Devoting
Destiny
NOT DEAD YET TOUR
ENGRAVE
Last Tuesday, August 13th at the St. Andrew’s Hall in their hometown Engrave started the night for Crown The Empires set. This was an electrifying performance that showed off a blend of pop-punk and alternative rock. Their setlist started off with Mirrors released back in 2021 and followed by Better Days and Fallout. Each song every band member on stage was soaring with energy. Will definitely see again if they decide to play in Detroit, MI.
ONI
Next up we have ONI a metal band from Canada that delivered an explosive performance. ONI did not disappoint one bit they performed aggressive metalcore and melodic elements. The setlist kicked off with their song Silhouette. Immediately from the first vocal cord note, it was so clean with of course expecting from a metal band growls. Guitarists Jared, TJ, and Nick unleashed high-energy riffs. Dylan on drums was absolutely one of the highlights of the evening on drums with his powerful beats.
CAPSTAN
Kicking off the stage next is Capstan. Capstan's performance was more emotional depth and engaging presence. The set began with Final Words followed by Shades of Us which immediately engaged the audience with Anthony DeMario’s powerful vocals. The rhythm throughout the band was very solid and expressed with energy. Visually their set had their recent album cover lit up in the background released back in May of 2024 called The Mosaic. The band has described this new album as an exploration of taste in different sounds throughout their album. Overall, seeing Capstan set for the first time was for sure capturing the talents they all have as well as seeing how Capstan continues to stand out in the hardcore genre.
DARK DIVINE
Continuing the set all the way from Florida at the St. Andrew’s Hall delivering a dark pop-punk fusion is Dark Divine. I saw these guys at Hear This Fest back in March 2023 and again DID NOT DISAPPOINT. When the lights turned off everyone started shouting on the floor and started off their song Hive Mind. A track that features haunting synths, hard guitar riffs, and charged vocals/screams. Visually speaking the dramatic lighting and stage effects complemented the mood of each song. Not to mention their Halloween face paint each night must take so much time and effort to do. The final song of course their hit song Halloweentown is such a good song to listen to it just screams Halloween-themed energy. Dark Divine is a band to see if they come to your hometown they know how to showcase a show, especially with their dark pop and rock genre.
CROWN THE EMPIRE
And they are back… from The Fallout 10-Year Anniversary Tour to the Not Dead Yet Tour headlines at the St. Andrew’s Hall Crown the Empire. This band is known for their post-hardcore and metalcore sounds such as heavy guitar riffs to dual vocals. They delivered a performance with demanding high energy that left the crowd with a tremendous roar for more. Andy’s vocals and screaming are like he was natural for this From the moment intro to A Call to Arms (I) and opening to their song Initiation the band immediately gave it their A-game engaging fans right away. The setlist was well mixed with old favorites to new releases it worked together to get the aggression and refreshing mood. Fans were singing from all over to a pit in the middle and a few crowd surfers. Will Crown The Empire make a 3/3 trip back to St. Andrews?