Stacey LimConcert Review: We Came as Romans
Two years ago, We Came as Romans’ double-billed concert with Crown the Empire was cancelled by organizer Live! Empire due to “unforeseen circumstances”. This time, We Came As Romans fans were more than pumped up when Michigan’s 6 -piece metalcore act performed a highly anticipated show in the intimate setting of St James Power Station on May 20.
After what seemed like hours of cruel suspense, We Came as Romans got onto the stage despite their exhaustive jet lag (23 hours of it from Los Angeles to Singapore) and warmed it with “To Plant a Seed”, a familiar title track from their debut album. As its final riff petered out, we knew we had to fight our way into the mosh pit.
Apparently, everyone else had the same idea. From the second song, “Roads That Don’t End and Views That Never Cease”, onwards, the approximately 380-strong crowd revelled in spasms of savagery with mass outbreaks of mosh-dancing. There wasn’t a moment where our feet were planted firmly on the ground.
It was quite unfortunate that lead vocalist Kyle Pavone was unable to perform that night due to passport issues. Thankfully, unclean vocalist David Stephens (who contributes to the ‘screaming’ parts of the songs) was prepared to take over the main vocals, equipped with singing lessons and practices.
Despite his preparations, he was still utterly breathless at various points of their set. But the audience remained extremely supportive. Their collective chanting brightened up the atmosphere whenever David prompted the audience to sing.
Speaking of the audience, a man from the crowd shouted to the band that he has lost his wallet halfway through and bassist Andy Glass leaned forward to listen. Fortunately, someone from the other side of the mosh had found his wallet and it was passed back to him without delay. Witnessing such a bonded group of music lovers looking out for one another so readily, we dare proclaim – this is one of the writer’s favourite concert audiences to date.
By the time “Fade Away” came on, the venue was a sea of mosh-dancing. There were numerous circle pits, not to mention crowd surfers cruising along. One brave dude even got onto the stage and took over Stephens’s vocals briefly before he was promptly escorted off by security.
We Came as Romans stoked the fires further, unleashing their unique blend of punk and hardcore with the cover of The Wanted’s “Glad You Came” (you can listen to it in Fearless Records’ compilation album, Punk Goes Pop 5).
We had managed to snag a quick chat with the band prior to their set and asked which other Taylor Swift song they might cover after their rendition of “I Knew You Were Trouble” appeared on Punk Goes Pop 6. Though they mused and considered “Style”; lead guitarist Joshua Moore added, “Taylor Swift should cover us instead!” We second that.
Saying very little in between songs save for the occasional gruff “thank you”, the band peeled off song after song. Stephens hinted to the audience to “keep your eyes open in the next few weeks” and exploded into action with an exclusive new single from their upcoming album, Regenerate.
After We Came as Romans cranked everything out, ending with a particularly intense rendition “Tracing Back Roots”, they thanked the audience before leaving the stage dripping with sweat.
Their need unsatisfied, the audience hollered loud enough to bring the band back. Obliging, the band reappeared for one last time, bringing the night to a dramatic close with “Hope”.
The metalcore genre has always been synonymous with angst-driven vocals and a violent disposition. Even though the latter was proven right when our editor was dragged unwillingly into the mosh pit and left with bruises, We Came as Romans put up a passionate performance and validated the metalcore genre with one true hope.
Setlist:
- To Plant a Seed
- Roads That Don’t End and Views That Never Cease
- Ghosts
- Fade Away
- Regenerate
- Broken Statues
- The World I Used to Know
- Glad You Came (The Wanted cover)
- Never Let Me Go
- Present, Future, and Past
- Mis//Understanding
- Tracing Back Roots
Encore:
- Hope
Tell us what you think of the concert in the Comments section below!
Photos courtesy of Handerson Yau Photography, The Outsider, Chains of Steel Photography, and Inokii