Each August, amongst the trees and rolling hills of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, there comes a great rumble from Fernhill Farm. That rumble would be the sound of all manner of band, from the glorious post-rock groups to the frenetic hardcore acts, detouring between melancholic math-rock and deranged djent. The tenth anniversary of this wonderful event took place between the 14th and 17th of August, and Out Of Rage went down to wish them a big happy birthday as well as to take a peek into the wild world of ArcTanGent Festival. Arriving on the Wednesday led us to see a few extra bands, which is always a pleasure for any festival goer. The lineup on this first day was as good as ever, and so the opportunity to catch bands like Hidden Mothers, Din Of Celestial Birds, Curse These Metal Hands, And So I Watch You From Afar and more was too good to pass up. Each set was excellent, and the four mentioned in particular performed stellar sets that were all worthy of being in anybody's top five of the weekend. Thursday was the beginning of the three days with all five stages in use, and we managed to get between all of them a number of times! There was quality up and down the bill, so we chose to start the day with Norwich's Kulk, whose massive sound belied the fact they're just a duo. Their latest album was a stunning listen, and is well worth a look for anyone into their sludgy, Godflesh-esque metal. Catching Pleiades and Oddism afterwards was a refreshing slap to the face of sound, especially with Oddism's vocalist looking so happy to be performing whilst smashing a microphone into his head. Unpeople and Underdark shared a cruel clash spot but we made time for both, and the enormous, swaggering riffs of the former sounded as large as anyone else on the day which paired perfectly with the latter's icy riffs and bone-chilling sonics. Following up with a bit of Urne, it was all about bands beginning with U and none disappointed as the London trio captivated the crowd in a completely expected display of their musical brilliance. Following on from our U-band collection was sets from Doodseskader, Baroness and Kaonashi who each brought something completely different for the audience at ATG, however they were all received incredibly positively by everyone watching. Towards the end of the day, we caught Spiritualised playing a breathtaking set of beautifully melancholic music to tee up the day's headliners, and then caught something that was totally the other end of the spectrum. Tokky Horror's final ever festival set was something to behold, with the Strictly Come Dancing theme leading into Insomnia and then one of the most high energy and chaotic sets that has ever been bookended by sad post-rock, Tokky Horror will be a sore loss to the live scene in the UK. However, the aforementioned headline act was Explosions In The Sky and the hour and a half they played was an exquisite display of musical craftsmanship and emotive power for a stunning finish to the day. The tracks off of The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place in particular were received with such an outpouring of emotion that it was impossible not to feel swept up in the set, and from beginning to end it was glorious. Day two was the end of the working week, and to start on Friday we caught Bristol's best Haal for the first half of their set before catching the back half of i Häxa. Moving swiftly into Modern Technology, it was a lovely start to the day that bridged all of the sounds between prog, folk, doom, and noise. British weirdo-metallers El Moono stepped up to the plate to cover for Bipolar Architecture unfortunately being unable to make it, but put on a remarkable set and drew a very healthy crowd which was more than deserved. Following on from them was the black metal band The Sun's Journey Through The Night, whose enigmatic necrotic frontman riled the crowd up for the most uncompromisingly 'trve metal' set of the day, filled with delightfully evil riffs and demonic howls. Our next stop was at Maruja's set of post-punky jazz, complete with wonderful saxophone moments and high energy throughout! It was then back to black (metal) as Ihsahn took to the main stage in a triumphant performance, followed swiftly by Sigh for yet more black metal in one afternoon, complete with fake blood and masses of fans. As the evening went on, it was time for some fun in the shape of the Adidas-clad Norwegian/Australian band Blood Command. Their high energy mix of hardcore, black metal, pop and everything else you can think of is only made better by the violently enjoyable stage show they put on, and tracks like 'Forever Soldiers Of Esther' and 'A Villain's Monologue' were a treat in a live setting. But even they, after their fiery show, couldn't stand up to the Meshuggah juggernaut that rolled onto the main stage in terrifying fashion. Live classics like 'Demiurge' and 'Future Breed Machine' rocked the tent as they would anywhere else, but it was of course the oft-mentioned, rarely played ObZen brainmelter 'Bleed' that stole headlines and blew the roof of the tent right off, as well as plenty in the vicinity. Alas, as it always does, Saturday came too