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Canadian duo Death From Above 1979 have just kicked off the UK leg of their 20th anniversary tour for their first album; ‘You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine’. They stopped off at one of Manchester’s hottest venues, in terms of both popularity and the building’s impressive ability to turn itself into a sauna regardless of capacity, the O2 Ritz, and for their first show back in the city in over six years, they didn’t hold back on delivering a night to remember. The support act for the UK shows on this tour were Demob Happy, a three piece alternative rock band originating from Newcastle upon Tyne. Having recently come off their own UK headline tour in May of this year, Demob Happy were primed and ready to provide the Ritz with an energetic and uplifting start to the evening. Playing songs such as ‘Voodoo Science’ and ‘Autoportrait’, their offbeat lyricism and syncopated basslines completely drew the audience in. They finished their set with ‘Be Your Man’, a beautifully sixties sounding number consisting of fuzzy guitar and Beatles-esque chorus harmonies. It left the audience on a major high and buzzing for what else was to come. About two hours after doors, Death From Above took the stage, barely acknowledging the audience and instead jumping straight into ‘Turn It Out’, the opening track of their first album. It’s an incredible start to an album and an even better start to a live concert. The energy was immediately turned up to eleven as guitarist and synth player, Jesse Keeler, and drummer and vocalist, Sebastien Grainger delivered the heavily distorted and heady track that had the audience enthralled from the very first beat. After playing through nearly all the songs on their first album, the band finished their run on ‘Sexy Results’, a fuzzy and dancey track that really makes Demob Happy feel like the perfect choice to have as the support for the tour.  Up to this point, neither band member had spoken once, really allowing the songs to flow back to back. No disruptions. No distractions. It made for a truly immersive listening experience and allowed fans to truly get lost in an album many of them had grown up loving. After completing the album run, Death From Above went on to play some of their later hits, and as they began to reach the end of their set it was clear what people wanted to hear. Echoes of “Play Trainwreck!” could be heard in the short breaks between songs until they finally played it as their last song before their encore. To quote one of the song’s own lyrics; “I can’t get enough” seemed to be the sentiment held by the entire audience as they chanted for the band to come back out after finishing. A whole chorus of “DFA! DFA! DFA!” culminating in deafening cheers as the band returned for their encore, consisting of ‘Crystal Ball’ (which Sebastien spoke about having been written during a soundcheck at a previous show in Manchester) and ‘Dead Womb’, a song from their very first EP in 2002 (which was also later sampled by Crystal Castles in 2008). It left the night on a wonderfully nostalgic note, and the audience thoroughly reminded that Death From Above sound just as good as they did twenty years ago. Words and photos: Izzy Scott

Outbreak’s Saturday and Sunday were incredibly different from their Friday offering - you can check out our Friday review here! Saturday didn’t fail to satisfy the hardcore kids and Sunday was a beautiful mix of emo. Each day managed to provide a solid mix of bands while maintaining a distinct theme that, despite calls for a heavier weekend overall, seemed to satisfy most of the weekend punters. Saturday 29th June Gridiron was a blistering force of heavy rap metal hardcore, thrashing through their set with a great mix of breakdowns, mic grabs, and headbang-worthy beats. If you were still hanging from Friday night’s antics Gridiron will have put the pep back in your step ready for the day ahead. Moving outside to the main stage, US shoegazers Nothing played almost in conflict with the bright mid-afternoon sun. Their moody, trauma-driven songs captivated the crowd squinting up at them. A band that truly highlighted the genre-mashing that Outbreak presents were Bodyweb, their hardcore roots influenced by jungle and metal alike gave the crowd vibey beats to dance to and heavy, gritty moments to throw down to. Their unique sound was a welcome introduction to the variety of massive sounds that Glasgow-based label Northern Unrest presented across the weekend. Relative newcomers to the scene, Speedway are putting Sweden on the map for the new generation of hardcore. Tearing up the third stage on Saturday, they got limbs and bodies flying everywhere. Despite being only the second band on the third stage all weekend, people showed up and threw down. If this set is a sign of things to come for the band, they’ll be getting more opportunities to play in the UK very soon. Taqbir definitely lived up to all the hype and recommendations we had been given ahead of the weekend. Raw, political, and unwavering in their rage and freedom, the 5-piece delivered an incredible set harnessing the energy of the room. Using their set to highlight the importance of expression, being true to yourself, and rebelling against oppressive systems, they were one of the most impactful bands of the day. Perp Walk are one of those bands that just get substantially better every time you see them. We're not just telling you that either - the whole crowd agreed. Not a second after they played their first chord the room tore in two and was filled with moshers, two-steppers, and crowdkillers alike battling for space to the frenzy of their SW hardcore stylings. Not a pit for the faint of heart. Detroit Michigan’s Never Ending Game got the crowd right off their feet. Pulling up to the Manchester stage halfway through the day, they pulled in an audience that was warmed up and ready to fly. A barrage of stage divers and a mosh pit filled their set with unrivalled movement - the perfect way for people to enjoy Never Ending Game’s unapologetically heavy and intense style of hardcore. One of the weekend's most highly anticipated bands was Poison The Well. Returning to the the UK after a hiatus of 14 years (on and off) their Outbreak appearance was their 2nd show back across the pond, and by the sounds of the cheers, a fair few people had been to their New Cross Inn gig the night before. With energy and appreciation high, they blasted through their set, only taking breaks to encourage more and more people to stage dive and use their front-of-crowd waivers to their full purpose. If there is one band that fits the ambience of torrential rain just right, it’s Touché Amoré. Unperturbed by the downpour, they delivered a moody, cathartic set that fit the weather to a T and allowed the tears to flow freely from the soggy crowd, disguised by the streaming sky. Closing their set with a stage invasion to be rivalled, they were clearly a Saturday fan favourite. New York is famed for its hardcore scene and Mindforce are a staple. Packing out the second stage to the point that some people missed out on the pit because there was no space to get to the front, it was no secret that this set was going to be a big one, having not played Manchester since the pandemic. They did not disappoint either, playing a set that had the crowd moving from front to back simply by bringing the very best they have to offer. One of the only barefoot bands you see on the circuit - Chat Pile do make themselves at home on stage. The stompy sludge metal noise rockers