For One Night, Philly Was Fit For The Nothing That Is

Written and Photographed by : Liv Foltiny

As the final remnants of orange and blue faded from the sky, I walked up to the TLA and was greeted by its illuminated marquee, which displayed the name of the night’s headliner, Fit For An Autopsy. Even though the night’s event started around 6:30 pm, there were still a few groups of people outside, conversing while the first band, Judiciary, performed. Being somewhat of an awkward social butterfly, I decided to talk with one of the guys in the closest group and, noticing his lanyard, thought I should ask if he worked at the venue. After politely informing me that he didn’t work at the TLA, he told me that he was there to perform with his band; this resulted in me apologizing and making a lame excuse for my inquiry. Upon learning I was speaking with Kyle (Carter) of Bodysnatcher, I explained that I was there to cover the show and gave him one of my cards in case the band would be interested in me sharing my photos with them.

Following my positive interaction with Kyle, I picked up my credentials and made my way to the photo pit just in time for the second band of the night, Sylosis, who hadn’t been in the U.S. for the past 11 years. A few songs into the band’s set, Josh Middleton (lead vocalist, lead guitarist) took a moment to hype up the other bands as well as address the crowd directly. He openly acknowledged to fans that he might sound a bit “off” since he was getting over a cold and stated, “I don’t take this shit lightly. I’m very happy to be here, even if my face looks like I’m miserable. Just know that I fucking appreciate your support. Thank you so fucking much.” With the crowd pumping fists and headbanging along to their music, Sylosis continued their set, playing with an undeniable fervor that could easily be felt from the energy and vibrations emanating from the stage.

Shortly after Sylosis finished, Distant, coming from the Netherlands, took to the stage. Filled with enthusiastic headbanging, guttural vocals, and interactions with the crowd, Distant’s performance built upon the energy stemming from Sylosis’ set. From Elmer Maurits’ emphatic, sweeping movements on bass to Nouri Yetgin’s spinning while playing his glittery guitar, Distant had all eyes on them. Plus, with Alan Grnja (lead vocalist) encouraging the crowd to run in circles and form walls of death, which he did before and after making hearts and blowing kisses to the crowd, the band made sure everyone was fired up and ready for more. At 8:45 pm, Bodysnatcher began to play, and, like Distant, they engaged in plenty of headbanging, dynamic motions, and rousing the mass of people in front of them. Having caught a glimpse (and taken a quick pic) of their setlist on the stage floor, I could tell you that songs like “Infested,” “Human Disdain,” and “Black of My Eyes” were part of the band’s itinerary for the night. Toward the end of their set, the band took a moment to speak with the crowd, asking if anyone had ever lost a loved one to addiction. Subsequently, they proclaimed that their final song, “Murder8,” was dedicated to everyone who succumbed to it. Following Bodysnatcher’s goodbyes to the audience, it was only a matter of time before the final band performed.

Around 9:45 pm, the house lights dimmed, yielding to the stage lights one last time to reveal the night’s headliner, Fit For An Autopsy. Like the previous bands, Fit For An Autopsy participated in headbanging and other acts associated with metal artists. However, while all of the bands undoubtedly connected with the crowd, Fit For An Autopsy seemed to do so on a different level. With crowd surfing continuing throughout their entire set, it was obvious the band not only had a substantial number of fans present but also knew how to incite them. From several fans crowd surfing more than once to the copious thrashing in certain parts of the venue, one thing was indisputably clear: the crowd was hooked. Performing at least a dozen songs, including “Pandora” and, conclusively, “Two Towers,” Fit For An Autopsy played for a little over an hour, ending their set by 11 p.m. As someone who doesn’t listen to deathcore music, I understood almost nothing being sung during the show, but that didn’t prevent me from enjoying it. Having the qualities of a successful show, the concert was full of enthusiastic performances and crowd work, as well as notable mutual respect and support between all of the bands. Overall, it’s safe to say that Fit For An Autopsy gave their fans a helluva night and a preview of their newest album on this stop of their The Nothing That Is Tour. You can check out The Nothing That Is wherever you stream music!

Fit For An Autopsy

Website丨Instagram丨Facebook丨YouTube 丨Apple Music丨Spotify

Bodysnatcher

Website丨Instagram 丨Facebook丨YouTube 丨Apple Music 丨Spotify

Distant

Website 丨 Instagram 丨 Facebook 丨 YouTube 丨 Spotify

Sylosis

Website 丨 Instagram 丨 Facebook 丨 YouTube 丨 Apple Music 丨 Spotify