At first glance, the use of backing tracks for guest vocalists during Earthside’s set at 229 Venue 2 created a momentary puzzle. Voices emerged from the dense, cinematic arrangements while no obvious singer occupied the stage, leaving some in the crowd scanning the shadows between amplifiers before realising the band were weaving pre-recorded guest performances into the live experience. Yet once the initial confusion faded, the ambition behind it became clear.

Earthside’s music has always aimed for something grander than straightforward Progressive Metal, and in these intimate basement surroundings, that scale somehow felt even more impressive. 'Frozen Heart - Burning World' opened with ominous atmosphere before the band locked into powerful, tightly controlled riffing, while 'A Dying Star' balanced fragility with sheer sonic weight.

The New England quartet excel at contrast. One moment delicate piano lines hovered over almost Post-Rock textures, the next the room shook with thunderous low-end and jagged guitar figures. 'We Who Lament' and 'Watching the Earth Sink' demonstrated just how cinematic the group can be without losing emotional punch. The set’s centrepiece, 'Let the Truth Speak', slowly built from introspective melancholy into a towering crescendo that engulfed the room.

Earlier in the evening, Raphael Weinroth-Browne delivered a fascinating solo performance that treated the cello less as a classical instrument and more as a weapon of Progressive Metal expression. His playing had as much in common with Paganini as it did with modern experimental Metal, combining astonishing virtuosity with looping textures and percussive bow work that frequently drew open-mouthed reactions from the audience.

Openers Cestra provided a strong start with a technically sharp set that complemented the evening’s adventurous spirit.

By the time Earthside closed with 'The Closest I’ve Come', the packed basement had been pulled through something closer to an immersive soundtrack experience than a conventional Metal gig, ambitious, intricate and deeply absorbing.

Review: Ivan De Mello