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Walls of Jericho / With Honor

live in Erie
2005
live show

Walls of Jericho / With Honor - live in Erie (Cover Artwork)

Review by: primeevil7
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http colon slash slash www dot withhonor dot com (link)

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Published on November 8th 2005

I don’t really know how to start this. After moving to Western Pennsylvania from Chicago, there’s a disparity between the amount of concerts, and if this show is any indication of the concerts in Erie, then I don’t think I’ll be disappointed at all.

The Forward Hall in Erie is a small club, with a bar attached to its left side like a leech. The stage, if that, is a foot off the ground. At least there’s a semblance of familiarity.

Up first was New Jersey’s (and recent Ferret signees) the Banner. I didn’t like their music, not that they didn’t try. I expected greater things, remembering reading Anchors’ wildly positive review and just thinking…is this it? Most of their tunes sounded like a slight deviation from the metalcore we’ve been hearing with barking, incomprehensible vocals, but their material off of Each Breath Haunted sounded more melodic and interesting, while still maintaining the tough guy image that the Banner seemed to project. If you like the Banner, then I can’t see why you wouldn’t like their live performance. They were performing with a new guitarist, which may explain the lack of cohesiveness exuded by the band. I know I’m making excuses for the Banner. I wanted to get into them, but I just wasn’t feeling it.

Modern Life Is War (who was also touring with a fill-in guitarist) on the other hand, from the first note, had their fans in a stranglehold. If I told you that Modern Life Is War were extremely enthusiastic, then you’d get the wrong impression; if I told you that their bleak songs don’t to transfer to a live setting, you’d get a different impression than what happened; if I told you that the singer (Jeff) screamed and moved like he caught fire, you’d get a different impression than what actually happened.

In plain English, though the band was on its 'A' game, Modern Life Is War’s bleakness didn’t come through because of the front row singing along. It’s pretty hard to have a bleak, noir atmosphere when you’re being piled on for a gang vocal chant. That said, as reported by many other attendees of Modern Life Is War shows, the guys unload energy like a baseball bat hitting a tennis ball.

Musically, the only reference point I can think of is the Suicide File except bleaker and with longer songs focusing much more on tragedy of small-town life rather than politics. They later admitted to be influenced by Tragedy.

Set list in order as much possible... "D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S." was requested and played, but I forget exactly where in the set they put it.

Outsiders
Martin Atchet
By the Sea
John and Jimmy
Late Bloomers
D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S.
Clarity
Young Man Blues
Hair Raising Accounts of Restless Ghosts

Next up was With Honor. I’m a fan, so yes, I am a little biased when I say With Honor played better than Modern Life Is War, but I really did feel as though the cohesion of With Honor overall made the energy higher than the manic tendencies of MLIW’s Jeff; not to say that the four guys in Modern Life Is War just stood there and played their instruments, but With Honor as a group gave off a very "together" vibe, as though everyone was completely dialed into what they were doing.

With Honor’s positive spirit musically only grew with the addition of a live audience, and Todd made more gang vocal parts for songs off of the new This Is Our Revenge, which sounds near-majestic live. Each of the guitarists seemed dialed into their music, and the drummer appeared rock solid on cymbal crashing. Perhaps why I enjoyed With Honor so much was because of the positivity of their material. Modern Life Is War is a hard act to follow, but somehow, With Honor managed to do it, not just by energy and a tight rendition of their material, but aided by their fans who were more familiar with their material.

Set list (from what I can remember, not in order):

More Than Heroes
Rethink, Return (opener, I believe)
Like Trumpets
Gun for Hire
Closets
Small Dreams
Two songs off of their first EP
Plot Two

As for the headliner, Walls of Jericho, I had seen them before in Chicago, and decided to give them a fair shot. I left after 7 minutes. While their performance was high energy and charged up (Candace moved on stage as though she had been in solitary confinement for the last year), the violence of the crowd just got to me. Maybe it was just the differences between the out-and-out positivity of With Honor and the thuggish-ness of the Walls of Jericho fans. I also didn’t care for Walls of Jericho in Chicago, and after their performance in Erie, I still don’t. I suppose I’m an old man now that the violent dancing for the sole purpose of violence is getting to me.

