Alesana has been a band for 15 years, and they’re as intense as ever. The North Carolina hardcore group invaded Club Red on The Unkindness of Ravens Tour, joined by Capture, Avoid and more.
The night really kicked up a notch when Seattle hardcore outfit Avoid hit the stage. The small but mighty audience lit up, driven by the wall of energy put out by singer Benny Scholl. The band was unstoppable, constantly in motion for a set that won over even the wallflowers and pulled enthusiastic fans into the middle for a rowdy mosh pit.
Capture traveled all the way from Australia for this tour and continued the heavy vibes of the evening. They riled up the audience into a churning circle pit, playing both new and old songs throughout their set. The band was a stellar addition to the tour, their hardcore sound and slick riffs pulling the audience’s attention for their entire time onstage.
As the veterans of the night, Alesana can still show the next wave of hardcore how to rock. Clean vocalist Shawn Milke was charismatic as ever, reaching the high notes the band is known for, while heavy vocalist Dennis Lee held down the screams.
The band took their audience on a journey through their lengthy discography, playing fan favorites and a few deep cuts for old school fans. Unsurprisingly, the largest response of the night came from the era of The Emptiness, the band’s 2010 hit concept album. Alesana hit the crowd with “The Lover” and “The Artist” back to back, before continuing on to the The Lost Chapters of their career.
The band also invited former guitarist Alex Torres onstage for a song, to the absolute delight of the room. Avoid singer Benny Scholl was also invited up, cementing the type of friendship only found on the best of tours. The evening closed with two of the band’s oldest tracks in a nod to the fans who’ve been there since the beginning.
The evening was a total surprise- Alesana is still here and, from the looks of things, they plan to be here for the long run. With 15 years under their belts, they have perfected a sound that clearly still resonates with a hardcore scene searching for consistent talent and they want Alesana to stay.
Story and photos by Olivia Khiel
