More about: Architects

Riffs, continuous mouth-watering breakdowns and painful heartfelt tears from undying fans – Architects dominate the Wembley Arena stage and prove why they are one of the best metalcore bands of this era. 

The Brighton-born band - formed in 2004 by twin brothers Dan and the late Tom Searle - reach a new high this evening (19 January) when they perform to over 12,500 people, making history and marking them one of the few British metalcore bands to reach arena status. Not only are we blessed enough to see Architects in all of their glory on the big stage, with pyrotechnics and beaming lights that would send even the quietest of people into a mosh-pit frenzy; they are accompanied by an astonishing line up. Support bands Polaris and Beartooth are two impressive additions to the already promising event. They’re two ever-growing bands that are well-known for melting your ears with funky, aggressive and downright monstrous riffs.

As the lights began to dim, people start to scream as the ensemble walk onto the stage and assume their positions. Almost immediately Architects lunge into ‘Death Is Not Defeat’, a heartfelt and harmoniously-melodic track that details the anguish the band lived through following the death of guitarist Tom Searle, following his battle with skin cancer. The long-anticipated album Holy Hell is their first release since the loss of their brother and band member in August 2016 and no one could have prepared the world for the record. It’s an album full of turmoil, undying love and grief and passion engulfs the room as Sam Carter, Architects’ notorious frontman, embraces the crowd with his ferocious screams and flawlessly clean vocals. 

Their performance is almost impeccable, with Sam’s pristine and well-trained voice bellowing through the arena, it’s hard to not recognise the importance of this band and their musical talent. All band members play every riff, melody and drum-beat with emasculate precision, showing off their obvious aptitude for all things musically aggressive. There is not one fault throughout the entirety of their performance, and if there was, it is certainly hidden well and demonstrates how Architects have grown professionally and musically as a band over their impressive 15-year career. 

They continue the set with more of their new material with songs such as ‘Royal Beggars’, ‘Holy Hell’ and last but definitely not least, the anthemic ‘Hereafter’.

The crowd, now exhausted from repeated death walls, circle pits and flailing arms, listen intently as the band take a brief moment to pay respects to their audience, families and their dearest Tom Searle. The initials T.S. appear on the screen surrounded by a simple love heart and immediately the fans begin to chant his name; tears running down the faces of people who truly care and the band visibly hurting. But, this is not a moment of defeat or anguish displayed by Architects; it is a moment of bravery, a presentation of what they have become and what they have survived. Stronger than ever, more passion than you could ever fathom and the ability to captivate thousands of people with their art. 

More about: Architects