It might have been post thunderstorm and right before the tornado warnings hit, but Dallas showed out for Counterparts during their stop at South Side Music Hall. Accompanied by Pain of Truth, Malevolence, and Foreign Hands, the night was nothing short of amazing. The Heaven Let Them Die North American Tour has all the makings of being one of the best tours of 2025 and we're barely three months into the year.
Starting off the night was Foreign Hands and what a start it was. I’ve had the luxury of seeing the band perform several times and each time has been better than the previous. Their near-perfect blend of hardcore and metalcore sounds accompanied with their insane level of stage presence is unmatched. Seeing them live never gets old. Plus, fans got to experience a feature from the ever talented Gabe Becerra. What more can you ask for?
Malevolence took the stage next, and utilizing their blend of metalcore and old-school metal concepts, fans finally got ready to go insane in the pit! I’ve been listening to this band for a while now but have only just been able to experience their madness live. From crushing vocals to bone-shaking riffs to some of the most insane drumming to ever grace Dallas, they have it all, though, so what’s not to enjoy?
Taking the stage next was Pain of Truth. The name has been circulating social media and the online-world for a while now and with good reason: they go hard. It was my first time getting to listen to the band live, and if Malevolence didn’t get the crowd ready, Pain of Truth surely did. Multiple circle-pits, nonstop crowd surfers, and people going absolutely crazy could prove to anyone in attendance that Pain of Truth is not to be messed with.
After much moshing, head-banging, and screaming to one’s heart’s content, it was finally time for Counterparts to take the stage. I won’t sit here and lie and say I’ve been a day-one fan, but ever since I heard 2019’s Nothing Left to Love, I’ve been hooked. The band is heavy in every sense of the word, from their deafening riffs to their body-shaking blast beats to their lyrics that make you want to cry until you’ve run out of tears. Following that release was 2022’s A Eulogy for Those Still Here and, most recently, 2024’s Heaven Let Them Die. This most recent release is sure to continue to skyrocket Counterparts into mainstream success. Their stage set-up alone should be an easy indication of that! Utilizing gorgeous cathedral concepts with stained glass windows, pews, and candelabras, seeing the band take the stage was nothing short of breathtaking. Obviously, the other fans in the crowd felt the same way because, as the band continued to play, all you could see was a sea of fans screaming the lyrics back at the tops of their lungs. The worst part of the night had to have been when Counterparts left the stage, the venue lights turned back on, and it was time to go home.
