Just over a week ahead of dropping their first self-released EP, ‘Masquerading Self,’ we sat down with Mike Evans and Joe Johnson of rising nu-metal band, Profiler. The duo shared their thoughts on the new, exciting era they are stepping into, and they reflect on the differences during the writing and releasing process this time around. Evans states, “It’s fairly different, it’s gone really well, obviously the numbers aren’t as big and we don’t have the same reach, but we’ve been really happy with the result.” Johnson adds, “It just means that it’s all our music, we put it up ourselves, and it’s something we can put our names on and be happy and proud of.” You can sense the pride they are feeling with the evolution of their work as they reflect on how far they’ve come. When asked about how they think ‘Masquerading Self’ differs from their previous work, they both agree that this is the most confident they’ve ever felt in their music. Evans explains, “It’s definitely a continued evolution of the stuff we’ve previously put out, everything’s the highest level it’s ever been.” Looking back on the recording process, Johnson reflects on the benefits of having some extra time to create. “The first EP that we recorded was done in our producer’s bedroom, and then the second one was the debut album that was in a studio, and then this time it’s been a bit of both. But it’s nice to have no time pressure, I mean, it has taken probably a bit longer than we would have liked to record and get everything nailed, but I think it’s nice to not have that time pressure to be like, you’ve got 14 songs to sing within the space of 10 days. If your voice is bad for one day, that’s just even more pressure the next day.” Evans adds, “It was a lot nicer of a process, something we’ll do next time and going forward. I don’t think it’s a bad way of operating, but if you’ve got time limits in a studio and your voice does go, it’s like tough luck. It’s kind of not great. As a vocalist, it’s nice to be able to take your time. I think it's worth spending a bit more time, I think it’s paid off as well, so that’s good.’ Johnson adds, “Each track was a collaborative effort between the whole band.” Making it feel like an authentic Profiler project. “We’ve had live drums on this record for the first time, in the track we just released, Illusion, there was a bit that Mike wanted to add in and then Jay came up with something and then Jacob came up with some even crazier drums over the top.” One thing that sets Profiler apart is their attention to detail when it comes to visuals. Each track has a different colour attached to it, for example, the track ‘Dope’ has a baby blue cover art, making you instantly tie this colour to the song. Johnson explains, “we focus on aesthetics quite a bit in terms of the colour coding that we’ve used for each of the singles, me and Mike thought we should probably have an obvious colour scheme. Visually, we’ve tried to step up rather than having everything jumbled, it’s quite satisfying to scroll through the last few months of what we have put out; it all makes sense to us.” Scrolling from the bottom of their Instagram timeline to the top to see the posts change colour as the new single is getting released is something so simple yet so unique that gives each track its own moment. ‘Masquerading Self’ is perfect if you’re looking for some nostalgic, nu-metal vibes. One to check out if you’re a fan of anyone from Limp Bizkit to Ocean Grove. Johnson continues, “musically, we all take inspiration from a lot of different places, for some of the tracks I’ve written, Limp Bizkit are always an influence musically in terms of the tones and how it’s structured.” Going back to the beginning of the era, Evans tells us why ‘Waste’ was the track chosen to introduce people into the new era. “It was the first one that was together; it was written and put together pretty quickly, and it had been ready for a while. We didn’t want to start off crazy heavy; it's probably the lightest one on the EP, it's a nice entry-level track for people and one that encapsulates the EP.” As this EP wraps up 2025 for Profiler, we discussed what fans can expect from the band in 2026. If you thought they’d be slowing down, think again. “Following our headline show in December this year, we’re hoping to maybe do a couple more headline shows next year and see how it’s received.” Johnson shares, "I think we’re planning to record some more music early next year as well, just keep the ball rolling, really. We’ve got to keep up the momentum that we’ve built up off of this release.” ‘Masquerading Self,’ is available now on all streaming platforms, a band to definitely keep an eye on in 2026 with the direction they are heading. Words: Isabella Jacklin Photo: Profiler

Frozen streets gave way to burning riffs as Wolverhampton fell under the grip of Bloodstock’s Winter Gathering. Outside, the cold bit hard. Inside KK Steel Mill, it was chaos from the first note. A sold-out venue, a stacked line-up and a fanbase primed for violence created the perfect conditions for an uncompromising night of heavy metal. By the time doors opened, the smoking area was heaving with battle jackets, queues stretched down the street, and anticipation crackled through the air. This wasn’t just another winter show. This was Bloodstock reaffirming its dominance. King Kraken Opening the day, King Kraken wasted no time in unleashing their titanic groove metal assault. Monstrous low-end riffs and crushing rhythms rolled through the early crowd, transforming the Steel Mill into a slow-moving sea of heads and shoulders. “March of the Gods” landed with the force of a collapsing ship hull, slow, punishing