When the trio THE HARA formed nine years ago, neither the band nor the fans expected the project to become one of the most influential bands of modern British rock. Yet here they are, touring not only around their home country, but swiftly taking over Europe as well. Formed by JOSH TAYLOR (vocals), ZACK BREEN (guitars) and JACK KENNEDY (drums), the Manchester-natives already have few albums under their belt, and the freshest of them all - The Fallout, was welcomed to the world with two release shows in London and Manchester. Supported on the night by London-based PARADISE FELL., the night was unique from the beginning. The nu-rock trio PARADISE FELL. was welcomed on the stage immediately and managed to keep the enthusiasm from the start of their set until the end. Although the venue was not packed for their performance, it did not stop them from putting on a big show, or at least as big as they could have done, as their set was not that long. Vocalist MATTY BANKHURST kept the audience amazed with his vocals while the guitarist HARRY ACREMAN shredded his guitar with captivating riffs and the drummer PAUL WHITE nailed every beat. Taking the audience through some of their songs like NADIYA., overdose. and SUFFOCATE., the band showed off masterfully their talent and works, and it was certain that the crowd loved their music. After their thirty-minute long set, the band received well-deserved applause and cheers, and went onto making a space for the star of the night. Right when the lights went out for the second time of the night, it was obvious that what the venue was hosting was not just an ordinary concert. Dressed all in suits - that gradually disappeared as the night went on - TAYLOR, BREEN and KENNEDY took over the stage in an instant and the crowd went absolutely feral. The trio decided to start the night off with few fan-favourites, before diving into the new record, and it was a choice well made, as the fans sang all the songs word by word while being hypnotised by the energy emitted from the band. From an early moshpit to TAYLOR jumping into the crowd to surf, there were only a handful of things that could have surpassed the beginning of the performance. But that moment striked once the trio started playing yet unreleased songs from The Fallout. From Psycho Killer, to Bury Me, to one of the most engaging songs live, Intergalactic Sabotage, the new record brought many surprising moments and it was obvious the fans absolutely loved every single second of it. Once it was time to bid farewell to THE HARA, the room transformed into a massive wall of death followed by a brutal moshpit, joined by TAYLOR, creating one of the most unforgettable moments of the night. If there is anything THE HARA can do spectacularly, it is with no doubt their live shows. The album release night felt more personal than ever thanks to the band’s engagement with the crowd and throughout the night it was evident the trio was grateful for every single one of their fans who came to see them and support them. Paired up with the force to reckon with PARADISE FELL., the night could not be any better than it was. Words: Katerina Stepanikova Photos: Ace Cheng

SICK JOY return with their unforgettable and instantly recognisable grungy sound and heartfelt lyrics with new album More Forever. Twelve songs took shape over the course of a year, written between an attic in Newcastle and a lock‑up on the outskirts of Brighton, later being recorded in a remote Spanish studio. Lyrically dark and touching on themes of systemic harm, grief, and survival, and accompanied by abrasive industrial tones with thunderous drum work, More Forever builds on the bands established sound, but shows growth with an additional depth and complexity; echoing the sound of their debut We're All Gonna F*ing Die. More Forever opens with Back At The Beginning, a short instrumental track, with a single guitar beat that ends with a glitchy overlay. Lead single All Damage plunges the listeners straight into the distinctly rough‑edged, grunge‑laden soundscape, with lyrics that trace the pull of unconscious damage and the longing for absolution. The track is laden with synths and guitars and vocalist MYKL BARTON delivers his distinctive drawl throughout. Follow up single Nothing Good teases the listener with a soft piano opening and even softer vocals, but is a dark, brutal track, with a driving drum rhythm, and lyrics that explore cause and effect, alongside loss. Anything Goes leans into the newer, more electronic sounding beat that SICK JOY present from More Forever. For listeners familiar with the band, the track is reminiscent of Hyperdermic Sunshine, with a huge chorus backed by quieter verses, that strikes with intent. With lyrics “If I can use it/I will abuse it” repeated throughout the track, the narrative of meeting your shadow head on and resisting the lure of denial lands heavily. The vibes delivered also feel very late NINE INCH NAILS influenced. Fourth single Cinnamon Burn is another track that starts softly, but then crashes into a weight‑loaded, anthemic chorus. It’s clearly a song for the broken hearted listener, with themes of just not knowing when to quit weaved throughout, in lyrics like “My hope is dangerous it’s all I’ve got/Your dirty golden and deep down heart/I’ll tell myself a lie to survive/I’ll tear myself apart to survive”. It’s a perfect example of the natural progression of SICK JOY’s sound, where they have taken what they are at the core, and made it heavier, and to some extent, more unsettling. As arguably the softest track on the album, Gone Missing delivers more electronic beats and industrial edges, again returning to a NINE INCH NAILS-esque sound, but this time more akin to The Downward Spiral. Here We Are, Somewhere Liminal is the second instrumental track on More Forever; it’s reminiscent of the opener, consisting of a simple guitar with an electronic, static-y overlay. Stockholm Flavour returns to the earlier theme of tracks with crushing drums and synths, with strong, smashing chorus, with BARTON asking an unknown force for constant reassurance, with lyrics like “Tell me you won’t let me down/Tell me you can see me now” and asking “Is it love or something darker?”. The lyrics to recently released track Video Game (which has an incredible 8-bit music video) present the metaphor of trying and trying again, with BARTON describing the song as “a recount of watching another version of myself die. It’s grief. It’s spite. It’s a persistence. It’s moving forward whilst looking back. It’s telling all the secrets I’ve been keeping from myself to the world”. Video Game is potentially the best example on More Forever of how SICK JOY’s sound has evolved but is still immediately recognisable as them. If there was a track that didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the album, it would be Strawberries Cigarettes. It’s not a track that stands out from the rest; it has a more generic alternative rock sound, with the added element of a piano, but the vocals and lyrics are as well‑crafted as the rest of the album. Somebody Else returns to the heavier sound from earlier on in the track run, with BARTON voice punching through with another anthemic chorus. Death Scene (More Forever) is an explosive closing track; heavy drums, heavy synths and BARTON recognisable tones. With the repetition of the album name throughout the track, there’s no way you can forget what you’ve just listened to. More Forever is an album full of unflinching honesty. The more industrial sound that SICK JOY have adopted cuts through the loud, immediately gripping choruses, and collides with the thunderous percussion, wrapped in razor‑edged synths. SICK JOY are a band that are in a constant state of reinvention, but each iteration only improves on the one before it. More Forever is the new heavier, sharper, and far more haunted version of SICK JOY; it’s the band at their expansive and most vulnerable and is an album not to be missed. Score: 8/10 More Forever will be released on 30th January via SO Recordings Words: Lou Viner-Flood Photos: Steve Gullick

