SPILL LIVE REVIEW: COMEBACK KID w/ INCENDIARY, PROWL, PUNITIVE DAMAGE & MELT AWAY @ DANFORTH MUSIC HALL, TORONTO

COMEBACK KID w/ INCENDIARY, PROWL, PUNITIVE DAMAGE & MELT AWAY

@ DANFORTH MUSIC HALL, TORONTO

SEPTEMBER 6, 2025

Twenty years ago, a little band from Winnipeg released an album that would forever cement them as one of the most important Canadian hardcore bands of the 2000s. Wake the Dead was fast, aggressive, but laced with hooks and anthemic moments that made it memorable beyond the hardcore crowds. The songs encouraged big chant-driven moments that invited mass participation propelled by gritty but intelligible vocals. This made them feel like rallying cries for a community.

Two decades later Comeback Kid are going across the country celebrating the 20^th anniversary of this monumental record and they started on Saturday night at the Danforth Music Hall.

Opening the show were Melt Away followed by the prominent up-and-coming hardcore act Punitive Damage from Vancouver, representing the newer wave of Canadian hardcore that’s more rooted in raw punk aggression than melodic accessibility. Punitive Damage’s vocalist, Steph Jerkova, has a sharp, throat-shredding scream with a very confrontational delivery which makes their lyrics even more impactful. Their themes are blunt and political which is further accented by her in-your-face style.

The third act of the night was Prowl, another prominent Canadian hardcore band very distinct within the Montreal scene. This band is relentless, and their tracks hit fast. Their music carries that classic crossover spirit where the aggression is intense but also cathartic. Vocals are harsh with a barked delivery that sound like they are being screamed through a long dark tunnel or sewer. They sound like they are delivered in pain, almost as if Maxime Vallieres is literally spitting venom which keeps the songs hardcore rather than drifting into metal territory.

With tough acts to follow, Incendiary took the stage and grabbed the room by the neck with an intensity that few bands can pull off. Just a relentless modern hardcore assault that blended raw aggression with precise musicianship giving an entire room goosebumps as the crowd collectively screamed “The product is you!” in response to vocalist Brendan Garrone. Every drum fill and chugging riff drove the pit into motion with every word and breakdown provoking it more and more. Truly one of the most authentic bands doing it right now.

Comeback kid took the stage and turned Toronto into a furnace, a set that blurred history and present tense. Andrew Neufield led with his usual fire, but the night hit another level when Scott Wade stormed the stage, trading lines and reigniting Wake the Dead with the voice that first carried it. The room exploded with crowd surfers clawing towards the mic and gang vocals shaking the floor. It felt less like a reunion and more like a reminder: two frontmen, one legacy, and a scene that refuses to fade. Toronto didn’t just watch a show—they lived inside hardcore’s pulse.

(Photography by Jacob Vandergeer)

Comeback Kid Photos

Incendiary Photos

Prowl Photos

Punitive Damage Photos

SPILL FEATURE: WAKE THE DEAD: THE PEAK, PIVOT, AND SUCCESS – A CONVERSATION WITH ANDREW NEUFELD OF COMEBACK KID

Comeback Kid Links

Incendiary Links

Prowl Links

Punitive Damage Links