Review: Grieved / ETS, Stag & Hounds

Moshing. It’s a bit of a divisive subject of late. I’m not talking the innocent pogo at a Britpop reunion gig. Nor the charged circle pit at a Ska Punk gig. But hardcore moshing, where fists fly in the name of alt-fashion. It’s like getting beaten up to a soundtrack. Some argue that it is an expressive form of release, an essential part of hardcore shows. Some say if you saw someone behaving that violently out of the hardcore gig context – you would probably call the police.

So…how brutal was it for you? Violence is a strange barometer upon which to measure the success of a bands set, but clearly a desired one for Employed To Serve. Evidently they want to demolish The Stag And Hounds and everyone inside it. When they’re not tearing through their frenetically paced math core riffs, vocalist Justine is commanding the crowd to go nuts – a request to which they happily oblige. 

It’s almost symbiotic – the more the audience hurl themselves around the room, the harder Employed To Serve play. Showcasing the finest moments of their debut album Greyer Than You Remember – Employed To Serve deliver a taught masterclass in tension and release. From jarring, to crushing, to groovy – each track is like a miniature explosion of ideas, delivered with both passion and precision.

The brooding Bones To Break is a highlight, as it gives us a glimpse of the softer, dynamic belly lurking beneath the aggressive beast on display tonight. As their set flies by in a flurry of fury, both the band and crowd look utterly drained. Watching Employed To Serve is a bit like going to the gym. It’s a tough, physical, sweaty experience that will leave you feeling exhausted, but ultimately rewarded.

It’s a hard act for Grieved to follow. Having previously received a tremendous response at Temples Festival last year, the bar of expectation is set high for their return to Bristol this evening. They’ve just flown in from Sweden to play the first gig of their 16 date tour; but as they launch into their sonic assault, it’s clear that jet lag doesn’t stand a chance of slowing this relentless performance down. With their self titled album released only the week before, Grieved are caught up in the huge momentum of their new material and are here to deliver it hard and fast.

Down-tuned guitars churn out riff after riff, which are as weighty as they are catchy. Vocalist Marcus bellows at the crowd with an almost unsettling power, delivering the bitter lyrics of Fogbound with ferocious conviction. There is noticeably less moshing in the crowd during Grieved, but on the face of every nodding head is a mesmerized expression.

Bludgeoning through a mere 25 minute set of crusty hardcore, it’s impossible not to get caught up in the whirlwind of energy that is Grieved. It may have been short, but it was anything but sweet. (Unless you like your pudding blisteringly heavy and cathartic, that is.)