were successful in getting the crowd going right from the opening song, launching into ‘Why?’ and being met with tonnes of fans shouting along and making the air vibrate with the volume of it. If you haven’t seen Chat Pile yet, catch them when you can, they put on an incredible show and aren’t one to miss. Post-hardcore five-piece Basement headlined the main stage on Saturday. The rain was not going to stop people from enjoying this set to its fullest extent, adding an extra layer of catharsis to the atmosphere. Playing five songs each from their heavy-hitting albums 2012’s colourmeinkindness and 2017’s follow-up Promise Everything, the grunge-hardcore outfit knew what the fans wanted to hear and the fans showed their love by singing the songs back word for word. The only song that wasn’t sung back to the band was a new yet-to-be-released song that was played for the first time, which still got plenty of excitement. Sunday 30th June Balance and Composure woke us up bright and early on Sunday morning, but they were well worth getting down for. With their travel issues the previous day and the very early start they pulled up acknowledging the struggle of rocking out before midday and proceeded to deliver a great set regardless. The promise of emo and emo-adjacent, scream-into-the-void style anguish was thoroughly fulfilled when The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die took to the stage. Starting their set with an unreleased song and bringing it to a close with their newly released cover of Ceremony’s ‘Kersed’ they succeeded in pleasing the whole depth and breadth of their fans. They rarely spoke between songs but their homage to their home country stood out, 'We're from the United States, it sucks there' and was received with a chuckle and a cheer from the mainly British crowd. You could tell Angel Du$t really enjoyed being at Outbreak, encouraging all the stage divers and moshers to get involved from the offset, and jumping down to the lower platform to join them. Their distinctive style is carried by thrash-style riffs and an eye-opening definition of hardcore punk with poppier influences bleeding through their set and elevating it immensely. They crammed all they could into their half-hour set, amping up as time got tight towards the end but to the crowds' pleasure, they managed to squeeze in a very healthy 13-song set. If you were at Outbreak this year you may have had the luxury of seeing Sweet Pill twice! They took full advantage of the gap left by Balance and Composure’s travel delays and asked if they could take that slot. Their Sunday set still had so much energy and gusto you wouldn’t have guessed they had played the day before unless they told you. Truly making an impression as modern emo legends on their first shows outside of North America, they acclimated well shouting out their favourite British phrases - ' "Cheers", that's my favourite thing to say here, "You fuckin wanker" I like that one too’. Bristol-based ‘dreamo’ mob Split Chain are a band that is hard to define because they blend so many genres so seamlessly. Whilst heavy riffs gave the energy needed for mosh pits to open up, the shoegaze choruses made way for people to sing along. A good turnout that matched the energy of the set and the band was clearly very happy to see the full room. Finishing on a Type O Negative cover felt very fitting, adding a fresh but also very welcome twist on the energy of ‘I Don’t Wanna Be Me’. ‘We’re not Mannequin P, we’re Mannequin Pussy!’ And they won’t let you forget it. With an incredible set celebrating female rage and empowerment, anti-censorship, anti-cop, anti-antisemitism, and anti-Tory, their stage chat between songs was well received to say the least. Marisa has a way of commanding those onlooking both with her lilting voice and charm that, like a siren, draws you in while deriding those who have dared to cross her - ‘you seem to have no problem saying the Buzzcocks and I'm tired of the double standard’. Her ability to switch between styles makes her performance all the more enigmatic. Initially started as a project focussed on making one EP for one show and nothing more, noise rock collective Gouge Away have spent the last eight years still going strong. Coming over all the way from Florida, the long trip was completely worth it because they put on a great show. Pulling in a crowd that filled the front section showed that the fans were very glad they stuck around for a lot longer than they initially planned. Celebrating 10 years of Home, Like Noplace Is There and their first UK show in seven years, both The Hotelier and their fans alike had a blast playing and experiencing the album from cover to cover. The familiarity of the song progression drew the crowd into the experience, crowd surfing and climbing on stage simply to be closer to the experience as a whole. As a seminal modern emo record, it did not fail to enrapture the audience as much as it did 10 years ago, with ‘Dendron’ finished they cheekily loop back into the opening chords of ‘An Introduction to the Album’ before almost unwillingly closing out their set. From the blazing sun of Orange County, California to the summer rain of Manchester, Movements got a true British experience. Off the back of releasing their latest album RUCKUS! in 2023, they came to get the crowd moving, vowing to make anyone who hadn’t heard of them before a fan by the end of the set. Playing a good mix of songs from the new album and classics from their debut album Feel Something the band knew how to get people on their feet and singing along before getting everyone emotional by closing on their song ‘Daylily’. For a band that released their first-ever EP exactly one year to the day before playing Outbreak, Impunity felt like a band that had been together for years with the support they got. They have quickly become one of the most talked-about bands in the hardcore scene by both fans and other bands alike, and have cemented themselves as ones to watch. Making fans mosh hard to a heavy cover of the theme from Inspector Gadget was not what we were expecting to see, but we absolutely loved it. Joyce Manor joined The Hotelier in celebrating a 10 year anniversary of an album by playing Never Hungover Again in full. They opened with ‘NBTSA’ and ‘Beach Community’ before launching into the 2014 fan favourite, which had fans moshing and crowd surfing along to every song. The energy and community on show was a thing of beauty, with the crowd singing along word perfect to every track, both on stage with the band and from the floor. Closing their set on a high with ‘Constant Headache’, they left their fans entirely content. Incendiary were exactly that, lighting up the second stage with their energy and almost assuredly increasing the temperature of the room by a few degrees. The indoor stages were incredibly humid and sweaty by this point with the amount of people who had come in from the rain now sheltered together. The New Yorkers showed us how it’s done across the pond with high-energy songs blasting out and the crowd loving it from the second their set started. Self-proclaimed 'number 1 hot new band' and inventors of post-emo, Michigan’s Hot Mulligan are known not only for being funny but also for making great music. Playing their set in an unorthodox fashion, they didn't save a single one of their most popular songs for the end of their set, choosing instead to pepper them throughout. Despite confusing some people with the order of songs played, the crowd were not at all worried by this and were just very happy to be watching Hot