With their new album House Of Cards out now, The Amity Affliction descended on the O2 Forum Kentish Town, bringing Silent Planet, Varials and Orthodox for a memorable evening.
The Amity Affliction
O2 Forum Kentish Town – 11 October 2026
Words: Carol Giannattasio
Photography: Antonio Giannattasio
Orthodox
Opening the night for The Amity Affliction were Orthodox, who hit the stage with Sacred Place and, in just 30 minutes, brought their full Hardcore energy, heavy riffs and crushing breakdowns.
Their sound was raw, direct and straight to the point, setting an aggressive tone from the very first notes.
The intensity kept building with tracks like Blend With The Weak, One Less Body and Searching For A Pulse, delivering a wall of sound that got the night off to a strong start.
As the first band on the bill, the crowd was still finding its feet, but Orthodox made the most of their time on stage, grabbing attention and setting things up for what was still to come.
They closed their set with Waiting and Cave In, delivering a short but hard-hitting performance that showed off the band’s more brutal side.
Varials
With their aggressive sound and heavy mix of Metalcore and Hardcore, Varials took the intensity of the London show up another level.
Following Orthodox, the band delivered a straight-up assault built on heavy riffs, crushing breakdowns and an energy that barely gave the crowd a chance to catch its breath.
Their dark sound hit hard with tracks like Anything To Numb, Blissful End and The Hurt Chamber. Sharp changes in pace added even more weight to the heaviest moments, making every minute of their set count.
Varials kept the tension high, especially during Empire Of Dirt, which became even more memorable when they brought Adam from Orthodox and Garrett from Silent Planet on stage for two guest appearances.
Closing the set with I’ll Find The Dark, Varials left the stage having made one thing clear. Their power speaks for itself. No big build-up needed.
Silent Planet
With Silent Planet, the night reached a new level, opening with Offworlder and Collider. With their sound combining the brutality of Metalcore with a more atmospheric style full of different layers, the American band brought an intense performance to the stage, switching between aggressive riffs, sudden changes in pace and moments with a huge emotional impact.
Garrett’s stage presence was incredible. His vocal delivery and the way he performed each song added depth to their music, bringing an emotional side to the performance as well.
Tracks like Antimatter and The New Eternity perfectly represent the balance between aggression and melody.
By this point, the crowd was fully immersed in the night, and Silent Planet delivered a set that kept the intensity high, including tracks like Dreamwalker and Panic Room, before closing with Trilogy.
A performance that showed how Metalcore can be just as devastating as it is atmospheric.
The Amity Affliction
After three bands had brought some of the most aggressive sides of modern Metalcore to the stage, it was finally time for the headliners of the night.
The Amity Affliction returned to London with their European House Of Cards tour, giving the crowd a set that combined their heavier side with the melodic and emotional sound that has made them stand out in the Metalcore scene.
What makes The Amity Affliction stand out is their ability to switch between powerful riffs, breakdowns and screams, and melodic choruses that stay with you long after the songs end.
The setlist covered different stages of their discography, mixing older tracks with newer material. Opening with Pittsburgh and Drag The Lake, the band then brought out some of their newer songs, including my personal favourites, Heaven Sent and House Of Cards.
This highlighted the band’s past while also showing the direction they are taking with their new album.
When a band like The Amity Affliction plays songs that have been part of their fans’ lives for years, the show becomes much more than just a performance.
The choruses turned into one big sing-along, filling the room with voices, crowd chants, and mosh pits.
The band then let the crowd choose the next song, giving them the choice between Chasing Ghosts and Open Letter. In the end, Chasing Ghosts won.
After everything they have been through, The Amity Affliction continue to find their strength in the contrast between brutality and vulnerability. It is a combination that gives their music its own character.
With fifteen songs in the setlist, the band closed the night with Soak Me In Bleach, delivering a set that made room for both the tracks fans love most and the new material from House Of Cards.
