Counterparts, Sunami, One Step Closer and God Complex Share the Stage in Haarlem
Counterparts brought their European tour to Haarlem with support from Sunami, One Step Closer and God Complex, creating a stacked lineup for anyone drawn to hardcore in its many forms. With each band offering a different take on intensity and emotion, the night promised a full spectrum of sounds before the headliner even stepped on stage.
God Complex opened the night with a sound that refuses to sit neatly within a single genre, instead blending several styles together. They quickly encouraged the crowd to move forward and start a circle pit, though apart from a handful of enthusiasts, the reaction was slow at first. As the set continued, small groups began two-stepping and the room gradually loosened up, making their role clear: to warm the audience without exhausting the energy too early.
One Step Closer followed with a noticeable shift in mood. Originally rooted in melodic hardcore in the vein of Bane, the band’s newer material leans toward a more emotional and melodic direction, and much of the set drew from these later songs. Vocalist Ryan Savitski’s harsh vocals cut through the mix, even if the clean sections were harder to hear. Still, the band remained constantly in motion, engaging the audience and holding attention as the venue continued to fill.
With Sunami came a clear turning point in the evening. As soon as they began, the open space across the floor widened and the pit grew far more aggressive. Without a barrier between stage and crowd, people climbed up freely to stagedive in quick succession, while others grabbed the microphone to shout lyrics back into the room. Frontman Josef Alfonso guided the chaos with blunt confidence, allowing the disorder to unfold while keeping control of the pace. Their lyrics landed direct and confrontational, delivered without theatrics, and midway through the set there was a moment where Josef yelled “FUCK”, with the crowd immediately responding “ICE”, before the band launched into “Contempt of Cop”, sparking one of the strongest reactions of the night. The constant motion and shared space between band and audience made the performance feel immediate and physical.
When Counterparts took the stage, the atmosphere shifted again. Stained-glass imagery and candles framed the setup, reflecting the darker tone of their recent material, while fans pressed forward to fill the space that had earlier been used for moshing. Brendan Murphy’s vocals sounded clear and controlled throughout, moving between harsh intensity and melodic phrasing as he leaned toward the front row to sing alongside the crowd.
The set leaned heavily on the EP ‘Heaven Let Them Die’, recently nominated for a Juno Award, opening with ‘A Martyr Left Alive’. Behind Brendan, the rest of the band played with tight precision, keeping the focus firmly on the songs rather than on-stage spectacle.
An encore built around fan favourites ‘Love Me’ and ‘Whispers of Your Death’ brought the night to a memorable close.
From the first opening notes of God Complex to the final moments of Counterparts’ set, Patronaat remained in near-constant motion — especially within the pit. The headliner’s connection with the audience was clear, and many in the room seemed reluctant to let the evening end. The tour now continues across mainland Europe before concluding in the UK with shows in London and Birmingham in mid-February. It’s a run well worth catching and tickets are still available for several dates, so don’t miss out.