Mulligan. Shoutout to whoever put Soccer Mommy on before American Football, bands with sports in their name to the front! With beautiful vocals alongside twinkly indie rock instrumentals, they were a welcome cool off after a busy day full of emo and hardcore to jump around to. Headlining Sunday and closing the whole festival was American Football, the band who put Urbana, Illinois on the map - they had a lot to live up to, and they exceeded all expectations. Embarking on tour in 2024 to celebrate 25 years since the release of an album that redefined a whole style of music, the band played the incredible self-titled LP in full. Taking the audience not only on an auditory journey but a visual journey too, with video accompanying each song of 704 West High Street, Urbana, Illinois famously featured on the cover of the album which the band are now part-owners of. We saw different angles of the house passing through a day with a new angle for each song, culminating with the angle from the album cover as the band closed the set and festival with the timeless classic ‘Never Meant’. Lead vocalist and guitarist Mike Kinsella was hoisted atop a stage invasion, a beaming smile plastered across his face, in a beautiful way to bring the weekend to a close. Outbreak is known for being a hardcore festival, but when they bring in a band as widely adored as American Football it makes for a show that is as memorable as it is enjoyable. Looking around as they closed out the fest, it was more than just the rain that was wetting people's faces. Words: Kayleigh Fryer, Alex Long Photos: Anna Swiechowska, Nat Wood

Thursday 20th June saw the beginning of a rather wet and muddy Graspop Metal Meeting. The festival, drawing in Metalheads from across the globe, is an annual event which takes place across 4 days each June, in Dessel, Belgium. The 2024 edition of Graspop had an uncertain start, with car parks being closed due to bad weather, and the festival’s campsite ‘Boneyard’ being flooded. Despite the patches of (rather heavy) rain, the spirits amongst the festival-goers weren’t dampened. The festival’s organisers were right on the ball, creating solutions to issues such as putting down straw to help with the muddy grounds. Despite some challenges, the festival was a joyous celebration of metal music, studded with so many brilliant bands and artists.  The lineup to this year’s event was impressive, featuring headliners such as Tool, Bring Me The Horizon and Scorpions. Thursday saw Kerry King take to the stage, of course featuring a rendition of Slayer’s ‘Raining Blood’, which brought goosebumps to arms. Tool later headlined the South Stage, attracting a large audience and lots of raving reviews.  Friday’s highlight was Electric Callboy, bringing the energy to the North Stage. The German group performed fan favourites such as ‘Hypa Hypa’ and ‘Tekkno Train’. Lead singer Sebastian Biesler adorned multiple pieces of funky attire, such as a disco ball helmet. Overall, they put on a great performance and they were clearly very well received by the Graspop audience. Heavy Metal royalty Judas Priest later took to the stage, putting on nothing less than an astounding show. Lead singer Rob Halford displayed remarkable vocal ability, at the ripe age of 72! The band performed an array of songs from their vast discography, including ‘Invincible Shield’- the title-track from their latest album. From seeing this show alone, it’s no wonder Judas Priest has remained relevant for so many decades.  Saturday was arguably the biggest day of the festival, with bands such as Limp Bizkit, Avenged Sevenfold and Bring Me The Horizon playing sets. Ice Nine Kills turned the South Stage into a movie set as they performed a great selection of their songs. Opening with ‘Hip To Be Scared’, from their most recent album ‘Welcome to Horrorwood: The Silver Scream 2’, the band graced the stage, suited and booted. The band’s vocals were remarkable live, appealing to the ears, and also the eyes as lead singer Spencer Charnas embodies ‘American Psycho’ villain Patrick Bateman, wearing a rain-mac and wielding an axe. Poor ‘Paul’ meets his fate after the bridge of the song, shocking any unsuspecting audience member. The rest of the set continued along this vein of great showmanship, vocals and stage presence. Despite having a set of less than an hour long, the band performed, and ‘acted out’, a good variety of songs from their 2 latest albums, helped out by a number of actors portraying characters from horror movies such as zombies and ‘Georgie’ from the movie IT. Their set was remarkable and it’s so refreshing to have them in the metal music scene.  Later, Limp Bizkit ‘rocked the set’, with Fred Durst arriving in a grey curly wig and bright yellow high-vis jacket. Opening with ‘Break Stuff’, it was immediately evident that the crowd wasn’t playing around. Mosh Pit after Mosh Pit opened, making it difficult to remain standing, as a sea of crowd surfers made their way to the barriers. Despite it being a struggle to watch the set due to the rough crowd, the show was enjoyable, with a great setlist. Self-proclaimed ‘Idiot, loser, microphone abuser’ Durst performed each song with ease, bopping along to tracks such as ‘Careless Whisper’ between his songs. It’s safe to say Limp Bizkit remain Nu-metal legends. Avenged Sevenfold graced the stage with great vocals and cool graphics. The band has recently been not-so-well received at Download Festival, so expectations were tainted. However, the band sounded brilliant live and put on a thoroughly enjoyable show. The setlist definitely was interesting, excluding some of their most popular songs such as Seize The Day, Shepherd Of Fire, Dear God and Bat Country. It seemed the crowd lacked energy at multiple points in their set, so perhaps it would’ve been a wise idea to include a few more fan favourites. Nevertheless, Avenged Sevenfold was a highlight of the festival. Next, Sheffield legends Bring Me The Horizon headlined the South Stage. Unsurprisingly, the band drew in an enormous crowd of fans, singing each song word-for-word. Again, the crowd was chaotic, with an unprecedented number of crowd surfers. Even so, the band looked out for their fans, stopping the show when someone fell down or got hurt. The graphics for the show were amazing, featuring the AI ‘E.V.E’, speaking to the audience on numerous occasions, even producing elements of humour. The band’s frontman Oli Sykes had incredible stage presence, as expected. The setlist was great, featuring a great variety of songs from a number of their albums. Overall, the energy from the band and the crowd was insane and the set was very well-executed. It’s no wonder Bring Me The Horizon is so popular! The last day of the festival soon came around. Though, undoubtedly, everyone was exhausted from so many days of headbanging, the turnout on Sunday was brilliant. A notable act was Corey Taylor’s performance, a relief to many after his recent cancellations due to illness. The Slipknot frontman’s set was very enjoyable, including renditions of Stone Sour, Slipknot and solo tunes. The sun beamed down as fans enjoyed his rendition of Spongebob Squarepants, an unlikely companion to Slipknot! Later, Scorpions headlined the same stage, the perfect way to close out the festival. All in all, Graspop Metal Meeting 2024 was an incredible experience and a triumph. This year is just one example of the successful annual meetings. With so many great acts performing each year, in a lovely place, surrounded by thousands of like-minded people, it’s definitely one for the bucket list of any metal fan.

