Dallas Independent Entertainment has been making a name for themselves in the Dallas – Fort Worth (DFW) local music scene since 2017. If you are someone who goes to shows in the area, I would guarantee that it was a show hosted by Dallas Independent Entertainment. They are definitely on the rise because their reach was extended to Denton, TX on February 10th. Omenkiller, Heavy//Hitter, Gutcheck were able to bring their tour to Killer Tacos and packed the venue to the brim and ready for a night of hardcore, moshing, and two-stepping. To help support them were some amazing bands such as Cold Case, JackalTX, Lanticblue, & Harcourt.
Harcourt started the night off and immediately set the tone for the rest of the evening. The band might be a bunch of young kids, but they came out with the ferocity of some bands that have been in the game for years. Their sound reminded me of the early days of Kublai Khan and the crowd was here for it as well. This is a band that has the potential to blow up in the scene if they continue on the path they’re on.
Starting the night on this level, one would think it’d be near impossible to follow. Thankfully for JackalTX, they were ready to bring the chaos. With a sound that is reminiscent of Whitechapel, the band exploded with a wave of deathcore breakdowns and some of the dirtiest vocals of the night. I was lucky to catch the band months ago during the Monster Mosh Festival and JackalTX have done nothing but improve since that performance.
Heavy//Hitter brought the smackdown, the beatdown, and the breakdown as they graced the stage. This was a band fans were ready to see perform and you could tell by the sheer number of people jumping, quite literally, off the walls of the venue. Watching each member of the band headbang in unison while delivering one the of the heaviest breakdowns of the night so far solidified their place of being a new fan favorite band.
Watching Cold Case hit the stage as they changed the pace of the night a bit was something that could not be ignored. While keeping with the hardcore vibes, they seemed to throw a little bit of punk sound into their set that elevated their sound to the next level. Standing still was just not an option while this band was on stage and the crowd absolutely knew that while they went absolutely mental.
Gutcheck came to keep the theme of punk and hardcore sound during their time on stage. Truly a band of the people, the lead vocalist performed almost the entire set on the venue floor with fans surrounding him. Thank goodness this band came to the stage to rejuvenate a tired and sore crowd. It would not surprise me if this band came back to support or even headline many more shows in the DFW area.
Speaking of a vibe change, Lanticblue brought yet another one to the evening. Calling for the crowd to come in close, there was barely anywhere left in the venue without someone standing and banging their head as the band let it all out for the world to hear. While their own songs spoke to the souls of the crowd members, I think everyone was equally excited when the band ended their set with a cover of a classic Asking Alexandria song. The entire Denton area probably heard the venue screaming at the top of their lungs.
Reaching the end of the night, the headliner finally approached the stage to deliver one last face melting set for the Denton area. Omenkiller took the stage and I’ve never seen a band go as insane as they have before. Not only did the crowd have their bones shake by a 6-string bass (just imagine that crunch), but the band was also moshing along with the crowd during their entire set. The lead vocalist had a stage presence that made me think of Jason Butler because his body was not just a body but almost a prop for the band to deliver an even more memorable set. The bassist and vocalist even switched roles mid song and still delivered an amazing set! Omenkiller are not a band to forget as they are surely on their way to being a household name in the music scene.
You can keep up with all the bands on their socials listed below!
Harcourt:
JackalTX:
Lanticblue:
Cold Case:
Gutcheck:
Heavy//Hitter:
Omenkiller:
