Walking up the stairs to Manchester Academy 2 bang at 6pm, the vibe was laid back as the more mature crowd filtered in. The crowd was predominantly a casual Thursday and date night cohort that filled about half of the room before first support Doddseskader took the stage. Doddseskader are a Belgian duo that could only be described as noise metal. Their set was accompanied by a whole light and visual show, the perhaps accidental inclusivity of having the lyrics on the screen as part of the visuals - though hindered somewhat by Alcest’s kit being covered with a white sheet meaning that said show had mapped itself over said sheet in the corner. Nevertheless, Doddseskader’s set was engaging both in their songs and with the visuals, which were trippy shapes and landscapes morphing in the background to fit with the themes of the songs. Though loud and brash many of the songs were slower paced (bar the highlight that had a techno metal breakdown) the crowd seemed to enjoy the set overall, and by the end of their 20 minute opener they had won over the crowd shown by a showering of applause. Up next were Svalbard - a melodic metal band that seemed to be the act piquing the interest of the crowd if the t shirts of choice were anything to go by. Guitarist and co-vocalist Serena Cherry was a comfortable frontwoman in this space, reminiscing to the crowd about her first metal gig being Slipknot in Manchester to some cheers while keeping it lowkey in her song introductions. Svalbard’s stage presence was cosy, mainly focused on jamming with each other rather than playing to the crowd as Cherry adopted the indie girl stance of raised shoulders and a downward glance to her guitar as she screamed her parts with remarkable ease. The crowd in turn were happy to watch: respectful headbangs and comments in peer’s ears replaced the jumping around and pits that are stereotypical of metal shows. The end of the show was punctuated by Cherry pointing out that it was a band member’s birthday, but due to his aversion to the birthday song she requested a moment of silence for aging; the crowd obliged, making for a very funny moment. The set went over well, and half an hour later it was Alcest taking the stage for their set. Every faucet of this set was high quality: the set design was gorgeous, being made up of a light lit like the moon covered in cobwebs and kept company by two beautiful wolf sculptures, some stairs up to the bass and percussion zones of the bands setup and collections of reeds and wheat everywhere to build a rural and dreamlike ambience. Each musician was skilled at their art and all got their fair time in the sun throughout the 1h20min set. Winterhalter stole the show with his double floor tom setup and beautiful pieces, moving around his kit with ease and able to exude technical skill whether he was soloing or slipping into the background of the track. The sound mix foregrounded the instruments over the sparse vocals and created a transcendent soundscape that captivated the crowd, even if the lack of movement made this less apparent. The crowd interaction was minimal, a lot of thank yous and a brief moment to mention that as a band they had played the city a lot and always looked forward to it, but the non verbal communication with the crowd through claps started and looks cast upon the room. They saved the crowd favourite for their first encore song Hospital, which was met with happy noises from the room, more swaying than the average and roaring applause by the end. All this said - an Alcest show may be better in a seated venue. Each track lasted 4-6 minutes with their final track coming closer to 10, and by the 45 minute mark each track began to meld into the last and the ache in the legs became ever stronger. The structure of an Alcest song seems to be an intro, a 4-6 bar vocal refrain, then the post-metal instrumentals begin, all at a similar tempo to each other. For those who like to stand and get lost in the refrain this setup could make for a wonderful meditative experience and this was the case for many - for those who like more movement and back and forth with their musician an Alcest show may not be the best recommendation. Overall, this show worked like a well oiled machine, with all bands on their marks and set up on time to the minute and providing quality and beautiful soundscapes for the audience often holding one another or allowing themselves to get lost in the melodies. Alcest and Svalbard knew their audience and played to it well; Doddseskader would be an interesting one to see in a room where people were in the mood to dance. Words: Julia Brunton Photos: Ace Cheng

Killerkorp was originally formed in 2018, and features Ben Lyddiatt (vocals), Jakey Day (lead guitar), Jon-Luke Bloomfield (rhythm guitar), Daniel Lyddiatt (bass), and Sonny Wright (drums). They cemented themselves as a part of the UK metal scene with their formidable debut EP ‘Pain’ back in 2019, gaining acclaim for its ferocious riffs and potent lyrics. They’re now back with a new EP, ‘Vices’, to turn up the heat on their burgeoning reputation as a great live act as well as recording band. ’Vices’ showcases the band's ability to push the boundaries of metal and mix genres effectively, blending death metal and hardcore together into a vicious sound. The EP is filled with raw aggression and pure emotion, and it feels like the band have tied any loose ends off to find their sound here. On first listen you’re thrown into an immersive experience. Contrary to what would be expected, things start off almost ambient, before it explodes in a frenetic rush of sonic power, as title track ‘Vices’ kicks in to show off their writing ability, that’s only improved since ‘Pain’. The next track ‘Last Grasp’ is an incredible showcase of drummer Sonny Wright's skills, that underpin the aural assault going on above the drums. ‘Scathed’ is comfortably the shortest track, weighing in at just under two and a half minutes, and showcases the rabid fury of hardcore at its most obvious within the band's work. Finally, ‘Weak’ comes in to round off the EP with a hefty six minute run time. The song feels like some sort of post-apocalyptic