In the heart of Nottingham, on Saturday the 13th of July, Mangata Festival 2024 took place. Held on four stages across three venues, it's a cozy little fest that's also absolutely packed with brilliant bands and talented musicians - not to mention some great local vendors! Between Rescue Rooms' two stages, Ghost's one and Tap N Tumblers' free entry one, there was plenty of space for all manner of awesome acts. The day started for us with Rogue Limb, who were playing on the third stage in the upstairs section of Rescue Rooms. They were playing to a filled out room at 12:45, not even an hour after doors had opened, which was just one indicator of how popular the local hardcore duo are. Immediately after their set it was over to the Rescue Rooms main stage to watch Orbital Alignment and their technical brand of death metal. The room was fairly well packed considering how early it was to be playing the largest stage of the festival, and they played as if the room was full out the doors! Sheffield's Hidden Mothers played next on the second stage at Ghost Nightclub, and played a set of new material off of their upcoming album! The four piece played a stellar half an hour of post-hardcore/emo goodness which was received brilliantly by everyone in attendance. Make sure to watch out for their next release on August 6th, you don't want to miss this band! After that, it was back to the main stage at Rescue Rooms to see Street Soldier, Yorkshire's own hardcore war machine. The muscle-y sound of their aggressively amped up beatdown garnered its fair share of spin kicks and two-stepping, and fan favourite track Nonce Killa was a treat to see in person. Britain's latest underground metal darlings El Moono then performed a spectacular set to the audience at the third stage, which was once again full to the brim. After some unfortunate tech issues caused their set to be delayed a little bit, they whirled into action the moment they were able to deliver a seismic set that was worth every moment of the delay. The main stage then saw the dark symphonic sound of Ghosts Of Atlantis take to the fore. The Suffolk group have risen to prominence quickly since their debut in 2021, playing a slew of shows across the UK and gaining a healthy fanbase that was clearly on show in Nottingham, judging by the number of 'tridents' being held up in support. Once more into the upstairs of Rescue Rooms, a full crowd were waiting for the arrival of Drip Fed Empire to the stage. DFE were the first band of the day to get a really consistent moshpit for the whole set, which was more than deserved for their fiery mixture of EDM, metalcore and nu metal. The Bristol crew smashed their set and will surely be back soon for yet another stellar Nottingham show. After a band from further afield it was time for a proper hometown group - Those Once Loyal are Nottingham's answer to the Killswitch Engage's and Bullet For My Valentine's of the world. With a melodic metalcore style interspersed with thick hardcore breakdowns, the locals took over the upstairs stage with another pit to be envied. The crowd had stayed on from the previous act so the room was still fit to burst, and by the time finale Carry You was played they had gotten most of the room moving at one point or another during their brilliant set. Another fairly local band came on next, albeit on the main stage. Leicestershire group Cabin Boy Jumped Ship and their electronicore style have been around since 2013, which showed in their excellent support at Rescue Rooms. The room was bouncing from their high octane energy, and they ran the stage like veterans of the scene. After a big performance at Download Festival just down the road in June, Veiled brought their deathcore performance to Nottingham for Mangata. The masked men played a suitably crushing set, which was not quite as well attended as the previous sets on the upstairs stage but did not stop them from giving it their all in what was still an excellent moment of the day. Our second set of the day at the Ghost Nightclub stage was for South London's Burner, whose incendiary death metal and hardcore mix was cause for the most chaotic pit of the day. The four piece have an enviable live pedigree already that they demonstrated perfectly, and the set was capped off by a devastating performance of An Affirming Flame to send off what was already a spectacular set, and our set of the day. We then went back to Rescue Rooms upstairs to watch the inimitable Pijn play a gorgeous instrumental set for an hour. The autumnal orange lights that illuminated them gave the atmosphere an extra boost, and everyone watching surely felt the same sense of wonder at each shift in energy, tempo, or heaviness. Come 20:00 it came time for headliners Hacktivist to take the main stage at Rescue Rooms. The Bucks djent-rap band attracted almost everybody at the festival to fill up Rescue Rooms, and got people bouncing from the moment they walked out to start playing. The whole set went down a treat, particularly songs like new single Crooks and Criminals. This is just the third show they've played since its release, and their third show of the year, but their energy was brilliant and the crowd mirrored it all evening. The final band of the day was not, in fact, the headliners but was Viscera over at the Ghost stage. Representing some of the best of British heaviness, they wasted no time once onstage and ripped into the riffs and growls we know them for. Nottingham's metal fans dug their teeth into the set and were rewarded by a good hour of bangers, not least a great run through of 2019's Lamb To The Slaughter. As festival closers go, there couldn't have been a much better choice. Words: Jake Longhurst Photos: Conrad Newton

Coming off the back of their extremely well-required sophomore album By Design, Amongst Liars set off on a UK tour sure to delight many fans of their punchy, anthemic alt. rock sound. Given the political messaging behind many of the band’s lyrics, the rebellious James Kennedy and the Underdogs were a natural choice for co-headliner, ensuring that each show would be full to bursting with poignant social commentary, blistering guitar riffs and a whole lot of headbanging. Rounding out the lineup with the upbeat pop-punk grooves of ZacTheLocust, Cardiff’s Fuel Rock Club hosted a night of explosive rock music and undeniable, unstoppable energy. The four-piece ZacTheLocust took to the stage early in the night to an excited crowd. The venue was fairly small, sporting an unfortunately low ceiling and limited floor space, but these factors could do little to dampen the spirits as everyone began to enjoy their evening. ZacTheLocust blasted through a surprisingly robust set for a support act, indulging in their influences from popular acts such as Green Day. ‘Sunshine In My Heart,’ the second song of the set, is a perfect encapsulation of everything the band is about: uplifting lyrics about frontman Keryn Isaac’s children, cheeky pop-punk riffs and stellar guitar solos made this a fun romp from start to finish. Guitarist Archie Holland played with a rock’n’roll edge reminiscent of the greats like Slash and Angus Young, adding another dynamic to the group’s sound and Isaac’s vocals were consistently bright and energetic. The group’s breakout single ‘Razorblades and Roses’ was surely the set’s highlight, featuring some magical lead guitar passages and anthemic moments that had the whole venue tuned in. Similarly, engaging was the touching ‘Hold On,’ which the band dedicated to former member Cory James who had recently passed away— the group looked on the verge of tears throughout the track, making this one of the most passionate performances you could hope to see. Unfortunately, not every moment was quite so magical throughout their 40-minute