A theatrical delight for the metal crowd

★★★★★ (5/5)

MOTIONLESS IN WHITE PERFORMIGN AT LONDON’S O2 BRIXTON ACADEMY
PHOTOCREDIT: CHARIS LYDIA BAGIOKI

Saturday saw a sold-out Brixton Academy serve as a house of worship for the fans of the metalcore band Motionless in White. It would prove to be an exceptional show, buoyed by a captivating stage show and memorable live performance.

From the very first thunder of drums, the audience was spellbound. Lead singer Chris “Motionless” showed why he is one of the best frontmen around, as his impeccable stagecraft and flawless vocals shone throughout. A thoroughly locked-in rhythm section delivered a powerful sound that filled every inch of the venue.

Further elevating the evening’s performance was a stage production better than perhaps any that the Brixton Academy has seen. Vibrant screens helped to make each song a unique narrative act. While scorching pyrotechnics fired into the air, eliciting cheers from the audience each time. On stage, a troupe of dancers, dubbed the cherry bombs, brought; fire stunts, spinning chains and werewolf masks to the delight of those in attendance. This all coalesced into a performance which felt much bigger than even the expansive ceilings of the Academy.

During the night, Motionless in White performed a tight set. Maintaining a lean energy which made the evening feel full of momentum, with not a second wasted. With this unstoppable high energy, it meant that almost every song in the set stood as a highlight.

Opening with “Meltdown” immediately set the tone and displayed the many talents of the band. Stellar drumming propelled the song forward and into the soaring chorus.

The set covered many albums from the band's career, with songs from 2022’s “Scoring the End of the World” and 2017’s “Graveyard Shift” making up the majority.

Lyrical content throughout the night remained quite consistent, lamenting relationships, love and loss. The playfully overwrought “Masterpiece” reinvents the power ballad as a dramatic metal-core tune.

Heavier thrills were delivered as well, particularly on tracks such as “Abigail” which allowed the guitars to chug and for the guttural growls to be fully on display. A progression in sound can be heard on the synth heavy “Sign of life”. While still preserving the heavy roots of the band, it delivered an evolution through its electrical elements and processed vocals.

The powerful chorus of “Another Life” served as a memorable highlight of the set towards the end. Closing with “Eternally Yours” the cheers from the audience endured long after the closing notes.

In short, the night’s performance was not only fantastic, it was one that belongs on even bigger stages. Motionless in White have shown that they could command an arena with ease, and from the faces of the fans in attendance they would happily snap up tickets.