Waterlines live with Arcaeon & Eschalon in London, live Review

Do you like heavy metal? Dance music? Electronic? Mosh pits? Whatever you’re into there will be at least one aspect you’ll enjoy at this show tonight.

The venue is not easy to find if daydreaming while walking around London, Great Portland Street’s best-kept secret is easy to miss. “229” looks like a mysterious tent from the outside and inside there’s winding stairs leading to a basement. 

It’s honestly the coolest venue ever; it’s an open space yet compact and charming. There’s a friendly atmosphere and the lighting is pink but dark. Wooden floors make us nervous for the inevitable pit. The show has a slightly delayed opening, and this adds to our excitement, there’s suspense in the air. 

Arcaeon

Arcaeon is the first support act to play. 

They create a big energy that bursts off the small stage, and sick melodic vocals quickly turn into pig squeals- the lead singer smiles after he hits notes to perfection. He emulates hugely powerful vocal fluctuations between screaming and melodically belting, it’s hard to believe both noises come out of the same person. 

A band member comes on stage late and shouts out to the crowd for spare equipment batteries…assistance is found straight away with help from a member of Eschalon and now Arcaeon’s sound is complete.

The bass and drums create introductions to songs, and the guitar riffs and vocals complete them. Raptor wind-led screams from our lead singer show he uses the mic to his advantage while moving it side to side; he comes off stage to jump in the crowd while fist-pumping fans. We’re thrashing. Hands up to the sky, moshing and dropping low to the floor, lots of heads are over knees headbanging, grinned teeth, furrowed brows, the concentration on our faces is noted. The bassist pulls faces while playing and pulling shapes on stage. There are smiles on all the bands’ faces now; you can tell they love what they do.

The paired riffs are insane leading to the lowest growls in the speed of double time matched by carefully bashing drums; a range of melodies match the range of the vocals-it’s perfection.

High singing notes, low growls; both equally as powerful. Static and frantic stage presence matches their sound. Unhinged melodies paired with flashing lights and we’re distinctly present. 

Once you think a song is done it keeps on going, they’re the band that just keeps on giving and they’re giving talent. We bow down for the breakdowns as does the band we’re vowing to the heavy, vocal notes are projected to the ceiling like worship.

Dream-like music plays which sounds like wind chimes clinking delicately while breakdowns are being prepared. Each note is accounted for. Dancing floaty music begins, the lead singer is in the crowd again and we’re all jumping like we have no other choice. 

The band sat on stage and encouraged us to sit on the floor, we were all at each other’s eye level now and when we jumped up as prompted our energy could lift the roof off. 

There’s a dramatic ending almost horror movie theme sounding but with a lot more from guitars sliding scales.

Great opener, all the energy that was brewing from the crowd’s excitement was being well spent throughout their set.

Eschalon

The stage is dark, dramatic piano, orb-like, whirlwind music plays. “Welcome to Eschalon” is recited on a voiceover. The band are silhouettes exhumed in smoke. Flashing red lights to the beat of our racing heart’s glow in emergency-like timing. The set starts off as it means to go on; there’s a mix of sounds; all very intense and all at once; their sound is creatively challenging the scene as we know it. 

Smoke matches the illusive mood; the band are shadowed but not in our doubts about their abilities. We try not to cough from smoke machines as we open our mouths wide and inhale our gasps at how talented they are. A fan by the front of the stage is on his knees and we’ve never seen a human being having such a visceral reaction to a band; his arms outstretched upwards holding on to and reciting every word performed, it’s the most beautiful thing we’ve ever seen, and it reminds us of how powerful this music is. 

Photographers flash their camera lights at the faces on the stage to make out the band members features. Crashing drums are coated in hardcore guitar riffs and vocals. We can’t see much but we can hear everything. 

Disorientating in the best sort of way. Makes you focus on the Music. Deep lyrics are sung while long hair is flying all over the stage while the headbanging ensues.  Deep tingly melodies create soulful music about our salvation.  

They’re joined on stage by Ben from Waterlines. Powerful stances deliver even more powerful screams. There’s a high-pitched frequency sound and suspenseful drumbeats which lead into the biggest “bleughs”. The singing starts off so mellow but quickly becomes chaotic and all over the place, we are never knowing what to expect. Multiple vocalists, thrashing helicopter noises sharp and punctual; lights like bolts of lightning flash on the fists of the crowd displayed in the air. 

They’re next joined on stage by the beautiful and talented Rania Bailey, who’s voice comes from her soul. We wish her microphone had been turned up louder and she’d had more time on stage, we could have listened to her stunning vocals all night. We’re two stepping the night away while the band announce their gratitude to the crowd and states that tonight “the bands are here because of you.” 

Waterlines

Introducing the most fun we’ve ever had at a show.

Ben the lead singer greets London by expressing “We’ve driven to the arse end of the country and paid a Ulez charge to play this show” fair enough. We are glad they made it. 

