We manage to grab some quality interviewing time with As Everything Unfolds (here) and Lake Malice (here) before the show. Both interviews are both fantastically fun and interesting, but it does mean we end up missing tonight’s openers Tropic Gold. By all accounts their set went down great with the sold out crowd though, so we’ll be sure to catch them next time.
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We've managed to catch Harbinger this summer headlining Tech Fest and putting on a killer main stage performance at Radar. Tonight, we get the treat of a much more intimate affair with our favourite tech-metal boys. They're on fire once again, and each of them is clearly revelling in the chance to play to the ever enthusiastically rabid Slamchester crowd.
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t’s been a while since I’ve been along to a gig at O2 Victoria Warehouse, so it's good to get my bearings again before Radar Festival is held here later this month. Whilst it’s sometimes reassuring for things to remain the same, I’ve got to say with this venue it’s not that great a trait. As usual while the photographers get direct access, the reviewers have to queue up with everyone else (not even affording us O2 priority access). What it means is it's a race against the clock and a 30min queue to get in for the opening support band. That’s not a great scenario for us or them I’d suggest.
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Despite being informed that the band would be onstage at 7.00 pm, I can see the queue is going around the corner as I approach. So, of course, I go for a beer across the road until I see no one outside the venue and then make my way in. Unsurprisingly it's packed as I enter, but us ROCKFLESH folks are a determined bunch and I squeeze through and up to the bar and merch. We've talked about merch prices a lot as a website, and £30 a tee tonight is very decent, but £70 for a fairly simple and plain orange rucksack is... interesting. In any case, there aren't any support bands tonight, so the sold-out venue is solely for Japanese rock band Man With A Mission (MWAM).
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First up, we’ve got Defying Decay taking to the stage right after the doors swing open. The crowd's expectedly small at first, but begins to swell as they run through their energetic set. These guys bring the essence of bands like Wage War, Bad Omens and, tonight’s headliners, Ice Nine Kills. In fact, think Spineshank and early Slipknot, that late 90s nu-metal vibe coming across in abundance. But it's Crossfaith that echoes in my mind, only a more organic version. These Thai rockers from Bangkok have that same unashamed glee and energy in their performance, together with the variety of sounds delivered by their Japanese counterparts.
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Winger hit the stage with a blast from the past, reminding us why they were such a force during the glam-metal era. Bringing together all their original members in a rare display of harmony and unity, it's refreshing to witness a band reuniting without any lingering bitterness. It's also a rare treat to have 80's rock royalty grace the stage in Manchester, certainly as a support act, and as they move through their set they prove they've still got it.
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Tonight is the first gig for Johann and I in Manchester’s New Century Hall. The first thing we notice is the slick and swanky feel to the whole place – it’s like it’s fresh out of the showroom and we’re taking it for its first spin! The bars are easy to get to, with a good selection, and the whole atmosphere is professional yet welcoming. The gig room itself is wide and accommodating, and the stage a very decent height (so a good venue for all gig-goers I’d suggest).
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First up are hardcore metallers Dying Wish, and I must say, it's not quite hitting the mark for me. What disappoints me the most is the lack of interesting songs and structure. Dying Wish's set feels like one continuous blur, with tracks blending together in a repetitive manner. There are no standout moments or memorable hooks that grab my attention or make me want to get lost in the music.
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Starved kick-off proceedings tonight, and are determined to blow away any cobwebs the crowd might have knocking about. They get the punters awake, aware and engaged – which is exactly what you want from an opening act. If you're a fan of Creak or Atari Teenage Riot, then Starved's sound and style will be right up your alley. They have a heavy dose of ten56 thrown in for good measure (as do all the bands this evening).
The band has a full setup on display, with drums, guitar, bass, laptop, and vocals all being put through their paces. The laptop is a key element in their performance, providing loads of drum and bass, jungle, and The Prodigy vibes to the mix.