soon, but brought with it plenty of worthwhile sets to catch! Torpor started off our day and gave us a much needed rush to the head in order to really get into the swing of things before Maebe showed off some excellent playing ability that belied their early billing. Thank were our next choice of act, and the Leeds punk quartet smashed their slot with a viscious set, packed with angst and vitriol, and also long song names such as their most recent single 'Writing Out A List Of All The Names Of God'. KENMode took to the stage shortly afterwards, and with all the subtlety of a bull in a china shop they pulverised the ArcTanGent crowd in the most memorable of fashions. The main stage's big screen came into heavy use for the next set, Scaler, whose electronic show was amplified enormously by the mesmerising visuals behind them. Cork's own dance/mathcore blend band God Alone were our next stop and the incredible mixture of groove, bounce, riffs and growls was incredibly enjoyable in a way few bands could replicate. Clashing with them was the NY black metal jazz crew Imperial Triumphant, and whilst they may have been masked that didn't disguise the fun they were so obviously having onstage, ripping through chaotic, abrasive sections with utter aplomb and nuclear energy. As we neared the end of our stay at Fernhill Farm, and we decided to get ourselves over to the second set of the weekend by And So I Watch You From Afar, which ended up being a full playthrough of their new album 'Megafauna' and was worth every second of time we spent there. Nottingham's Earthtone9 made our list too, and having released the album the festival is named after it would've been a veritable criminal act not to see them! The group chugged through an excellent half set before we rushed off to watch the Brontide reunion, which was also more than worth our time. A different end of music to the previous act but their beautiful sound was a wonderful way to round up almost our entire time at the festival, with but one act left on our list before rushing off. Having to get away before final headline act Mogwai was a sad realisation, but it did mean that Electric Wizard would be the last act playing to us which was a very soothing piece of information. The kings of stoner metal retained their crown with a groove laden, weed toking, bong-rippingly good set that could have induced a second hand high off of the dopamine from their riffs for a good thirty miles. Leaving with that ringing in our ears kept the smiles plastered on for miles, and is just another example of the brilliance ArcTanGent always manages to provide. Fernhill Farm, we will be back. Words: Jake Longhurst Photos - Wed: Joe Singh Photos - Thurs: Carl Battams Photos - Fri + Cover: Derek Bremner Photos - Sat: Johnathan Dadds

When KR Rocks 2024 tore the roof off the Ship and Anchor pub, Southport wasn’t in the collective conscience. Perhaps as a fondly remembered childhood seaside visit or a Victorian heritage spot - but as a local, you’d pull the “wool” thing of telling people at university you’re from “near Liverpool”. In recent news, however, Southport has drawn attention for all the wrong reasons, as a town in mourning, and in chaos from far-right aggressors. One thing that seems to be overarching the residual narrative, however, is the true close community of Southport. I saw this in full force at KR Rocks: a small, but fierce, community of local rockers banding together for a common cause. The festival is in its fifth year under its current iteration, raising money for the Southport Kidney Fund in local fundraiser and rocker Debbie Adams’ memory. The first day was the most full-on, with an absolutely stacked line-up ranging in genres. A succession of cover bands homegrown in Southport opened the day – the first being KR Rocks alumni “Debz’ Angels” (formed of friends of Debbie), performing renditions of hard rock classics. The festival, originally Debbie’s project, has been carried forward after her death by longterm friend Ashley Strom. Upon her fifth year as organiser, Ashley said: “it’s been an honour: following discussions with others close to Debbie we decided to continue her event in her memory. It’s been really nice to be able to remember her legacy”. There was something for everyone today. Providing some sonic diversity with some indie hits were Southport-grown “The Violets”, a band formed of kids from college. They have an impressive repertoire already, having just played the first ever Southport Pride. “The Violets” played with a compelling togetherness, and for their few original songs, especially “Chemicals”, it felt like we were front row to the birth of a classic. The whimsical “Vendetta” took to the stage, with their Fleetwood Mac-heavy set bringing along long skirts and tambourines to boot. Some superb maracas work here (a criminally underutilized instrument) and a full set of absolutely nailed tunes. I was sat in the beer garden when my friend came outside exclaiming “You’ve GOT to come back in here, this guy is spinning his guitar around his head!!” I returned inside to see “Sandbags at Dawn” (one word of the band name emblazoned on each of the three musicians’ shirts) giving the crowd