The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die is a sextet rock band from Connecticut, and they’re playing tonight in Dublin venue “The Grand Social”. They have not performed in Ireland since 2018, and there’s an air of suspense, warmth, and excitement within the room.
Church Of The Rat is an “apocalypse death punk” band. They’re the supporting act for tonight’s show. They start off their set as they mean to go on, with heaps of energy that spills off the stage and into the crowd for a complex and highly memorable energy exchange.
They have a uniquely ferocious stage presence and keep us engaged with a fast-paced set which consists of accelerated notes, a dedicated ever-changing backdrop, disorderly movements, and distinct opinions, while keeping everything in perfect timing rhythmically. A lot is going on all at once, and it works. The lead singer delivers consistently fluctuating vocals that range from gravelly to charming, which really draw you in. They encourage more chaos, and the crowd delivers.
The lead singer takes time to speak about how he has made Dublin city his home for the last two years, and this leads to relatability from the crowd, and even more cheering. It’s quite a wholesome moment, but it’s not long until we’re back into abrupt guitar riffs, downward sliding scales, illuminated notes played sporadically, and intensified melodic sounds.
The lead singer makes good use of the stage and moves around a lot, at times his arms outstretched to the sky, while the audience fist pumps the air, creating a feeling of unison in the room. Determined headbanging ensues from the middle of the crowd.
Church Of The Rat exhudes uninhibited, authentic rage while embracing topics, portrayed through their music. Their songs are delivered authentically and indifferently with complete certainty. They perform with an unapologetic approach; their set is heavy and meaningful all at once.
They announce they’re about to play a song about the end of the world, and impending doom never sounded so good. Hardcore drum beats lead us into uncontrolled and intensely fluctuating notes paired with static sounds while a mosh pit erupts and two-stepping begins.
The room is shaking and filled with adrenaline, while amplified reverb can be felt from head to toe. We can hear the most intensely strung high-pitched riffs, booming bass, and powerful staccato drumming, all slowing down in pace to lead us into….
The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die takes to the stage, the crowd begins to cheer, and looking around, the audience is all emitting adoring expressions.
TWIABP doesn’t sound like any other band. They have set solid foundations for inventing new styles of sounds within the rock genre. Their set is mesmerizing to watch. They perform so well together and are all uniquely multi-talented within their own rights.
Their performance style is melodically dedicated but defiant towards musical norms. The sounds delivered are completely unique and consistently emotive. They had the audience going from swaying in unison to moshing oppositely and back again. There is a huge sense of belonging within the room; TWIABP has created a very magical ambiance.
They fluctuate between sounds and genres effortlessly and deliver a different kind of show. It’s welcoming and invites us in, but we also have no idea what to expect from moment to moment. Each band member seems completely absorbed within the sounds; they look so expressive as they perform.
Harsh, high-pitched riffs are sounded out before screams become more elusive and intricate; there are hidden details in every note, and so many layers within each sound. Everything is so well thought out and executed to perfection. Thundering bass notes are twanged, which we can feel in our chests, and all the crowd’s hands are now in the air, clapping together with high energy. The whole floor suddenly spaces out, and this leads to a circle pit which shakes the room.
Each song played has a completely different pace, and we’re taken on a complex musical journey throughout the set while the band harmonises opposing notes in synchronicity for unusual sounds.
Chilling voice-overs can now be heard echoing through this way-too-hot room; they lead to layered thumping chords that come in stagnant and defined but with a sense of wildness to them. Vocals are delivered with attitude but at times sound hauntingly poetic. Harmonies become velvetised yet prominent; everything is balanced.
Low bass notes now portray the theme of the music, while the most guttural screams are delivered brutally around intrinsic melodies. They played a range of songs from their newest album and some of their earlier work, both were equally well received by the crowd.
The stage becomes filled with smoke, and now we can see only the band members’ silhouettes while we’re left on a musical cliffhanger where the music becomes delicate and almost non-existent but it’s not long before we’re back into full throttle instrumentals. Staccato screams devotingly turn to lullabies, adding to the definitive sound.
Gentle keyboard and synthesized sounds highlight darker, more menacing melodies, and we’re into the last song on the set list.
TWIABP were cherished by the crowd tonight. Their performance was eclectic, magical, and enigmatic. They laid their emotions bare with each musical offering while exuding so much passion and talent from the stage.