set. ZacTheLocust wears their Green Day influence on their sleeve to a fault, making a number of their songs rather unmemorable when compared to the rest of the night’s offerings. Mid-set cuts such as ‘Lazy Days’ or ‘Golden State of Mind,’ while still fairly bouncy, were arguably the least explosive or dynamic moments of the event, leaving the support act with a somewhat inconsistent setlist. The band also had some small technical issues, with the backing vocals courtesy of Ashley Turner and Robert Baulch being buried. Even still, the group were a fun opening act to the event— it’s just a shame that they ended up rather tepid compared to what was to come. Though ZacTheLocust were an upbeat introduction to the show, James Kennedy and the Underdogs really kicked things into high gear. The titular frontman is just about everything you could possibly ask for in the role: he can wail like a banshee, sing like an angel, play guitar like the devil and is completely locked in with the crowd from start to finish, frequently coming out into the audience mid-song. Themes of rebellion and social struggle pervade the performance as many tracks from the group’s 2020 release Make Anger Great Again have the band clearly worked up— it’s fantastic to see such passion from the group, with Kennedy himself wearing his heart on his sleeve at every moment. Tracks such as ‘The Power’ are inarguably anthemic, with the entire venue pumping their fists to the song’s infectious beat, and the endless grooves of ‘Algorhythm’ have the entire venue bobbing along. The Underdogs are arguably a little less exciting to watch, keeping their performances more stationary and reserved, but their playing is nonetheless powerful as they plough through a faultless set. Kennedy himself is simply a tour de force unto himself, and it’s hard to take your eyes off him at any time: for anyone looking for energetic alt. rock with a political leaning, look no further. Last up to bat were Amongst Liars, for whom the crowd were absolutely buzzing. Let’s make one thing clear off the bat: Amongst Liars stole the show, diving into an absolute masterclass performance. Opening on the fan-favourite ‘You Are Not A Slave,’ the band flew through the track’s crushing riffs and daring verses at breakneck speed, scarcely leaving the audience room to breathe! Each member threw themselves into the song: Adam Oarton’s blistering performance on the drums was simply stunning, though the rest of the band were no less impressive as Ian George’s cries of “you are not a fucking slave!” and Leo Burbett’s deafening guitar playing rang out across the venue. The band hit a stumbling block early on on the anthemic ‘Vice,’ with the group’s sounding a little unsure of themselves as George occasionally struggled to stay in pitch throughout the song. Nonetheless, the track remained as massive and infectious as ever, and Amongst Liars would not stumble again for the remainder of their set. The vast majority of their new release By Design cropped up in the setlist, consistently sounding blissfully well-realised in the live setting: ‘Ready For This?,’ ‘Mind,’ ‘Wolf Machine’ and more all brought pummelling riffs and gigantic hooks to the table, sporting an impactful and well-balanced mix. The group’s older tracks were similarly awe-inspiring: ‘Cut It’ was a particularly lofty highlight as Amongst Liars paused mid-song, building the tension to impossible heights before releasing it into a suitably brutal breakdown that brought the house down. The most surprising moment of all, however, came when the band performed an as-of-yet unreleased track: Ross Towner’s gnarly bass riffs made this a real barn-burner reminiscent of Rage Against The Machine. When a band’s performance is so visceral, so real, so raw, it’s hard to put into words just how it felt to see them bash their way through such an incredible set: perhaps it would be best to say that if you get the chance to see Amongst Liars live at any point, just do it. You won’t regret it. It’s always fantastic to see a smaller venue host such an explosive, larger-than-life gig, and Fuel Rock Club certainly did just that. Sporting three distinct, powerful performances, the night had everybody grinning from ear to ear, and rightfully so. Both Amongst Liars and James Kennedy are ones to watch in the future, leaving me very excited for the future of UK alt. rock. Words: Jay Kirby Photos: Kayleigh Fryer

Brighton based ‘Sick Joy’ were up first, an hour after doors, and if you weren’t watching them, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you they consisted of only two members, drummer Drew and singer/guitarist Mykl. Mixing pop, grunge and melodic heaviness, they were a perfect choice to get the crowd pumped up for the bands to come. Not much was said by them to engage the crowd apart from a quick hello and introduction, but once the room started to fill up, it was evident that their music spoke for itself. Saying goodbye to the crowd with two remaining songs, ‘I’ve Got More Than I Need (And I Don’t Have Much)’ and the explosive tune, ‘Painkiller’, before a short and sweet “cheers, bye”, then extending their thanks by meeting their fans at their merch table at the end of the show. Next up was Canadian three-piece rock band, The Dirty Nil. You could instantly tell that a good chunk of the audience had turned up specifically for them; with it being a co-headline tour, and they didn’t disappoint their fans with their 50-minute set that was full of energy from start to finish. Jumping in sync, getting in with the crowd, and even dedicating a song to a fan that shouted loudest in response to the bassist’s question “who here has a stupid job?”, before the song, ‘Stupid Jobs’. They delivered a mix of rock, punk and rock ‘n’ roll, and the fans showed their appreciation with mosh pits left right and centre. The band stated that this was their biggest London headline show. The Dirty Nil delivered their blend of genres perfectly in their own unique and unapologetic way. Even if they weren’t something you’d typically enjoy, you couldn’t deny their infectious vibe. With a same length set as the previous act, last but not least, we had Atlanta based ‘Microwave’ take to the stage. Playing a range of older songs mixed with those from their newly released ‘Let’s Start Degeneracy’, opening with ‘Ferrari’. The show started out calm before ripping into ‘Mirrors’, and the mosh pits were back in full force as the heavier vocals and riffs began. Although their stage presence was less energetic than The Dirty Nil, the crowd more than made up for it, with every song getting an even bigger reaction and more enthusiasm than the last. Around half-way through the 15-song set, the recent album was promoted by frontman Nathan Hardy, followed by two singles that came from it; ‘Circling The Drain’ and ‘Bored of Being Sad’, the crowd were nothing but consistent with their reactions of their old and new tunes. Shortly after these songs is when the crowd surfers started to multiply, like a sea ebbing and flowing along with the music. The band continue their set dabbling in and out of different genres, but the crowd didn’t seem to mind, screaming and shouting along to all of their songs from ‘Huperzine Dreams’ to ‘Stovall’. The band thanked everyone for coming out to party with them on a Wednesday night, and it was one to remember. They disappeared for all of a minute before being cheered back on for an encore to close the set with ‘Lighterless’ and ‘But Not Often’, and once again the mix of genres that we were presented with from the start of the first act to the end of the last just proved that music is our universal language that can unite anyone and everyone. Words: Lorna Hayes Cover Photo: Ellie Jones