absolutely everything they were worth. Massive amounts of energy emanated from their set of fun, jaunty songs – getting close to pioneering the genre of pirate shanty metal. Whilst they went down an absolute storm with the crowd, it definitely seemed the band were powered by the fun they were having themselves up on stage first and foremost, making their trip from Manchester well worth it. One of our favourites of the night was “Chaos Bleak”, the goth-rock trio (performing this time as a duo) with a penchant for darkness. Their synths absolutely permeated the pub, rattling its walls and putting a chic edge on doom and gloom. Trevor and Piers look forward to playing with bands who “[they] only ever see at KR Rocks” year by year, and prove popular with the usually-metal clientele. They also proved popular with a woman at the service station, who somehow pegged them as musicians based on their all-black goth attire and asked for a CD: we hope that Angela from Knutsford services enjoys their new single Death Train. Headlining the Friday were “Last Agony”, metal with bells and whistles. They were extremely technically gifted, clearly having played together as a band for long enough to let the beats of their music flow seamlessly. This hasn’t squashed the passion for the clearly well-trodden paths of these songs: they gave it their absolute all and did not relent, not even during their 9-minute thrash metal hullabaloo which filled the room. “Last Agony” are one of those bands you absolutely have to see live, as it’s a shame to not feel the music and let the bass nearly shatter your sternum. Saturday was a real homecoming for the festival, opening with “Alfie Stix”, a young boy who has grown up drumming with the festival this past few years. The “KR Rocks All-Stars” celebrated this community aspect – a supergroup of musicians and friends of the festival who played live together excellently (with no rehearsal!) for the first time that evening. Currently on an upwards trajectory in the wider rock scene as Planet Rock Fest hopefuls, “Attic Theory” played with a sense of humour as well as pure talent. After the first, the audience clamoured for a second rendition of their metal-reprised Country Roads. Their drummer, Norm, has stuck with the festival since its inception, aiding to keep the memory of Debbie alive. “Second Cities” were unashamedly and undeniably emo – giving a refreshing reminder that the scene is still well and truly alive. Much of emo can be reminiscent of artists gone before, but “Second Cities” have a distinct identity, incorporating electronic elements of industrial with fearsome screams straight from the soul. They made full use of the small venue, taking microphone stands and guitars into the crowd to envelop everyone in their sharp-toothed riffs. The Saturday headliners, Bristol’s “Adam and the Hellcats”, were more than deserving of the spot, demanding the pub’s attention the second they took to the stage with their rallying theme of Tom Jones’ “What’s New, Pussycat?” The whole set was on brand – songs such as “What The Cat Dragged In” thundered through the Ship and Anchor with an enviable cohesion among the musicians and stomping stage presence. Vocalist Cirwen (decked out with cat ears, whiskers, and special cat-faced Mary Janes) carried the force of the band, ripping the venue to the floor with the voice of a thousand Halestorms. The Hellcats’ set was truly impressive, and they had the whole pub moving complete with possibly the world’s first macarena moshpit. Adam had a real conviction to learn guitar: “I’m autistic – once I get a thought in my head, it’s happening.” He’s been appointed lead organiser for next year, and his barrel-at-the-wall attitude bodes well for the future of the fest. Himself and his dad, the drummer for the Hellcats, are huge advocates for “little festivals in backstreets”, expressing that “to support original bands, and original music, is a great thing”. The full scale of the rock and metal community in Southport was employed at KR Rocks, notably with help from the Ship and Anchor pub, and Legacy Records. They’re a local record shop partnering this year, present at the event with a piled-high merch table. Contributions from bands far and wide were raffled at the end of the night – and overall, the weekend managed to raise over £450 for the Southport Kidney Fund. This was an unticketed event, and so this total is entirely from the pockets of generous attendees at the small pub. KR Rocks has stood as an impressive and inspiring show of local fundraising tenacity for five years, promising only bigger and better in what’s to come. It’s a promise of great music, a great cause, and a great chat over a pint. Words: Erin Strom Photos: Ava Glass Erin has been one the first contributors to OOR, and is a Southport local. They have lived in the town for their entire life in the same house. Erin has been involved in K R Rocks through family connections for the past 5 years, since the first iteration of the festival in Skelmersdale. With their friend Ava, they covered the festival days before the tragedy in the town. By publishing this review, Out Of Rage want to empower and celebrate the amazing Southport community. To support Southport Kidney Fund- Follow this link To find out more about K R Rocks- Follow this link