As London’s winter winds blow, there’s clearly only one place on everybody’s mind as hundreds of people converge on the New Cross Inn for three days of mayhem. Reality Unfolds has treated us very well over the years, and that hasn’t changed one bit. With a lineup that has a particularly large volume of hardcore this year, it’s certainly not one for the lighthearted, but those moshers who need to get their blood pumping after a lethargic Christmas will know their way here like the back of their hand. REGRESS Opening the whole weekend up was REGRESS, a London hardcore band on the fantastic Rucktion Records. Their label mates AGENCY are heading to South London for the Saturday of the festival, so there’s plenty of Rucktion love to go around - and the sound of LHC was received most gratefully. Playing all of their recently released self-titled debut EP, the crowd was behind them the whole way and they revelled in it. BREAK THEM Following up from that excellent start was BREAK THEM, a UKHC band based in Peterborough. Summing our thoughts up perfectly early in the set, the vocalist remarked “What a lovely day.” Wise words. Whilst the crowd wasn’t quite as active for their entire set, their cover of LIMP BIZKIT’s Break Stuff - entirely predictably - had plenty of people moving and singing along, and their finisher, a cover of MACHINE HEAD’s Davidian no less, went down even better, prompting plenty of moshers to jump into the pit and throw some elbows. CASKET FEEDER Taking a slight turn away from the pure hardcore sound, the third act to play was CASKET FEEDER. The British-based band had a small dose of UKHC groove mixed into a big bowl of Swedish death metal, and whilst it can’t be said that they’re pushing the envelope particularly far, they had more than enough riffs and blast beats to go around for the duration. NEGATIVE FRAME Marking the back half of the evening’s entertainment, the almighty NEGATIVE FRAME stepped up to bat next and, as expected, were nothing if not stellar. Whipping the crowd into a frenzy, the metalcore/hardcore combination that they’re so good at was demonstrated wonderfully for all in attendance, showing off their home of The Coming Strife with aplomb. This would not be the only time most of the act played this evening though, although the ferocity they ripped through their set with would have you wondering if they even planned to finish their own! ARKANGEL Finally came the evening’s headliners, and Reality Unfolds delivered another knock out blow as Belgium’s ARKANGEL offered up a truly evil finish to the night. With ghoulish screams galore, riffs with more teeth than a shark, and a drummer who grinned like a man who was far too excited to watch chaos unfold in front of his eyes, they ran rampant and ripped the roof right off the Inn. Legends of the underground in their own right, the band made the stage their own and ruled over the venue like kings, performing their roles and playing their instruments with pin-point precision, all the while unleashing hell incarnate from their amps. BULLET Those next two days started with a similar level of intensity, as BULLET ran amok across the stage to start the weekend off, and despite not having one note of music out anywhere they still levelled the place. The fun they performed with was incredibly easy to see, and mercifully they are going into the studio shortly, so it won’t be long until we can hear them everywhere! AGENCY Following them was the fantastic AGENCY, who are - even after having played a single digit number of shows - a force to be reckoned with. They played like an act years into their career, and are putting out music that has a similar level of experience behind it. Beyond worth catching if you can, an early-career AGENCY set has every chance of being the stuff of legend a few years down the line. MINDLESS With a difficult set to follow, MINDLESS nonetheless came out swinging and were fantastic. The single greatest compliment a hardcore band can have is that they got the one audience member with their arm in a sling two-stepping, moshing, and jumping into the crowd, which was a great watch even whilst others were crawling past them! Plenty of people got up and at it for some Kent hardcore, and deservedly so. RESCUE CAT It was then time for a band from a bit further afield, as Italy’s RESCUE CAT showed us how it’s done on the continent. On their first ever UK tour, they played like animals and likely guaranteed their next UK tour, with their hardcore/emoviolence sound riling up all watchers. The drumming was particularly fantastic, and the variety of sounds they referenced and used was exquisite. XAPOTHECARYX Afterwards came a band we’ve seen before at Reality Unfolds , during the 2024 edition of the event - XAPOTHECARYX have ruined stages up and down the country, and the straight-edge vegan crew did the same again on day two of this year’s event. An act that always pulls up and shows others how it’s done, they put on a masterclass. BELIEVE IN NOTHING It was only right, thereby, to follow up a potently powerful display of hardcore with something completely different - cue BELIEVE IN NOTHING. This relatively new project put out their mindwrenchingly hefty debut Rot last year, and the bubbling mixture of sludgy nastiness, doom, and death metal is even more viscerally uncomfortable and cathartic in the flesh. A fascinating live show that pulls the audience into proceedings, the band was spectacular, and need to be seen to be believed. HARROWED It was a return to hardcore with HARROWED then taking over, although like the band preceding them they too had a taste of sludge in their sound, albeit their live show was much more confrontational and in-your-face than the discomforting slowness of that before. To sum up their live sound in a few words, it’s around about the sonic equivalent of bashing your head on an anvil. Nasty. CALCINE Another act from abroad claimed the mic next, Paris’ CALCINE, who blend hardcore and metalcore with stabs of mathcore mayhem to make for a searing sound both on record and live. The Church Road Records-based band put on a show that was received very well, and are absolutely a gem of the scene. ENDLESS SWARM The most serious band on the bill came next, as Scotland’s ENDLESS SWARM brought powerviolence to the Reality Unfolds stage. Subtle as ever, they made sure to remind us just what we were listening to between each song, with a small yell of “Scottish powerviolence!” each stop. They don’t often travel this far south, so their insane energy, headstands, and total drum disassembly were all very enjoyable to partake in. SPLITKNUCKLE Finally, headliners SPLITKNUCKLE, the kings of Essex, rocked up to blast the room to smithereens and round off Saturday in style. They’ve been going for a decade and still keep getting better every time - and nastier too. Their London style hardcore had movement from note one with plenty of crowdkilling, moshing aplenty, and all sorts of goings on in the pit. SUNDAY BEST Finally, day three began. Screamo Sunday, as a few of us affectionately named it, was exactly that - a bill primarily of acts from all over the screamo map, so who better to kickstart the day than a screamo band named after Sunday? SUNDAY BEST became the antidote to more than a couple of hangovers, playing a brand of music that pulled from the emo and alt rock end of the genre as much as from traditional screamo. The queer, POC, DIY band had bags of energy and showed us all how to shake off the tiredness for the final day. AFRAID TO DIE Reality Unfolds has a time-honoured tradition of breaking a new bands’ duck each year, and this year it was the time of AFRAID TO DIE to make their debut. Playing the kind of hardcore that POISON THE WELL