I’m starting this review in a slightly different way – with an apology. You see it’s now been a month since I trotted down to the Academy 3 to attend this little seasonal shindig, so you’re probably wondering why you’re only reading about it now? Nope, I don’t know either. Life, the universe and everything got in the way and although I kept meaning to sit down at the laptop and start scribbling, somehow it just didn’t happen. So I’m sorry you’ve all been kept waiting for so long. Normal service will shortly be resumed!

Right! Now that’s out of the way, what did I actually get to see on the night in question? Well, a stonking night of traditional British Metal to be fair.

Stormrider opened the proceedings. I wasn’t familiar with them, but I kind of guessed what they might sound like when I saw a custom mike stand with chains welded to it and I wasn’t far wrong. They were hard, they were heavy, they seemed a teensy bit fixated on death and the devil. Competent enough, but I didn’t really see anything special and I didn’t make note of any outstanding songs. The singer seemed to be a bit of a dominant personality, as it so often happens, but that didn’t hurt the overall atmos as his voice was fine and he was obviously really into what they were doing.

Vice on the other hand, I have seen several times before so I thought I knew what to expect. Metal with more than a touch of the Metallica and the bonus of some Really Good Hair. Well I got that wrong! Since I saw them last Vice have slimmed down from a 5-piece band to a 3-piece, and apart from lynchpin vocalist/guitarist Tom Atkinson I’m not even sure if any of the current band members were in the original band. Actually I’m pretty certain that the bass player wasn’t as he looked about 12 and was probably still in nappies when Vice started slogging around the local circuit! The sound is harder and heavier than I remember, with a mix of both clean and shouty vocals. It’s darker, deeper, less accessible, but it still works. If I’m honest I found it a little too doomy and depressing but I was in a minority of one as everyone else was loving it and they even got a bit of a circle pit going at one point. Only a wafer-theen one though (RIP Terry Jones). So yeah, a new direction from one of Manchester’s finest. It’ll be interesting to see where they go next.

Speaking of Manchester’s finest….. do I need to introduce you to Absolva? They’ve been around for a few years now, and they are one of the most under-rated bands I can think of. Rising from the ashes of Fury UK some 7 years ago and comprising the two Appleton brothers Chris and Luke (who you may recognise as the bass player from US-based thrashers Iced Earth) along with Karl Schramm (probably the tallest bass player in the world) and drummer Martin McNee, they are also often to be found being Blaze Bayley’s backing band.

Their sound is hard, fast and punchy but with an undertone of melody that makes it extremely listenable. They will be heading into the studio any time now to start work on an as-yet-unamed album that should see a release date at some point this year, so we got to hear some of the new songs as well as some old favourites. Chris Appleton is one of the most under-rated guitarists around, and it seems unfair somehow that although the Academy 3 is pretty full tonight he’s still not shredding and gurning to arena-sized crowds.  Mind you, his little brother isn’t far behind him in terms of talent.

About halfway through the set they are joined on stage by Tom from Vice (who I think, but don’t quote me, was involved in the very early days of the band) and the triple-threat guitar sound is mind-blowing. In fact I start to think that all bands should really have 3 guitars, because the range of sound they can create is just awesome. There’s also some pretty fancy exhibition fingerwork going down, and they have managed to turn what was already a good show into a great one. A little later on they also bring on a second guest. Vocalist Ashley Edison is usually to be found fronting Dendera and/or Powerquest, and he has a hell of a set of pipes on him. The stage is now somewhat crowded but it doesn’t matter, they finish with a stonking medley of Iron Maiden’s “2 Minutes To Midnight” and Sabbath’s “Heaven & Hell” and I leave the Academy safe in the knowledge that Metal is still very much alive and kicking and here in Manchester, it’s in very safe hands.

There’s a photo of the setlist in the gallery for those of you who need to know. Me? Way too busy having fun and air-guitaring like a good-un.