Live Review : M2TM Merseyside Heat 2 @ Zanzibar, Liverpool on April 22nd 2023

After an incredibly successful first heat, Bloodstocks Metal To The Masses Competition returns to Zanzibar for its second round of heats. 3 More bands will once again be in competition for a spot in the regional finals with the ultimate goal of winning a spot at the iconic Bloodstock Festival up for grabs.

First to take the stage are Indigo Horizon. They brought to the table a variety of sound from their heavy Mark Tremonti influences on guitar, to these huge, anthemic Architects inspired choruses that at times wouldn’t have looked out of place on an arena stage.

Live Review : Enter Shikari + Higher Power + Tokky Horror @ New Century Hall, Manchester on April 14th 2023

Opening tonight's proceedings were Birkenhead's own Tokky Horror. Tokky Horror combine Punk with dance influences ranging from Hardcore, Techno, Drum and Bass and even what sounded like a little bit of Gabber to boot. Initially I struggled to pick apart the nuances of their sound as a result of the bass really taking over the mix, however this was quickly rectified and when deciphered, I could understand more about what Tokky Horror were about, and that was pure energy and connection with their audience through their music.

Live Review : M2TM Merseyside Heat 1 @ Zanzibar, Liverpool on March 31st 2023

For years now Metal To The Masses has been an annual celebration of up and coming British Metal. Each year, up and down the country, hundreds of bands battle it out for a chance to prove themselves at the iconic Bloodstock Festival. There is probably no region that an event like this is more important than in Liverpool. For years, there has been an ongoing idea that Liverpool has no metal scene. Despite being the birthplace of some of the most iconic bands the world has ever seen, the amount of Metal Bands who have broken through into the public consciousness could probably be counted on two hands.

Gig ReviewAuthor : Alex Stuart7 April 2023ZanzibarMetal 2 The Masses, Black KettleComment

Live Review : ChrysalïD + Devils Henchmen + Wailing Banshee + Wicked Side @ The Snig, Widnes on February 25th 2023

Heavy Metal & Widnes are two things that are seldom seen together in a sentence; however, Saturday Night at The Snig in West Bank offered those yearning a chance to see some Heavy Metal on their front doors a chance to see 4 of the finest up and coming bands the North West has to offer.

Live Review : Avatar + Veil Of Maya + Mastiff @ Academy, Manchester on February 18th 2023

Mastiff bill themselves as being “A Miserable Band From A Miserable Town” which makes sense being from Hull (I’ve seen Hull beat Widnes way too many times in the Rugby, so let me have this one lads, it’s only fair). Rugby League rivalries aside, Mastiff are a fantastic blend of Sludge and Hardcore, a combination that may seem out of place on this night, a celebration of everything grandiose & theatrical given the headliners.

Live Review : Black Star Riders + Michael Monroe + Phil Campbell and The Bastard Sons @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on February 17th 2023

Everyone and their dog will be aware of Phil Campbell at this point. Joining a new look Motörhead in 1984, Campbell was a mainstay of the band until they disbanded after Lemmy Kilmeisters unfortunate passing in 2015. These days the Welsh guitarist can instead be found playing alongside the Bastard Sons. In case anyone was unaware of who they were, opening song ‘We Are the Bastards’ made sure that anyone yet unaware would quickly learn the name and what they were about.

Live Review : Gospelheim + Lure In + Omega Throne @ Satan's Hollow, Manchester on February 11th 2023

Despite being a haunt of mine for some time, this is the first time I have ever attended a concert at Satan’s Hollow. It’s unique in the round setting offers punters a chance to have a 360-degree viewpoint, meaning that every bit of atmosphere can be soaked in.

Opening tonight’s 3 bands bill were Liverpool Blackened Death Metallers, Omega Throne. At first, Omega Throne just came across as your run of the mill Death Metal Band comprising all the regular staples found within the genre to create inoffensive music that does enough to keep the punters inside Satan’s Hollow nodding their heads along to it.

Live Review : Life Of Agony + Madball + Tarah Who? @ Academy Club, Manchester on February 7th 2023

Tasked with opening proceedings on this night, a celebration of Life Of Agony’s 1993 Album “River Runs Red”, was Tarah Who?. There was quite a bit to like here from the notable grunge, punk & blues elements to the absolute shift put in by Tarah’s bassist and drummer. They epitomised what a backing band should do, giving Tarah a tightly knit canvas to showcase what her music is all about.

Live Review : Undeath + Celestial Sanctuary + Iron Tomb @ Star and Garter, Manchester on January 29th 2023

For myself and many others, The Star & Garter is the last true cesspit in Manchester in which Death Metal can thrive. It is gritty, it is unhinged, it is claustrophobic, it is wonderful. Tonight bill pits 3 of the finest Death/Black Metal acts that can be found parading a venue this small and as a result, the 150/200 strong capacity were in for a night of absolute violence and intensity.

Live Review : Holding Absence + Void Of Vision + Maybank @ O2 Academy 2, Liverpool on January 28th 2023

Holding Absence have made it clear that the opening slot on their UK Tour will be reserved for some of the finest up and coming local talent that the UK has to offer. It would be a true once in a lifetime opportunity for these smaller bands to be able to open for a name such as Holding Absence, and this is a model that is both extremely commendable and should be implemented by other bands on the scene.