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We get along to the venue early and get to interview bassist Robin Mariat from one of tonight’s co-headliners Resolve. It’s a brilliant start to the night and you can catch the full video interview HERE. It’s not long until the first band of the night take to the stage. Odd Palace might be first on but, let me tell you, these Danish prog metallers are the real deal. They're like Tiberius, in every way - fun, joking, very technical, heavy when they want to and more commercially catchy if they fancy it. Just listen to ‘Chemical Solution’ and tell me otherwise!
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The venue is still very much waiting to fill up as Dragged Under take to the stage. They were special guests for comeback Brixton show, and that impressive showing sees them taken on this full tour. The energy on the barrier is immediately electric despite the small crowd, and as they launch into opener ‘Instability’ and the early attendees erupt into a frenzy of head nodding and pumping fists. Frontman Tony Cappocchi stalks the stage like a caged animal, his voice soaring above the crunching guitars and thundering drums.
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There’s just the one support band tonight, but oh my what a band. It’s no secret that I’ve been championing Brighton’s Lake Malice ever since I saw them support Hacktivist last May. They blend a variety of influences and styles in a fresh, enthusiastic, characterful way both musically and visually. Once again I’m eager to catch them live and tonight they don’t disappoint.
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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.
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First up are the rap metal band Oxymorrons. Their mix of influences is impressive, and with their energetic and funky grooves they soon have everyone nodding along. They’ll appeal to fans of Fever333 and Skindred for sure, but they're also not afraid to break out some Turnstile type tunes too. One of the things that really impressees me about Oxymorrons is their ability to switch things up and keep the audience engaged.
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Opening for the night, Manchester’s own Dacara take to the stage with their brand of pop metal infused with themes from anime, videogames, and popular culture. This young band needs our support, and they certainly prove they deserve it with their energetic set. The songs touch on serious topics like calling out liars and those stuck in denial, but equally with fun tracks about weebs, sell-outs, and psychopathic anime girls. Fans of early Sertraline, Lake Malice and Within Destruction will enjoy their mix of bouncy and fun pop metal, which is reminiscent of a more rocky Future Palace.
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If you're looking for a band that blends the perfect mix of atmospheric and progressive metal, then look no further than The Ocean. As a band they’ve been plying their trade for over a decade with a sound that blends heavy, driving riffs with complex arrangements and a cerebral approach to song-writing. The German-based quintet are established as one of the most innovative and captivating acts in modern metal, and tonight is no exception.
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Brothers Till We Die from Madrid, Spain open proceedings with their passionate and organic take on deathcore. You can definitely hear both the death metal and hardcore influences, but it's not necessarily like they're trying to mix the two, instead styles constantly switch between them and on the whole it works well. The vocals are reminiscent of Rok Rupnik from Within Destruction and perfectly complement the intense songs, which are similar in style to Malevolence, but with a little less nuance.
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Suicide Samurai from Oldham open tonight’s proceedings. They're a new proggy-grungy-metal band on the local scene for only a month or so, and let me tell you they promise good things. There’s plenty of raw energy and emotion in the vocals, which are matched by the skilled musicianship of the entire band. The songs are heavy, yet melodic, with a strong sense of dynamics. When I say grunge I’m not talking about a nostalgia trip,
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It’s time for me to hit a new venue, as I’ve never stepped foot in Manchester’s Albert Hall before. We get to the entrance queue, and to say it’s insanely long would be an understatement. Fortunately, I can get in and up the stairs as Northlane start-up with opener ‘Clarity’. They are bouncy and energetic from the start with their futuristic look, lighting and vibe, and are a band that has evolved an awful lot over the years. With the last two albums, “Obsidian” and “Alien”, you can see the greater electronic influence, and opportunity to further afford vocalist Marcus Bridge to establish his soaring clean vocals and raw screams.
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Despite it being a Monday night, the crowd is large and growing even as the doors open at 6:30pm for The Amity Affliction’s return to the UK. This is no surprise as TAA have always been well liked and supported on these shores, with every gig I’ve attended of theirs being packed to the rafters. I make my way up onto the balcony as Californian openers SeeYouSpaceCowboy take to the stage.
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