I went to the Webster Underground for a metal show and was waiting for the band Reflections to go on. This five-piece powerhouse seemed promising, and the crowd seemed enthusiastic for them to go on. We all packed into the room and then made space for the moshers.
The thing is, The Hartford metal scene is a confusing one for me to dabble in. It has become a near cult like experience and they will rip apart any band that doesn’t meet their standards. Reflections exceeded all expectations .
I was mostly impressed by the vocalist, Jake Foster. This frontman was captivating and intense, expelling energy through the microphone. Those who were slam dancing/moshing were totally into it; it was nice to see the CT hardcore scene stepping up and being able to scream the lyrics back at the band, and this was the first occurrence of the evening. It’s always contagious to see an enthused crowd response, and with that opening up their set, I was bracing myself for what was about to happen.
Those who were seemingly massive fans of Reflections were up front, giving it their all. I noticed that the “mosh pit” wasn’t as violent as I had expected. It appeared somewhat controlled, or they were all at least aware of each other. That was good to see, and that it wasn’t just a whole bunch of dudes beating the crap out of whoever was smaller than them. In general, up until the last band (Oceano, who I’ll be reviewing later), the violence was minimal. I really appreciated that because CT hardcore fans aren’t jerks, for the most part, and I think that’s important for bands to notice if their real fans here want to ever see ’em again.
The bassist for Reflections, Francis Xayana, absolutely blew me away. It takes a lot for a bassist to really be in a hardcore band, with what’s expected of them. The intense riffing and keeping up with a drummer like Cam Murray wasn’t easy, but wow did Xayana make it appear so. The two guitarists played off of each other with ease, keeping the melodic side of things in check. The band was solid and tight, clearly seasoned with music lessons from when they were kids.
Reflections was pretty much what I had expected- fast, loud, and on the “metal” side, though I use that term lightly. Let’s face it, the term ‘metal’ is so tarnished its boundaries are now unclear. I’m gonna go ahead and give the band some serious credit for being able to put on a good show, play their instruments in a technically sound and experienced way, and appreciate their ability to draw a crowd and have as much enthusiasm as they did in such a small venue.