ambient experience that harks to Nine Inch Nails in places, albeit with a good number more killer riffs than Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross would traditionally introduce. Killerkorp's latest release ‘Vices’ showcases the band's ability to blend two of the music world's most aggressive genres into a sound that stands on its own, whilst being reminiscent of Lamb Of God, Machine Head and more. The stand out across the entirety of this EP is the band's pure rawness, as it’s clear to see that they aren’t afraid to be bold with their sound and push their own boundaries. The production is also notably improved in comparison to previous work, which has helped shape their sound into the ferocious sharpness that it is now. It’s plain to see why they have cemented themselves as part of the UK metal scene, if they’re able to write music like this!. Having toured with the likes of Raised By Owls and Beyond Extinction, they are a surefire one to watch within the scene. ‘Vices’ will be released on December 13th. Words: Kayleigh Hadley Photos: Killerkorp

When five guys from Sheffield made it big, (and no this is not about Bring Me The Horizon) they played Victoria Warehouse. As a cultural home for all heavy things innovative and disruptive -as the almighty RADAR Festival descends upon the venue every July- While She Sleeps bring with them their latest headline tour and a show with massive compassion for the fans that made them better than ever before. As the first winners of the HMA Award for their innovative Sleeps Society membership, a sustainable and proactive platform bringing the fans into the bands creative and cultural sphere, we catch them at the height of their ‘SELF HELL’ album run. A tour officially on the precipice of a wild and exciting future in arenas and moving towards headlining major festivals, where does this put the band that can sell out one of the largest venues in Manchester? But first a warm metalcore welcome from the supports Thrown and Currents with French metalcore quartet Resolve opening the show. Their 2023 album ‘Human’ is a tidal wave of cascading choruses and dramatic breakdowns, which was surprisingly a joy to watch on the big stage. Full of dips between the quiet and chaotic, lingering moments of suspense and loud abrasive guitars, was sonically very exciting to experience. Perhaps a little later in the evening would have done the band better, but still they gave it everything they could and it will be thrilling to watch how the band progresses here in the UK. Thrown, our reigning HMA ‘Best Breakthrough Artist’ was next to grace the stage. A band more centered on the music than their image, they churned their pit up and spit it back out. This was certainly the most rowdy crowd of the night- and rightly so. When Thrown performs a set, it is anything short of sweaty and chaotic. However it certainly was more tame than when they played in the room next door a few months back. Their progression as a band in the last year has been impressive and certainly one to follow in the future. Currents- our American homeboys hailing from Connecticut- provided the grand welcome for While She Sleeps. From the back of the stage, the sound was impressive and the band made every opportunity to put their entire energy into their songs. Whilst at points their sound may have appeared repetitive through their set, it was clean-cut and tight in its performance. We may have needed a bit more for it to have made an impact. Our headliners made themselves known, exploding onto the stage with their impressive light show and their opening track from their new album ‘PEACE OF MIND’. Employing - what we like to call- a ‘Sleep Token strobe’, they’ve certainly put a lot into this production. Perhaps in an attempt to prove that they can sell arenas in the future. It was truly a captivating entrance, with risers giving much-needed height to the stage. Whilst vocals seemed a little low in the mix (and this resolved itself as the set progressed) it was a show you could feel from your chest, especially as it leads into ‘LEAVE ME ALONE’, We push into a medley of classics, ‘ANTI-SOCIAL’, ‘YOU ARE ALL YOU NEED’ and ‘THE GUILTY PARTY’ and we fully feel in the swing of the show. As always the swept guitar is a cathartically transcendental experience against the low thrums of the choruses. This is the While She Sleeps we know and love: nostalgic, hard hitting and powerfully raw. A chasm of beautiful lights made the performance of ‘RAINBOWS’ an absolute spectacle. Whilst this show was definitely one to watch rather than participate in the pit, we definitely saw tears stream from grown men's faces as they mouthed along to ‘You Are We’. As a band the vast majority of the crowd have grown up together and experienced the changing scene through their music, it was a powerful display of how much While She Sleeps meant to a room full of compassionate people. ‘SELF HELL’ and ‘SYSTEMATIC’ gave back the energy the room desperately needed after that sentimental display. We had expected more energy from the crowd as a whole at this point, but this didn’t mean that people weren’t enjoying themselves. A whole room of arm swaying, devil horns and headbanging was a given even at the back of the crowd. With ‘Four Walls’ being the necessary throwback the set needed to appease the older fans. ‘Down’ featured Currents vocalist Brian Wille taking on Malevolence’s-own Alex Taylor’s heavy vocals. It was definitely refreshing to hear the deep growls against the harmonised choruses typical of a While She Sleeps song. We then push ‘Silence Speaks’ an obvious crowd favourite and a reminder that While She Sleeps have absolutely made monumental songs that shape the alternative music landscape. Finishing on ‘TO THE FLOWERS’, the band throws a plastic bouquet into the crowd. It truly is an emotional moment for everyone involved. One of the most grateful bands in modern music, While She Sleeps have an undeniably unique and strong bond with their audience. Whilst this wasn’t the most fast-paced brutal crushing energetic atmosphere, it was one of the most spectacular ones. We’re on the fringes of something big here and whatever the next step, we will follow the five lads from Sheffield on their next venture. Words: Amber Brooks Photos: Nic Howells

