Live Review: Lionheart w/Negative Frame at The Dome in London!

The last time we had the pleasure of witnessing Lionheart was all the way back in December 2018 when they supported German Metalcore stalwarts Caliban on their “Elements” album tour. As it happens, the set that they played was the very same one that they committed to tape in 2020 with their “Live at Summer Breeze” album, which means we get a nostalgia trip every time it gets played because we were (almost) there.

Seven years and seven deadly sins later, the much loved Northern Californian Hardcore crew return to the very same venue, The Dome in London, for an intimate warm up show ahead of a run with Siamese, Nevertel and Bury Tomorrow. It has to be said that the show takes on a whole new meaning when six hours before it’s due to start, vocalist Rob Watson annouces on social media that he’s not going to be at the first few shows of the run as he’s got issues back home to deal with…

…and that’s just one of several strange things that happen. The show has been moved from sister venue Downstairs at The Dome to the main venue but there’s no beer on tap due to line issues.  Opening band Long Goodbye have also dropped off the bill leaving us with just two bands. Does trouble come in threes or what?

While confessing to not having played live in five months Londoners Negative Frame [9/10] give us a barnstorming set of full of old school Metallic Harcore aggression, incendiary energy and busts of Death Metal for shits and giggles with the half an hour of power marking the live debut of new lead guitarist George. If he’s feeling it, the Metallica t-shirt wearing blonde didn’t look nervous for a second, even offering up some fleeting leads as the five piece reduced the venue to the rubble from which it was raised. At a Metal show a hole in the center of the crowd would be filled by a circle pit but tonight it’s spin kickers and two steppers as the bass rumbles and the drums pound, the tight rhythm section operating like a well oiled machine. It’s been a couple of years since the band dropped “Mercy Killing” so when Kesari Gorin announces they’ve been working on a new album, the timing couldn’t be better. Maintaining their energy levels is essential for their blistering sound and the band feed off the energy in the pit, Gorin joining in with spin kicks on stage to show us how it’s done.

In the absence of Rob Watson, Lionheart [9/10] play the set tonight as a four piece with bassist Rick “Big Boy” Mathews leaving his four string to the side to take on the lead vocals. As fans will know he was once the frontman of a Harcore band called Hoods and has always handled backing vocals in Lionheart with aplomb, so it’s not as much of a step up as you might think. Encouraging the crowd to get up close and personal, the band hammer through the classics, Jay Scott’s double kicks causing the floor beneath our feet to vibrate in the process. If there are any nerves, they’re gone within a few minutes as “Death Comes In 3’s“, “Vultures” and “Hail Mary” get the scream-a-long treatment straight out of the gate, the twin guitar attack providing plenty of support with gang vocals wherever needed. Not taking themselves too seriously, they crack a few jokes while being truly humbled by the fact that people turned up for tonight’s show despite Rob Watson’s absence. In all honesty you can’t help but applaud their efforts because they’re here, doing what they do and still managing to sound great.

Two steppers and spin kickers are in the pit and barely get time to pause for breath as the classics keep coming. “Trial By Fire“, “Burn” and “Keep Talkin’” landing like punches from a prize fighter. None of their trademark live energy has been lost with the vocalist change and while the big strings are obviously absent, everything else is nailed. Stripped down without the turntable action of the original and in the heavier Lionheart guitar tone, a cover of “Breakstuff” by Limp Bizkit is great fun with Big Boy’s vocal performance taking the menace out of the original and replacing it with pure bloodthirsty rage. Big Boy jokes about Ice-T joining them from the side of the stage before a rousing rendition of “Live By The Gun” before  “LHHC” completes the set, Big Boy holding out the microphone for those in the front row to grab it and scream the words. Rising up to face the challenges that face you with a clenched fist is all part of the Hardcore ethos and by doing it tonight, Lionheart have put their money where their mouths are, show up and delivered in style. Tonight might actually go down in their history as one of a handful of truly unique shows.