Over the years Therapy? have managed to be everything to everybody whilst also simultaneously staying true to themselves. They are the only band to grace the stages at both this country’s premier extreme metal and classic rock festivals (Damnation and Stonedead). By being happy to prostitute themselves wherever anybody would listen they have managed to confound the gatekeepers and cultivate a career that transcends any notion of genre. They are conclusive proof that good songs and a positive attitude trump everything.
Read MoreYou would have thought that after Slayer and Mötley Crüe both returned to the fray after having retorted that they were going for good, that we would have got wise to the wheeze of the farewell tour. Evidently not, as Sepultura’s final circumnavigation of the world sees them return as headliner to venues they last bothered nearly thirty ago, when it looked like “Roots” was about to catapult them to the higher plains of the metallic pecking order. It is a little uncertain though whether the sold-out signs are in situ because this is a last chance to see situation, or in direct reaction to their undercard. By dragging along the much-fancied Jesus Piece, the perpetually awesome Obituary and the in vogue and in demand Jinjer they have turned this into a super charged package tour that it is very hard to turn down.
Read MoreThe reverential position that Lacuna Coil now holds has been achieved through the complete antithesis to overnight success. Formed 30 years ago in Milan asSleep of Right they have slowly but diligently built a unified fan base. This is their ninth visit to this fair city and on each excursion to our beloved northern outpost they have subtly but significantly increased the amount of people present. This evening's patronage is to herald the arrival of their 10th studio album (and first in six years) which will see the light of the day early next year.
Read MoreSwedish melodic death metal, that most geographically defined of subgenres. It arose in the mid-90s when our music was at its lowest ebb. Grunge, "alt-metal” and the early spectre of nu-metal have swept away the more traditional confines of our world. Metallica seemingly had turned their back on everything they had built and had started wearing eyeliner and trying to sound like Alice in Chains and a Bruce-less Iron Maiden couldn’t even get themselves arrested.
Read MoreThese days Bruce Dickinson is irrevocably tied to Iron Maiden. His air-raid siren shrills and cries of "Scream for me (enter name of town)” are as synonymous to the band as is their gargantuan mascot Eddie. However, for the vast majority of the 90’s he was AWOL, jumping ship in 1993 citing a combination of burnout, musical differences, and inter-band tensions. As the ubiquitous hyperactive kid at the back of the class who always has 16 different projects on the go, Bruce was never one to let the grass grow under his feet. During his six-year sabbatical from, arguably, heavy metal's biggest band he managed to produce four rather spiffing solo efforts (his debut effort, Tattooed Millionaire had appeared pre-split in 1990 and very likely hastened his exit.
Read MoreThe signs of a good time had by all is when the echoes reverberate long into the night. For an hour after Blind Guardian exit the stage, the refrain “Valhalla, Deliverance, Why've you ever forgotten me” can be heard being sung by the dispersing masses as they meander away from the Academy down the Oxford Road corridor. It may not have made much sense to the glammed-up masses heading off to identikit soulless nightclubs, but it was an indication that Mancunia had a rare and thoroughly wondrous visitation from the Teutonic gods of power metal.
Read MoreIt can’t be an easy job being a gig promoter. Say you’ve got a Swedish power metal outfit on your hands who are famous for their fantasy lyrics and having three vocalists. A great band who have been going (although not with the same lineup) for 25 years. They are good, but they have reached that in-between stage of their career where they are not quite going to sell out a big theatre but are way past the club scene. How are you going to support and market that?
Read MoreOn the eve of their biggest headline show in a packed out Wembley Arena, the award winning, Tik Tok trending powerhouse of UK metal that are Skindred are warming up at a sold out Manchester Academy. As always, Skindred promise to bring their usual high energy party vibes to the masses, and as always, the clientele is a fantastical mix of full-on-metallers, wide-eyed ravers and those of us who happily swing both ways.
Read MoreWhen they first rose to prominence in the late Noughties, early 2010’s, The Blackout were following in the footsteps of an incredibly healthy and flourishing Wales Metal Scene. Bullet For My Valentine & Funeral For A Friend appealed to the Goths and Emo’s, Kids In Glass Houses & Neck Deep were the champions of the Alternative/Pop Punk Scene. The Blackout sat perfectly positioned right in the middle of this. Heavy enough to incite action in the pit, but with the song writing finesse and presentation to become bonafide idles to those who prefer things on the lighter side. Tonight, they are back. At least for now. After a triumphant return, performing their first show in 8 years at Download Festival, Sean Smith, Gavin Butler and Co. take The Blackout back out on the road for the first time in nearly a decade.
Read MoreDistant start the show and immediately slam the early eager punters with their relentless Dutch deathcore sound. Their approach is delightfully brutal, seamlessly blending the most savage elements of tonight’s headliners with others such as Whitechapel and Thy Art is Murder, with the added gritty hardcore undertones reminiscent of Malevolence.
Read MoreThere 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.
Read MoreAhh funk metal that most interesting of anomalies that reared its ugly head in the late 80s. It was, to quote Steve Coogan, the moment that the white man learnt to dance. In many ways it was a bit of a catch-all term used to pigeonhole anything vaguely metallic that had a thumping funky bassline. So in went Faith No More, Red Hot Chili Peppers and woefully undervalued Atom Seed and Mind Funk. Extreme were an interesting addition to the party in that they were a lot more commercial and a lot less heavy than their compatriots. Essentially they took Van Halen's template and just funked it up little bit more. What they did have though was Nuno Bettencourt, one of the purest guitar talent to have ever walked the earth.
Read MoreWho would have thought back in the late 90s when Slipknot first oozed out of the primeval slime of rural Iowa, that one day their shouty vocalist in the ugly mask would become a living legend? Being honest, bar a couple of songs, I am not a big fan of the boiler-suited weirdos, however when a friend introduced me to a band called Stone Sour a few years later I was astonished. “THIS is the same singer?” I proclaimed.
Read MoreThe Nightmares are a band destined to open for a band like Creeper. They fit the bill in every possible way to compliment the mystique and expectation of what a night with Creeper should be like. They are a dark, Gothic synth heavy indie pop band which whilst being a mouthful is the only way I can possibly describe them.
Read MoreTo be referred to as ‘The Love Child of Janis Joplin and Robert Plan’ brings with it a weight of expectation that for some bands could be considered too heavy of a burden to bear. For The Damn Truth however, they don’t want to just meet this expectation, they want to blow it out of the water, doing so with their dreamy, crushing and at times emotionally jarring blend of hard rock & Blues.
Read MoreSpite kick-off the evening and immediately set the scene for the heavy deathcore night ahead. Despite it being an early doors there’s a more than decent sized crowd here for the openers. We’re also not waiting long for a double-kick drum onslaught. They’re a heady mix of brutal hardcore and nu-metal melodies mixed with vicious tech-metal. The guitar tones are meaty, djenty and have that deliciously techy sound.
Read MoreGiven I’d never heard of L.A. Edwards until April 2022, this is the third time seeing them play Manchester since then. Previously it has been with The White Buffalo at the O2 Ritz so tonight we are changing it up a bit. This show is sold out and when I arrive the place is quite empty but gradually fills up as they work their way through their 9 song setlist. The crowd are a mix of ages but definitely, and no real surprise, skewed more male than female and mostly middle aged (or should I say my age as another march around the sun looms), but treating themselves to this night of rock n’ roll.
Read MoreOriginally scheduled for last December, this show has gone through a number of proscriptive homes before finally settling here at the Academy. Alongside date and geographical location, the undercard has also going through a number of iterations. Those still expecting Crobot and Blue Pills are left equally disappointed and surprised by the appearance of the Black Spiders.
Read MoreSynthwave seems to be slowly embedding itself into the world of Rock & Metal these past few years. A relatively new genre of music that draws influence from both the music & neon lit cyberpunk-esque iconography of Sci-Fi and Horror Films of the 1980’s, it has been brought to the forefront of public consciousness by acclaimed acts such as Perturbator and Carpenter Brut.
Read MoreFirst up, we’ve got Defying Decay taking to the stage right after the doors swing open. The crowd's expectedly small at first, but begins to swell as they run through their energetic set. These guys bring the essence of bands like Wage War, Bad Omens and, tonight’s headliners, Ice Nine Kills. In fact, think Spineshank and early Slipknot, that late 90s nu-metal vibe coming across in abundance. But it's Crossfaith that echoes in my mind, only a more organic version. These Thai rockers from Bangkok have that same unashamed glee and energy in their performance, together with the variety of sounds delivered by their Japanese counterparts.
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