Well it's officially cold now, and here at Out Of Rage we're keeping warm by listening to the absolute fire on our playlists. There's a delectable run of gigs coming up too, so you'll be able to get yourself warmed up in many a moshpit or sweaty room yet, here's our picks for the hottest shows over the next month! Lake Malice are in the midst of a tour with Blackout Problems and Sperling right now - they've already played across a large swathe of Europe, and are now playing around the UK! You can catch them tomorrow in Manchester, or in Nottingham, London and Bristol across the three days after that. Their hyperpop/metal sound is a brilliant live combo and absolutely needs to be experienced in the flesh! Within Temptation have also played most of Europe, and on the 15th of November they'll be pulling up to Cardiff's Utilita Arena before London's OVO Wembley Arena on the 16th, Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena on the 18th and the First Direct Arena in Leeds on the 19th. Coming with them are Annisokay, Blind8, Alex Yarmak and Taya, so the lineup is stacked and will captivate any audience they come across. On the same starting date as the previous tour, Delain are taking a trip around the UK and Ireland with Stone Broken and Damian Wilson. Starting off in Glasgow, they then head to Wolverhampton, Belfast, Dublin, Manchester, Bristol and finally finish in London on November 23rd. Having toured alongside Within Temptation before, and featured them on a song, the band are treating any fans of symphonic metal and similar to a double whammy in close success if they can make both tours! Just one day later, Laura Jane Grace kicks off her tour with backing band The Trauma Tropes, with Pet Needs opening. Her work with Against Me! needs no introduction, and she stands as an enormous icon in queer spaces and the alt scene, for her music as well as her tireless campaigning. Playing in Milton Keynes, Southampton, Glasgow, Nottingham, Leeds, Dublin, Belfast, Manchester, London and Birmingham, the tour gets to a sizeable portion of the UK and will be a triumphant night of punk. On the heavier end of the spectrum comes Fit For An Autopsy, and their incredible touring lineup of Sylosis, Darkest Hour and Heriot. The UK and European tour commences in London on November 22nd, before stopping in Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol on their way to mainland Europe. The band have just released their latest album, and with a support this strong it's looking like a killer show every night is guaranteed. Coming in with an 80's thrasher's favourite lineup this year, Anthrax and Kreator are coheadlining a tour with Testament that;s stopping in at Manchester, Wolverhampton, London, Dublin and Glasgow, before they head into Western Continental Europe and get to Paris, Dusseldorf, Munich and Esch-Sur-Alzette. The thrashers will be on fiery form as ever, if their most recent shows in the UK are anything to go off, and always provide a memorable evening of riffs. Bury Tomorrow are taking an all-star lineup of bands around the UK and Europe, with Make Them Suffer, Thornhill and As Everything Unfolds all making up one stellar bill. They're only playing three shows in the UK, and are in Glasgow on the 22nd, Manchester on the 23rd, and London on the 24th. All three shows are either nearly sold out or completely sold out, so get on it to go see this brilliant gig! Metal's current favourite band, Sleep Token, will be taking the stage across the end of November and early December with Bilmuri in tow. The prog/djent/funk/metal/pop/who knows what else group have had a meteoric rise fuelled significantly by social media, and their tour has had the same treatment with multiple shows already sold out. On the 25th they play Glasgow's OVO Hydro Arena, then Manchester's Co-Op Arena, the O2 in London, Cardiff's Utilita Arena, the First Direct Arena in Leeds and then back again to London's O2 on December 3rd. Pick up tickets now if you don't want to have to pay even more when they do a stadium run. Finally, London's Chubby and the Gang are doing a short three date stint with Jade Hairpins, going from London to Glasgow via Manchester in early December. They're playing at the Moth Club on December 3rd, Yes' Pink Room on Decmber 5th and McChullis on December 6th. Their live energy is always a riot, and after an excellent recent album it's not at all in doubt that this tour will be just as good as all the rest. Words: Jake Longhurst Cover Photo: Fit For An Autopsy

Hailing from upstate New York comes the most enjoyable death metal band in the world, Undeath. After releasing a modern classic in 'It's Time... To Rise From The Grave', they're back with a full length that is sure to liquify many an eardrum and melt brains worldwide. Featuring the timeless death metal sound they've honed, as well as their signature mosh-inducing riffs and high-tempo grooves, 'More Insane' really is, well... more insane than any other death metal album out this year. Opening with 'Dead From beyond', the five-piece present a bit of everything they're good at in just four minutes. The guitars go from low chuggy riffs to pit starters, throwing a little solo or two in and then for good measure going back to the underbite creating riffs they are best at. Alex Jones' vocals sound as excellent as they did all that time ago when we first heard Undeath, with maybe a little more maturity to his delivery in his enunciation of the gruesome lyrics. This leads into the title track, one of the three singles released thus far, and there are a plethora of moments here that will bring about the grim smile you only get from disgustingly heavy metal. The two minute mark features a particularly enjoyable double bass and guitar attack that will have your head rocking back and forth like a bobblehead in a rally car, and is guaranteed to break barriers and stage-diving records -not to mention the cavernous growl the song finishes with that is all but certain to sound like an unholy beast in a live