has such a great voice, so seeing him step forward just seemed to make sense. His clean vocals are complimented nicely by bassist Marc McKnight’s unclean vocals.
Atreyu’s most recent release, “The Moment You Find Your Flame” came out this month, and I have to say, it is a banger of a release. Upon listening I feel like I’m being transported back to my youth, back when I was first introduced to them. There are some subtle throwbacks to the old sound, but as I mentioned above, Brandon Saller is really embracing this spot as lead vocalist. You still get face melting guitar riffs and solos from Dan Jacobs, and replacement drummer Kyle Rosa is filling that seat out pretty well also.
Overall this record really highlights the more simple and clean, yet groundwork pieces of their sound. It’s not overly complicated, it’s produced well, and it really pulls you in. At least that’s how I feel as I sit here listening and taking it in.
What are my expectations?
It’s weird going into these kinds of shows and thinking of what I want to hear or experience as a fan. Atreyu have experienced monumental strides of growth and change in such a short period of time, so I’m walking into this event with a clean slate and open mind. It’s been over 20 years since my introduction to them, and if I had any real thought of how I would want this show to go, it would be to have that same feeling I felt when I was up against the guardrail at 18 years old, screaming lyrics as I was being pushed over and over by the moving crowd behind me.
See you in the pit, Vegas!