Zoom, Frankfurt, Germany10th December 2025
Adept - “Blood Covenant EU/UK Tour” - Support: Hopes Die Last, Ocean Sleeper, Thousand Below
ADEPT is currently on the road, presenting their ‘Blood Covenant’ album. This is their first European tour in nine years. And tonight, the Swedish fellas stopped in Frankfurt to play at Zoom. As support, ADEPT brought along an international variety of bands: HOPES DIE LAST from Italy, OCEAN SLEEPER from Australia, and THOUSAND BELOW from the United States.
The Zoom was halfway filled, which was quite alright, considering it was a rainy Wednesday night in December. Most fans were equipped with their phones to create memories with it, and everyone was eager to rock out to the music that was about to be played on the small and half-rounded stage. Traffic and the parking situation at the venue can be time consuming, so I advise you to consider that in your timing, so you will not be running late missing one of the opening acts, like I unfortunately did.
Hopes Die Last
HOPES DIE LAST is an Italian Post-Hardcore band from Rome, formed in 2004 with a break between 2017 and 2022, when the band regrouped with its original line-up. One year later the band released ‘Once And For All’, which comes with seven tracks. And that is all I can say about the band, since I unfortunately missed their performance. https://www.facebook.com/hopesdielastofficial
Ocean Sleeper
Up next was the Australian Metalcore band OCEAN SLEEPER. The band was founded in 2016, and has released one album in 2019, which was called ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’. They have also released three EPs in 2017 (‘Six Feet Down’), 2022 (‘It Is Better Feeling Nothing’), and the latest EP in 2024 (‘Maybe Death Is All I Need’). https://www.oceansleeper.com / https://www.facebook.com/oceansleeper
Music & Performance
Even though I was late for taking pictures, I still got to see quite a bit of their performance, and I must say, I did enjoy it. The band performed with a lot of passion, pulling along everybody in the venue. In between the songs, OCEAN SLEEPER was talking to the audience in an absolutely charming and humble way, that definitely saved them a spot in everybody’s heart. Their music varied between fast and thriving tunes alongside growled vocals and harmonic melodies that instantly get stuck in your head.
The dim light and the flashing red added the obligatory Metalcore vibe to the intense parts of the music, getting the audience to bang and mosh along to each song. After about twenty minutes of playtime, OCEAN SLEEPER thanked their fellow bands and the audience and received a long and loud applause.
Setlist
01. Your Love I’ll Never Need
02. Heaven
03. Light in My Dark
04. Forever Sinking
05. Maybe Death Is All I Need
06. King of Nothing
07. Never The One
Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 9
Light: 7
Sound: 8
Total: 9 / 10
Thousand Below
THOUSAND BELOW is an American post-hardcore band from San Diego, California, USA. The band has released four full-length albums and one EP. Their latest album had just been released in August this year, going by the name of ‘Buried in Jade’. The current lineup consists of vocalist James Deber guitarist Josh Thomas, bassist Josh Billimoria, and drummer Max Santoro. https://www.thousandbelow.com / https://www.facebook.com/Thousandbelow
Music & Performance
Up next were the American guys of THOUSAND BELOW. Just like OCEAN SLEEPER, THOUSAND BELOW divide clean and shouted vocals amongst two vocalists, with the clean vocals being sung by the guitar player. And THOUSAND BELOW performed just as passionate as OCEAN SLEEPER. The audience felt each song deep within, whilst singing and moving along to the choruses, and some fans even along to the verses. While most songs came with catchy tunes, giving the impression of an easy-going vibe, the impressively intense growling adding depth to the severity of each song.
The songs are about love and heartache, but also everyday life. So, topics everyone can relate to. And the audience did. The cheering after each song was intense and honest, and the dancing throughout the songs was also intense. So were the circle pits in which the guitar player once disappeared into. After about forty minutes of show time, THOUSAND BELOW announced their last song, thanking everyone for coming out and ADEPT and the other bands for being part of this tour.
Setlist
01. Kerosene
02. Palace of Dread
03. SHAKE
04. Venenosa
05. The Love You Let Too Close
06. Wrong Again
07. Save Me
08. Hell Finds You Everywhere
09. No Place Like You
10. Sabotage
Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 9
Light: 7
Sound: 8
Total: 8 / 10
Adept
ADEPT was founded in 2004. Five years later, they released their debut album ‘Another Year Of Disaster’ in 2009, followed by ‘Death Dealers’ in 2011, ‘Silence The World’ in 2013, and ‘Sleepless’ in 2016. Then it grew quiet around ADEPT. In 2024 they announced their comeback, returning to the stages to celebrate their 20th anniversary as a band. In April 2025, the band teased a new video and song snipped, which turned out to be their first brand new single ‘Heaven’. In the summer, ADEPT played at some festivals and proved that they still have the power and energy they used to have. Fast forward to now, nine years since their last album, it is finally here: Their fifth full length studio album ‘Blood Covenant’, with which they are currently touring. https://www.adeptontour.com / https://www.facebook.com/adeptontour
Music & Performance
Time for the last changeover of the evening: After the stage has been cleared for ADEPT to enter, the lights went off and the intro of their latest album ‘Blood Covenant’ began, getting the audience hyped up. And as the band finally entered the stage, the fans cheered loudly, singing along from the very first second on. ADEPT owned the stage with their energetic and powerful performance, jumping onto the little platforms that were set up at the edge of the stage. The singer walked up and down the stage, singing to fans left and right.
The sound of his vocals seemed to be missing in the center of the stage, and later sounded as if it came and went, but nobody seemed to bother. Instead, the crowd changed back and forth between circle pits, wall of deaths and regular moshing and banging the head. Even if the venue was not fully packed on this Wednesday evening, the audience took up the entire space, moving along to the music. ADEPT played songs off all albums. The intensity of each song was supported by stroboscopic light alongside the otherwise dim red light.
The singer talked to the audience in between the songs, the guitar player went down into the pit to be close to the fans while playing and the stage hands supported the vocals on the choruses. ADEPT played old and new songs, and the audience was able to sing along to them all. After a little over an hour, ADEPT thanked everyone for coming out and said goodbye. It was a beautiful evening with many great bands. And it has been a pleasure seeing ADEPT back on stage. I am looking forward for the tours and festivals to come at which we will have the honor of seeing ADEPT.
And hopefully also THOUSAND BELOW and OCEAN SLEEPER, as they have been amazing too. Until then, check out their music, create your own playlist and relive the evening through their setlists.
Setlist
01. Blood Covenant
02. Carry the Weight
03. Secrets
04. Heaven
05. Shark! Shark! Shark!
06. Business of Living
07. Define Me
08. Black Veins
09. You
10. Filthy Tongue
11. Parting Ways
12. The Ivory Tower
13. At Least Give Me My Dreams Back, You Negligent Whore!
Rating
Music: 10
Performance: 10
Light: 7
Sound: 8
Total: 9 / 10
All Pictures by Nina Mende
