Mastiff bill themselves as being “A Miserable Band From A Miserable Town” which makes sense being from Hull (I’ve seen Hull beat Widnes way too many times in the Rugby, so let me have this one lads, it’s only fair). Rugby League rivalries aside, Mastiff are a fantastic blend of Sludge and Hardcore, a combination that may seem out of place on this night, a celebration of everything grandiose & theatrical given the headliners.
Read MoreIn a world of nonconformity, Dream Theater are strident nonconformists. For nearly 40 years they have defiantly bucked the trends and ignored metal's prevailing winds. They have managed to operate in their own cryogenically sealed bubble, immune from passing fashions or fads. They initially emerged at a point in time when everything had gone short and spiky (song length, hair length, and stature of lead singers) and they defiantly ploughed their own field. Resolutely un-vogue from conception, they have built a fevered fan base through word of mouth, hard work, and by never wavering from their steadfast belief that more is definitely more.
Read MoreEveryone and their dog will be aware of Phil Campbell at this point. Joining a new look Motörhead in 1984, Campbell was a mainstay of the band until they disbanded after Lemmy Kilmeisters unfortunate passing in 2015. These days the Welsh guitarist can instead be found playing alongside the Bastard Sons. In case anyone was unaware of who they were, opening song ‘We Are the Bastards’ made sure that anyone yet unaware would quickly learn the name and what they were about.
Read MoreAutonym are a new band to me, and turn out to be genial north-easterners with a slightly off-key indie rock vibe. They're not bad, they play original songs but with a heavy Nirvana influence. It comes across in the dirty groove and the vocals, they definitely have that early 90s grunge feel about them. I do note that the drummer is really good though, and wonder if maybe in 20 years time he'll be a multi-millionaire front man too?
Read MoreDespite being a haunt of mine for some time, this is the first time I have ever attended a concert at Satan’s Hollow. It’s unique in the round setting offers punters a chance to have a 360-degree viewpoint, meaning that every bit of atmosphere can be soaked in.
Opening tonight’s 3 bands bill were Liverpool Blackened Death Metallers, Omega Throne. At first, Omega Throne just came across as your run of the mill Death Metal Band comprising all the regular staples found within the genre to create inoffensive music that does enough to keep the punters inside Satan’s Hollow nodding their heads along to it.
Read MoreI need to be honest and say that this is one of those reviews where objectivity goes out the window. You see, for me, Sólstafir and Katatonia represent the finer points of modern metal. I adore, with a heartfelt passion, both acts, and, in my eyes, they illustrate how metal is evolving as an art form.Sólstafir’s bleak metallised sonic landscapes speak to my lifelong love for Springsteen, whilst Katatonia have taken remorseless doom and made it utterly beautiful. This long-delayed but much-anticipated tour brings them both together in what can only be a win-win scenario for those who like their metal based on emotion and pathos. The Ritz is not heaving, but there is a good-sized crowd in and the number of couples that I see in his and hers matching Sólstafir and Katatonia T-shirts shows that there is a massive cross-section in their two fan bases.
Read MoreLittle do I know as I wander into the always welcoming arms of the Tiv that tonight is going to be a night full of surprises! We start off with Dea Matrona, who are two young lasses from Belfast who came to fame via youtube. Apparently they busk on the streets of their home city, film it, and have amassed over seven million views in the last couple of years. Not bad going! Tonight they also bring a drummer and come on playing bouncy blues. OK, that's not a bad start, accessible and hummable.
Read MoreA source of perennial discussion at ROCKFLESH Towers is the question of what is metal. I have even gone so far as write a 666 on the subject. These deliberations are usually a prelude to the much thornier question of do we cover this or do we cover that band. The simple truth is that Leprous are probably beginning to orbit away from our world. Their last couple of albums have exited metal completely, with “Pitfalls” being a wonderful exercise in baroque pop, and “Aphelion” having the same relationship with metal that homoeopathy has with common sense. But that doesn't stop me from wanting to cover them, as they, metal or not metal, are quite simply an astounding live act.
Read MoreWe’re in the little Academy tonight, which is not the best venue when you’re short and it’s (pleasingly) full. So tonight’s review will mostly consist of notes on what I heard rather than saw, as a description of the top of the band’s head is never very exciting.
There should have been a full band set by Scarlet Rebels, but unfortunately due to an unspecified emergency within the band it turns out that only singer Wayne Doyle is available. Well, drummer Gary is here too, manning the merch and apparently feeling very frustrated.
