The Amity Affliction at The Forum, London - live review

The Amity Affliction’s penchant for packing syrupy hooks amongst melodic metalcore and ferocious breakdowns has long been a source of derision for trolls, but that superfluous polish is the very reason the Aussies translate so well live. Amity have an aptitude for earworm choruses that have the power to unite rooms, and the first of many impassioned singalongs breaks out with catchy opener I Bring The Weather With Me. The band have been touring relentlessly since the release of last year’s This Could Be Heartbreak and it shows. Bassist Ahren Stringer’s clean vocals on Open Heart and Never Alone are note-perfect and co-vocalist Joel Birch has one of the most overlooked and guttural barks in the game. A mid-set dyad of The Weigh Down and All Fucked Up will be too saccharine for some, but the crowd scream every word, arms aloft and clearly connecting with every word. AA’s super-sweet sensibilities aren’t everyone’s bag, but when it comes to knowing their way around a hook, few other bands can do it better.