setting. The third song, 'Brandish The Blade', is also a single and is somehow even less repentant than the previous two songs, with a frenetic tempo and drumming that'll bring out a sweat just by hearing it - God only knows how Matt Browning hasn't torn his ACL yet. At the halfway mark is the sneeriest breakdown thus far, which will clearly cause circle pits aplenty in the not-so-distant future. Song four is also a single, the last of them, and 'Disputatious Malignancy' is clearly one of the best pure death metal song titles there is. Not only that, it lives up to the sensational naming by being a proper meat and two veg death metal song that's fit to bursting with gutturals, deeply disturbing lyrical content, gargantuan riffs and stupendous usage of a double bass pedal. Track five, 'Sutured for War', feels almost like it's been blackened a little, as it is noticeably tinged with the iciness of Scandinavian black metal. The track is still well within the limits of the Undeath sound, but does serve to broaden their horizons a little on this album, as well as being a pure headbangers anthem. Track six is another phenomenally named song, this one called 'Cramped Caskets (Necrology)'. The riffs run rampant here, and the sound of Tommy Wall's bass will likely be found careening around your skull cavity for 3-5 business days after having listened to this. The whole song is rife with moments to gurn at, and if your neck survives the ordeal you'll be grinning like a loon afterwards. This is followed by 'Bounty Hunter' which slows things down a little for a more mid-paced groove that feels like it could quite easily soundtrack the march of an unhallowed army, before 'Wailing Cadavers' rolls up and makes you want to spin kick the nearest animate or inanimate object, whichever may be more convenient (note, Out Of Rage takes no responsibility for any outcome whatsoever related to Undeath-induced spin kicks, unless those results are entirely positive for everyone involved in which case it was definitely us). The back half of the song is where the spin-kickiness really kicks in (pun intended) and you feel the full force of the crushing heaviness Undeath have written into being here. By now, if you've survived this far, you will reach what might be up for song title of the year - the legendarily named 'Disattachment of a Prophylactic in the Brain'. The penultimate spot on the album isn't always easy to fill, but Jared Welch and Kyle Beam use their guitars to devastating effect and take a trek across nigh on their entire fretboards, delivering a double-pronged attack of squeals and chugs in quick succession. The final track, 'Bones Clattering in a Cave', is one final opportunity to fill up on caveman style heaviness before the band retreat away to their cave to hide, so it's lucky that it's a riotously enjoyable slab of metal that rips between tempos at lightning speed. Undeath haven't ever messed around musically, and they've given us no reason to doubt them on the aptly named 'More Insane'. There are breakdowns aplenty, chugs throughout, more riffs than you can shake a thigh bone at, everything you could possibly want off of one of the best death metal releases this year. Till Undeath do us part fellas. Words: Jake Longhurst Photos: Nick Karp

Swindon's most exciting young band have the release of their first full-length album within touching distance now. Heriot's rise within the ranks of British metal has been nothing short of sensational, and well-deserved too. Combining filthy sludge with rank death metal, 90's metalcore, a pinch of hardcore and industrial and even the occasional eery moment of calm has made the band into a powerhouse who write and play at a level that belies their relative inexperience, and is displayed prominently on this excellent album. Starting with the album cover, they've shown exactly what they're about. With a piece of art that looks like it's been ripped straight from a lost LP by Meshuggah or At The Gates from the 90's, the aesthetic of the album is already pixel perfect. Combined with the medieval weaponry focus and their amazing onstage style, Heriot's entire album cycle is pretty much as good an album cycle as you could ask for. Playing Download's second stage, touring with Fit For An Autopsy, and being widely revered amongst metalheads are now things the band should start to expect to happen much more frequently. As the album opens up we hear the oppressive heaviness of second single 'Foul Void' rip up the illustrious Out Of Rage HQ speaker system (otherwise known as laptop speakers or headphones) to glorious effect. The song hasn't lost any of it's sludgy wonder since it was released, and is a stellar start to the album. This leads us into what is comfortably the shortest song here, and at 1:49 long 'Harm Sequence' really does not stick about. It's a hardcore song at heart, but with plenty of metal embellishments such as a short but sweet solo, but features two breakdowns with the latter being a version of a half time beat, which really sweetens the deal. Next up however we find ourselves face to face with a more sinister song - 'Opaline' is the third song here and is far less aggressive right out the gate, rather taking its time to build up before the floodgates are opened on it's crushing heaviness. Next is the first single off of 'Devoured...', which is the almighty 'Siege Lord' in all its brutal glory. The medieval weaponry aesthetic feels so very at home here, not only with the apt title but also the astute heaviness of the song both come together into one overtly dominating atmosphere. Already garnering about 120,000 streams on Spotify at the time of writing, it's rapidly become one of the fans' favourite songs and will likely be heard at Heriot gigs for many years to come. The fifth song on the album is the one with possibly the best title of the lot - 'Sentenced to the Blade'. Luckily enough, it does more than enough to warrant such a fantastic name with numerous face-melting riffs from Erhan Alman and Debbie Gough, snarl-inducing breakdowns and lip-curling screams from Debbie and bassist Jake Packer. It also cannot be overstated how excellent Julian Gage's drumming is across the album, his writing ability has noticeably improved and he now expertly underpins everything with moments of indescribable aggression that foil with plenty of grooves full of menace and power. His drumming shows through particularly obviously on the intro to the next track 'Solvent Gaze', which is another of the more menacing, understated tracks. It pulsates with the same atmosphere you'd find in an abandoned castle or fortress, which yet again fits their aesthetic perfectly. 