might write, it was a savage set that will live long in the memory. The crowd bought in completely, despite not one person knowing the songs, and made it a stellar debut. I'M SORRY EMIL Screamo Sunday resumed with one of the most exciting young bands on the scene, I’M SORRY EMIL, who were surely one of the best acts of the weekend. A softer brand of screamo than most bands on the bill, theirs was a hypnotic, emotional set that had the room utterly enthralled. CASSUS had the touch job of following on, but their raw, aggressive brand of screamo contrasted fantastically and had plenty of onlookers rapidly getting back involved in the pit. CROWQUILL CROWQUILL’s northern mathcore/hardcore blend started the last stretch off, and their frantic performance earned themselves a veritable treasure trove of pit action. The finer details of their set, such as their squealing pic scrapes, had fans baying for more. KID, FERAL KID, FERAL took their place onstage afterwards, and the Swedish screamo crew were fantastic in both following on from and setting up for two much more aggressive sets, with their relatively tamer tunes still hitting right in the centre of the chest. TEMPLE GUARD TEMPLE GUARD’s balaclava’d look was amongst the first things most of the crowd noticed as they began the penultimate set of the entire festival, before their blunt force riffs shook the building and had elbows going at full force into various moshers. The brutish nature of their music acted as a foil to the final band, and gave the room one final go to get every ounce of energy out via flailing, two-stepping, or stagediving, in whatever direction they fancied. BONEFLOWER Finally, it was that time - the last headliner on the last day of a furious weekend of music. Madrid’s BONEFLOWER rose to the occasion, performing a beautiful set of anguished music that tore at the heartstrings and uplifted in equal measure. With plenty of tracks represented from their recent album REVERIES, it was a set to behold, each new song being rewarded with hoots, cheers, clapping, and pure adulation. A fitting headliner, and a perfect way to cap off a sensational weekend of heavy music. We’ll see you next year, Reality Unfolds. Words: Jasmine Longhurst Photos: Artemi Falzon

JOYCE MANOR has always thrived on compression; not just short songs, but compressed emotions and ideas, whole messy inner lives flattened into something you can shout along to in under two minutes. I Used To Go To This Bar leans fully into that instinct, arriving as another blink-and-you’ll-miss-it record that still feels considered, self-aware, and quietly confident in what the band does best. Clocking in at nine tracks with not a single one crossing the three-minute mark, the album continues a trajectory that JOYCE MANOR has been refining for well over a decade. There’s no grand stylistic pivots here, no late-career attempts at reinvention. Opener I Know Where Mark Chen Lives sets the tone immediately, barrelling in with stiff, no-nonsense urgency. There’s something in its momentum that recalls the pop-punk/emo sound of the early 2000s, not unlike the kinetic rush of FALL OUT BOY’s Take This To Your Grave, though JOYCE MANOR brings a little more abrasion and far less theatricality. It’s a door-kicker of a track, designed to grab you by the collar and drag you into the record without ceremony. All My Friends Are So Depressed is a perfect example of the precise balancing act happening in this album. Lyrically, it’s bleak, brushing up against lines that are uncomfortable in their bluntness. Musically, though, it’s almost buoyant, driven by a melody that feels oddly warm and danceable. The irony is wholly intentional, dressing up despair as something you can sing along to with your arm around a friend’s shoulder. It’s one of the album’s most relatable moments, capturing the strange coexistence of dark humour, resignation, and genuine concern that runs through so much of our everyday life. The title track stands out as it feels especially open and direct, with a communal quality that suggests JOYCE MANOR are still very much writing with live rooms in mind. There’s a sense of warm but vaguely somber nostalgia in this track, making it sound like the perfect addition to a coming-of-age movie soundtrack. Elsewhere, the band allow themselves small tonal shifts without ever breaking the record’s overall cohesion. After All You Put Me Through carries a slightly dreamy quality, its softer edges offering a brief exhale amid the rest of the record. The Opossum flirts with a more rootsy feel despite its velocity, while Well, Don’t It Seem Like You’ve Been Here Before? leans into repetition and routine as thematic material, reinforcing the album’s sense of weary familiarity. By the time closer Grey Guitar rolls around, the album is already gone, leaving behind a familiar mix of catharsis, fatigue, and the nagging urge to hit play again. If there’s a challenge with this album, it’s that the tracks aren’t overtly shocking or dramatic, so individual moments don’t always leap out immediately. A couple of the songs may blur together on first pass, especially with their short lengths, though one could argue that this is a record specifically designed to be taken as a whole over and over again, with its impact accumulating through repetition, not spectacle. Despite this, I Used To Go To This Bar might be one of JOYCE MANOR’s catchiest releases. The songs are short, straightforward, and often deceptively simple, but they’re built to linger. This isn’t music interested in complexity for its own sake; there’s no need for sprawling arrangements or layers upon layers of instrumentation when the core ideas land this cleanly. Sometimes two minutes and a strong hook are more than enough. Score: 7/10 I Used To Go To This Bar will be released on January 30th 2026 via Epitaph Records. Words: Zuzanna Pazola Photos: Dan Monick

Justin Hawkins Rides Again was wonderful midweek entertainment, full of games, gossip, and the platforming of local music. The bulk of the evening was spent discussing music, which in the first half manifested in a discussion of the best and worst of songwriting conventions. For the best, Hawkins mused on “three chords and the truth”, using Dead Flowers by The Rolling Stones as an example for how telling of the worst aspects of oneself can create music that captivates. To this end, he performed a gentle acoustic track he had written over Christmas - a heartfelt reflection on watching someone falling out of love with you, accompanied by personal friend Ian Norfolk. For the worst, Hawkins ranted about major to minor key changes and their use to change a song's mood to sad: he used the trope as the first audience game where the Fire Station were told to shout at him when he did the key change. This section was especially entertaining as he started bickering with the rest of the guitar players in the room while he tried to teach those not in the know what the different chords he was playing were. While no one seemed to guess the changes correctly, the buzz in the room from attempting was addictive, and there was an intimate energy in Hawkins shouting about chords to the standing balcony that felt like having a cigarette with performers who’ve just played an open mic. In the second half, the musical discussion was an interview with the frontman of Sunderland’s own indie rock duo, Field Music - David Brewis. Hawkins looked adoringly as he sat down in the leather pants Brewis promised he’d wear for the live show. The interview itself mainly concerned their creative process as a band, which Brewis explained as breaking down tracks to their bare bones to identify and reimagine their best elements. Brewis also remarked on the heavy influence of The Beatles on their early work rather than the power chords dominant in their 90s rock contemporaries. To this end, they joked, their first two albums were written with very