Read MoreIf you're looking for a band that blends the perfect mix of atmospheric and progressive metal, then look no further than The Ocean. As a band they’ve been plying their trade for over a decade with a sound that blends heavy, driving riffs with complex arrangements and a cerebral approach to song-writing. The German-based quintet are established as one of the most innovative and captivating acts in modern metal, and tonight is no exception.
Read MoreTasked with opening proceedings on this night, a celebration of Life Of Agony’s 1993 Album “River Runs Red”, was Tarah Who?. There was quite a bit to like here from the notable grunge, punk & blues elements to the absolute shift put in by Tarah’s bassist and drummer. They epitomised what a backing band should do, giving Tarah a tightly knit canvas to showcase what her music is all about.
Read MoreSomewhere along the way Dying Fetus has become a big deal. Tonight, is near enough a sell-out, with over 500 tickets being shifted for a death metal gig on a Monday night. This is usually the graveyard shift and the reserve of no more than fifty or so aging men who should know better, slamming into each other as a last-gasp attempt to retain their youth. But not this evening, the vast majority of people here are young, really young. I would go as far as to say that a good proportion of them weren’t even conceived when I first clasped eyes on Dying Fetus supporting Nile at the late lamented Jilly's back in 2005.
Read MoreAfter last night’s nostalgia-fest here at the Tiv, tonight I am viewing two of the stalwarts of the modern British rock movement.
The Howling Tides start tonight with some rather smashing slide guitar and a bluesy accompanying vocal. I would describe them as modern retro -they have that 70s feel but with a modern twist and they mix it up well. There’s plenty of melody but also with that heavy bass sound and beat.
Read MoreTonight is set to be a night of nostalgia down at the Tivoli. Three bands that I remember from many years back who are still going in one form or another, I’m hoping for an evening that takes me back to my teenage years in the early 80s. The thing is, can these three veterans of the scene deliver?
Read MoreMid-week gig!?! Gulp. Turns out if you turn up fashionably late to a gig and there is no support band you don’t miss anything. Extraordinary… What is also extraordinary is I have never been to a gig at Night and Day Café until tonight. It is a sold-out show so it’s rather packed, but it is good to see a live act in such close quarters.
It is mostly a sea of middle-aged men amidst the glitter balls and red string lights (and I am already regretting getting my Covid-19 and flu jabs this afternoon). I don’t know if I am hot because of the vaccines or the fact it’s busy. The atmosphere is one of chilled anticipation and I’m looking forward to the show, even though I can only name one song by the band.
Read MoreYou can't help but feel sorry for our Tarja. In Lisbon on the 7th of March 2020, she embarked on an envisaged mammoth tour of continental Europe to support the release of her latest album, “In the Raw”. What was meant to be a glorious celebration of her rapidly ascending profile, unceremoniously ground to a halt in Bilbao after a solitary four shows. It was the dawn of the global pandemic and borders were slamming shut all over Europe.
Read MoreWith two full headline sets to get through, it’s inevitable that tonight is going to be an early start but being pushed on stage at ten to seven feels particularly harsh on Wheel. The cavernous confines of the Academy are empty, and it only starts to fill up towards the end of their brief 25-minute set. All of this is a real shame as they are favs of us here at ROCKFLESH towers. Essentially if you like Tool you are going to like Wheel and if you don't like Tool, well then you best stay at the bar.
Read MoreBrothers Till We Die from Madrid, Spain open proceedings with their passionate and organic take on deathcore. You can definitely hear both the death metal and hardcore influences, but it's not necessarily like they're trying to mix the two, instead styles constantly switch between them and on the whole it works well. The vocals are reminiscent of Rok Rupnik from Within Destruction and perfectly complement the intense songs, which are similar in style to Malevolence, but with a little less nuance.
Read MoreFor myself and many others, The Star & Garter is the last true cesspit in Manchester in which Death Metal can thrive. It is gritty, it is unhinged, it is claustrophobic, it is wonderful. Tonight bill pits 3 of the finest Death/Black Metal acts that can be found parading a venue this small and as a result, the 150/200 strong capacity were in for a night of absolute violence and intensity.
Read MoreBlack Stone Cherry and The Darkness make interesting bedfellows. The latter haven't bothered arenas since 2005, whilst the former is desperately battling diminishing returns to retain their arena-bothering status. Tonight's double-header is designed to be a win-win for both bands and both sets of fans. In terms of quality, it achieves this in spades as both acts roll up their well-tattooed sleeves and deliver astounding performances.
Read More
