Clashmute are a last-minute addition to the bill following Ghost Iris having to pull out of the remaining dates of the tour due to a positive COVID-19 test (gutting as I was very much looking forward to seeing those guys perform their new album). They kick off proceedings with their aggressive hardcore-tinged brand of Killswitch Engage style Metal. It's floor-punching, mid-tempo stompy Metal with lashing of hardcore vocals thrown in. There are also elements of thrash and tech-Metal riffage from these Manchester fellows, with great presence from their imposing frontman (later to send people flying in the pit) and awesomely impressive dual guitar work. There’s no bass guitar but the sound is still really powerful and bassy. There will be a clear market for Clashmute as they jump on the tails of new nu-metal bands like Blood Youth and Loathe.

Blind Summit are also from Manchester and sport possibly the widest fretboard I’ve ever seen on a bass. It’s six strings (to go with the expected seven string guitar) and looks unplayable but someone with hand of a yeti! This band are an intriguing mix of 90's dance vocals over the top of brutal but Vola-esque bass and guitar technical work and tone. There’s loads of bouncing energy from the bassist and guitarist but it’s the fantastically soulful vocals from Alexandra ‘Ali’ Angelini that capture the imagination. They drop in plenty of time signature changes and syncopated drums to keep everything fresh and interesting. The guitar and bass are frequently stabs and slabs of heavily down-tuned and distorted noise, much like the heavy stabs often found at the end of Sleep Token songs. But here is a good example of why Sleep Token do spend the effort in building those crescendos…because it’s what adds the dynamism to the songs. They soon break into a song that sounds like The Dali Thundering Concept fronted by Tatiana Shmailyuk of Jinjer. It's technical and catchy, with drifts into mid-tempo crunch, before leaping back into a technical breakdown. Excellent technically and a very polish live performance to boot.

Yorkshire’s InVisions are very much on the rise, and with a new album due to be released in February 2022 things will hopefully explode for these guys next year. We’re treated to at least three new songs off that record, and in ‘Annihilist’, ‘D V P E’ and title track ‘Deadlock’ the band have tapped further into the accessible mainstream aspects their brutal metalcore. The title track is as close to the genius of Architects you’ll find Influences range from Asking Alexandria through Bury Tomorrow all the way to Emmure. The vocals from Ben Ville especially capture the range and variety of those bands with his deathcore growling and shredding, almost spoken rap, hardcore to metalcore cleans. The songs are big and bombastic songs with harsh violent guitars, crunching catchy riffs, dynamic drums and those engaging vocals. The crowd go crazy for them from minute one and the band feel like part of the party with there Rockstar look and holistic style. The band hold a charismatic and commanding stage presence across the board and the show really is a pre-Christmas delight. 2022 will hopefully see InVisions smash through into the mainstream spotlight, because they deserve to be seen and heard.