Chelsea Grin, Shadow of Intent, Signs of the Swarm, Disembodied Tyrant
April 9, 2025
Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, ON
Deathcore legends Chelsea Grin have embarked on a massive North American club tour. Since the MySpace days, Chelsea Grin have made it to the upper echelon of the genre and have continued to be top of mind as time goes on. On Tuesday April 9th, 2025, this tour made a stop at the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto. For support, Chelsea Grin brought along Shadow of Intent, Signs of the Swarm, and Disembodied Tyrant.
Opening the show was the Missouri deathcore band Disembodied Tyrant. Their trajectory was swift and in a short amount of time became quite popular in the scene. The music of Disembodied Tyrant is fast, intense, and technical. Orchestral backing tracks fill the soundscape along with blast beats, sweeping guitar solos, and top-notch guttural vocals. Vocalist Blake Mullens has an impressive vocal range in the style of Lorna Shore. Half of the songs featured Blake playing the second guitar parts which is especially impressive given how complex the music is. This was my first time seeing them and though I think their music would be more entertaining in a smaller club, they did an excellent job of warming up the crowd and played a setlist that was wickedly entertaining.
Signs of the Swarm was next and they put on an excellent show. I have watched them play many times at this point and I never tire of seeing them. They are a band that exudes confidence and swagger. The whole band is very energetic as performers and their rhythmic/chugging style of deathcore translates well to the live setting. As Signs of the Swarm gear up for the release of a new record, they played their latest single IWONTLETYOUDIE and it was awesome. The crowd seemed very familiar with this new song and thus the energy in the room was electric. I never grow tired of watching them play and I highly recommend them to all fans of the genre.
Admittedly, Shadow of Intent was the band I was most looking forward to seeing. This was my first time seeing them play and I loved it. The live mix was notably much better than the previous bands that night. The music of Shadow of Intent is fast, technical, and very melodic and the live mix really helped the music feel amazing. The tightness of the band is a sight to behold and all the members have excellent stage presence. Shadow of Intent have been around for a while and their setlist had a nice variety of songs from their discography. Next time they come to town, I’ll be sure to see them again and I recommend you do as well.
Last but certainly not least, Chelsea Grin hit the stage around 9:30 PM and the crowd was ecstatic. I am not as familiar with their music but the crowd certainly was. The audience was singing along for the entirety of their performance. Even though I am not the biggest fan of their studio efforts (with the exceptions of their newest releases) they are so fun to see play. The simplicity and catchiness of their music translates perfectly to the live setting and the mix was immaculate. I think it’s fair to say that Chelsea Grin had the best sound that night. The setlist was a nice mix of their discography and would be an excellent introduction to anyone unfamiliar with their music, while also being a crowd-pleaser for long-time fans. It is always a pleasure to see them play and is essential listening for all fans of deathcore and metal in general.
Chelsea Grin has been a band for nearly two decades and it’s amazing to see them on top of their game and continuing to grow. A lot of the bands from the MySpace deathcore era did not last long but Chelsea Grin have adapted to the times and remains relevant. Although the tour is coming close to its end, I highly recommend all those who love deathcore to make it to one of the upcoming shows. You won’t regret it.