Live Review : Dropkick Murphys + Pennywise + The Rumjacks @ O2 Victoria Warehouse, Manchester on January 18th 2022

Australian Punk-Folk band The Rumjacks were the first band of the evening I managed to catch. They were the perfect band to open for the Dropkick Murphys, paying homage to their iconic celtic folk sound, whilst adding their own twist to this formula. Vocalist Mike Rivkees offered gnarly punk vocals in between providing backing pennywhistle performances to add that folk element to the pretty basic, yet by no means weak punk that was being played behind him.

Live Review : Alter Bridge + Halestorm + Mammoth WVH @ AO Arena, Manchester on December 9th 2022

When a band is fronted by the Son/Daughter of a music icon, I immediately have concerns. Is this just a chance for someone to use their parents' status to have a go at music and see what it's like, via worming their way into support slots they seriously don’t deserve? Do they use their marketability to obtain a record deal due to the name associated with their act? No band is safe from this, even tonight's openers Mammoth WVH.

Live Review : Palm Reader + Blanket + Dead Romantic + Sobriquet @ The Corporation, Sheffield on November 24th 2022

Opening the show on tonight's 4 band bill was Sobriquet. They come across as being an extremely charismatic band who made no trouble with covering as much of the small corporation stage as they could. Musically there was quite a bit to take in. They had hints of hardcore, nu metal, emo, and some catchy choruses to boot. On a technical level, they were all extremely sound musicians, and this made for an enjoyable first band of the night, which set the precedent for a night of all-round great music.

Live Review : Nile + Krisiun + In Element + Decrepid @ Rebellion, Manchester on November 7th 2022

On this here cold Monday night, Manchester Rebellion was treated to a night of the extreme, a strong, 4 band bill, topped by Co-Headliners, industry veterans, Krisiun & Nile.

Tasked with opening the evenings proceedings was Death Metal band, Decrepid. After what appeared to be a nervous start for the band, they soon settled in after receiving a warm reception for the, at the minute, pretty sparse audience, and were therefore able to open up a bit more.

Live Review : Sepultura + Sacred Reich + Crowbar @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on November 2nd 2022

You truly had to feel for Crowbar this evening, screwing up the start to their opening song not once, but twice before eventually giving up on it all together. What this meant was that before they’d even got properly started, their backs were well and truly against the ropes. You could tell by the face of guitarist and vocalist Kirk Windstein that he was absolutely pissed, and rightfully so, Crowbar is his passion project and being the only constant member of this band since 1990 gives him complete license to show his infuriation to his band mates.

Live Review : Conjurer + Tuskar + Sugar Horse @ Rebellion, Manchester on November 1st 2022

After going to Manchester for the best part of 13/14 years attending concerts, it’s hard to believe that tonight is my first trip to Rebellion for a concert, despite it being an absolute staple venue of the Manchester Metal Scene. Tonight’s lineup however is a treat, 3 young, fresh, hungry bands looking to carve a name for themselves, headlined by the impeccable, Conjurer.

Gig ReviewAuthor : Alex Stuart3 November 2022RebellionSugar Horse, Tuskar, Conjurer, Rebellion, Manchester, 2022, Live Review, Alex StuartComment

Live Review : The Vintage Caravan + Empyre @ Academy 3, Manchester on October 30th 2022

Those who have so kindly taken their time to read my reviews know that one of my biggest musical passions is Grunge. I am constantly making references to Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden etc and support act, Empyre, are what happens if you put the power and emotion of Grunge into a blender, with a sprinkling of the type of grooves you would associate with Mastodon and the intricacies and guitar flourishes that wouldn’t look out of place in a 25 minute prog rock Opus.

Live Review : Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls + Pet Needs + Truckstop Honeymoon @ Academy, Manchester on October 11th 2022

Manchester Academy has become somewhat of a second home for me recently. The continued wave of rescheduled tours impacted by the covid pandemic, along with newly announced tours has meant that the city of Manchester has been an absolute hive of live music. Tonight’s offering was iconic singer-songwriter Frank Turner and his band The Sleeping Souls.

The running theme of the night was diversity. There was a hugely diverse crowd, comprising of all corners of society but there was also a diverse selection of Support acts covering all bases.

Live Review : Godsmack + The Raven Age @ Academy, Manchester on October 9th 2022

Something as simple as geography being a determiner of a band’s success has always been amazing to me. You hear a lot about some of the UK’s biggest bands struggling to “break the states”, which can turn a band that is of monumental stature over here into another run of the mill band clogging up a festival line up poster for some festival in the arse end of Colorado. What does not get mentioned all that much, however, is those gargantuan bands over in the United States, trying to “Break the UK.”

Live Review : Tailgunner + Guise + The Mick White Band + Riot-Eye @ Zanzibar, Liverpool on July 2nd 2022

Just a mere stone's throw away from the bombastic and chaotic Concert Square, The Zanzibar on Seel Street played host to a spectacular 4 band bill topped by, in my opinion, the hottest new band on the scene; the mighty Tailgunner.

Up first however were mancunian, sleaze punk four-piece, Riot Eye. To put it as simply as I can, they were incredible. A lot of bands would see an empty space and a sparse crowd and allow that to get to them as a result of it appearing that no one wanted to get there early to see them, Riot Eye however absolutely thrived in these conditions.