and irresistible. But it wasn’t just the weight of the riffs that hit hardest; it was the movement in their music. Each groove twisted like something alive, dragging the room into its undertow. Drums thundered like distant storms, basslines churned with tidal pressure, and guitars carved out massive, ocean-deep hooks that lingered long after the final note. There’s a primal quality to King Kraken’s sound thick, rolling, ancient. They don’t just play riffs. Tortured Demon Tortured Demon ignited the venue with full-throttle NWOBHM energy. Ripping solos, relentless tempos, and unapologetic heavy metal bravado poured from the stage as the pit finally snapped into full wakefulness. Raw, fast and unfiltered, this was classic metal delivered with total conviction. Tortured Demon sounds like your old battle jacket brought violently to life. Davastator Called in at 9AM on the morning of the festival, Devastator arrived with almost no notice and then proceeded to deliver one of the strongest performances of the entire day. There was no hint of compromise or hesitation as they detonated an old-school thrash explosion across the Steel Mill floor. From the opening riff, the pit erupted into instant violence. Blistering speed, razor-wire riffs and unrelenting aggression defined a set that felt both desperate and dangerous in the best possible way. Any band might struggle with such a last-minute call-up. Devastator thrived on it. This wasn’t just a solid showing under pressure. This was one of the best performances they’ve ever put on, and proof that true thrash needs no preparation to cause devastation. Raised By Owls Raised By Owls followed with a set that felt like a controlled demolition. Metalcore bedlam collided with brutal humour as unpredictability ruled the Steel Mill. Circle pits collapsed into pile-ons, breakdowns detonated without warning, and the crowd never quite knew what was coming next, exactly as intended. The band’s whiplash-fast riffing and whirling blast beats only amplified the madness, each song landing like a punchline delivered with a sledgehammer. And with Bloodstock’s indoor snow machines erupting overhead, the whole venue transformed into a surreal winter warzone, icy confetti swirling through strobe lights and carnage as if the apocalypse had arrived wearing a Santa hat. Expect chaos. Expect confusion. Expect the pit to disintegrate. Venom Inc History hit the stage with hostile intent as Venom Inc unleashed pure black metal warfare. Raw, snarling and filthy aggression ruled the room. Tracks like “Forged in Hell” and “War” felt less like songs and more like weapons as the crowd descended into a hostile storm of fists, horns and sweat. Venom Inc doesn't warm crowds up. They burn them alive. Candlemass By the time Candlemass took the stage, KK Steel Mill was at bursting point. True giants of epic doom, their presence transformed the venue into a cathedral of riffs and despair. Slow-motion heaviness crushed the room as monumental choruses echoed through the crowd. “Solitude” and “Mirror Mirror” landed like emotional sledgehammers. Sorrowful, massive and untouchable. When Candlemass played, time itself slowed to kneel before the riff. Doom royalty don’t just headline. They loom. Words and Photos: Jack Norris

Kicking off the UK leg of their world tour with a bang, Wolf Alice took to Manchester’s AO Arena last week for their biggest headline show yet. For years the band have been a staple of any British festival lineup or summer playlist, immortalising experiences of love, friendship and rage with their diverse catalogue of indie-rock anthems. And with latest album ‘The Clearing’ revealing some of the band’s most compelling and critically-acclaimed songwriting to date, it seemed not only inevitable but imperative that these rising stars bring their magic to some of the UK’s largest stages for a monumental headline tour. Bria Salmena set the tone for the night with a dark, simmering performance. Wrapped in a shadowy haze of delicate instrumentals, the Canadian’s voice reached out through the dusk with haunting resonance, casting an entrancing gloom over the arena. Her performance glistened with a kind of delicate intensity that bubbles quietly under the surface, tension building but never quite resolved, magnetism that holds tight with no sign of release. Another opener from across the pond, Brooklyn’s Sunflower Bean were next to take to the stage, who offered their signature soundscape of sharp indie-rock with cutting basslines, intricate drum patterns and striking vocals. No stranger to a Wolf Alice crowd having supported them on tour back in 2018, Sunflower Bean marked their welcome return with a wild, infectious energy that quickly brought the audience onto their feet. From the heavier tones of ‘Nothing Romantic’ to the light nostalgia of ‘Moment In The Sun’, their set was dynamic and compelling, leaving behind a vibrant buzz as their final notes trailed off and their performance drew to a close. Both supporting artists alluded to different facets of Wolf Alice’s sonic arsenal - Bria Salmena reflecting the band’s quieter, more introspective and sultry moments while Sunflower Bean encompassed their bold, energetic side as well as their rich, timeless instrumentation. In that sense, no two acts would have been a better complement to this tour, each giving the crowd an enticing taste of what was to come from the main act. Lights dimmed. Suspense rose to suffocating heights. Conversations instantly fizzled out. It was the moment we had all been waiting for. Against a striking backdrop of shimmering silver streamers, Wolf Alice took to the stage with an instant ownership and magnetism. After cascading piano