Despite the venue being only half sold, the energy was palpable as Silenzer took to the stage. The few who arrived for their set were soon headbanging and jumping, completely enthralled by the band's high-octane performance and powerful guttural vocals. The singer’s crowd interaction was stellar, transforming the intimate gathering into a fervent mosh pit. A highlight of the set was their cover of Papa Roach's "Last Resort," which had the audience singing along passionately, creating a moment of unity and shared excitement. Remember this was only the first opener… The second act was a masterclass in stage presence and crowd control. As Dymytry appeared in their signature masks, the crowd erupted with screams, immediately captivated. The stage backdrop was drenched in red light, accompanied by cool graphics that set a dark, intense mood. Fans pushed closer, drawn in by the band's magnetic performance and sick stage outfits. The lead singer had the crowd in the palm of his hand, guiding them through a journey of heavy riffs and powerful beats. This being only their third show in the UK, Dymytry undoubtedly gained new fans, solidifying their place in the hearts of metal enthusiasts. Let’s just say i wouldnt want to be on their enemy list. Before Mushroomhead even took to the stage, the anticipation was building. Their gear was covered in sheer black sheets, adding to the suspense. As the stage was swiftly changed over, the crowd buzzed with excitement. The house lights went off, and the audience erupted with screams and cheers as the intro music began, hilariously starting with the Spongebob theme. Red lights bathed the stage as the band snuck on, setting the scene for the chaos to come. From the first song, water flew everywhere, and the drums beat with unrelenting passion, mesmerizing the crowd. The entire room bounced, and the bass reverberated through the floor, creating that unique, exhilarating feeling only a metal show can provide. Every beat seemed to sync with the heartbeat of the crowd, amplifying the collective energy in the room. The singer's antics, grinding against rigging poles and jumping into the crowd, added an element of raw, unfiltered energy that kept everyone on the edge of their seats. His fearless interaction with the audience blurred the line between performer and fan, making the experience feel intimate and personal. This show was an unforgettable experience that fans would regret missing. Mushroomhead delivered a performance that was not only visually and sonically captivating but also deeply engaging, leaving the audience in awe and craving more. Each song was executed with precision, yet there was an unpredictable, almost chaotic element to the show that kept everyone enthralled. The band's elaborate costumes and eerie masks only added to the immersive experience, transforming the stage into a dark, fantastical world. The lighting and stage effects were meticulously designed to enhance the music, with red lights and bright colours in contrast creating an intense, almost otherworldly atmosphere. The synergy between the band's performance and the visual elements was seamless, making every moment of the concert a feast for the senses. The crowd's enthusiastic response was a testament to the band's ability to connect with their audience on a profound level. In conclusion, Mushroomhead's live performance is a must-see for any metal fan. Their ability to blend highenergy music with theatrical stagecraft creates a unique concert experience that is both exhilarating and unforgettable. I would highly recommend going to see them if ever given the chance. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to their music, a Mushroomhead show promises to be a thrilling ride that will leave you buzzing long after the last note has been played. Words: Leah Cox Photo: Nick Davarias

Manchester's RADAR Festival is one of the youngest in the UK alt scene, but already has a solid core audience and this year's event did nothing to stop the growth of their ever-enlarging fanbase. Held at the Victoria Warehouse across the last weekend of July, we caught as many acts as we could! Day one kicked off with a bang - having only released their debut EP at the start of the month, new progressive metal outfit Vower hardly struggle to gather a large excited crowd. As the track kicks in with a selection of harmonious ambient drones, drowning out the eager voices, Vower set off providing an enigmatic and memorable performance. Vocalist Josh McKeown (ex Palm Reader) hypnotises the audience with his masterful ability to switch between strong alluring cleans and powerful white-hot screams. It’s not surprising a band with such heritage within the post-hardcore and alternative metal scene manage to produce such an astonishing all-consuming sonic journey. If their subsidiary festival slot proves anything it’s that Vower are a force to be reckoned with. Storming the stage, Thrown kick off their time on the Sneak Energy stage with an immediate punch to the gut. The Swedish heavyweights envelop the audience in a shroud of DnB followed