Concert Review: In Flames with Thrown and Distant at the Egyptian Room in Indianapolis, IN

Distant 

Opening the show was the Deathcore outfit from the Netherlands. The energy was high from the get-go as they pummeled the crowd with bone shaking breakdowns, juicy riffs, and brutal vocals. No time was wasted to open the bit as even I found myself tucking the camera and getting my two step on as the moshers made their presence known. A very good display from Distant as I’m certain many new fans were made that night including me.

Thrown 

Needing no introduction anymore; the Swedish metalcore four piece has returned after a short headlining run in the US with their Swedish brethren to deliver their signature no nonsense beat down tracks such as their new single “Split” along with hits from their debut album “Excessive Guilt” and EP “Extended Pain”. The pits were even crazier as the crowd had gotten properly warmed up from the no-frills set as they seamlessly flowed from one song to the next. Hits like “Nights” and “Backfire” had the crowd going feral as they showed Indy why they’re at the top of the scene when it comes to the metalcore genre.

In Flames  

Back for another US headliner after two years, the Swedish powerhouse brings a killer lineup for their short but sweet run in the states. The Egyptian Room in Indianapolis was host to the Melodic-Death Metal icons as they covered hits from their 30+ year discography from “The Jester Race” through “Forgone”. 

This band has a deep personal connection to me from being one of the true reasons I fell in love with extreme music and their fast-paced riffs inspired me to pick the guitar myself. I distinctly remember on my 9th birthday getting Guitar Hero 3 and then waiting for the Schoolastic Book Fair where I was able to buy the Secret Codes book where I used the cheat code to unlock every song. After scrolling through the Bonus Songs section, I stumbled upon "Take This Life" and my first exposure to Melodic-Death Metal which after hearing that hook shattered my tiny brain on what was possible having never heard death metal that also had cleans which then set me on the path to becoming the core kid I am today. A couple years ago I got to meet Anders and express that journey to him which after being kind of nonchalant I watched his face light up and give me the tightest hug. A very special moment for me and now I'm overjoyed to get to see them again and capture their show.