few drum parts on the first beat, making it easy to weed out drummers when it was time to tour. Brewis himself was happy to be there, if a little deprecating about Field Music, whether it was remarking about how easy it is to have least favourites when looking back on old songs or joking that they were aiming for George Harrison but landed at Cardiacs. Despite this, the chemistry between the two was bromantic, with Brewis grinning ear to ear for the duration of his stage time and Hawkins creating a long compilation of his favourite Field Music songs as part of the introduction. The striking thing about Justin Hawkins' live was the charisma that emanated from him as he chattered away on the fire station stage. Standing relaxed behind the microphone in his signature leather trousers, a flowing white slightly ruffled shirt and a fetching scarf-tie he opened the evening with a VT of his youtube setup, complete with a framed photo of Robbie Williams and himself, a lifesize cutout of David Hoffman, and two copies of a pirate bodice ripper with a suspicious amount of tissues that introduced the humour of the evening. Hawkins was full of personality with the touch of cheek to be expected from any self-respecting queer person, shown clearly in his chosen punchline this tour - Gary Barlow. The first comments on Gary Barlow were that of conspiracy, mainly that he was using the Bee Gees’ Barry Gibb as a ghostwriter. The reasoning? He’s not good enough to have written Back for Good, and covering How Deep Is Your Love so soon after is proof of the quid pro quo. “They’ll have to prove me wrong”, Hawkins grins as he settles into the chatter portion of the set. The next shot was at his autobiography, dramatically reading the beginning page and a page from the end of a chapter at the end of the first part. The latter part landed better, where Hawkins reenacts Barlow falling in his chair before finishing the segment with a string of food-related renames of Take That songs. The first part was a straight reading of the first page, where Barlow recounts an instance of his bulimia, read in a nasally impression by Hawkins, who opens the segment with enjoying character stories starting at the lowest. While funny, watching this segment without the knowledge of Hawkins’ own bulimia was a little jarring - the catty jokes at the beginning about being bigger and smaller than him were ambled over and didn’t quite make the point. This said - the passages were badly written. Otherwise, Hawkins came across as genuine, be it in his animated passion for music or when recounting drafts from the autobiography in the works. The crowd chose the first - a story of a 5ish-year-old Hawkins realising he had skids in his underwear after an accident so had fashioned them into a speedo for a later PE lesson so nobody would notice, then bridging the gap with a joke about getting it from both sides when questioned about the incident before reciting draft number two, a raunchy yet honest few pages concerning the fledgling years of his bisexuality. Contrasting his own work with Barlow's was cheeky in itself, though offset with a joking admission of the ghostwriter he’s hired, who went to school with him. The main area that his personality shone through, though, was because of the participation of the mackems in the fire station. Be it the group “whey!” after Hawkins remarked that the only thing wrong with his last live tour was that it wasn’t in Sunderland (easy bet), or the heckles that punctuated every segment. In the first half, it was the reminder that Robbie Williams made him famous, or the guy who suggested that the calling card for when he did a major to minor change should be “Justin wants to f*ck me!” One heckler got nervous and punctuated his comment with “Love you Justin!” to which Hawkins' automatic response of “love you too!” stopped him from wishing profanity on the audience member By the second, the hecklers were their own segment, starting with the same guy who had the suggestion in the major to minor segment, stopping the interview segment to plead with Hawkins to override his removal from The Fire Station after complaints from those around him. “Not my problem”, Hawkins figured, then immediately got heckled about the amount of money The Masked Singer made him - enough for a new Porsche, he admitted without skipping a beat. It was almost like watching a stand-up, with musical gossip woven in. To close out the evening was a connections game, which saw Hawkins playing music videos and covering parts of songs for the audience to guess the connection between them. The winner was given slippers from the hotel they were staying in - a satisfying callback to the interview Hawkins showed earlier, where he’d rocked up the BBC studios in the slippers from that hotel. As Hawkins played Norfolk, now donned in a spandex leotard and bomber jacket, danced around the stage to a chorus of giggles. As for the connections, the first took a little time for someone to get, but the second two, both being on The Lost Boys soundtrack, had so many people shouting that Hawkins was left slapping the slippers against his head to work out who earned them. For the final connection, there were some chord issues that managed to end in a small rendition of Surprise! Surprise! By Cilla Black in her voice. The final call was the whole crowd singing a few verses of American Pie with Hawkins while Norfolk pretended to slap his arse in the background, and with a flare of the introductory flamenco hand, the show was over. Justin Hawkins Rides Again was an intellectual cabaret full of character - Hawkins' love of music was the passion that drove an evening of laughter and an intimate feeling show that had Sunderland leaving Fire Station still giggling. It was great to see Hawkins spending time on the local music of the areas that he’s in, and we can only hope the hotel didn’t fine him for stealing all their slippers. Words: Julia Brunton Photos: Sarah Barlex

A little way out of London’s bustling centre, at a venue called The Dome, a show of a most particular style was going on. The industrial trio of YOUTH CODE, KING YOSEF and STREET SECTS were collectively up to bat, with their intention being no more and no less than ensuring the full room could all come together and enjoy a night of intensity, of strobe lighting and abrasive squeals, of aggressive pulsating beats and melancholic groans, and most of all a night of fun. Texan duo STREET SECTS were the openers on the night, and their high-energy industrial sound pushed the energy up immediately. Incorporating elements of ‘80s goth, as well as plenty of inspiration from industrial acts of the same time, the intensity was through the roof. Strobe lights and rapid-fire bass and drums were the order of the evening for them, and the crowd loved it - especially during big hit And I Grew Into Ribbons. As far as their supporting slot goes, they were a perfect fit both sonically and energetically, and set the tone perfectly for what was to come. Next up was KING YOSEF - a solo act with a support band, TAYVES YOSEF PELLETIER combines the soundscapes of industrial music with hardcore’s raw intensity, and on top of all that even has splashes of influence from the realms of rap and hip-hop to boot. His set felt like it could easily have been a support slot for the mighty KNOCKED LOOSE, and the ferocity he performed with matched that of any act within hardcore. As he played the likes of Cut the Cord and VI Coactus, he held the entire audience within the palm of his hand whilst raining pure sonic fury upon us all. Finally came the headline act, the unstoppable juggernaut of sound that is YOUTH CODE. The sheer menace with which their set unfolds is not to be understated - a band that must be experienced live to fully grasp the intent within their music, tracks new and old were received with equal delight from an adoring crowd; the decade-old For I Am Cursed went down with as much enjoyment as the recent No Consequence immediately afterwards. Each track came and went with gusto, and when KING YOSEF made his way onstage to perform a number of tracks from the joint-release A Skeleton Key In The Doors Of Depression, it marked the high-point in a night full of sensational performances. With each act somehow bettering the one before, this tour package was one for the ages. The savage industrial intensity from all three was phenomenal, and the slight variations between each only served to highlight the brilliance of all three performances. A fantastic evening of pummelling noise, that will surely be tough to top all year. Words: Jasmine Longhurst Photos: Kristy Eighteen

