Live Review: Creature with Burner / Who Cares? / Closed Hands at the New Cross Inn, London (07/03/23)

It’s a Tuesday in London, the temperature is dropping, but you wouldn’t know it inside the New Cross Inn. Tonight, four bands are warming the heart and souls of everyone in attendance. Alternative metal/core band Creature are halfway through their UK Haunt tour and have brought Closed Hands, Who Cares? & Burner to get the masses moving.

Closed Hands are up first, a new band on the scene established in 2022, they have the unenviable task of opening the show to a relatively empty venue but certainly give it their all and make an impression as it begins to fill up. Playing a blend of alternative heavy music with elements of screamo/metalcore, and hardcore. Closed Hands deliver a lot of passion and energy even if a lack of tightness and identity does make things feel amateurish. Knowing that they’re so new on the scene makes this much more forgivable though and there are plenty of bright spots to suggest that over time, they will grow into something pretty special.

By contrast Who Cares? showcase their years on the hardcore scene with a blistering and brash display of intensity. A hard-working band who has the mileage, music, and cynicism to grab the attention of those who might be hearing them for the first time. Standing out as the only band to deliver straight-up hardcore, spin-kicking and fist-failing wankers included. It’s a strong showing with just a small degree of repetitiveness.

…and then there is Burner. A death metal/hardcore crossover band that threatens to steal the show. Yes, this might be Creature’s night but Burner is on fine form and deliver a set that is incredibly polished and an impressive showing of head-banging, body-crunching and soul-rendering metal. They’re a band who has made a name for themselves in a short amount of time and seeing them live, it’s clear why Church Road Records were quick to pick them up for the release of their debut EP, A Vision of the End.

There’s no doubting that soon enough, Burner will be the ones headlining this venue, as well as bigger ones further down the line. Don’t sleep on these guys, they’re going to be huge. The rush to the merch stand afterwards told us all we needed to know.

Which brings us to Creature, having the difficult task of following Burner, but bringing their own unique style and plenty of banging tracks to make sure everyone knows that it is their show. Having finally completed their EP trilogy with the excellent Haunt in 2022 (preceded by Hex and Hound), this tour has been long awaited and Creature are making sure every second of their 45-odd minutes on stage keeps the crowd alive. Drawing from their impressive catalogue of tunes, exuding passion and believability, and delivering an air of professionalism through their stage presence.

Creature wow to such a degree that their set flies by in a blur and leave everyone wanting more. As they walk from the stage, a chant of ‘one more song’ goes up, so hungry is the crowd for more Creature.

Shows like this can only help grow the Creature stock as the buzz in the air afterwards tells you that this show is going to be talked about long afterwards. Long term fans are happy, brand-new fans are excited, and everyone is united in agreeing that Creature are a quality band.

Overall, it was a great night of alternative metal that showcased the now and the future of the scene impressively.