Live Review : Sólstafir + Oranssi Pazuzu + Hamferð @ Club Academy, Manchester on November 1st 2024

Whilst we in this country might have invented heavy metal, its stewardship has long since drifted north to the frozen plains of Scandinavia. Our Nordic cousins are now the dominant force in moving our beloved genre forward. The Nordic descent tour provides a perfect snapshot of the distinctly interesting and intriguing things our Scandinavian counterparts are doing with metal. Its very much a case of the anthemic (Hamerfo), the insular (Solstafir) and the downright outrageous (Oranssi Panzuzu).

Live Review : Xentrix + Damnation's Hammer + Lure In @ Club Academy, Manchester on november 15th 2024

Hailing from the heavy heartland of Northern England, Xentrix stands as a testament to the raw, relentless energy of thrash metal. Forged in the 80’s, this iconic band has terrorised the scene over many years, more than earning their place in the thrash metal pantheon, leaving an indelible mark with their distinctive sound, blistering riffs, provoking lyrics, and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of the genre.

Tonight in Manchester, Xentrix are set to perform their seminal album, “Shattered Existence”, in its entirety, for the final time, as the tour ends here.

Live Review : Signs Of The Swarm + Varials + Cabal + To The Grave @ Club Academy, Manchester on October 26th 2024

It's fascinating how the entire inference of a tour can be altered by the simple switching of billing. The Pins and Knuckles’ sponsored Faces of Death tour was originally conceived as a co-headlining affair between Progressive metal core legends Veil of Maya and hotly tipped deathcore mainstays Signs of the Swarm. It was a nicely balanced mixture of genres that appeal to those who like to a bit core in their life. But then sadly Veil of Maya inconveniently went on immediate hiatus, Signs of the Swarm were promoted to singular headlining status, much fancied Danish deathcore proponents Cabal were given a berth and suddenly, Bob's your uncle, this tour leans much more towards a deathcore fan base.

Live Review : Sirenia + Temperance + Symphonity @ Club Academy, Manchester on May 11th 2024

Symphonic metal is a rather incestuous affair. Nightwish’s Floor Jansen and Epica’s Mark Jansen both come from the ranks of genre pioneers After Forever. Delain Svengali Martijin Westerholt formed that band after he left Within Temptation and Beast in Black came into being when Anton Kabanen was ousted from Battle Beast. Sirenia, the headliner of tonight’s symphonic metal nights package tour came into being when Morten Veland walked away from the similarly musically orientated Tristania. Basically it's like a game of musical chairs, but with more swirling keyboard flourishes.

Live Review : Blind Channel + Ghøstkid + Rock Band From Hell @ Club Academy, Manchester on April 2nd 2024

For the second time this week ROCKFLESH is dipping a toe into Eurovision territory. Those gritty Finns are determined to give a serious rock boost to the greatest lip-synching competition in the world, and having done so once with the classic power metal and mad costumes that are Lordi they had another go for a younger audience with Blind Channel who provide nu-metal and pretty boys instead. Sadly they only managed to reach 6th place in 2021, but that did give them an avenue to reach bigger crowds in other countries so here we are in a sold-out Club Academy with twice the capacity of their last sojourn to Manchester. This is obviously important to them as it gets mentioned a couple of times during the course of the evening. Stick with it boys, next stop the Ritz eh?

Live Review : Carnifex + Revocation + Aborted + Vexed @ Club Academy, Manchester on March 24th 2024

Another day and another four-headed death metal package rolls into town. However, if you open the bonnet and do a bit of careful inspection you will find that this quadruple bill offers some enticingly distinct delicacies. You see Vexed, Aborted, Revocation and Carnifex represent four very very different aspects of Death Metal’s multiple personalities. This is a comprehensive guided tour through the genre's current state of the nation. It also makes pretty good business sense as each band has its own distinct group of diehard supporters, all of whom have gathered here tonight for some bizarre gathering of the clans.

Live Review : Enslaved + Svalbard + Wayfarer @ Club Academy, Manchester on March 8th 2024

Evolution. The first thing that comes to my mind when viewing a tour consisting of Enslaved, Svalbard, and Wayfayrer. A line up that represents phenomenal histories and past accomplishments but also outstandingly bright futures. Most importantly it showcase that ability to morph and metamorphose as all three bands started in one place but very much transmuted into different entities

Live Review : Decapitated + Obscura + Inferi +The Materia @ Club Academy, Manchester on December 15th 2023

To the uninitiated ear all death metal must sound the same. However for connoisseurs this is a genre with a infinite multitude of different shades and textures. We have four bands on offer this evening, four bands all operating in distinctly different universes within death metal forever evolving superstructure.