'Lashed' carries on this less intense style of theirs, with some of the most clean vocals we've ever heard in a Heriot song. The four piece are on the top of their game in terms of curating an atmosphere, with an incredibly sinister feel all the way through thus far. 'At The Fortress Gate' brings back the riffs in epic fashion, bringing a slightly more industrial sound into the mix with grinding guitar lines underpinning most of it's runtime. As we reach the penultimate track 'Visage', Jake Packer's bass rumbles louder than ever in a mournful crescendo before the track reaches its pinnacle in a beautiful finale that flows into the last song here. 'Mourn' is the longest song on the LP and lets us strap in before the HM2 tone fully hits you across the face in a flourish of intensity to finish the album. On a debut album, Heriot have managed to evolve what we thought their sound was into something much more fully formed and fleshed out, as well as adding some subtlety and nuance into the mix whilst still keeping their brutality intact. Debut album of the year is as yet undecided, but for those interested you would do far worse than chucking your hat into the Heriot ring. 'Devoured by the Mouth of Hell' is released on September 27th via Century Media Records. Words: Jake Longhurst Photos: Heriot

Mysterious Portuguese duo Lord Sin prefer to keep their identities hidden and let the music speak for itself. On new record ‘Confessions’, they do just that. There’s a multitude of reasons as to why the experience of ‘Confessions’ is such a fluid yet lively listen, with each moment flowing from one to the other as if you’re living it whilst it occurs. The record was recorded in a way which is rare in today’s modern music industry - the guitars and drums were recorded by the duo in a single take, with extra instruments such as further guitar takes, bass, keys, and then eventually vocals all added on afterwards. So while the songs are of course planned and aren’t entirely improvised, there’s still that raw element of pure live playing and on-the-spot syncopation throughout. Recorded at Rock n Raw Studios in Alfornelos in March 2021 by Bruno Jorge, then later mixed and mastered by Ricardo Towkuhsh Rodrigues at ERRE Estudios in September 2022, Lord Sin’s approach makes for a unique and thoroughly exciting listen. That live recording process gives many wonderful little details such as at the beginning of ‘Negligent’, when you can hear a slight soft thud as the drummer gets ready to come in. Then there’s the extremely long, lingering ending of both ‘Guilt’ and ‘Regret’, with the guitar feedback reverberating through the amps. It all feels so live and real, with tiny moments like this that make the record really come to life, to the point that sometimes you can't help but feel as if you're sat in there with them. Musically, the album sits neatly in the psychedelic doom metal field, but with a few extra elements thrown in and at times a dark electronic vibe that adds a fresh flavour into it all. There’s some phenomenal black metal vocals throughout, at times reminiscent of early Cradle of Filth, although on ‘Living Sin’ we get to hear a different style of vocal delivery for the first time as the singer switches up the style and drops into speaking instead of growling during some of the verses. There’s also some beautifully ethereal, echo-drenched guitar noodling over the top in ‘The Presence’, a catchy guitar on ‘Negligence’ with smooth transitions between growls to more sung vocals tooffer a transcending listening experience, and a melodic, dark, swirling bassline on ‘Living Sin’ which is unexpectedly funky. Then there’s the church bell and organ introduction on ‘Guilt’ which shakes things up a bit and switches up the atmosphere, almost taking things into a creative, gothic horror landscape with a dark vampire Queen of the Damned feel, and lyrics telling a more fantasy driven tale compared to the others, but still with very relevant meaning that is rooted in the real world. Lyrically, the topics are very relatable – love, life, society, sin, death, guilt, regret – all things that listeners can connect to and topics that bleed out over the course of the album’s interesting lyrical content. There’s some very open, raw and honest moments too such as the line “I need you to hate me, but I love you” on opening track ‘Spectres’. Hypnotic, rhythmic and epic, there’s only 6 tracks on ‘Confessions’, but every one of them plays its part. With all of them longer than six minutes and one a whopping 12 minutes and 3 seconds, this is definitely album length – and the perfect length. Some bands of this style and genre make the mistake of creating overly long albums with 15 songs that drag on for nearly two hours. This, however, leaves listeners still wanting more without being overwhelmed. ‘Confessions’ is a fantastic record which the listener can connect with, the type of music that relaxes you deep down in your soul and keeps you coming back for more. 'Confessions' will be released on December 13th via Larvae Records. Words: Harley Lorna Photos: Lord Sin

