Live Review : The Almighty + Balaam And The Angel @ Academy, Manchester on December 1st 2023

There is an alternative universe where Andrew Ward never died, Mother Love Bone never split up and therefore Pearl Jam never came into being. “Nevermind” was a commercial flop that saw Nirvana ejected from Geffen records and to this day muso's still talk about it in hushed whispers as one of the lost gems of the 90s. In this universe, The Almighty never had the lure of grunge to compete with and went on to Maiden-level imperialism, headlining festivals and stadiums across the land. This evening we get a sneak preview into that parallel dimension as the original line-up reunites for the first time in thirty-three years to give us an Almighty (pun definitely intended) dose of might-have-been. 

You see The Almighty are metals great lost saviours. They are the archetypal definition of could have been huge. There was a point in the early 90s where world domination seemed to be a shoo-in. But internal frictions and a rapidly changing market (not all grunge's fault but it can take a fair slice of the blame) put pay to any semblance of momentum and they ground to a halt in 1996. There have been sporadic reunions of various versions of the band over the years. But the time, place and external level of anticipation has never felt right, until now. Metal and the world in general in 2023 needs The Almighty and who are they to ignore that beckoning call. 

It's safe to say that the opening act Balaam And The Angel doesn't have a particularly easy time of it. The audience is not openly hostile, they are just overtly disinterested. There is a smattering of reverential evangelists upfront but aside from their whooping and cheering the end of every track is met with deafening silence and the chatter of hundreds of old friends catching up with each other. Musically they are not particularly out of place it's just that the anticipation of the return of The Almighty is so strong the crowd doesn't have the collective headspace to care about anything else. They kill some time before The Almighty takes the stage and then they leave, job done.  

The roar as The Almighty finally return to active duty is deafening. The crowd is a vintage one made up almost entirely of those who were there first time around and it is obvious that for many in the room, this reunion is on par with the second coming. From the first track to the last The Almighty are absolutely incredible. They not only illustrate why they were so venerated at the time, but they show that the years haven't dented their fury and fire. It is also blindingly obvious that what made The Almighty such an enticing proposition back in the day is still firmly in place. Namely, the fact that they wear their hearts and their vulnerability on their sleeves.

Their masterstroke then as it is now is to combine the bravado of metal with the world-weariness of punk. The Almighty were never about chest-beating masculinity. There was an inherent realism to their storytelling and they skilfully avoided any of traditional metal’s bloated pomposity. They were rock music with a distinctly emotional core and that blatant fragility has remained intact. The up-tempo numbers are as wonderful as ever, but they excel when they are contemplative and vulnerable.   

‘Little Lost Sometimes’, ‘Bandaged Knees’ and ‘Jesus Loves You But I Don't’ by far and away the moments of the evening. They are bitter, raw, and humble snippets of time where rock music shows its unique ability to circumnavigate the human soul. Ricky tells the story of how ‘Bandaged Knees’ was their reaction to being asked to write a Christmas tune and you can tell that the anarchistic desire to make music that deals with real life still burns bright with the band.

For a band previously ripped apart by personal and created tensions, it is refreshing to find the egos and vanities left at home. There are no solos or showboating to be found, instead, we get twenty-one tracks spread over a highly impressive two-hour time span. They resist the temptation to be self-indulgent and left field by restricting themselves to the first four albums, with a tantalizing six songs apiece from the first two records. Their fans have waited a long time for this and they reward them by leaving no classic tune or fan favourite behind. 

It really is a majestic performance and the whole band eases back into their respective roles as if the last few decades and never happened. There is a breathless intensity to the entire show but is also obvious that every member of The Almighty is enjoying every second of playing the songs again. Ricky teases that the solemn intent to make these three gigs a one-off affair, may not be so true after all. He doesn't go as far as promising that they will return, but he enticingly leaves the door ajar.

‘Free ‘n’ Easy’ brings the main set to a close and Ricky touches on his rabble-rousing anti-establishment tirade from Donington 92, stating that every word is still relevant in 2023. Nobody is flagging as we canter into the encore with ‘Crucify’ brimming with as much energy now as it did all those years ago. All good things do come to an end, and we culminate with ‘Wild & Wonderful’, the floor by now a swirling pit of gyrating bodies. 

The simple fact is this wasn't just nostalgia, this was The Almighty showing in no uncertain terms what has been missing from modern rock n’roll. They showed the power of raw unassailable belief and the fact that rock music is a redemptive and healing force. If this is it, then we will forever be acutely aware of what we are missing, but it isn't as always with The Almighty, the best is yet to come.

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
The Almighty, Balaam And The Angel