The huge concert hall “Shibuya O’East” hosts the 29th episode of the series “Extreme the DOJO”, gathering tonight several big names of American metalcore scene with The Acacia Strain, Every Time I Die and Unearth, with the local band Her Name In Blood opening the event. In the middle of a world tour, the 3 US bands were at Nagoya the previous day, and will play in Osaka the following, before getting back on tour in North America. It’s also the opportunity for us to meet Trevor, Slo and Nick from Unearth for an interview after the live.

The first to open the show tonight are the Japanese “Her Name In Blood”, formed in 2003 and active under this name since 2007. Originally from Tokyo, they released their first album “Decadence” in the beginning of 2010. After a short introduction, the band goes on stage with their eponymous track “Decadence”, quite efficient from the very start.
After the following one, the band asks for a wall of death on “Mirage”, that a dozen of metalheads will perform. The hall is still half empty but the crowd already has a good response. The band is very active, particularly the guitarist and bassist that keep jumping everywhere, and despite a problem on the guitar stopping the band for a few minutes, they know how to manage and and keep the crowd warm.

Despite their early age, Her Name In Blood proved they’re able, and fulfilled their opening role very well.

Setlist :
Intro
Decadence
Revolver
Mirage
Hey
Invisible Wounds

The evening goes on with the US band The Acacia Strain, from Massachusetts, unleashing their deathcore, dark and imposing. Formed in 2001, they have already released 5 albums and 2 split albums, one with the Japanese Loyal To The Grave (see the live report of the Blood Axe Festival organized by them), with Koba-san that was incidentally here tonight.

The Acacia Strain genre is in-between hardcore, death metal, with some influence of doom metal. It’s heavy, slow but impressive, maybe even oppressing. The scene remains without any banner, and the lights are kept to their strict minimum. The powerful voice of Vincent Bennett resonates, addressing the crowd in a clear English, even if only the group of westerners in the middle of the hall (and pretty active all the night long) seems to understand. The Acacia Strain are rather static but Vincent Bennett dares to get down the pit to approach the crowd, while the previously mentioned Koba-san takes the opportunity to cheerfully throw himself in the public.

Setlist :
Beast
Hills
Shut it down
Dr Doom
4x4
Pencile Test
Impaler
Balboa
JFC
Carbomb

Now it’s the turn for Every Time I Die, which benefits from a strong and supporting reaction from the crowd as soon as they get on stage. With some 13 years of activity, ETID has more experience of the stage, and knows how to lead the crowd. Their last album dates back to 2009, and the band plays equally their best tracks from their 4 last albums.
The concert hall is decorated with a flag representing the band, and the lights are much more present than before. The band plays their metalcore tinted with some elements of punk hardcore. The sound is unfortunately rather blurred (or maybe it’s just because I forgot to bring my earplugs), and Keith’s voice is barely audible near the end of the show.

The band still blasts it and is very active on stage, commanding a circle pit since the second track. The hall gets more and more crowdy, and even if it’s still not very compact, the neckbreakers don’t stop crowd surfing on the last tracks of the set, cheered by the band.
ETID delivers us an excellent performance !

Setlist :
Diablo
We’rewolf
Bored Stiff
Apocalypse
(New song)
No Son
Wanderlust
Marvelous
Ebolarama
New Black
Floater

And at last here comes Unearth, tonight headline act, that starts on their powerful “My Will Be Done”. Coming to Tokyo to defend their last album “Darkness in the Light” released in the beginning of July 2011, it will of course have the place of honor within the setlist, with “Watch It Burn”, “Shadows in the Light” or “Arise The War Cry”, even if the previous albums are still largely represented.
The guitars are sharp and technically well mastered, and Buz’s solos are perfectly performed. The crowd is very reactive, moshing, jumping, screaming, singing… Trevor addresses them with a few words of Japanese, and doesn’t hesitate to say that Tokyo is the “best town ever” ! Very close to the metalheads, Unearth shakes hands with them, and lets a handful of them climb on stage near the end of the show !

To sum up, Unearth grants us an excellent performance, transmitting us all their energy. I particularly appreciated the simultaneous “double jump” by the two guitarists. The show ends with the devastating “Black Hearts Now Reign”, and the hall is promptly evacuated in only a few minutes. Buz stays a few minutes to shake some hands, and it’s time for us to join Unearth for a video interview, before they leave the venue to enjoy Tokyo crazy nights and go to the next city…

Setlist :
My Will Be Done
Giles
Watch it Burn
Endless
This Lying World
Shadows in the Light
The Great Dividers
Arise the War Cry
Zombie Autopilot
Sanctity of Brothers
Black Hearts Now Reign


Also don't miss our interview with Unearth just after the show.