Dive Into Darkness
Concert Review: Dark Divine with Uncured, These Fading Visions and Haunter
CONTIBUTING AUTHOR Brieghanna Maye
PHOTOGRAPHY MetalMuseMedia
Hot on the heels of their latest single release, ‘Digital Numb’, hard rockers Dark Divine kicked off their inaugural headlining tour at the intimate X-Ray Arcade in Cudahy, Wisconsin on Monday, July 22. Local “reapers” and music fans gathered in excitement to witness the landmark show, with support from local bands Haunter and These Fading Visions, along with their touring supporter Uncured.
Starting the night out with a bang was the darkwave metal band, Haunter. Don’t let the name fool you - masterfully combining electronic beats and early nineties goth, Haunter quickly proved they were anything but undead. Dynamic cameos by lead singer Thomas “Grim” Neros’ wife, Sonja, Skelly.666, and Kevin Knightmare of Always Alive magnified the vampiric sensibilities of the vibrant graveyard pop performance. The highlight of the set? Frontman Thomas and guitarist Anthony jumping off the stage and joining the crowd, electrifying an already hyped audience. Don’t sleep on this haunting collective and be prepared for their performance to haunt you long after the final notes fade.
Next up were another hometown feature, These Fading Visions, bringing a shift in stage presence, but keeping the energy high with their powerful Midwest metalcore sound.. Heavy hits from drummer Delaney Jaster, and hard riffs from guitarist Chase Kendall and bassist Dan Perez created an unstoppable backdrop for front man Justin Wiedower’s powerful vocals and fierce performance. The crowd’s synchronized headbanging to every drop made it clear: These Fading Visions have earned a well-deserved spot in the local metal scene. Make sure you add them to your next metalcore playlist.
Taking the stage to an amped crowd was Uncured, the tour supporter for Dark Divine. This nu metal band matched the adrenaline and fury of the audience, intensifying the raw energy of the local acts. Front man Rex took showmanship to the next level, blindfolding himself at center stage halfway through the set and playing a raging riff on the guitar that left the crowd speechless. Uncured’s undeniable stage presence captivated and invigorated, setting the mood perfectly for the headliners to take the stage.
As Dark Divine appeared, the eagerness of the crowd was palpable in the air. Bodies surged and the venue could barely contain the pit that opened up as fans surfed their way onto the stage before diving back off into the undulating wave of moshers below. The clear highlight of the night was the live debut of “Digital Numb”. The crowd’s enthusiastic sing-along made it clear that this new single has already found a place in everyone’s hearts. Dark Divine delivered a paragon of a metal performance, culminating with the fan favorite, “Halloweentown”, to wrap up their first set of the tour. The band left the stage to pleas of “One more song! One more song!” from the amped crowd.
Just when it seemed like the night would end, front man Anthony returned to the stage, opening up the unplanned encore to the crowd’s choice. Requests rang out, coming to a head with electric performances of “Paper Crown” and “Burn the Witch”. Dark Divine’s debut headlining tour delivered at every level, a high-voltage performance that allowed them to showcase their impressive technical skills and stage presence, and connect with every fan in the audience. As the lights came up again, it was clear to see: this band is on the edge of something huge. I can’t wait to see where this phenomenally talented band goes next.
Want to see more? Check out the full gallery from the Dark Divine set.