If you haven’t heard the name HANABIE. by now, you need your ears checked. The Japanese metal four-piece have been making quite the name for themselves - so much so that they’ve pioneered their way into an entirely new genre, something they call “harajuku-core”. They’re a cute-but-deadly storm of high-speed metal, bubbly idol pop and frenzied hardcore, and their new EP 「HOT TOPIC」is the perfect showcase for the unique energy they bring. ICONIC brings us in with the ring of a phone call, and on the other end are some groovy trap beats that fade in and out of the background, a clear build-up to the chorus: a catchy chant of “I am me, iconic, you know?” - a repeated mantra reaffirming the best descriptor we can think of for the band. The next few minutes show us exactly why HANABIE. have earned that status, with YUKINA’s guttural growls, and MATSURI’s clean, harmonious melodies covering both sides of the metalcore vocal spectrum with ease. It’s a really strong start to the EP, and tells us exactly what to expect with 「HOT TOPIC」. Spicy Queen soon leaves ICONIC in the dust, the band pressing pedal-to-the-metal and setting off on a high-octane track we can barely keep up with. The vocals are intense, a relentless rap bringing us into tune packed with energy that never once stops to let us catch our breath. The hypnotic bassline, courtesy of HETTSU, is a huge standout in this track, especially memorable as it competes against the fiery guitar rhythms. Soon,トキメキAbout you arrives on the scene to follow, asking us “Are you ready?” before leading us into a track that puts HANABIE.’s usual formula into a blender and pours out a chaotic mix of elements - we get J-pop rap segments, colourful pop choruses, deathcore-style roars, and that’s just in the vocals. Also in this explosive cocktail are some electric axe riffs, and heart-pounding drums that keep our hearts racing the whole time. GIRL’S TALK is another nitro-fuelled beast of a track, with MATSURI dragging us behind her in the wake of her lightning-fast guitar. The lyrics are extremely fitting of the song’s atmosphere - the dual-vocalists sing about a long-time-coming reunion for some girl’s talk, a night filled with shots of whiskey, hot gossip, and dancing the night away; we can picture ourselves having the same type of evening with this track blasting in the background. The fifth and final track, はなびえんちゃん。のテーマ - loosely translated as 'Hanabie-chan.’s Theme' - is something entirely different to what we’ve heard before, which makes it perfect to close off this EP. It’s a fun, catchy theme that leans fully into the facade that HANABIE. hide behind; a bubbly Japanese idol girl-group. We can picture this as an anime-style intro for the band, each member with their own cutesy, colourful design, only for them to segue into their incendiary metalcore riffs and their sugar-filled hyperpop beats and burn that image into ash to reveal the true, raw power of HANABIE. 「HOT TOPIC」carries some of the band’s best work, with clear standouts in Spicy Queen and GIRL’S TALK. This EP perfectly encapsulates what’s iconic about HANABIE.; they’re a molotov cocktail mixed with sugary-sweet idol pop choruses, contrasted with spicy drops of metalcore riffage, blended into a base of fizzy, frenzied rap segments, waiting to explode. This release may be short, but it’s packed with enough flavour to leave us wanting more. Score: 9/10 「HOT TOPIC」will be released on 28th January 2026 via Sony Music. Words: Naomi Colliar Duff Photos: HANAIBIE.

From across the pond American progressive metalcore band BORN OF OSIRIS are back in London for the first time since early 2024. Making their way around the UK on their Europe tour, offering more than twenty shows, they took a stop at one of the most iconic venues in London when it comes to the alternative scene, The Underworld Camden. Just approaching the venue you could see long beards and battle jackets gathering and talking about the upcoming show. Having formed in 2003 the band are more than experienced with hundreds of live shows under their belt. This tour comes off the back of their 2025 seventh studio album release Through Shadows, taking their tour around the world to perform a balanced mix of brand new songs along with good oldies, pleasing every fan old and new. Before that of course they had three warm up acts ready to give the crowd a night full of metal calamity. First to storm the stage was LARCɆNIA ROɆ, the deathcore band who have travelled all the way from the USA to play this tour. The group only started releasing music in 2024 but have garnered a pretty big following and their lack of experience does not at all show in their live shows. Deathmetal is a broad genre but by definition you would not expect these guys to have you jumping and shaking your ass. As they played their set you could see more and more people drawn in from the bar area of the venue, enticed by their catchy beats. It was clear a lot of the crowd were not familiar with their discography but it was even more obvious that that did not make a difference and the room thoroughly enjoyed the set. The band themselves sported a unique fashion with their drummer in a mask and one of the guitarists with a dental mouth guard giving them an eerie presence in the room. Lead vocalist RYAN VAIL flaunted his vocal variety with pig squeals and demonic growls, both bone shattering in frequency. The floor moved throughout the set with many battled jacketed metal heads throwing themselves around the pit, the band even managed to open up a wall of death towards the end of their set. As the first band closed fans rushed to the bar, grabbed a pint and then shuffled back to their spot, making sure not to miss AVERSIONS CROWN. The nights line up truly was from all around the world with this progressive deathcore quartet being all the way from Brisbane. Just as their drummer warmed up you could see an exchange of nods of approval around the room and it must be said JAYDEN MASON was an absolute beast throughout the set with destructive beats, fills and breakdowns. In regards to the set itself, it was absolute death metal inhalation that spread across the venue like wildfire. When asking the crowd who has listened to their new EP there was an overwhelming response from the crowd, despite being the second on the rung of bands up for the night. They of course took multiple moments to get the band hyped up for the bands to follow as well as the band preceding them. The floor responded to the artists' havoc on stage with their own, a variety of mosh pits continued to open up across the venue for the duration of their set, the energy never dipping for more than a moment between songs. The last opener up was WITHIN DESTRUCTION coming from Slovenia with a set that provided the most musical diversity from the rest. The band centers around deathcore but takes influence from metalcore, nu-metal and many more, bringing in many electronic samples and their set was riddled with anime references, which of course we loved. The fandom clearly showed up for this band with the general visual of the front few rows switching around just for the duration of their set, that is not to say that those in