Chaotic musical lights lead to Ben screaming his lungs out, delivering all of the vocals while stomping his feet and screaming lyrics into our hearts. He kicks towards the sky and looks to the crowd heavily for the recognition Waterlines deserve. His screams are deafening, in the best way. Their energy on stage is immaculate; Ben’s now jumping so high he’s almost hitting his head off the ceiling. 

He has a yellow mic and is wearing a jumpsuit with patchwork including hello kitty, unicorns, and super Mario, he’s not scary but his vocals are scarily good. Waterlines have a friendly energy that turns angry but in an inviting way; they’re also overly charismatic and we’re amazed by their stage presence. 

The lighting is looking like fire accentuating their feral movements. Ben’s mic is at times upside down and he’s a pro at controlling his voice. 

Their unique sound is hard to describe but includes Electronic, Hip hop, Metal swag and heavy underground; the bands working hard throughout their set and consistently looking proud of their achievements. 

The powerful bassist is twanging beats into our chests, we can feel the thumping. It’s the venue with the most bass we’ve ever been to; we just can’t possibly stay still with this much energy being ignited in our souls and all the moving around is probably protecting our eardrums or at least alternating the damage. 

We the crowd; are the closest to the stage we’ve been night, getting in tight like a giant hardcore hug, but this makes it a little more noticeable that the rooms only half full, this does not stop Waterlines from putting on a full show. 

Drippy music is playing in the background and the screams take us by surprise this time- extra heavy and gravelly. Waterlines have the craziest unexpected transitions, super charging their screams in between the dance music. Ben’s head is tilted back; the sounds of his vocals hitting the ceiling. The Music makes our world shake.

The bands bodies move in what seems like slow motion under the lights while delivering double time music- it confuses our brains and amazes us. 

There’s complete fluidity in the transitions, effortlessly loud and undeniably versatile. Turntablism, scratching and breakdowns are present. 

We then create a metal “Daisy chain” where we’re knee-high kick stepping to each side of the room and back, we are all involved; even myself; who is not known for balance, but I couldn’t not move along, their energy is so contagious. 

The moments of whisper screaming sound deadly. There are elements of rap metal throughout. “Be faithful” by Fatman Scoop lyrics are chanted “on the New York transit line…” and we’re bouncing; nobody’s feet on the floor anymore. Intimate and intense with elite timing. 

There’s a clock ticking in the background music. Times stagnant, we’re in awe.  

Flashing strobe lights, going two flashes a second draw us back in. The look on Waterlines faces is key, it’s as if they’re awaiting our reactions as they know what’s coming but we definitely don’t- we’re consistently presently surprised.  

The double time growling is suspenseful and seems the whole room grows lower, we’re drawn in to Ben’s voice, our body movements get low, emotions hitting the floor, while he’s growling into the core of the earth- deep and guttural. 

“Pretty Green Eyes//Elysium” is played by Waterlines and we’re transported back to our youth. Under the green lights, Ben’s voice is beautiful and powerful, what a mash up. We’re bouncing and thrashing to breakdowns so hard and heavy we can feel them in our teeth. 

Really feels like we’re in a club night now.  “Oggie, oggie, oggie, oi, oi, oi” is chanted by all.  We went from Dance land back into breakdowns rapidly.

Ben announces “Thursday is usually an un sexy day, but have no fear Waterlines are here” “Strip teases are encouraged.” We don’t know how to act appropriately in this very moment, the set becomes sensual. We cannot generify this band. 

On Ben’s command we split the room down the middle for a wall of death. He announces the two sides of the room are against each other, “everyone over there kill everyone over there”. Typically, I’m on the side with less people…oh shit. They play “Brace” I did in fact brace myself, but the wall of death turned to laughs quickly.

We survived…just about, with a few bruises tomorrow. Worth it? Absolutely. We feel safe from the pit but not safe from unknown revelations on this set list.

“This is your captain speaking” plays on a voice over. This leads to intense growling. How can someone’s screams be so delightful? We don’t know. “Put your head between your legs and let me see you fuck it up” Dance music and metal breakdowns complement each other once more. A singer from Eschalon joined Waterlines on stage.  Suspenseful music playing leads into heavier tunes, people are jumping manically, the floors shaking, no one is jumping in time with each other or the music, but it matches the chaos. We never take a minute to stand back from the madness as we’re so engrossed. There’s crowd surfing even without a full crowd. 

Waterlines make mixing genres and mashups we never knew could work seem easy. They’re the mash ups we never knew we needed, until now. Clever creative genius blends genres precisely but smoothly. Waterlines can pull off anything and we’re here for it. With this band you’ll never know what’s next and we like being kept on our toes until we’re knocked off our feet in the pit. It’s a short, compressed set with the most energy ever.

We can’t wait to see what we’re predicting to be a quick rise to larger venues and sold-out shows. All bands watching and supporting each other’s performance was lovely to see. All performers have such unique energy’s which they immaculately blended. 

It was like being part of a hardcore family for the night. Such a strangely welcoming and intimate London show. 

See them, listen to them, adore them, support them, before they blow up and you’ve to argue with Ticketmaster systems to see them live.

Review by Tanita Hingerty