American metalcore has become so crowded that individual identities often blur together. With so many bands drawing from the same combination of emo, modern metal, post-hardcore and occasional nu-metal influences, standing out has become almost as difficult as writing the songs themselves. We Came As Romans sits near the top of that particular pile. The musicianship is solid, the hooks are effective and the performances leave little room for criticism.
On stage, the band delivers exactly what one would expect from a seasoned festival act. The energy never dips, the breakdowns hit their mark and the crowd responds enthusiastically. As a warm-up for bigger names later in the day, the set fulfills its function perfectly.
Yet despite all those strengths, something remains elusive. The songs are enjoyable but seldom surprising, and the band's identity often feels interchangeable with that of peers such as The Plot In You or The Devil Wears Prada. Nothing is poorly executed, quite the opposite, but few moments linger in the memory once the amplifiers fall silent.
Which is perhaps the challenge facing much of this scene. Competence is abundant, professionalism is taken for granted and the performances are consistently strong. Personality, however, remains the quality that separates successful support acts from future headliners. We Came As Romans has already mastered the former but the latter is still merely a promise.
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TesseracT @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, setlist)
Point Mort @ Warzone (Photo)
Queensrÿche @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
Stoned Jesus @ Valley Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Bloodywood @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, setlist)
Accept @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
Sepultura @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, review, setlist)
Helloween @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
Opeth @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, review, setlist)
Iron Maiden @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
DAY FOUR
Scour @ Temple Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Eyehategod @ Valley Stage (Photos, review)
Six Feet Under @ Altar Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Corrosion Of Conformity @ Valley Stage (Photos, review)
Possessed @ Altar Stage (Photos, setlist)
Agnostic Front @ Warzone - (Photos, setlist)
Acid Bath @Valley Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Marduk @ Altar Stage (Photos, setlist)
Napalm Death @ Altar Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Down @ Valley Stage (Photos, review, setlist)