Escuela Grind live in Leeds – hardcore with a feminist message

On the last Saturday in August, Leeds wears a shroud of brooding gloom. 

BOOM!, a gritty grass-roots venue carved out the side of a warehouse, is hosting a night of hardcore metal, and the fine rain provides the perfect cool-off between sweaty sets no air conditioning this side of the pond can beat. 

This is the authentic atmosphere for local shows in Britain. 

It’s small - No barrier, just stage and a row of amps. 

It’s loud - Earplugs available at the bar, we’re not turning it down. 

Acid Vat are to warm up the crowd, and they choose to do so brutally. This is a band so vividly coloured by influence, it’s a portfolio of styles, genres and inspiration. It’s an enriching experience. They are a storm of primal distortion, a dose of old school death sprinkled with some slam to kick off the night. 

Mastiff elevates the brutality with some hardcore flavours, demanding engagement with ferocity and raw power. This is an intense performance from an experienced metal five piece. Their frontman positioned atop the stage amps, his podium, as he delivers a guttural vocal performance against the thunderous wall of sludgey sounding aggression. 

Escuela Grin, our main event for the evening, soundcheck to a packed room. Thrust into the scrutiny from the get go, Katerina Economou effortlessly commands the room, which evolved into her leading a guided warm-up session for the crowd to lumbar up. 

There’s some theatrics, a dipping of the prism lights as the band turn away, feeling their intro out, before exploding forth with erratic ferocity, all bar lead guitarist Krissy Morash. 

She’s a steadfast anchor of symphony, carving a melody between the blistering brutality. Her tapping technique is precise and her licks punctuated with kicks, a staple of the hardcore outfit. She’s moody too, lips pursed with attitude, shaking her head in mock disapproval of the pit, which is predominantly made up of Acid Vat and Mastiff, whirring like a well oiled machine. The work ain’t over for these guys once their sets are finished. 

Katerina was unapologetic, unrelenting and unstoppable. A true feminist force driving this band. Her vocals are beastly, almost brutish, with powerful screams and potent lows pulled from her gut. Her performance is delightfully disgusting; contorting her face, spitting into the air, throwing her sweat-streaked hair back. If she’s taking a break from throwing herself around, it’s to douse herself in water and remind the crowd that she’s all about the girls and the LGBTQ+ community. She wants the girls on the front row, she wants them to start their own bands and she wants to tour with them, and I don’t think she’d take no for an answer. 

However, even when sweltering, swearing and salivating, Katerina’s a babe. A striking fusion of strength and sensuality, her allure isn’t rooted in the dainty or delicate but emerges 

from a fierce confidence ignited by her passion for this genre. She maintains an undeniable magnetism as she stands in direct challenge to the dichotomy of conventional femininity. She wears her sweat-smeared eyeliner like war paint, alternating between vibrating on the floor doing the Cockroach and circling her hips in a sultry style. Her sensuality isn’t soft or conventional but embedded in her Diva attitude and commanding presence, a testament to the layered nature of femininity within the hardcore genres. Katerina proves that even in the most visceral environments, a woman’s allure, when rooted in undeniable authenticity and unshakable confidence, is the real showstopper. 

Escuela Grind’s tour has terminated with a blistering blow-out in BOOM! Leeds, but just try to keep them down. With that much energy and expertise, expect these guys to come round again before you know it. In the meantime, you can get a taste of the live experience by checking out their latest EP, Escuela Grind on Audiotree Live.