LANDMVRKS blew us away when we saw them live for the first time headlining Rebellion in 2022. Tonight, they step-up to the O2 Ritz and bring with them a stellar undercard as well. The night is a wonderful example of the best melodic metal-hardcore from across the world, with heavy riffs, classic hardcore vocals and anthemic melodies a plenty.
Read MoreFrench act Resolve have quickly become favourites at Rockflesh towers, with their blend of melodic metalcore. But they’re more than that. They break that pigeonhole with vibrant melodies and energetic groove. We did interview them in early 2023 (video interview) but this time they are back headlining Rebellion in support of their latest rather brilliant release “Human”.
Read MoreTransatlantic metal supergroup Kill The Lights are currently touring on the back of their new album “Death Melodies” and it’s a real treat to catch them in such an intimate venue such as The Star & Garter in Manchester. We manage to get an interview with vocalist James and drummer Moose before the gig (you can watch that here), and we’re promised songs both new and old from the now established and polished metal titans.
Read Moreupil Slicer have long been championed by Rockflesh, from the very seeds of their chaotic genius to the full bloom of their current status as underground darlings of every hardcore and alternative genre going. It’s fitting then that for their first headline UK tour they’re playing second album ‘Blossom’ in full. They’ve picked some unusual venues for this tour, and Manchester’s date sees us making our first ever trip to Salford’s art organisation The White Hotel. It’s neither a hotel, nor that white, and is in fact a repurposed industrial warehouse housing bohemian acts and events.
Read MoreTonight’s headliners Filter have very rarely made it across to these shores, but have a loyal and passionate fanbase. Led by one-time Nine Inch Nails guitarist Richard Patrick, Filter mix elements of many different genres, but if you like early noughties industrial rock, with both light and dark aspects, then you’ll find something to enjoy in their vast collection I promise.
Read MoreTonight’s headliners, Novelists, have undergone a recent changeup with Camille Contreras replacing Tobias Rische as vocalist. The four tracks recently released with Camille as singer have been impressive, and match the excitement the band have portrayed through social media. This European and UK tour is where many of us long-term fans can get a true feel for the songs, new and old, with this fresh line-up.
Read MoreManchester Club Academy is already pretty damn busy as we enter the venue soon after doors for the excitingly packed bill of tonight’s Fit for a King headliner. It’s clear to see that there’s a mix of fans for all the bands tonight, even if their takes on the sub-genres target slightly different markers, and the anticipation builds and builds as we wait near the barrier for our opening act of the night.
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 MoreMain support on this tour are Zetra, and to be honest they have a tough slot to go on before such a dynamic and unique headliner…but they themselves are no ordinary band. The London two-piece are nominally Adam (guitar and vocals) and Jordan (synths and vocals) and they’ve been knocking about since 2018. In that time they’ve gathered a collection of supporters from successful bands across the scene, including Sammy from Employed to Serve.
Read MoreGerman hardcore-beatdown masters Reduction take to the stage as opening act for this year’s edition of the annual Impericon Never Say Die tour. Despite the early doors, a rapidly growing crowd is immediately engaged by Reduction's relentless sonic assault, with a late afternoon circle pit even managing to erupt mid-set (featuring the first glimpse of an eccentric banana-clad participant).
Read MoreThe singular support band tonight are ALLT, a hard hitting futuristic progressive metalcore band from Sweden. They take to the stage with backlit blue and white lights, and that backlit approach means for most of the set we’re simply left with silhouettes prowling the stage. ALLT are slick, professional and produce some impressive heavy modern metal. They soon get into their groove and take their set by the scruff of the neck, blending technical heaviness with anthemic yet gritty choruses.
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 MoreIt’s an early start and we’re treated to Liverpool's Cut Short. The first thing that strikes you is the satisfyingly angular, stabby, quality of the guitars. They play with melodies that are layered over a backdrop of excellent almost scattery jazz-infused drums. It makes me think they’re trying to strike a delicate balance between the prog and tech-metal, but still need to hit on the perfect mix. The intricate guitar work fully supports this ambitious attempt, and their musicianship is solid and individual performances truly engaging.
Read MoreBrudenell Social Club is an institution, known across the nation as one of the remaining best independent venues for alternative music in the country. I've not been to a gig here for a few years now, but that feeling of familiar comfort mixed with excitement immediately hits as I walk through the door. It's been a crazy hot and sunny day, which made the matinee performance sweaty enough but, if anything, this evening it's a more intense heady mixture of humidity and anticipation.
Read MoreWe make our way into the bar and down the stairs into the basement, a fairly tiny room by all accounts where we are greeted by Divided by Design noodling through their impressively technical instrumental proggy-tech-metal (despite some early technical issues). There’s an array of impressive guitar-work on display here, with fretboard skimming and blisteringly fast tapping, but it never seems to become overindulgent and the whole demonstrate an energetic stage presence.
Read MoreWe manage to grab some quality interviewing time with As Everything Unfolds (here) and Lake Malice (here) before the show. Both interviews are both fantastically fun and interesting, but it does mean we end up missing tonight’s openers Tropic Gold. By all accounts their set went down great with the sold out crowd though, so we’ll be sure to catch them next time.
Read MoreWe've managed to catch Harbinger this summer headlining Tech Fest and putting on a killer main stage performance at Radar. Tonight, we get the treat of a much more intimate affair with our favourite tech-metal boys. They're on fire once again, and each of them is clearly revelling in the chance to play to the ever enthusiastically rabid Slamchester crowd.
Read Moret’s been a while since I’ve been along to a gig at O2 Victoria Warehouse, so it's good to get my bearings again before Radar Festival is held here later this month. Whilst it’s sometimes reassuring for things to remain the same, I’ve got to say with this venue it’s not that great a trait. As usual while the photographers get direct access, the reviewers have to queue up with everyone else (not even affording us O2 priority access). What it means is it's a race against the clock and a 30min queue to get in for the opening support band. That’s not a great scenario for us or them I’d suggest.
Read MoreDespite being informed that the band would be onstage at 7.00 pm, I can see the queue is going around the corner as I approach. So, of course, I go for a beer across the road until I see no one outside the venue and then make my way in. Unsurprisingly it's packed as I enter, but us ROCKFLESH folks are a determined bunch and I squeeze through and up to the bar and merch. We've talked about merch prices a lot as a website, and £30 a tee tonight is very decent, but £70 for a fairly simple and plain orange rucksack is... interesting. In any case, there aren't any support bands tonight, so the sold-out venue is solely for Japanese rock band Man With A Mission (MWAM).
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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