London punk alt rock band Chubby and the Gang headlined the YES Pink Room in Manchester for the second to last show of their tour across Europe and the UK. Alongside them, opening the shows were indie rock band Jade Hairpins, delivering a belter of a 30 minute set which ensured everyone was on their feet and prepared for what was to come. This was Jade Hairpins’ second time playing the Pink Room, following their previous supporting set in February 2023, and the release of their latest album “Get Me The Good Stuff” which was released in September of this year. Having played the venue previously, the band took to the stage with confidence and charisma which shone throughout their performance and kept the crowd engaged, making sure to mention that “people who like what they hear can grab our album at the back, and for the people who don’t… our album is at the back”. The splashes of humor ensured there was no tension in the air and reminded those in attendance that the show was only just beginning and there would be more fun to come. While Somewhat contrasting to the music from Chubby themselves, there were still influences of punk prevalent in the Hairpins’ set, almost as a nod to two of the members’ other musical venture: Fucked Up. Overall, their setlist mostly comprised of songs from their newest release, including “My Feet on Your Ground” and “Drifting Superstition”, with a couple of songs from their debut album interspersed throughout, “Motherman” concluded their set and brought a full circle moment to their first release. Once it was Chubby and the Gang’s turn to hit the stage, the mega fans of the audience made themselves known, belting along to every word, right at the front with the man himself, Charlie Manning. This included newer songs such as “To Be Young” and “Cocaine Sunday” off their October release “And Then There Was…”, an album which was almost entirely a one man project from Manning, produced by Jade Hairpins own frontman, and Fucked Up drummer, Jonah Falco. The laughs continued between songs with Manning, on multiple occasions, expressing regret to the burger he ate before making it to the stage. As well as on stage banter with guitarist Charlie Wyatt joking about being a painter and decorator, concluding with “This is to everyone who calls us industry plants” before transitioning to the next song. This wouldn’t be the only dedication the band made, as another song “Bonnie Banks“ was made out to Manchester, despite the song being about London as the band had expressed how much northerners dislike Londoners. This brought the fun to the show that an audience can come to expect from seeing Chubby and the Gang perform. The atmosphere was incredible as the band played a mix of songs from each album, which ensured everyone got to hear their favourites, alongside their new music. The blend of songs also made it an overall thoroughly enjoyable set for everyone in attendance, with everyone leaving extremely satisfied, despite the gig ending earlier than typically expected with a 10pm finish. Words and Photos: Libby Percival

Anyone who has spent a decent enough time in the UK alt scene will be familiar with Enter Shikari. The band are famed for being outspoken in their beliefs of right and wrong, in their music and their message. Enter Shikari are just ‘that’ band, their icons in the scene and are contents completing side quests, from Rou joining War of The Worlds to the band’s involvement with St. Albans football team (their hometown), they’re never ones to stay in their lane. In this tour specifically, they had a charity drive to help with homelessness in Liverpool and have played a variety of smaller venues since the venue levy fund was introduced during their arena tour. Rou Reynolds (singer) is specifically outspoken in wanting to clean the waterways alongside his disdain for the worldwide system of control. Alongside this, the band always try to uplift other musicians and tend to bring along new supports to each tour to give more opportunities to uplift new music, for this tour it was Teenage Wrist who they chose to spotlight. Whilst Shikari are phenomenally talented musicians, their core message of openly fighting against the system with honesty and integrity is a huge draw for their fans. They believe in people power and that message is needed now more than ever in the current climate, thousands of fans screaming every word in Birmingham proved just how much so, between empowered speeches and the audience singing their hearts out, the passion and the frustration was palpable. No one can amp up a crowd like a strong message and killer breakdowns. Even people who don’t like their music often say they support Enter Shikari because of their message and what they stand for, the question is, will this be sustainable? Their popularity continues to grow with every album and every tour pretty much completely telling out, the demand is high, but with ticket prices continuing to rise, and with their popularity growing, will they inevitably succumb to the arena shows with arena prices? Going out on a limb, Shikari is one of the few bands that are worth it, they always put on a hell of a show. They are one of the best live bands out there, you can tell that they live and breathe their music with every fibre of their being, the passion and love for their craft exudes from them as they’re thrashing about onstage or interacting with fans. Enter Shikari is also one of the few bands that sound just as good live, but even better than them just sounding great, their lighting is always stellar, helping to create that overall experience and really make it a memorable concert for the ages. Experiencing ‘Bloodshot (Coda)/Bloodshot’ with an insane light display and even an added remix section is as close to a religious experience as you can get, really. They know what the fans want, their set is a perfect balance between new music and the classics that everyone wants to hear. The moment they take ‘Sorry, You’re Not A Winner’ off the setlist I fear there is something gravely wrong. If you missed this tour, you can catch them on the Main Stage (!!) at Reading and Leeds next year, and I don’t think it’ll be long before they’re even higher up the bill. Words and Photos: Ely King