When thinking of Salt Lake City, Utah, its thriving alternative music scene may not exactly be the first thing that comes to mind. But as electronic rock band I Don’t Know How But They Found Me (popularly, and conveniently, shortened to IDKHOW) hit the UK for the first time in almost three years, and their first time in Birmingham in more than five, to tour their second album, 'GLOOM DIVISION', it's a stark reminder of some of the absolutely incredible music coming from the often underrepresented city. We kicked the night off with Balancing Act, a four piece band hailing from both Manchester and London, and the only support act for this tour. Despite being a relatively new band, Balancing Act absolutely smashed their set, and had clearly already built up an active fan base as audience members throughout the venue, including the barricade, could be seen wearing their merch. They played an energetic seven song set with 'She Plays The Theremin' being a clear standout and crowd favourite. IDKHOW opened their headline set with 'SPKOTHDVL', a bass heavy track off their latest album, and from the moment frontman and bassist Dallon Weekes stepped out on stage, playing the intro bass licks of the song, the energy in the room became absolutely palpable. You could tell there were people in the audience who’d been waiting years for this. While the band is technically Weekes' solo project, it's undeniable that the current live lineup of Anthony Purpura (Guitar), Isaac Paul (Guitar) and Ronnie Strauss (Drums) are absolutely crucial to making the band function as a unit. If there’s one thing Dallon Weekes can do, it’s completely and utterly command a crowd. A highlight of the concert was during the performance of "A Letter", a song originally belonging to one of Dallon's previous bands, The Brobecks. Weekes directed the audience in a two-part harmony to accompany his vocals during the song, resulting in a gorgeous sound across the entire venue. Later in the set, during the song ‘Visitation of the Ghost’ (another Brobecks cover), Dallon split the audience in half and walked up and down the center of the room, doing so without any fans trying to reach out and touch him. The band encored with ‘Nobody Likes The Opening Band’, a tongue in cheek song from their first album ‘Razzmatazz’ that was written Kai Roberts, vocalist of Balancing Act, was even brought out to sing a new verse about nobody liking the headlining band, which was met with a lot of amusement from the audience. This was followed by a final Brobecks cover, ‘Boring’, a much mellower and slower song than the majority of the night’s setlist. It was a fitting choice for a final song and made the last few moments of the gig feel incredibly intimate, leaving the night on a high yet almost bittersweet note, as who knows when IDKHOW will tour the UK again? We can only hope it’ll be soon. Words and Photos: Izzy Scott

On the first date of Calva Louise's UK tour, Nottingham's Bodega filled up for a jam packed night of electric live music. Kicking things off were Manchester's Sugarstone, who had enough energy to headline the place. Their brand of electropunk indie rock blended seamlessly with the other two acts, giving the entire show a similar vibe but with three notably distinct twists on one style keeping every artist fresh. Early on was an unexpected yet entirely welcome cover of Closer by Nine Inch Nails, that they absolutely smashed and used to jumpstart the rest of their opening set. A band that showed bags of passion and talent, Sugarstone need to get back to Nottingham as soon as they can to play a much longer set next time, because the crowd were begging for more! Bobby Wolfgang, formerly Strange Bones, is the touring main support on the tour and the three on stage pulled not a single punch. Dripping with charisma and buzzing with fiery angst, the DnB inflected punky nu metal sound was riveting from start to finish. Such a show could easily have stood up most acts and it wouldn't be a surprise to see Bobby and co returning to Bodega on their own terms in the very near future, but even as a support act they still floored the place. With a Soft Play-style standing drum kit, guitars out of Cyberpunk, a vocalist in the mosh pit and a crowd that lapped up every moment, they were a hit and can be assured of their spot in the audiences memory. Much as both supporting acts gave it their all to try and take the crown for most memorable act of the night, it was still only ever going to be one name on everybody's lips afterwards - Calva Louise. The multicultural influences of the bands multinational members gives them so many more places to draw influence from that most Brits can't even begin to fathom, and this unique factor makes them so very interesting to listen to and to watch. Their devotion to DIY is also hugely impressive, with French bassist Alizon Taho building a keyboard setup as well as the huge neon light behind Kiwi drummer Ben Parker! Opening with a slow intro underneath narration to help the story of the band's act flow, frontwoman Jess Allanic plays a keyboard riff before rolling it away and reeling off the intro to Belicoso on her guitar. Recent single Under The Skin follows, before Square One and Human Becoming also get thrown into the moshpit that the crowd has become. Jess then gave a heartfelt speech about her upbringing in Venezuela and how happy she is that her mother could join the band on tour, before asking to sing one of their songs in Spanish to a delighted crowd, who knew that Con Corazón was on its way. After the joy of that song had finally left Jess' face, the monstrous Third Class Citizen gave everyone something to shout about and had Bodega's floor bouncing along with half the room! Over The Threshold and Feast Is Over garnered a similar reaction, and whilst Jess jumped off stage for set closer Oportunista the rhythm section of Alizon and Ben pummelled away onstage to keep driving the show home. The whole band were brilliant from start to finish, and will surely be immensely pleased with the phenomenal reaction the crowd gave them all night. If anything, they might regret not playing for longer! Words: Jake Longhurst Photos: Nic Howells

Outbreak 2024, the return to the BEC Arena and a hot topic of conversation by OB Veterans across the weekend. The end of June brought temperamental weather but that didn’t deter the hardcore kids or emos from packing out the main stage on the Saturday and Sunday. The on-and-off downpours brought some excellent ambience to the moodier sets across the weekend but did make the two inside stages very damp when people decided they had had enough. Friday 28th June opened up the weekend with a smörgåsbord of genres, high energy hip hop, melancholy indie, and hardcore that packed out the room. We walked into the venue to the high-octane sounds of Redveil wrapping up their set to a packed-out Friday mainstage/weekend second-stage crowd. Shortly after the cheers subsided an announcement went out over the PA letting us know that The Garden’s set would be pushed back and onto the other indoor stage due to travel delays. Despite the change of plans and now hour-and-a-half of free time, spirits remained high, and the crowd dispersed for food, drinks, smokes, and some much-needed daylight. A perpetual bugbear of the crowd was just how dark the indoor stages were, even between sets, it made navigating areas while waiting for your eyes to adjust a little precarious. Up after the impromptu break were New York indie-rock, Beach Fossils, a gentle warm-up for us after a long break but a far cry from the act to follow them and fellow New Yorkers, Flatbush Zombies. They tore on stage and got everyone moving, interspersing some old-school crowd work into their set with callbacks and cheers they were right in saying 'It's like math, but it's