Live Review : Attila + Veil Of Maya @ Academy 2, Manchester on November 20th 2019

I feel like all my gig reviews start with a weather and/or travel update…so I’m not going to change the habit of a lifetime! This installment of Matt-attempts-to-get-to-Manchester features the usual train debacle, but has an undercard of ROCKFLESH head honcho Johann also being stuck on the M62. Unfortunately, it means we both miss opening support act Sylar. I mean, I catch the second half of their final song but that doesn’t count. It’s a shame as I was looking forward to seeing their interesting brand of metalcore (or nu metalcore depending on who you talk to…). By all accounts they perform with typical NYHC scene movement and energy, yet deliver a heavily processed sound that creates purposefully gated and angular sounds. Hmmm, I’ll make sure I catch them next time.

It’s noticeable that Academy 2 is probably only half-full tonight, and they’ve even got room for a long merch stall down the far wall for all three bands to peddle tonnes of merch from. Veil of Maya take to the stage with the Sylar backdrop still hanging behind them. It means I’m left a little confused, and concerned I’ve completely lost the plot – did I really miss Sylar? Is this them? What happened to Veil of Maya? Fortunately it soon becomes apparent that I’ve not lost my marbles and this is indeed Veil of Maya, because there’s no mistaking their combination of tech-guitar and metalcore variations. I’m a big fan of bands like Erra and Betraying the Martyrs so I always have time for similar acts that use angular guitars, varied vocal styles and symphonic backing tracks. Veil of Maya utilize intricate, interweaving guitars and bass layered over driving, pounding drums to great effect. Marc Okubo’s guitar work in particular is hypnotic and a pleasure to watch. On top of that we have a curious mix of vocals from frontman Lukas Magyar – he delivers the guttural growls and piercing screeches alongside what should be clean ethereal vocals. However, tonight there’s something not quite right and Magyar fails to correctly pitch any of the clean sung work. It’s a shame as on record the songs are both brutal and anthemic in equal measure, but the crowd seem to go off the boil in response to the off-key vocals, which is a shame as I’m sure on their day Veil of Maya are a match for many bands. 

There are no such problems with the crowd dropping-off once Attila finally take to the stage. They’re as pumped-up and dynamic as the stage show Attila always produce, and to say the room is filled with passion and aggression would be an understatement. Opening up with ‘Proving Grounds’, and a guest appearance from Jayden Panesso of Sylar, there’s no letting-up as they move through the songs. Now, when I say there’s no letting-up, I mean in the intensity of the performance and songs…not the pace between the songs. Frontman Chris Fronzak (aka Fronz aka Fronzilla) has always been a divisive character and he seems intent tonight on using every possible stop between songs to talk (and swear even more than I do…) at the crowd about all manner of things. Johann wonders if this is an elaborate rouse to hide the fact they have to load-up expansive backing tracks for every single song, and I tend to agree with him as the whole live performance seems to be heavily dependent on them. Most bands I see these days extensively use backing tracks or pre-programmed sequencers, and there’s absolutely no problem with that – but when it leads to an overly processed sound or sluggish pace of the overall set then I think it becomes an issue. Look, the crowd absolutely love Fronz and the whole Attila package; lapping up his every word and pogoing to the stomping, vicious metalcore. However, for me I think Emmure do the music, controversy and seething aggression on stage better. They don’t throw pizza out into the crowd though, and Attila do - the set closes with Fronzilla throwing a pizza in the crowd to song (you guessed it) ‘Pizza’. Nuff said.