Live Review : Fit For A King + Emmure + Thrown + The Gloom In The Corner @ Club Academy, Manchester on December 11th 2023

Manchester Club Academy is already pretty damn busy as we enter the venue soon after doors for the excitingly packed bill of tonight’s Fit for a King headliner. It’s clear to see that there’s a mix of fans for all the bands tonight, even if their takes on the sub-genres target slightly different markers, and the anticipation builds and builds as we wait near the barrier for our opening act of the night.

Live Review : Smash Into Pieces + Cyan Kicks @ Club Academy, Manchester on December 2nd 2023

Another night, another pair of Scandi bands – it’s a hard life writing for ROCKFLESH! Tonight’s bill is somewhat different to my usual fare though, and looking around the crowd it’s a very different demographic. This is not a metal crowd. It’s very stylised, rather eclectic and for the most part very young. In fact I think this is the first time I have ever seen actual children at a Club Academy gig.

Live Review : Impericon Never Say Die Tour: King 810 + Nasty + ten56 + Left To Suffer + Fox Lake + Reduction @ Club Academy, Manchester on November 22nd 2023

German hardcore-beatdown masters Reduction take to the stage as opening act for this year’s edition of the annual Impericon Never Say Die tour. Despite the early doors, a rapidly growing crowd is immediately engaged by Reduction's relentless sonic assault, with a late afternoon circle pit even managing to erupt mid-set (featuring the first glimpse of an eccentric banana-clad participant).

Live Review : The Answer + Kira Mac @ Club Academy, Manchester on November 15th 2023

Another day, another genre of that great musical cauldron we call rock. This time I am exploring the world of country blues and an evening of Southern-tinged rock n’ roll awaits. Well kind of. I mean support band Kira Mac are from Manchester, which is distinctly Northern, and last time I looked there was little in the way of deltas in Belfast where The Answer hail from. But still, let’s set the atmosphere. You can almost smell the whisky burning down Oxford Road tonight…..

Live Review : Combichrist + Megaherz + Janosch Moldau @ Club Academy, Manchester on October 4th 2023

Well tonight gets off to a strange start when security allow me in early and there is some sort of VIP reception underway. Feeling out of place in this small gathering of goths (not sure what the correct phraseology is there… flock, brood, cloud??) I am introduced to someone who I am clueless about, but who I suspect will be appearing on stage later. I’m thankful my Type O Negative beanie gives me some kudos but sidestep away from the action and head to the barrier…

Live Review : Obituary + Pest Control @ Club Academy, Manchester on September 10th 2023

The template for a UK tour by a stateside metal icon is a tentpole London show and then, if we are lucky, a couple of reconnaissance trips into the provinces. Obituary have, as ever, decided not to play by the rules and since late August they have been haunting every byway and layby of this fair country. We as fans have responded to their commitment by getting out of the house and getting down in front.

Live Review : InMe + Brigade + Lost Romantic @ Club Academy, Manchester on September 2nd 2023

After what seems a severely long break away from reviews I am back, and tonight is a new venue to review in for me. Club Academy is almost completely empty on arrival and the first band are on at 7.30pm. Playing to a couple of people are Lost Romantic. Formed only last year this London duo (drummer and singer) state it’s their first time ever in Manchester.

Live Review : Wednesday 13 + South Of Salem + Sick N' Beautiful + Tarah Who? @ Club Academy, Manchester on April 12th 2023

We start tonight with Tarah Who? They are punky, indie kids with female vocals and a bass player with lovely hair. There's lots of movement and energy but not a huge amount of power in her voice and I find them a little bit uninspiring. I'm not really seeing anything new here and nothing really grips me - they weren't bad but they weren't brilliant either.

Live Review : ERRA + Silent Planet + Invent Animate + Sentinels @ Club Academy, Manchester on March 13th 2023

Opening tonight are New Jersey’s Sentinels, who take to the stage with a bang, the energy in the room equally immediately electric. Sentinels are simply awesome tonight. Their music off the scale, with drumming and guitars that are so technically stunning, it is hard for some of the crowd to keep up. It’s brutal, experimental, extreme and chaotic – like a sped-up Gojira on steroids, with that added touch of higher tempo and intricacy making it even more enjoyable and intense.

Live Review : Igorrr + Otto Von Schirach @ Club Academy, Manchester on April 15th 2022

Good Friday? More like unexpectedly muggy Friday, as my CC cream has slid off my face somewhere between Runcorn East and Grand Central. I want to be Queen of the Night but I am afraid I am more Rosy Cheeked Dickhead right now. I can't even blame my usual rushing from work, as I've not even been there today. I literally had all fucking day to get ready and still I messed up and forgot my glowsticks.

Glowsticks which I suspect I could have made good use of tonight.