Live Review : Mr. Bungle + Spotlights @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on June 13th 2024

For anybody who grew up in metal in the late 80s/early 90s, Mr. Bungle were a disruptive enigma. They were spoken about with reverential hush tones as being a fiercely non-commercial bloodletting exercise so that Mike Patton could express his disdain at the unfeasible success story of his main band Faith No More. The bigger his day job became, the more he retreated into the anarchistic unpredictability of Mr. Bungle. For those of us being seduced by metals more avant-garde fringes, Mr. Bungle was an overtly enticing forbidden fruit.

Live Review : GEL + Split Chain @ Star and Garter, Manchester on June 12th 2024

New Jersey’s GEL are a modern take on classic Hardcore. Let me explain. In a Hardcore scene that is currently built around dynamic evolution of the traditional sound and direction - different genres and sub-genres being poured into the mix - GEL return to the raw aspects and punk elements of classic Hardcore. Their delivery of an authentic representation of what started it all off to a new generation has generated a massive buzz around them.

Live Review : Caligula's Horse + The Hirsch Effekt + Four Stroke Baron @ Gorilla, Manchester on May 31st 2024

We’re seeing ever increasing crowds at prog- and tech-metal gigs these days. It’s not even just the sheer numbers, but the diversity in the crowds that is both exciting and encouraging. Tonight is another example of the clear growth of these sub-genres with Australian maestros Caligula’s Horse bringing along the phenomenal The Hirsch Effekt and the fascinating Four Stroke Baron.

Live Review : Jane's Addiction + Humanist @ O2 Apollo, Manchester on June 2nd 2024

Whilst they may well be considered a "name" act, the influence and the impact of Jane's Addiction is incredibly underrated. We tend to look at grunge and bands such asSoundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins and the erstwhile Nirvana as being the architects of alt-metal and our genre’s early '90s U turn away from sword, sorcery, highlighted perms and blatant sexism. However, Jane's Addiction’s astonishing opening salvo of “Nothing’s Shocking” and “Ritual de lo Habitual” were released before either “Nevermind” or “10” had even been recorded and provided the foundations for the seismic and still resonating changes in metal’s DNA. You then add in the fact the first Lollapalooza package (the blueprint for the modern alternative music festival) was created in 1991 purely as a vehicle for Jane's Addiction's farewell tour, and you have a band that has single-handedly and with very little recognition shaped the current world we live in.

Live Review : Tool + Night Verses @ AO Arena, Manchester on June 1st 2024

How the hell has a band as complex and as unconformist as Tool become a mainstream affair? Usually, when an act reaches a point where it is selling out arenas and headlining festivals, it has had to forego a chunk of its authenticity and individuality to do so. This is not the case with Tool. There has been no candlestein deals with the devil using the currency of souls. This evening in Manchester they exhibit the same level of authenticity that they had when they formed 34 years ago. They have not changed or budged in their eccentric uniqueness, yet fame, fortune and adulation have sought them out without them having to move an inch.

Live Review : Nickelback + Lottery Winners @ AO Arena, Manchester on May 20th 2024

Nickelback are the band that everyone loves to hate. Fact. Over the past 20 years, they’ve been the butt of all jokes and the subject of countless memes, all because the internet said so. Sure, they’re a little bit safe, a little bit corny, but a band doesn’t maintain their status as an arena band if they don’t have something about them that makes people want to attend their shows. Tonight, at Manchester Arena, they bring their Get Rollin’ tour, to prove to those in attendance that they still have it, even 25+ years into their careers.

Live Review : Bruce Dickinson + Black Smoke Trigger @ Academy, Manchester on May 19th 2024

These days Bruce Dickinson is irrevocably tied to Iron Maiden. His air-raid siren shrills and cries of "Scream for me (enter name of town)” are as synonymous to the band as is their gargantuan mascot Eddie. However, for the vast majority of the 90’s he was AWOL, jumping ship in 1993 citing a combination of burnout, musical differences, and inter-band tensions. As the ubiquitous hyperactive kid at the back of the class who always has 16 different projects on the go, Bruce was never one to let the grass grow under his feet. During his six-year sabbatical from, arguably, heavy metal's biggest band he managed to produce four rather spiffing solo efforts (his debut effort, Tattooed Millionaire had appeared pre-split in 1990 and very likely hastened his exit.

Live Review : Maybeshewill + Bossk + Lys Morke @ Gorilla, Manchester on May 17th 2024

After triumphant sets at Damnation Festival last year, both Bossk and Maybeshewill are riding a large wave of momentum at the minute. The two post rock titans are back with new releases, and a new Co Headline tour that is set to be one of the standout tours of the year.

Live Review : Rise Of The Northstar + Our Hollow, Our Home + Forager @ Academy 3, Manchester on May 15th 2024

When it comes to music, the French are having a pretty great time at the minute. They came 4th in the Eurovision Song Contest with an absolute stellar performance, Slift have released what many consider to be their album of year and Gojira are one of the biggest metal bands on the planet right now. Rise of the Northstar are the next band from our neighbours across the channel to represent their country when it comes to continuing this well received momentum. Donned in their trademark white Boiler Suits, the Hardcore/Nu Metal adjacent 5 piece have embarked on their Crank It Up Tour, making stops all across the UK and Europe.

