Live Review : Bury Tomorrow + Make Them Suffer + Thornhill + As Everything Unfolds @ Academy, Manchester on November 23rd 2024

If this tour was to be given a subtitle it would be ‘The Ascendancy of Metalcore’. You see it is not just sold out; spare tickets are changing hands for silly money and the Academy is heaving from the get go. Whilst many of us feel inclined to sneer at it and give it a verbal kicking where possible, metalcore is not just alive and well, it is slowly but surely becoming the dominant force in our world. Every band on this ticket are treated like royalty by an up-for-it and positively youthful crowd. Very much feels like both ascendancy and ascension, the moment the next generation take full charge.

Live Review : Polaris + Silent Planet + Thornhill + Paledusk @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on March 4th 2024

This is Polaris’ first appearance in Manchester since their now semi-legendary show at the Academy 2 back in September ‘22. In the intervening eighteen months the band has had drastic highs, including opening While She Sleeps’ massive headline bash at Ally Pally and snagging a main stage berth at Download ‘23, as well as drastic lows with the tragic passing of lead guitarist Ryan Siew in June 2023. But they have dusted themselves down and they are now back keeping his memory alive touring their amazing new album “Fatalism”.

Gig Review©Ryan Hickson5 March 2024O2 RitzPolaris, Silent Planet, Thornhill, Paledusk, O2 Ritz, Manchester, 2024, Live Review, Ryan HicksonComment

Live Review : Holding Absence + Thornhill + Dark Divine @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on November 22nd 2023

Arriving fashionably late as usual… what can I say I’ve only been back from Australia a week and jetlag has been kicking my ass… Dark Divine are already on stage and a small crowd are here to witness what this hard rock quintet has to offer. Visiting these shores all the way from Orlando Florida, Dark Divine formed in 2021, have recently toured with the likes of VV and Black Veil Brides and released their debut album “Deadly Fun” in September this year.