the front before left, just simply kindly let the big fans in front. The band have two vocalists, one doing the majority of the growls and screams while the other brought a more melodic and metalcore vibe to the live sound. The pit stayed alive right through their set without any instruction from the stage as they kept the energy high from all angles. They also took a moment to play a slightly slower song, Incomplete in homage to some of the family members that were able to make it to the set. After hours of obliterating deathcore build up, BORN OF OSIRIS were finally climbing the stage. The band were all coordinated in all black outfits as they took their places, the tension building in the room as the track Bow Down began to play and the room erupted into metal chaos. From the very beginning every person in the crowd was singing along, throwing their fists in the air to the beat, the diversity in the crowd making a chorus that filled the room impressively being heard over the blasting Underworld speakers. The band themselves were continuously moving despite there being five of them on the cramped stage, even the drummer was throwing his head in windmills while never missing a beat. The guitarists all danced around each other taking turns to use the space to headbang and come to the front of the stage to shout along with the fans. Everyone in the room was up off their feet either jumping or moshing to the beats that mixed deathcore with electronic throwing in blast beats from all sides. The carnage progressed with songs like Follow The Signs and Empires Erased from thor earlier discography - 2007 and 2011 respectively. The band took a moment mid-set to bring drummer CAMERON LOSCH to the front of the stage to receive some applause and of course hand out a couple of drumsticks. Along with lead vocalist RONNIE CANIZARO these two are the only members left of the original line up that debuted in 2003. Songs both old and new ravaged the venue while the crowd filled the floor, the energy so explosive it felt like the venue could burst at the seams any moment. The flashing lights on the stage added to the atmosphere flawlessly as the two live vocalists - RONNIE CANIZARO and DAN MARINARO - layered together creating a texture for live performance. Eventually the band announced that they were towards the end of the setlist which received possibly the loudest boo the Underworld had heard - for good reason of course. They played Under The Gun from their 2019 album as well as Abstract Art from 2017 before leaving the stage. The lights went dark and of course the fans cheered for an encore, causing the band to walk on just one more time. Machine released in 2013 has remained a fan favourite since release and this show immensely at the live show. The crowd erupted just from the intro, those who had thought the show really had finished before the encore sprinting back into the venue from the bar and exit. Every fan in the room knew the words and sang them together with their friends, clearly bringing a bout of nostalgia just from its riffs. As they finally exited the stage bowing and waving and promising a hastily return to London, the house lights finally came up and the show ended. The energy in the room lingered as observers shared their thoughts of the set with not a negative word to be said. Along with those fans we hope to see BORN OF OSIRIS return soon but of course they have a busy year ahead of them first. Words and photos: Amy Smyth

The Fallout is a metalcore explosion from Manchester trio THE HARA, embodying the angst filled depths that come with isolation and its consequent loss of trust in others. The soundscape is heavy, both in its low power chords and its synth-infused breakdowns, and lyrically stays heavy in discussions of toxic relationships and pessimistic acceptance of feeling like garbage. Album opener Trophy wastes no time, introducing the huge soundscape beneath whiny clean vocals (complimentary) and the first taste of the ethereal guitar shreds that are some of the best of this album can be heard. The first standout track is its follow up Easier to Die, impressing immediately with a punchy opener and a brassy snare drum and Josh Taylor’s solid screamed vocals that make up the chorus - a refreshing switch of convention from metalcore song structure. The angst shows through in its lyrics - “It’s easier to die than it is to want to live” - which creates a testimonial energy that lasts throughout the rest of The Fallout. As The Fallout hits its stride, it’s hard not to hear the similarities or inspiration that The Hara may have taken from scene dominators Bring Me the Horizon. The synth infused power chords with breakbeats, larger than life choruses, even the distinct Yorkshire brogue contribute to this equivocation. THE HARA pull these conventions off perfectly, though the similarity in the soundscapes do leave some wanting for a distinctive note in their sound. Twist the Arrows showcases THE HARA’s prowess in their breakdowns, with melody driven metal guitars mixed with synths and a 4 bar drum fill at the end of each chorus that scratches the itch in the brain. On the note of the drumming it mixes perfectly with the synths used throughout Twist the Arrows, and its final breakdown was perfection with the reintroduction of the shredding to reach crescendo, though dampened slightly with the sudden finish of the track. Its follow up Stay comes in with the scream that impressed earlier on in The Fallout, with a clean/scream call and response and a spacey feel that injects some variety at this point in the project. This said, the main weakness of The Fallout comes to the fore: the beginnings of many of the tracks don’t capture the ear, which is a shame for the quality of them once they get started. Going back to the Yorkshire brogue - sometimes Taylor’s cadence sounds very much like Yungblud, which takes the ears aback when the vocals are atop the metalcore soundscapes of THE HARA. This said, after Stay, album highlight and second single The System rings out. The broken beat intro opens for a punchy pop punk first verse with the vocals spat out as the track builds. The lyrics paint a picture of disaffection with forced conformity and everything needing to be done to prop up the status quo (“maybe I’m designed to waste away/are we all designed to waste away”). What makes The System stand out is its breakdown: its build starts with a sample that sounds more like hard house than drum and bass, a welcome change in the electronic metalcore space, before exploding into a stabby breakdown with a china lead and prog-style shreds. Screaming about breakdowns and becoming a shell of oneself make up the final bridge as well as the return of the sample from the beginning to craft pretty much a perfect song. The last act of The Fallout is the strongest, starting with Psycho Killer, a campy yet angsty track about falling so far into isolation you begin to begin to feel like a silent and disturbed individual. The chorus is mixed to sound as if the vocals are being muttered into a megaphone, detailing being a killer in the dark, atop a drum led spooky soundscape that contrasts the slowed tempo and lighter verses - it feels very Ice Nine Kills without the textual references. Next is the most recent single Kings, a conventional ‘you’ll fall eventually’ kind of breakup song, then Bury Me starts to ring out: a straight power ballad packed with angst such as in “My guardian angel is a little unfaithful to me”, and the reintroduction of the breakbeat in the postmix. THE HARA flex their breakdown muscles again in the breakdown for Bury Me, with that breakbeat in the breakdown led by another china-led drumline (the best bit about metalcore). Flagship single Violence with As December Falls, coming in with the beloved china lead to craft a headbanger with layered vocals about two people being too toxic to one another. The anger at the