We interrupt your regularly-scheduled brutal slamming heavy metal content to bring you live coverage of Pennsylvania hip-hop duo Joey Valence and Brae. On their abrasively loud European and North American tour, these Pokemon-Go playing hoodlums have recently been causing havoc shaking ass in venues across the UK. Live from the Basement of Manchester Academy, we give you a full account of the evening's ‘mighty-morphing’ proceedings; how they hit us with their punk tactics, entered their BRAT era and then decided to start a fight mid-set. Immensely sharp and staggeringly cool, Joey Valence and Brae have packed a punch in the alternative circles since their arrival on to the scene in 2021. Taking immediate sonic inspiration from Beastie Boys and Refused alike, they adorning outfits that flatter both Guy Fieri and Fred Durst in a flush street-wear kinda style. We accepted them into our circle when they released their debut album ‘Punk Tactics’ and when they played to the greebo crowd at Download in 2022, their set went down immensely well- in the same way that if by some miracle Andy Copping booked Vengaboys, it will be the single greatest thing to happen in modern metal. (Come on Live Nation- You know we love to party!) Starting off the friday night rave was Ewook, JVB’s Star Wars loving friend and dj who warmed up the crowd fantastically to the extent that they were throwing hands at club-style remixes of ‘Break Stuff’. In his fifteen minute set, Ewook cycled through song after song without a break throwing trance and house beats at The Cranberries and Oasis. As a regular opener for the duo, laying down the beats for his friends during their headline set, you wouldn’t have Joey Valence and Brae without Ewook. The dynamic duo arrived on the scene, throwing all the shapes they could to their song ‘THE BADDEST’. A track we were surprised to hear so soon, the crowd were absolutely feeling everything and giving it their all. The energy carried into ‘PACKAPUNCH’ a song that features serious rapper (and honorary member of the hardcore community) Danny Brown. Some respite from the action came with ‘DANCE NOW’, a moment to fully take in the momentous surroundings. Joey Valence and Brae had an infectiously positive stage presence and it made the whole atmosphere absolutely sick. With the invitation to join the Hooligang formally accepted by the audience, they raced through more fast paced hits, which both ‘STARTAFIGHT’ and ‘LIKE A PUNK’ opening the first and only mosh and circle pit of the night. Their reception went down so well that the audience started throwing Pokemon cards at them. You heard all your favourite lyric choices, including: “I feel like Michael Cera in his swag era”, “Call me Ben 10 because I own ten Benz” and “I’m a boss-bitch like Judge Judy”. However, the absolutely phenomenal “John Cena the way I bing chilling” was absent from the setlist. However they managed to fit in their Teen Titans epic ‘DELINQUENT’ which is the Charizard EX of JVB songs. ‘Crank It Up’ their first song the duo ever released went down greatly with the crowd into BFF hit ‘NO HANDS’. Throughout the entire set, Ewook was there to support his boys with new remixed versions of the songs and his little dances behind the decks. He is a truly underrated member of the JVB experience. Circling through their ‘365’ cover, Joey Valence and Brae extended Charli XCX’s BRATCHESTER welcome well into the fringes of the weekend. Heading towards the end of their set they decided to do what any good Limp Bizkit set would and play their best song twice. The second run through of ‘THE BADDEST’ was much more louder and unhinged than their first. With an oncore they finished with the almighty ‘PUNK TACTICS’ bringing a dazzling night to a close. Ultimately, Joey Valence and Brae, you are the baddest bitches in the club. Words: Amber Brooks Photos: Izzy Scott

An American punk who makes the most of her visits across the pond, vocalist Laura Jane Grace has been non-stop rock-and-rolling around the world. Since working on her solo catalogue with the release of her debut effort ‘Stay Alive’ and the more recent ‘Hole In My Head’, Grace hadn’t toured extensively outside of her native land of the United States until recently. With her back-up band The Trauma Tropes by her side, and support by rising British stars Pet Needs, Grace finally found the right time and on this cold winter night in Manchester, the right place. Pet Needs opened the night with a bang and a scream. A four-piece originating from Colchester in Essex, they brought the power of punk rock and the electricity of pure lightning from the first beat of the drum and first note of the guitar. The energy was sudden and the room was moving, grooving, jumping and bumping, and the excitement of the rest of the evening was one shared between both the group on stage and the fans standing before them. Frontman Johnny Marriott was the ring-leader in this mutual bond forming as strong as it had; especially when sharing tour stories. Talking about activities such as drinking coffee in France, eating pizza in Italy, and introducing Laura Jane Grace to what he considered the most faithful example of British culture: a meal at Toby Carvery. Marriott and the rest of the group are what the British punk scene should be all about. Loud music, jumping for joy, full belly laughter and chanting about the best parts of living in the UK. Punk rock isn’t punk rock without a smile on one’s face and hands hanging in the air. Pet Needs was the very start of the festivities, and with Marriott’s great encouragement, the welcome could not have been warmer for Laura Jane Grace and the Trauma Tropes. With Grace’s trademark charisma and the talent shared within her fellow musicians on the stage, the main event kicked off with a range of new tracks. Opening with the semi-emotional ‘Walls’, the oh-so-relatable ‘WW3’ and the one that Grace labelled as one of her most personally penned pieces, ‘I Love To Get High’, it was an example of the singer’s multi-faceted process of writing what she knew. Living a life of ups and downs, big obstacles and small victories, Grace learnt how to channel her feelings and thoughts in the way of writing music that reflected her views. From serious topics such as authoritarianism in government, to more personalised and tailored views on the capitalistic takeover of pride events, to even processing religious trauma with the pondering of God’s external appendages and how they are used. Throw them in with tongue-in-cheek lyrics and a heavy guitar riff each, and Grace had found the sound that would define their career and thousands of her fans’ lives and experiences. Along with the brand new solo songs being given the spotlight for the first time in the north-western city, Grace threw it back to the past with a collection of Against Me! tracks. This included the fan-favourite pairing of ‘Black Me Out’ and ‘True Trans Soul Rebel’ - both hits taken from the critically acclaimed ‘Transgender Dysphoria Blues’ - which got the room erupting in singing, screams and cheers, flooding alongside appropriately blue and pink stage lights. Laura Jane Grace will always leave a legacy as being one of the first punk icons in the industry to come out as transgender, and has inspired many others in and outside of the music world to take the same steps and live their happiest and most authentic lives. In that tiny room, with gatherings and gatherings of fans, there was no mistaken there were members of the queer community who were not just singing along to the songs, but feeling every note and believing every word they were throwing back into the air. Punk is not dead. Punk isn’t even dying. Punk just waits for the right places and right times to pop out and bring in the communities that need to come together the most in that instant. Laura Jane Grace always finds a way to pull this off, and on that chilly night on that one Manchester street, everyone found that push to keep going that they needed - even if they didn’t know they needed it. Words: Jo Cosgrove Photos: Ely King

It might be late in the day, but don’t look too fast to the new year - December 2024 is still full of surprises, with bands dropping some heavy hitting releases. Amongst them is KIR, an astonishing pair from Kraków, Poland, composed of Ferment (Guitars, Bass) and Harvest (Vocals), who are accompanied by Krzysztof Klingbein joining as a session drummer. Shortly, you’ll be able to jump into their debut album entitled 'L’appel du vide', which is French for 'the call of the void'. This opus is a 31 minute journey through urban isolation, human frailty, and despair. KIR does not shy away from raw emotion and intense feelings, dragging us in by the collar from the first note. The opening track 'DestinationVoid' is also the shortest, but acts as a much-needed stepping stone into KIR’s universe. It brilliantly sets the scene in a dream-like fervor, making us wonder what is real or not. This nutshell of the chaos of the human experience is a carefully curated piece, featuring field recordings the band have taken in Kraków’s streets. It is blurred and mixed, almost static-like, guiding us towards a gritty sound and distorted strings. The ending brings us into 'Monument' seamlessly, stretching time and space. The coherence between end and beginning makes you question where one song starts and the other ends. At least, it does until we're abruptly hit by powerful guitars and Harvest’s erratic vocals. It may be the shortest song after the intro but it carries its name well, being truly monumental. There is no time to breathe, it's heavy and busy from the start with not a second to spare. However, there's no moment to get used to it as changes in tempo keep surprising us with new hypnotising rhythms, constantly switching up our expectations. Masterfully done tremolo riffs stun us in place in a high skill demonstration. This impactful start is, according to the band, “capturing the monotony and futility felt by society’s restless masses”. Harvest injects into this song his own personal experiences from working night shifts in the city life. His guttural notes bring an end to the song with a rawness that is clearly from the core. Those characteristic heavy screams come back in 'Znów', the Polish for 'again', which sets together a fascinating pair of black and death vocals. As we were kept on our toes by the instrumentation in the previous song, it's now the turn of the vocals to do so in an impressive display of range. The song runs at a devastating pace, with a brutal performance on the drums by Krzysztof Klingbein, throughout a song that feels like stepping into an invocation or ritual, with the chant carrying us to the end. 'Nów', meaning 'new moon' in Polish, reinforces that hauntingly dark atmosphere in a slight play on words. There is no slowing down, even at the end of the track, only a tantalising fade-out that works to transition back into the atmosphere we we found in the intro, albeit with a sense of changing frequencies and loading of the next steps. 'Eter' takes over with melodic, rolling riffs. It carries a different weight, taking elements from doom to pass on this deep rhythm. Strong, heavy drums kick off the vocals like a signal. They burst into long screams, held and reverberating through the back - all of it a metaphor for the echoing streets of a city in lockdown. In the band’s words “the track plays with contrasts: comfort and discomfort, belief and disillusionment, each layer embodying the chaotic tension between belonging and alienation.” The album has built up and up, each track growing in stature, sound, and even in length as each song is a bit longer than the one before, up until the grand finale that is "Apoptosis". Indulge us as we get into the meaning behind the word. Apoptosis is used in Greek to describe the fall of petals from flowers, or leaves from trees, but is also a form of programmed cell death. The title of the song itself, therefore, carries a beautiful double entendre, a reflection oscillating between natural, poetic and physical endings. It runs with the beat of marching drums. It is a rage-filled lament, calling out listeners and itself. It has not come to terms with its own finality. KIR brings us a beautifully dark and human form of black metal, unafraid of incorporating elements from other genres or of life itself in an experimental move. “L’appel du vide” holds up a mirror to ourselves and the society we live in. It has an undeniable catharsis, and a raw power that transcends music. If you’re looking to be heard, to find kindred spirits in a universal experience crossing languages and genres, don’t miss this gripping debut LP. 'L'appel du vide' will be released on December 6th by GODZ OV WAR PRODUCTIONS. Words: Lysandre Pons Photos: KIR