So I left. There was no local opener for me to miss. If any iteration of this tour should pass through where you live, I highly recommend you go.

Picture of Modern Life Is War’s set list, minus "D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S."

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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, November 11, 2005 at 12:16 AM (EST)
My Score:

PS, I left before Walls of Jericho too. I hate that fucking band.

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, November 10, 2005 at 11:58 PM (EST)
My Score:

I just saw these dudes play in Orlando. They had the same setlist...and man it was fun. The best part was that Where Eagles Dare opened up for them! They even played a Gorilla Biscuits cover.

Posted by _911 on 2005-11-09 15:37:59

one of the best shows i have ever seen was this

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, November 9, 2005 at 2:15 PM (EST)
My Score:

Score is for fans of Trustkill bands

Posted by primeevil7 on 2005-11-09 13:18:45

What did you wear/look like?

I was the dude constantly walking around in the green on blue Bane hoodie.

Posted by PillsAndAdvice on 2005-11-09 12:49:23

I was at this show as well. My thoughts:

I'm upset that Subzero ended up not playing since I was really looking forward to seeing them.

I don't care for the Banner at all, but at least the crowd wasn't acting like a bunch of assholes the last time I saw them.

MLIW is excellent. Once again, though, I forgot to pick up Witness. Shame on me.

WH: some of the nicest guys I know. Really happy that they're playing Closets live. The two songs from the EP were Bridges and Gaps and To Believe.

Left before Walls of Jericho. No care for them either.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 8, 2005 at 11:51 PM (EST)

MLIW is rad

Posted by joeg on 2005-11-08 17:40:40

walls of jericho........tough GIRL hardcore all up in yo face!

Posted by sickboi on 2005-11-08 16:54:02

I turn 26 in January, does that make me "old"?

Posted by etwiels88 on 2005-11-08 14:53:07

I fucking hate Walls Of Jericho.

Posted by skolarx on 2005-11-08 12:11:59

i went to the show in detroit last friday. with honor talked shit to some guys in the crowd for moshing too violently, even though from what i heard no punches were being landed, just thrown in the air for this punk-fu crap. he even told the guys to meet him outside where he then proceeded to try to back track and say that wasn't what he said. thought that was a little bit funny. personally i thought they sounded great though they were the only band i paid attention to so i'm not sure how the rest of the show was

Posted by primeevil7 on 2005-11-08 11:59:11

"I suppose I’m an old man now that the violent dancing for the sole purpose of violence is getting to me."

SHUT THE FUCK UP. YOU'RE FUCKING 18.

Jesus fucking christ.

I was being a little sarcastic there. The internet isn't really the best place for it, I know. The bit about being old was for purposes of humor to show that
a) one does not have to be old to have ill will towards violent moshing
b) People in the hardcore scene tend to assume if someone is against violent moshing, they must be older.
and
c) a tip of the cap to Sickboi.

Yes, I am going to school in Western Pennsylvania.

Additionally, superdude, you rule.

Posted by superdude on 2005-11-08 11:40:07

This review was pretty good, but here's how I would make it better:

1. Gang vocals? Gangs are dangerous.

2. So did that guy in the picture stay in that position the whole time?

3. Sore knee I bet.

4. They should tour with Berlin so it could be the Berlin Walls of Jericho tour.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 8, 2005 at 1:20 AM (EST)

"I suppose I’m an old man now that the violent dancing for the sole purpose of violence is getting to me."

SHUT THE FUCK UP. YOU'RE FUCKING 18.

Jesus fucking christ.

Posted by TheOneTrueBill on 2005-11-08 01:10:21

So are you going to school there? I can't really think of another reason to move from Chicago to Western Pennsylvania

Posted by Godfather on 2005-11-08 01:03:18
My Score:

score is for the johnny cash t-shirt

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 8, 2005 at 1:02 AM (EST)

I've always wanted to see the Walls of Jericho, just to see that crazy female vocalist.