November 5th was an amazing day for the Minneapolis metalcore scene with four incredible bands playing a stacked bill at The Armory. The lineup featured up-and-coming post-hardcore band Militarie Gun, DRAIN, The Garden, and, of course, Knocked Loose. Each band brought something different to the table, making for a spectacular evening full of moshing, circle pits, and crowd surfing. The perfectly curated tour celebrates the release of Knocked Loose’s album, You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To, back in May. The ten-track album presents listeners with the future of hardcore, proven by one of the singles off the album, “Suffocate”, being awarded a Grammy nomination just last week. Though I’ve been a fan of nearly every band on the lineup for quite some time, it was my first time seeing each of them, and they certainly did not disappoint.
The first, and my favorite, act of the night was LA-based band, Militarie Gun. Though decently new to the scene, the five-piece band has been making waves with their unique combination of post-hardcore and pop punk. The group has been on a release-spree since its formation in 2020 and has already released two full-length albums. Their most recent album, Life Under the Gun, dropped in June of last year and features twelve tracks that hint at the group’s developing sonic maturity. Though there doesn’t seem to be a new album on the horizon due to the extensive waves of touring Militarie Gun has been on this year, they still managed to put out an amazing new single, “Thought You Were Waving”, back in July. I would definitely give their discography a listen if you’re a fan of any hardcore and punk-related genres.
Not only is their discography top-tier, but Militarie Gun also puts on an incredible set. Being an opener on a bill as stacked as Knocked Loose’s can seem daunting, but their performance was the perfect, high-energy start to the evening. Despite such a short set time, impressing the audience was but a simple task for the group. From frontman, Ian Shelton’s, interactions with the crowd, to guitarist, Nick Cogan’s, perfectly curated riffs, they definitely made a fan out of everyone that showed up early.
Though their tour with Knocked Loose has come to an end, I am sure that we will be seeing a lot more of Militarie Gun next year. Definitely check them out if you get the chance!
Militarie Gun
DRAIN
The Garden
Knocked Loose
