CONCERT REVIEW: DELUSION / DELIKVENCE 11 / WHAT'S IN THE BOX (Czech Republic Hardcore), Bowl Bar, Prague, Czech Republic, 13 December 2019.

DELIKVENCE 11 (Czech Republic Hardcore / Thrash Metal).

CONCERT REVIEW: DELUSION / DELIKVENCE 11 / WHAT’S IN THE BOX (Czech Republic Hardcore) @ Bowl Bar, Vrsovice, Prague, 13 December 2019.

The first band on stage this Friday night was WHAT’S IN THE BOX. This young band plays emotional (not emo), melodic, progressive hardcore with English lyrics about personal struggles. The lyrics are screamed with deep anger. The music is varied and technically strong. It is catchy but not poppy or weak in any way at all. If the band experimented with smoother chorus sections and sang a song or two about soccer or brotherhood (e.g. SAINTS & SINNERS, HAYMAKER, BOOZE & GLORY, THE BUSINESS, SHAM 69) it might go very far. However, such a move might go against the vision which the band members have for the band. The band has a huge amount of potential.

The second band DELIKVENCE 11 plays what I would describe as traditional hardcore-influenced thrash-metal, despite one band member’s BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE hoodie. This is fast-paced aggressive thrash which just never stops for a minute to slow down or to pause. The vocalist barks in a Tom Araya / Paul Baloff style which also reminds me of the old Czech band ARAKAIN and the song ‘Ku Klux Klan’.

The final band DELUSION has a long and proud history dating back to 1995. They delighted the audience with standard, aggressive hardcore. The vocalist had a strong Phil Anselmo-type stage presence with strong and dirty shouted vocals. He traversed the whole floor area between band and audience. The audience of about 80-100 people aged 18-30 was up and dancing along to this band (no mosh-pit or crowd-surfing though). I was tired from head-banging and had to sit down to rest halfway through this band’s set. 

All bands were impressive and technically strong, full of aggression and with heartfelt sincerity. The bands played with genuine passion (nothing commercial or weak here) and the audience was appreciative. The crowd was quiet for the first two bands but by the end of the show they were reluctant to leave the Bowl Bar venue and head out into the cold night.