Live Review : Signs Of The Swarm + Varials + Cabal + To The Grave @ Club Academy, Manchester on October 26th 2024

It's fascinating how the entire inference of a tour can be altered by the simple switching of billing. The Pins and Knuckles’ sponsored Faces of Death tour was originally conceived as a co-headlining affair between Progressive metal core legends Veil of Maya and hotly tipped deathcore mainstays Signs of the Swarm. It was a nicely balanced mixture of genres that appeal to those who like to a bit core in their life. But then sadly Veil of Maya inconveniently went on immediate hiatus, Signs of the Swarm were promoted to singular headlining status, much fancied Danish deathcore proponents Cabal were given a berth and suddenly, Bob's your uncle, this tour leans much more towards a deathcore fan base.

Live Review : Cattle Decapitation + Signs Of The Swarm + 200 Stab Wounds + Vomit Forth @ Rebellion,Manchester on March 9th 2024

We are continually told that guitar music is dead. The mainstream piles on the narrative that rock music has had its day, and it is simply a forgotten genre in its death throes. If this is the case somebody has forgotten to inform the hundreds of multigenerational attendees that have packed out Rebellion for the last couple of nights. The simple fact is that death metal is sticking its finger up at all this "guitar music is out of fashion" nonsense and is becoming more vibrant and important by the day.

Live Review : Decapitated + Signs Of The Swarm + Harbinger + Where Oceans Burn @ The Bread Shed, Manchester on April 1st 2022

It seems during the dramatic full stop that was lockdown, we seem to have reassessed our relationship with live music and we have realised that we potentially took it for granted. Three years ago, in those heady pre-covid times, I saw Decapitated in a barely quarter full Academy 3 (the smallest of the Academy venues). Tonight, the Bread Shed, a venue around the same size, is sold out, as have been most of the other shows on their elongated trip around the UK. It is if that hiatus has made us realise what is important, which is to actually get out there and support the bands we profess to love. Touring is the only way that acts make money in this new all-streaming no-purchase world and tonight’s capacity crowd shows that the message of see them or lose them is getting through.