subject can be felt in the rawness of the vocals from Taylor and Bethany Hunter Jiménez, while the chord progression swings right until the end to create an addictive track we wish was longer than 2:32. Follow up Intergalactic Generation takes a more conceptual approach to the problems of the current generation - that life is a “simulation/handcuffed by creation” with the strong inference of being anti AI that as a writer is easy to get behind. It's fitting also that they drop the electronic elements present in the rest of The Fallout, then the finale Enemy keeps in with thematic music with a frantic opening to pair with lyrics describing being chased. The guitar work comes into the fore for the finale, with the shreds and runs adding groove to the unapologetic heaviness to the soundscape. Enemy is a high energy closer with the breakdown to seal the deal, including divine midphrase beat changes before The Fallout comes to a hard stop. The Fallout is THE HARA carving out their place in the metalcore space, making apparent their skills both instrumentally and creating pull-no-punches breakdowns. While in some places their influences felt a little too on the sleeve, and some of the intros did not fully captivate, The Fallout holds attention from beginning to end while the rawness and angst in its lyrics make THE HARA the perfect place to go for any Metalcore fans looking for their next fix in the clean vocal end of the subgenre. Score: 7/10 The Fallout was released on 23rd January 2026 via Mascot Records. Words: Julia Brunton Photos: Cosmic Joke

If there’s one band out there that should have more attention than they get, it’s MOTHER VULTURE. The band always get recognised for having infectious energy on stage, and with their newest album, Cartoon Violence, it's only on the up from here. Making sure 2026 will be their year by kicking it off with the release of their latest album Cartoon Violence, we spoke with guitarist Brodie Maguire to discuss the creative process and the evolution of MOTHER VULTURE. The band have had an extremely packed past year or so with festival appearances and releasing singles. Brodie reflects on their busy 2025, “We went out to the Netherlands at the start of this year and did four dates, then we’ve just got back from Belgium in December. We also did a couple of dates with SKINDRED over the past year.” This influence is heard on the record, as Benji Webb features on the interlude, Corporate Programming. “We got Benji from SKINDRED to do a bit of narration for one of the tracks, which came from being on tour with them, which was pretty cool.” Whilst this was a massive triumph, they did face some struggles with recording the album. Brodie reflects, “Being in a band and having to work a nine-to-five alongside it makes juggling things pretty difficult.” All band members having different schedules whilst trying to write and record an album isn’t going to be easy for any band, but MOTHER VULTURE made it work. “When we did the drums, Georgie, our vocalist, wasn't there, and then we did all the guitars, the bass and the vocals separately in our home studio.” Cartoon Violence was also almost entirely self-produced, with SIMON JACKMAN (LASTELLE, BLOOD COMMAND) mixing it. Speaking on how different making the record was, Brodie explains, “All of the recording, apart from the drums, we did ourselves at home. So it’s been a little bit weird not working with each other in that sort of sense. Usually, when we do record, we're in a room together. It's been pretty chaotic.” Talking further on the making of the album and having to sit with it unreleased for so long, Brodie tells us, “I'm going to get a sense of relief from getting it out there. When you make an album, you're always sat on it for so much longer than you want to be, because by the time that the first single comes out, ideally you want the album to be done, if not very close to being done. "We've been sitting around with this thing for what feels like a really long time, because you have to take into account getting the vinyl made, which can take months and months.” Cartoon Violence may just be what MOTHER VULTURE was made to sound like, and fans knew this from the first few singles. “I would say especially the first track that we put out, Slow Down, that was a bit of an indicator that we were taking things in a slightly different direction, at least in terms of the production value and how we were recording things. It's a bit darker and that seemed to go down really well. We got to work with Fender and Gretch on the Phoenix track, which is exciting, especially for a guitarist.” When discussing how many songs they had written in total for the album, they had around seven that didn't quite make the cut, as they had to shorten it down to the ones that they felt fit the album the best. “We maybe had like 17 tracks in total at one point, we kind of whittled it down to the best ones. But they might see the album after this one, because there's some potential in those ones.” MOTHER VULTURE has always been praised for their stage presence and live show in general, this would stem from the connection all of them have. Instead of saying which artists influenced them when writing the album, they all influenced each other with ideas, and the fact that all their music tastes are so different made the album become a little bit of something for everyone. Brodie expands on how this affects the writing process, “What kind of happens is, Chris will come along with an idea for a song, then I'm doing second-hand listening to what Chris's influences are. Based on what he's writing, I will come up with an idea or what will end up following up on another song that he's written and vice versa. Chris isn't massively into classic rock like I am necessarily, but he ended up writing Phoenix, which is arguably the most classic rock-sounding song on the album, just because that's the way we bounce off each other and influence each other.” This is the album for you if you like a little bit of everything in your playlists. It also features some MOTHER VULTURE inside jokes. “We kind of in our heads always liked the idea of getting a bit more comedy and a bit more silliness into the albums. With a title like 'Cartoon Violence,' it just seemed like this was a good opportunity to do it.” MOTHER VULTURE will be heading out on a run of UK shows in February. For the setlist, Brodie hints there will be songs for all old and new fans out there. “I think most people could appreciate, if you go and see a band, and they don't play any songs that you know or too many new songs, it can be a bit of a drag. The art of it is just to find the balance between getting new stuff out there and not bogging people down with too many songs.” CARTOON VIOLENCE is out now on all streaming platforms. “We're just really excited for people to hear it, I think we could all agree that it's the best thing we've ever made. We like the first album a lot, but I think this one captures a lot more of what this band is about.” MOTHER VULTURE are on tour next week. Find tickets here. Words: Isabella Jacklin Photos: Mother Vulture With Thanks To: Cosa Nostra PR

