Live Review : RADAR on July 28th 2023

RADAR Festival is only in its third year, but already it’s attracting some massive names in the prog/tech scene. It’s also changed location this year from Guildford to Manchester, and a nightclub to a full-blown venue in O2 Victoria Warehouse. Eager and excited, we get our passes and make our way down to the press area. We eventually find it down in the basement of the adjacent building, and are immediately greeted by some familiar faces. There’s a buzz about the place and a great vibe, but no chance to dawdle as we dash into the venue through the press entrance and the festival proper! The setup is continuous live bands across two stages. One is the main stage, familiar to those who’ve been to VW before, but a second stage has been erected in the columned corridor behind the back bar and toilets. It’s an echoey area with strange acoustics, but serves well for what is required and in fact is very effective if you get down the front. 

The first band we catch are Playgrounded, who are atmospheric and genre-spanning. Their excellent mix of alternative progressive metal and electronics is akin to The Ocean, and I implore any fans of those bands to check them out as support to the afore mentioned in October.

Next up we catch Manchester’s very own Forager. They mix together elements of punk, grunge and prog metal to form an exciting sound. We’re seeing this kind of mix a lot more in young bands on the scene, with post-punk/grunge vocals, punky hardcore groove and then some heavy tech thrown in.

Exploring Birdsong have been an intriguing act on the prog scene since the 2019 release of their EP ‘The Thing With Feathers’. Lynsey Ward is undoubtedly an accomplished vocalist and pianist, who delivers a performance oozing with passion and emotion. It’s definitely a different take on prog, but clearly has a place on this kind of eclectic festival. 

ROCKFLESH favourites The Five Hundred are a late addition to the festival, and unleash their signature tech-metalcore with the usual vibrancy and professionalism they always provide. Every member of the band has fantastic stage presence, and in guitarists Mark Byrne and Paul Doughty we are treated to some great technicality. John Woods-Ely is the consummate frontman, delivering a variety of clean and harsh vocals whilst also conducting proceedings.

Unprocessed are always impressive, with their intricately proggy tech-metal. The German band are detailed and meticulous, treating us to a vibrant and melodic mix of tech and metalcore. Fans of bands ranging from Kadinja to VOLA will find something to excite them with this group.

God is an Astronaut closed out last year’s Tech Fest, and once again they blow the crowd away with a fantastic display of instrumental genius and musical craft. Effect pedals and instruments fill the stage with each member of the band busily at work throughout. Elements of Bossk and Russian Circles mix with film score soundscapes influences like Hans Zimmer. 

Aviana have been nothing short of a revelation since their return to the scene. With new vocalist Joel Holmqvist leading the masked band they’re much heavier and cohesive in their sound than before. There are still those elements of nu-metal like Deftones, but it’s fully integrated with futuristic tech-metal akin to Northlane and melodic metal such as Killswitch Engage. They’re engaging to watch and enticing to listen to.

Haken have been one of the most influential and ground-breaking bands in the progressive rock scene for years now, and it was a real treat to chat with them (see the interview here). Their unique blend of dynamic riffs, intricate drum patterns, atmospheric instrumentals, and distinctive vocals have given them a signature sound which is impressive yet quirky. Every song is like the piece to a bigger musical jigsaw, with unique and superb songwriting a testament to their immense talent. Tonight, they play a number of tracks off ‘The Mountain’ in its tenth anniversary year, and are mesmerizingly enthralling from start to finish. A stunning band who deserves a place in everyone’s collection.

Monuments also spent some time chatting with us in the afternoon (see the interview here), and then delivered one of the sets of the weekend. There’s that highly technical, futuristic prog-metal sound that they’ve always had, but the cohesive nature Andy Cizek’s vocals provide additional dynamics over the atmospheric and heavy segments is now at a new level. Andy is one of our favourite vocalists in this genre, with melodic vocals that are engagingly vulnerable and sharply contrasting deep guttural roars and vibrant vocal shredding. John Browne (guitar), Werner Erkelens (bass), and Mike Malyan (drums) are stunning musicians, each delivering equally technical tapestries of metal.

Headliners Sleep Token go from strength to strength. They are simply massive now, and it’s clear to see many of the crowd have grabbed a ticket for the Friday of this festival in the main to see this enigmatic band. Any thoughts of them being a divisive band within the genre are banished for the night, as everyone here is excitedly enthralled. Meticulous in every element of their performance, the tracks often build delightfully from crooning, atmospheric gentle beginnings to a crescendo of forceful, crushing yet soulful metal heaviness. Vocalist Vessel is a deliberate and confident character physically on stage, but like his vocal lines there is a fragility in his jerking movements. His vocals are warm, rich and velvety for the most part, but when they switch to a higher falsetto they are cutting, and when brutally growling they cut to the core. The vulnerability of the melodies and his voice at the same time can be disconcerting, but beautiful and unquestionably unique. The ever physically performing bassist provides deep rumbling low end, and the gnawing, jagged guitar fits in perfectly. A spotlight has to be shone on the drumming, which throughout is stunning with obvious jazz influenced skill, wrist-cracking snare hits, syncopated intricate segments, and powerful hitting and riding. The whole band are becoming something very special and tonight’s performance is once again a breathtaking experience.

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
Sleep Token, Monuments, Haken, Aviana, God Is An Astronaut, AA Williams, The Five Hundred, Exploring Birdsong, Forager, Playgrounded