not algebra: the more energy you give, the more energy you get!' A message that was proven true time and time again over the weekend. After four-and-a-half hours of anticipation, The Garden were in the building and ready to take to the stage. Their fans were the easiest to spot of the day with, now cracked and fading, face paint and embracing the Vada Vada mentality of the band. Fast-paced synthy, punky, dancey songs were blasted by the duo, and the sheer volume of people crammed into the front stage area proved they were well worth waiting for. Remember when the BEC Arena had a roof? Well Devon “Peggy” Hendryx, creator of the one man project we know as JPEGMafia, absolutely blew it off. No DJ or hype man was needed for him to get the crowd giving it everything they had. He played a great mix of songs from his discography with an emphasis on tracks from the 2023 collaborative album ‘SCARING THE HOES’ he released with rap powerhouse Danny Brown. The set was also the live debut for his latest track ‘don’t rely on other men’ which the crowd went wild for. When rap acts take the hardcore stage of Outbreak, they give it their all, and by no means was JPEGMafia an exception to this. The final act of the night Action Bronson brought the good vibes. Being the only hip hop act of the festival to bring a live band with him on stage, he delivered a set just as focused on the instrumentals as his vocals. Whilst the crowd didn't seem quite as enamoured by his set as they were others, his was still a great finish to the first day of the festival. Words: Kayleigh Fryer, Alex Long Photos: Anna Swiechowska

What do you think of when you think of Blackpool? Pleasure beach? Holidays? We think of Boston Manor. They’ve been a band since 2013, with massive musical growth and versatility throughout the years. Recently releasing a string of intimate shows all over the UK. The band plays Yellow Arch Studios in Sheffield which has a friendly underground atmosphere. On the stage there’s an outline of a white balaclava on a black backdrop, minimal stage set up, bright intense lights and a huge feeling of suspense in the room. Fans know in this small room, with a 200 person capacity, that this intends to be an intimate special once in a lifetime kind of show, before the band goes back to also eagerly awaited festival performances and bigger venues. The band opens with a newer release “Container”- the crowd reaction was visibly and emotionally wild. A mosh pit had already begun by the second chorus. The crowd is bouncing, there is high energy and they are perfectly in time with the band. It’s like a hidden understanding between everyone. Five songs in and an accumulation of everyone’s sweat is literally dripping from the ceiling and landing on fans that barely notice they’re so engrossed in the performance. Their fans are die-hard and have a beautiful presence about them. Their music makes us feel powerful, heard and understood. For Crowd surfing enthusiasts this is a safe and welcoming space- as Henry-the lead singer invites fans on stage. He then helps them on to the stage while still giving perfected vocals and stage presence. When he asks for more energy, fans can’t help but deliver. He says “push up” and the crowd who started their show experience at the back end up in the middle. They listen intently to his every word while mesmerised by the band's presence. There’s something beautiful about the way they move so chaotically to his advice. He also at points crowd surfs and ends up in the middle of the pit surrounded by people jumping around him in intense timing. He lifts the mic stand almost hitting the ceiling while simultaneously fans jump the highest they have all night, the friendliest madness that feels like a giant hug. Intimate and delicate chaos, like having a mosh pit in your sitting room but a lot more inclusive and nothing gets broken. A unity of fans who are extremely open and engaging. The band is open and approachable which makes the crowd open. Pits open spontaneously and quickly. It feels insane but safe all at once. Fans know every single word of every single song; even the newest release “Sliding doors” which has a heavy but melodic vibe to it. The energy in the room grows with each song. Expressions on the band's faces prove they’re enjoying this experience as much as the crowd and it makes us feel included, invested and justified in our joy. “Yorkshire, Yorkshire, Yorkshire” chanting was of course included at points of the show, as always in Sheffield and was well received by the band. Henry happily announces how in their early days growing up in Blackpool they didn’t have a wide range of venue opportunities and made the crowd laugh by talking about early day performances in pubs with two punters, this seems unbelievable now from seeing the fans dedication at this show. He speaks about how the band plans on opening up a community centre venue for young musicians. Proving this bands making supportive moves and how much they care about their community. That’s exactly what this “fandom” is- a community of people worldwide together in one tiny space. For the amount of love and people, this is a tiny space and a tiny fraction when summing up the love people feel for this band and the gravity of their impact on fans, musicians and the music scene. The band announces they’ve two songs left and the mood lowers as we could have done this night forever but everyone puts in a final huge wave of energy and the room erupts for “Passenger” with what seems like everyone trying to get on the stage at one, it’s a sea of crowd surfers and the loudest chanting. “Halo” was a beautiful and emotionally provoking song to end on that I don’t think anyone in that room will forget for a long time. It is rare to see a set list where every song is so well received. This show proves that all Boston Manor need is a stage and they will put on a performance of a lifetime. Their music has always been unique, their performance style versatile and they’ve proved they can perform anywhere and captivate any audience from any age range with their immaculate stage presence and undisputable energy. We leave the courtyard to typical English downpours of rain, matching our moods that this night is over. We feel like we’ve been let into the worlds’ best known musical secret and feel on a high for days. Extremely privileged to have attended this incredible show. Words: Tanita Hingerty Photos: Jake Griffin

Much like Birmingham, Marseille is a melting pot of cultures, both with their own very distinct music scenes. Marseille has a well renowned hip hop culture, with Birmingham being the birthplace of heavy metal. This Tuesday night gig, headlined by Marseille’s Landmvrks, perfectly exemplifies both of these scenes, and the mixing of what both of these cities are known for. A volley of drums announced the entrance of Guilt Trip, like a starter’s pistol. A call to mosh was followed by a musical strike like a big spin kick to the chin. And the crowd replied in kind, a pit opened. A whirling, roiling mass of flailing limbs. The Mancunian metalcore maestros made the masses a maelstrom with fan favorite Severance, making the room hot and sweaty early into the evening. Like Moths to Flame blended clean and harsh vocals from the off. This band of buckeyes bombarded the room with bouncy, stompy songs. Like Moths to Flames informed the audience they have been a band for 15 years, and it clearly shows. They sounded just like peak 2009 Kerrang with belters like Preservation of Hate, Bury Your Pain, and Kintsugi which is from their latest album ‘The Cycles of Trying to Cope’. Chris Roetter, the lead singer, complained of his shirt smelling musty, but they were a refreshing aural assault through the sweaty room. An ominous voice over heralded