closely by soaring pitch shifted guitars and blazing vocals from frontman Marcus Lundqvist. Wasting no time the band blast through their zealous set demanding attention with an enigmatic performance. While the crowd are already receptive to their offerings, forming a pit in the centre of the room at the first breakdown, Lundqvist continues to drive the room to move even more. Happy to oblige, a series of crowd-surfers make their way to the barrier while the pit grows larger with every track. Carnage from start to finish, Thrown provide a show like no other forging a connection with the audience through their compelling visceral experience. Next on the Archetype stage, a flurry of lights and ambient drones consume the room as Plini enters. Greeting the audience with a warm smile, the self-taught Aussie instrumentalist begins his set of melodic, evolutionary, progressive instrumental metal. With his signature Strandberg, Plini takes the listener through an aural journey like no other. Featuring intricate melodic guitar work accompanied by technical drums and bass, each transition is smooth and flows between a variety of moods. From soft ambient jazz to fierce dramatic rock peaks, the band effortlessly flows through different genres and time-signatures. Unfortunately cut short due to a late start, the audience display their support with a deafening applause. Friday headliners The Midnight showcase exactly what RADAR is about: diversity, inclusivity and equality. Armed with their impressive collection of 80’s-inspired synthwave ballads, the retro pop quintet adorn a series of purple hues as they open with the intrinsic Neon Medusa. Any questions as to why this band is headlining are quickly answered, a mutual agreement from the crowd in the form of roaring voices and ginormous applause. An intelligent and unique listening experience, The Midnight bring a nostalgic yet futuristic twist within their composition that is fresh and authentic. Day two of RADAR festival saw London metalcore five-piece Ithaca drown out the audience in an instant. Illuminating the stage in a sea of red, the heavy metal outfit barrage the crowd with an eclectic mix of intricate and abrasive guitars. Fused with the powerful, enraged vocals of frontwoman Djamila who prowls the area staring into the crowd with an unrelenting gaze, adamant to lure in each member of the crowd and succeeding. Although faced with technical issues, this did not deter the quintet. Without a moment's hesitation the band continue to drive the crowd into a frenzy, blitzing through the rest of their set mercilessly, leaving no room for dissent. Later in the day jazz-infused trio Dirty Loops provided a set of insanely unique, experimental disco inspired music. Equipped with an arsenal of pop classic covers with Lady Gaga’s Just Dance and a couple of Bieber tracks, the trio artfully transform the songs into modern progressive dance hits that are a welcome change from the short burst of heavier bands. Bass extraordinaire Henrik is a mastermind of complex melodies, flawlessly moving between intricate rhythms while vocalist and pianist Jonah glides effortlessly alongside. This already insane talent layered with the technical prowess of drummer Aron creates an innovative, original sound that is unparalleled. As the last day commences, it is announced that unfortunately Siamese will no longer be able to attend and a secret set will now take place on the second stage. Any speculation is soon put to bed with a quick glance at the fluorescent yellow addition to the merch stand. Second to grace the Sneak Energy stage, progressive metal outfit Adharma supply a wall of sound from start to finish. Vocalist Charlie Draper’s bright alluring vocals blended expertly with the crushing instrumentation makes Adharma a fresh and exciting musical adventure with a very important and authentic message. Pulling a double shift, the surprise set of the day came from self-proclaimed ‘Geezacore’ nutcases Pintglass. Having played a frenzied after-party the night before, the high-vis clad group waste no time in introducing themselves to the boisterous crowd. Amping up the energy by the minute, frontmen Angus Roberston and Ben Mason’s chemistry is unmatched as they herd the crowd into a sizable circle pit. Crushing and unrelenting, Pintglass are a hybrid of contemporary satire and conventional hardcore. Combining old with new, this boisterous bunch are carving their own path within the hardcore scene. The penultimate main stage set comes from Cardiff’s own post-hardcore royalty Holding Absence. Opening with the deeply emotional Like a Shadow, Lucas Woodland's vocal ability is nothing short of phenomenal. There is an indisputable fluidity within Woodland's performance that is backed by the prodigious instrumentation from Carey, Elliott and Green. Closing with ethereal, melancholic ballad Wilt, there is a feeling of warmth that surges throughout the room. As the Welsh quartet draw to a close with a final epic chorus, the audience members begin to disappear in a sea of limbs. Confirming that even within such a diverse bill for this year's event, Holding Absence are unrivalled performers that are a delightful interjection of soaring energy to any line-up. RADAR festival has yet again proven itself as an exceptional weekend of music, with an extensive catalogue of entertainment outside of the typical festival activities. The sense of community at this festival is unmatched, and with any luck it will keep riding this high and getting better every year. Words: Soph Payton Photos: Heather Patterson