With less than a year since their debut album Sorrows was released, CWFEN (pronounced Coven)’s gothic doomgaze sound has been praised for its dark and addictive tunes, and in that time the following has only grown. The Scottish four-piece supported FAETOOTH on their tour last year in some of their biggest shows to date, and with some shows planned to support the great PARADISE LOST in a couple of months, there is no sign of them slowing down any time soon. As part of a short tour of just two dates, after a three day tour at the beginning of December last year, the band visited both Cardiff and Leeds. On a drizzly January evening we got the chance to witness them in a little venue on the last night of this mini tour. The lineup consisted of two local bands, ACCEPTANCE and HELVE, and then finally CWFEN. First on the bill was ACCEPTANCE, and with smoke billowing through the room we were treated to a group of very intense, very talented musicians. The tracks were long, and at points the vocalist seemed possessed, as if being taken over by the music. With a rather cramped stage there was the chance to spread out as lyrics were screamed into the pit. “This one’s really depressing, so good luck with that.” brought a few chuckles, before launching into the next song. As the set draws to its end, the vocalist falls to his knees in exhaustion, having given their all. Next, it was time for HELVE. Where ACCEPTANCE was more urgent and full of anguish, HELVE was a little more dialed back and heavy in a different way, giving a mesmerising performance. There was even less space on the stage with an extra band member than the group before, which gave the perfect excuse to yet again use the front of the pit as a secondary stage. The band presented a set full of delectable doom that you could not look away from in fear of missing something. At one point the crowd were all leaning in to catch a glimpse as the guitarist used a screwdriver over the strings to create a drawling addition to the track being played. If it was even possible, the room filled even more as CWFEN made their way to the stage, dodging equipment as they went, all settling in and taking their place. Bodies eased us into the night, and as the steady rhythm built, the magnetism grew. Vocalist AGNES ALDERN sounded hypnotic and as her voice ascended into a haunting scream we all stared in awe. Her smudged, blackened eyes stared back, the whites of them flickering in the light. As the intro riff of Wolfsbane kicked in, the energy in the room was electric, and drummer RÖS RANQUINN delivered some of the slickest grooves you’ve ever heard. Throughout the entire set there was a sea of nodding heads, completely transfixed. There was minimal chat on stage but it was not necessary; the band’s smiling faces between songs were all we needed. The new unreleased track Revenge went down a treat, followed by the show stopper Whispers. Unrelenting bass from MARY THOMAS BAKER made for an alluring gothic sound you could not get enough of. Each song landed just as well as the one before, the whole band on top form. Embers brough the atmosphere to a whole new level and the doom-y riff brought by the band’s guitarist GUY DENUIT was truly captivating. Finishing on a rage note, Rite bursted in to grapple the audience one last time. The layering in this track was stunning, with the contrast of AGNES’ wails over the dreamlike backing sounds of GUY made a fulfilling and satisfying ending. CWFEN are truly a band you experience, the live versions of every track were immaculate. The natural reverb of a live setting only makes the performance more special. This is a really exciting time for the band, with a great record behind them and obvious hints to release more music soon, alongside a packed year so far of shows. Everything they have achieved so far has been so well deserved, and we are so lucky to have them. Words: Danielle Henderson Photos: Klaudia Skalska

Outbreak darlings SUPERHEAVEN returned to Manchester with a seismic serenade of feeling. Amongst the polite buzz of this evening's proceedings, right from the moment that the symphonic whirr shook the O2 Ritz at the beginning of their set, it's clear that the Pennsylvania collective wants you to feel their shoegaze sensibilities right at the core of your chest. There's a numbness that comes with wanting to be a part of the moment, oversensitised to the weight of those signature riffs pulling the crowd to-and-fro with the relentless ebb-and-flow of the pit. In this bittersweet bliss, SUPERHEAVEN's grunge-inspired sound is a life raft to a misunderstood generation, let loose on the thrill of losing themselves to brilliantly melancholy music. Supports BALANCE AND COMPOSURE are no strangers to the gaze. With 2024’s With You In Spirit, the band returned after nine years with their uniquely bleak brand of folky alt-rock. In a live context, learning towards the cooler tones of this latest record, we don’t know if this translates entirely on stage. The band left a lot of room to fully dissect the texture of the record, with impressive trills and moments that in the UK would not be out of place in The Wicker Man soundtrack. (YOUNG FATHERS 28 Years Later style). When the band decided to get out the autotune, it felt odd and removed from the purity of those honest lyrics. The result was more of an emotional headbanger, no pits needed. Did it build to the energetic fury that followed with SUPERHEAVEN’s set? Not really, but closer Notice Me, was the track that began to bring their set together. It’s a shame that this was a little too late. Both BALANCE AND COMPOSURE and SUPERHEAVEN, from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, feel uniquely rooted in this sentimental hometown circuit. Their grunge roots scream stark comparisons to NIRVANA and ALICE IN CHAINS for a modern generation. From the claymation visuals projected onto the back of the stage, it is clear that this is going to be a tender set, making their return to Manchester that much more sentimental. 2025 marked the release of their self-titled debut, evoking a richer, faster-tempoed noise, away from the shoegaze-inspired sound of 2013’s Jar and 2015’s Ours Is Chrome. The set was an almost-even split of all three records, even with the first two albums being over ten years older than their latest release. It was a feely, pulpy mess of the best of SUPERHEAVEN’s work, with their performance taking just over an hour of the Mancunian’s time. From the opening chorus of Sponge, the room erupted into smooth movement. In response, the crowd was kinetically wonderful, flowing in time to its steady beat. With riffs hitting so much harder live, it lived up to the well-lived stereotype of going to a rock concert to experience loud guitars. Whilst sounding great, they also could be felt, reverberating the entire room, sending the entire upper mezzanine shaking. The next tracks, Leach, Downstring and Cruel Times followed suit in style and feeling. The same could be said for Life In A Jar, until the music stopped quickly to assist someone in the crowd. With several minutes of the band trying to mellow the audience, but also help in the situation, it threw the set off-kilter. The band were clearly shaken, with the band’s Jake Clark clarifying afterwards that “it’s not every day you see someone lying there”, before swiftly continuing their set. It took a little while for the band to get back on their feet, several tracks before fan-favourite Youngest Daughter spun the room back into motion. A collective headbanging gave the room that feel-good feeling. As a four-piece, they control the room with ease, with both guitarists, Jake Clark and Taylor Maddison, fronting the band’s sound. Zack Robbins has the ever-impressive job of drumming and providing backing vocals. Whilst bassist Joe Kane was seemingly the only one without a microphone, but their presence provided the emotional pulse of the operation. The strength of the band lies in their awe-inspiring ability to connect with the crowd. In bigger pauses, the band fills the room with cinematic rumbling, which pays off fantastically in anticipation of their next song. Towards the end of their set, this seems to pick up the motion of the crowd as the aggressive Numb To What Is Real pushes the pit back immensely far. You’d think, with their legacy at Outbreak, there would be far more two-steppers, but this was more of a high-energy push pit. The dynamic duo of In On It and Poor Aileen, the closer of 2015’s Ours Is Chrome, bring the set to a fitting conclusion. It is clear that SUPERHEAVEN are a band that is built on intention, felt immensely internationally. Words: Amber Brooks Photos: Jack Walsh