the continuing Ohioan invasion with The Devil Wears Prada. An eerie narration combined with The Devil Wears Prada’s melodic metalcore gave the gig a sense of exciting unease, and had everyone singing along from song one. Being from the land that invented flight, it’s unsurprising that The Devil Wears Prada initiated the crowd surfing for the evening. With songs like Salt and Ritual, the British reputation for loving a sing along was well founded. With Jonathan Gering on keyboard and synth, there was a different feel in the room, almost dystopian. Another well loved classic, Chemical, had the room jumping. Lead singer Jeremy DePoyster flailed his guitar around the stage, really embodying the angst of the song. The Devil Wears Prada is a band with a cult following, and like any good cult, they ended their set with Sacrifice. The room was ready for Landmvrks. Landmvrks began their headline set with the tour’s eponymous track, ‘Creature’, a song mashing together metal core and hip hop. The stage back drop looked like a 90s black light poster of the ‘Creature’ artwork in the very best way. These Gallic behemoths had the room at their mercy while playing Visage, the drum machine being a quirky twist on the evening’s musical stylings. Landmarks have a unique blend of metalcore, hip hop and pop punk which they have really put their stamp on. The acoustic intro to Suffocate by lead singer Florent Salfati felt like an oasis in a desert of breakdowns, which were back in full force for the rest of the song. We were even treated to Hollow from their debut album of the same name. The night ended with the jab and cross of Lost in a Wave and Self-made Black, a perfect end to a night of ferocity from the français heavy hitter. On the day of the gig, it was announced that Landmvrks would be supporting Beartooth on their UK and EU tour later this year, that’s one show worth going to if Landmvrks performance tonight is anything to go by. Words: Brett Smith Photos: Ellie Jones

In a world rife with political instability and corruption, alternative bands have always had their place in the mainstream: the forces that made Nirvana or Green Day so popular in the 90s are still active today, pushing exciting acts like Amongst Liars to the forefront. Named as Great Music Stories’ ‘Band of the Year 2021,’ the group’s blend of rock and electronic elements with poignant political messaging has made them a rising star in the alternative scene. The fact that, purely by coincidence, the band’s sophomore release ‘By Design’ will release on the same day as the UK General Election is pure poetry, and is sure to propel them to new heights— the fact that the album is phenomenal doesn’t hurt either. The most striking aspect of ‘By Design,’ aside from its unorthodox and unsettling artwork, is the unique collection of sounds that come together across the record. On the face of it, the album contains all the expected hallmarks of alternative rock: guitars, bass, drums and vocals are hardly an unusual combination. Amongst Liars are far from typical, however, putting a modern twist on many of these elements. Ian George’s vocals have a distinctive timbre to them that is sure to stick with the listener. His voice ranges between hushed and sorrowful on ‘Say’ to furious and bitter on ‘No Control’ or ‘The Shameful,’ adding to the memorability and excitement of many tracks. Leo Burdett’s guitar performance is similarly characterful, dialling in a rough and brittle guitar tone that perfectly compliments the album’s rock-infused riffs and anthemic choruses— his solos are also distinctive, with the epic dissonance of ‘You Are Not A Slave’ standing out as a show-stopping moment. Most notable of all, however, are James Brumeo’s keys, which help to really set Amongst Liars apart from their contemporaries. On ‘Vice,’ for example, the use of blaring synths pushes the chorus from ‘strong’ to ‘simply gigantic,’ standing out as one of the most anthemic hooks of the year. ‘By Design’ also sports a pair of guest features, to mixed results. Punk rock singer ‘Felin’ slots rather naturally into the title track, trading off melodies against George in a graceful and harmonious manner. Richie Hevanz, meanwhile, feels like a more jarring inclusion on ’No Control;’ his performance is certainly distinctive and characterful, but his nasal inflection does leave something to be desired at times. Amongst Liars’ songwriting shares similar qualities to their sound choices, dialling in a fresh twist on familiar structures and ideas. The album is positively jam-packed with impactful riffs and choruses, sure to make the group’s live shows more chaotic and energetic than ever before. The stripped-back verses of opener ‘Ready For This?’ provide a perfect contrast to its arena-rock chorus, hitting the listener hard with a combination of soaring vocals and blaring guitar riffs— these are only taken to the next level of the metal-adjacent singles ‘You Are Not A Slave’ and ‘By Design,’ which double down on the band’s ability to write memorable and thrilling melodies and guitar riffs. These traits never really fall away across the album’s shockingly consistent tracklist: whether it be the shouted cries of ‘No Control,’ the infectious choruses of ‘Alibi’ or the absolute ferocity of closer ‘Wolf Machine,’ Amongst Liars have truly brought their A-game to these eleven tracks, taking their songwriting to the next level. Even the weakest track on the album— the sorrowful ballad ‘Say’— is a touching and heartfelt moment, albeit plagued by some unfortunate vocal issues and a slight lack of inspiration. Even here, however, the track’s string accompaniments are so lovely as to make the criticism seem almost petty, and the album is nonetheless stronger for the song’s inclusion. It’s almost criminal that we’ve gone this far without mentioning the band’s lyrics and messaging— the sound of ‘By Design’ is so inherently effective that the group hardly needed to pack in so much cutting social commentary and activism, but the record benefits from it anyway. Amongst Liars, in their own words, aim to ‘air anxieties and ask questions about the world we live in,’ though such a tepid description really does Ian George’s work a disservice. Across the tracklist, the band ruthlessly rip apart the systems of capitalism and oppression that they observe in the world, presenting a range of perspectives that illustrate their point wonderfully. Take the single ‘Vice,’ as a prime example of the group’s poignant work in action, as the track’s chorus reads: “Rip me open— bleed me dry. Paranoia’s on the line. No illusion, my old friend. Don’t deny this. Don’t deny this vice.” George consistently uses powerful images to ignite empathy and passion in the listener, often calling for revolution and reform with no holds barred. This contrasts nicely to songs such as ‘Mind’ or ‘Say,’ where mental health becomes a topic of discussion. On the latter, for example, George sings: “So lay me down. Colour me blind. I want to be free of this callous disease that’s eating my mind.” The delivery of these lines never fails to resonate as powerful performances, stylish sound design and an important message come together in this single, stunning package. Simply put, I will be shocked and appalled if ‘By Design’ doesn’t skyrocket Amongst Liars to newfound heights. Across a concise eleven tracks, the band display their most anthemic and impactful songwriting to date, alongside thematic content sure to hit close to home for many listeners. With a UK tour locked in for this July, the band are certainly one to look out for moving forward: if you see them headlines festivals off the back of this release, it should come as no surprise. ‘By Design’ releases on July 4th via Earache Records. Words: Jay Kirby Cover Photo: Vic Payne