Live Review : LANDMVRKS + The Devil Wears Prada + Like Moths To Flames + Guilt Trip @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on May 12th 2024

LANDMVRKS blew us away when we saw them live for the first time headlining Rebellion in 2022. Tonight, they step-up to the O2 Ritz and bring with them a stellar undercard as well. The night is a wonderful example of the best melodic metal-hardcore from across the world, with heavy riffs, classic hardcore vocals and anthemic melodies a plenty.

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 : Resolve + Cane Hill + Acres + Half Me @ Rebellion, Manchester on May 8th 2024

French act Resolve have quickly become favourites at Rockflesh towers, with their blend of melodic metalcore. But they’re more than that. They break that pigeonhole with vibrant melodies and energetic groove. We did interview them in early 2023 (video interview) but this time they are back headlining Rebellion in support of their latest rather brilliant release “Human”.

Live Review : Tenacious D @ AO Arena, Manchester on May 8th 2024

For the genre with a reputation for being poe-faced and humourless, there is an awful lot of comedy metal about. Steel Panther cater for those who still find tits and blatant sexism funny. Evil Scarecrow have made a career of combining metal with Mighty Boosh level surrealism and Raised by Owls manage to be simultaneously hilarious and impenetrable to anybody who doesn't know their Benediction from their Bolthrower. But like a gargantuan skyscraper looming over the whole scene is the behemoth that is Tenacious D.

Live Review : In Search of Sun + Weller + MARANG. + Cages For Preachers @ Star and Garter, Manchester on May 6th 2024

It's a glorious Bank Holiday Monday, with only the minor threat of major thunderstorms. With that in mind, it’s surely better to be safe indoors with 4 boisterous booming bands? What better place to be than Manchester's favourite gem of a venue, The Star and Garter.

Live Review : When Rivers Meet + Dusk Brothers @ Gorilla, Manchester on May 2nd 2024

Gorilla’s stage is packed. Not the venue - although there is a healthy crowd assembling to catch The Dusk Brothers set – but the stage itself. Sandwiched between When Rivers Meets drums and back line is what looks at first glance like a veritable junkyard but on closer inspection is actually the self-assembled and DIY instruments that are the band’s trademark. There are drum kits made out of repurposed oil drums, sheets of metal hanging from a frame as another percussive element, a bright red megaphone, even a theremin.

Live Review : Kill The Lights + I Am The Wreckage + Dekaytah + Torchbearer @ The Star & Garter, Manchester on April 26th 2024

Transatlantic metal supergroup Kill The Lights are currently touring on the back of their new album “Death Melodies” and it’s a real treat to catch them in such an intimate venue such as The Star & Garter in Manchester. We manage to get an interview with vocalist James and drummer Moose before the gig (you can watch that here), and we’re promised songs both new and old from the now established and polished metal titans.

Live Review : The Cruel Knives + Crashface + Fate's Hollow @ The Deaf Institute Lounge, Manchester on April 25th 2024

Pedigree. That’s the first thing that comes to mind tonight. Back in the day there used to be an occasional item in Sounds magazine, or sometimes Kerrang, that later became both a tv series and a book. It was called Rock Family Trees, and essentially it managed to trace links between rock bands of all sizes and statures in a giant spiderweb of connections and surprising bandmates. These were then presented in an easy-to-understand format that made sense and was often interesting and fascinating at the same time. In a way, that’s kind of why I’m here tonight. Can you imagine a link between tonight’s headliners The Cruel Knives and Led Zeppelin for example? No? Read on, all will be revealed!

Live Review : Ingested + Fallujah + Mélancolia @ Rebellion, Manchester on April 20th 2024

The Mondays at the G-Mex, Oasis at Maine Road, Morrissey (before he became a racist twit) at the MEN and The Roses at Heaton Park. To the lexicon of great Mancunian homecomings we can now add Ingested at Rebellion. Despite the ludicrously early start time the place is heaving from the get-go. There is a fevered atmosphere that consists of a potent mixture of expectation and civic pride. Every conversation seems to major on our own individual roles in Ingested’s majestic ascension to the death metal top table.

Live Review : Pupil Slicer + Coilguns + God Alone @ The White Hotel, Manchester on April 19th 2024

Pupil Slicer have long been championed by Rockflesh, from the very seeds of their chaotic genius to the full bloom of their current status as underground darlings of every hardcore and alternative genre going. It’s fitting then that for their first headline UK tour they’re playing second album ‘Blossom’ in full. They’ve picked some unusual venues for this tour, and Manchester’s date sees us making our first ever trip to Salford’s art organisation The White Hotel. It’s neither a hotel, nor that white, and is in fact a repurposed industrial warehouse housing bohemian acts and events.

Live Review : Midnight + Cyclone + High Command @ Rebellion, Manchester on April 16th 2024

Some shows loom large in the memory for many moons to come. Midnight’s inaugural visit to this fair city back in June ‘22 is one such instant. Tales of masked men hanging from support beams and unheard-of reserves of ravaged energy have been passed around the metal fraternity ever since. It has achieved such a legendary status (of course we were there, our review can be found here) that their return to Manchester less than two years later has become something of an event. Rebellion is impressively packed out for a Tuesday, with an audience made up of those who were lucky enough to be in the Academy 3 24 months ago and their mates who have been dragged along to enjoy the spectacle.