Counterparts Bring Metalcore Sunday Sermon to Sayreville, NJ

October 19th, 2025 — Canadian Metalcore veterans Counterparts descended upon Sayreville, New Jersey and transformed the legendary Starland Ballroom into the Church of Metalcore. With Split Chain, 156/Silence, and Thrown joining the lineup, fans packed the venue on a brisk fall Sunday — primed to mosh, crowd surf.

Kicking off the night were English Nu Metal newcomers Split Chain. Formed in 2023, the band is currently touring in support of their debut album Motionblur, released July 11th via Epitaph Records.

The Bristol-based five-piece opened with the album’s title track, “Under the Wire” — a moody, pulsing start that immediately drew the crowds attention. Most of the set leaned heavily on tracks from the new record, with a few earlier singles. Vocalist Bert Martinez-Cowles’ delivery channeled a familiar Intensity reminiscent of Deftones, which resonated well with the audience.

A slightly more tempered pace than the night’s later acts, Split Chain warmed up the Jersey crowd for the chaos to come.

Split Chain Setlist

Under the Wire

Subside

bored. tired. torn.

SPIT

greyintheblue

Future

Extract

Who am i?

I’m Not Dying To Be Here

As the stage reset, a low hum of the crowd with the occasional eruption in cheers from the glow of the Denny’s advertisement flashing on the pull down screen ( It’s a Jersey thing). When the screen finally rose, 156/Silence emerged — and the tone shifted.

The Pittsburgh-based Metalcore outfit delivered a set marked by both ferocity and heart. Following the tragic passing of their bassist in March 2025, the band’s choice to continue touring was a testament to resilience.

Their seven-song performance featured six tracks from their 2024 album People Watching (Pure Noise Records), alongside their newest single “Our Parting Ways” — released just days before the show. Every breakdown, every shout-along felt cathartic, both for the band and for the fans.

156/Silence Setlist

Target Acquired

Product Placement

Change Agent

Blood Loss

Our Parting Ways

Better Written Villain

Character Development (Cold Start)

Next up, Swedish Hardcore/Metalcore powerhouse Thrown took the stage — and immediately detonated the energy in the room. The band’s set was a high-octane display of aggression, of breakdowns and hip hop undertones.

Frontman Markus Lundqvist commanded the stage with explosive vocals, especially during “Backfire” and “Nights”, which had the floor spinning in circle pits and a surplus of crowd surfers. Most of their set drew from the band’s last two EPs — Extended Pain (2022) and Excessive Guilt (2024) — both released via Arising Empire Records.

Security at Starland Ballroom was put through the paces as wave after wave of crowd surfers rolled over the barricade.

Thrown Setlist

Backfire

Nights

Look at Me

Parasite

Bloodsucker

Vent

New Low

Guilt

Dwell

On the Verge

So Done

Grayout

At 9:40 p.m., the lights dimmed and the video screen lifted — but this time, no smoke, no fog, no immediate entrance. Instead, the stage had transformed into a haunting cathedral: church pews lined the wings, candles flickered atop amps, and candelabras glowed beneath crystallized stained glass windows in the rear of the stage.

The strobes and flashes from the windows and stage ramped up in speed. Then came the thunder. Drummer Kyle Brownie launched into “A Martyr Left Alive”, igniting instant chaos. During the breakdown Tyler Williams and Jesse Doreen notes hung in the thick air as frontman Brendan Murphy’s screams cut through that same air.

Eighteen years into their career, Counterparts showed no sign of slowing. Tracks like “Bound to the Burn” from A Eulogy for Those Still Here (2022, Epitaph / Pure Noise Records) balanced brutality with melody, while cuts from Heaven Let Them Die (2024, Epitaph Records) showcased the band’s evolving emotional range. Closing the proverbial Sunday Sermon with “Love Me” and “Whispers of Your Death” sent the crowd home happy.