As we enter the final month of summer, we're still counting down the days to a number of festivals before the tents are packed up for another nine months, as well as eyeing up the calendar ahead of some very special gigs. There is truly something for any music fan this month, so strap in and check out what we think you should check out! First up is the perhaps unexpected entry of the annual Boomtown fair. This wild four day event is far more than just a music festival, with eight deeply immersive areas across the festival grounds that are each home to a different style of music. Whilst we love artists from all walks of music, hardcore punk is of course our home and so we have a particular eye on Area 404, with such acts as Shooting Daggers, Good Cop, ALT BLK ERA, Soft Play, Gen and the Degenerates and plenty more! There's far far more than we can hope to outline, so frankly we simply suggest going to see what all the fuss is about. Taking a rather different approach is Bloodstock Festival, held across the same weekend but with far fewer stages, a bit more of a niche musically, and some absolutely excellent bands on the bill. Of course we can't not mention Burner and Unpeople, two of the best and brightest live acts in the country right now, but there's also Hatebreed, Xentrix, Sylosis, Opeth, Cauldron, Grove Street, and a whole host of further brilliant live acts to catch. Our first gig recommendation this month comes as Crypta take to the stage three times in the UK - firstly on August 9th, at the Camden Underworld, then the next day at Bloodstock, and on the 11th they play at Glasgow's Garage Attic. The all-female Brazilian death metal act are seriously heavy hitters with some searing riffs and crushing breakdowns in their arsenal, and are far more than worth the price of admission at any of these shows! Not to let the second weekend of August go to waste, Korn are also taking advantage of it to play at Scarborough's Open Air Theatre on August 8th, Halifax's Piece Hall on August 9th, and London's Gunnersbury Park on August 11th. The nu-metal icons have a formidable crew in tow as Loathe will be supporting all three shows, WARGASM on the 8th and 11th, and London will also feature performances by Denzel Curry and Spiritbox. Are you ready? Not to be outdone for amazing London shows, on August 13th 14th and 15th there's going to be something of a unique affair as Frank Carter of the Rattlesnakes and most of the Sex Pistols take to the stage at Bush Hall in order to raise money to keep it around. The venue will no doubt be rocked to its core, as all three shows sold out in seconds, and the opportunity to see a modern punk icon fronting the most iconic punk band ever more than warrants that. Starting on August 14th is one of the UK metal festival scene's best kept secrets, ArcTanGent. Full to the brim with your favourite artists from the weirder walks of music, there will be such clashes as Unpeople's anthemic mosh anthems colliding with Underdark's despairing black metal, and the triple headline threat of Explosions In The Sky, Meshuggah and Mogwai makes for a mean lineup in anyone's books. Chuck a few other names on like Blood Command, Julie Christmas, Maruja, and Curse These Metal Hands, and you are onto a winner. Our favourite space beekeeping noise band Wallowing have one hell of a show to put on later this month. August 23rd and 24th will feature two hectic shows from the heaviest band you need to have heard of, in Alton and London respectively. That London show is also the 5th anniversary of their album PLANET LOSS , and they're rumoured to be putting on the show of all shows for it. Only way to know what happens? Be there to see it. Whilst unofficially a weekend of hedonism after finishing your GCSE's, Reading and Leeds have plenty of great acts on this year. Blink-182 are headlining, The Prodigy are playing (at the same damn time, we've shed innumerable tears over this), Spiritbox are there, Crawlers are on the main stage, and there is far more for any alt lovers or metalheads to dig into, so maybe cast your eyes across those posters and have a little peek before disregarding this one. Finally, on the last two days of the month there will be a jolly old lineup of acts killing it in Torquay for Burn It Down Festival. On the Friday SeeYouSpaceCowboy will be making their first appearance in the UK for far too long, alongside My Only Solution, Calva Louise, Saint Agnes, Cauldron and more, whereas the Saturday features our first cover stars in Death Goals as well as Lake Malice, BEX, Mouth Culture, Unpeople again, Artio, and Negative Frame. With that many quality acts, maybe it's time for a trip down to Torquay! Words: Jake Longhurst Cover Photo: Conrad Newton

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

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