keys led us into the ballad-like ‘Thorns’, the band released everything they had with the album’s lead single ‘Bloom, Baby Bloom’, its dynamic showcase between light, playful verses, guttural cacophony of a prechorus and transcendent chorus making it an instant highlight of their setlist. Frontwoman Ellie Rowsell commanded the attention of every single person as her vocals danced effortlessly between wild, gritty growls, delicate, breathy moments and angelic richness. ‘White Horses’ saw Rowsell share the spotlight with drummer Joel Amey, whose warm, deep vocals led the way through the song’s captivating and intricate soundscape, before winding the clock back slightly for ‘Formidable Cool’, which oozed grunge-y swagger as the first demonstration of Wolf Alice’s more rough side. Without a chance to settle down into this genre switch, ‘Just Two Girls’ offered a playful, airy release. The next hour and a half rushed past in a whirlwind as the band led us through their discography, showcasing their mastery of seemingly countless genres, eras and moods. Slower, more stripped back songs like ‘The Sofa’ and ‘Play It Out’ provided poignant moments of introspection, during which a constellation of phone torches illuminated the gently swaying crowd while Rowsell sang gently under the spotlight. Police sirens and red and blue strobes evoked chaos in the crowd for the punk-fueled ‘Yuk Foo’, unstifled rage channelled through a megaphone and bounced off of every wall. Without time to catch your breath, ‘Play The Greatest Hits’ came in fast and unapologetic with its raucous power and energy, ensuring not a single vocal chord left intact by the end of the show. If the whole night could be captured by a single moment though, it would be ‘Bros’ - youthful, timeless, universal. Wrapped in the warm embrace of the song’s joyful, cozy guitar arrangement, the crowd was transformed into a tapestry of pure human connection, revealing thousands of special moments between loved ones as they held hands, bounced and sang to each other with euphoric sincerity. ‘Don’t Delete The Kisses’ marked the end of their set with nostalgia, romance and youth straight out of a coming-of-age film, as the band and their fans sang together one last time to the song that arguably started it all. As the lights came back on and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ began to play out across the speakers, the sea of Wolf Alice fans could be heard long before they were seen as they carried the tune with them as they left the venue, while a collection of stragglers filled the emptying arena floor with infectious joy and dancing, immortalising the energy of the show long after the band left the stage. A career-defining night for the band, and an unforgettable journey for each person in that room. Words: Heather Swift Photos: Jack Walsh

Exchange Bristol didn’t feel like a venue so much as a sealed chamber, pressurised and waiting to rupture. From the moment the room began to fill, a low hum of anticipation settled into the walls — bodies packed close, lights dimmed, conversations swallowed by bass bleed from the stage. This wasn’t a night built for distance or detachment. It was a night designed to pull inward, to collapse the space between artist and audience until everything existed on the same plane. Three bands would take that tension and shape it, escalating the atmosphere piece by piece until release became inevitable. ROYALS were first to step into the fray, and they did so without hesitation. Their pop-punk energy cut sharply through the early-evening fog, injecting movement into the room before anyone had time to settle. There was a restless edge to their performance — not frantic, but alive — guitars snapping and drums driving forward with intent. Rather than easing the crowd in, ROYALS jolted them awake. Frontman Luke Smithson carried a casual confidence, speaking just enough between songs to anchor the set without breaking momentum. Mentions of their upcoming debut album High Stakes & Heartaches and planned release shows landed naturally, woven into the flow rather than dropped as interruptions. The music did most of the talking anyway — hook-heavy, punchy, and delivered with the kind of looseness that thrives in close quarters. The set’s defining moment arrived during “Spinning Out”. Bassist Tom Guildford handed his instrument over mid-song and plunged into the crowd, harsh vocals tearing through the room as the first mosh pit ignited beneath the low ceiling. It was chaotic, imperfect, and exactly right — the moment where the night’s energy tipped from anticipation into motion. If ROYALS sparked the fuse, FORT HOPE widened the space. Their entrance shifted the emotional temperature of the room, replacing urgency with something broader and more enveloping. Visually understated, they let texture and melody do the work, building an atmosphere that felt far larger than Exchange’s modest capacity. Their sound unfurled patiently, each song expanding outward like a held breath finally released. Shimmering guitars and steady rhythms formed a foundation that carried Jon Gaskin’s vocals high above the crowd, his delivery equal parts reassurance and resolve. “Cardinale (Runway Monday)” landed with particular weight, its familiar refrain echoing back from a crowd fully locked in. Newer material, especially “Powers” from Palaces Palaces, reinforced FORT HOPE’s ability to balance uplift with emotional depth. Rather than overwhelming the room, their set drew people inward, bodies stilled and eyes fixed forward. It was a reminder that intensity doesn’t always arrive at full volume — sometimes it manifests as collective stillness. By the time CALL ME AMOUR emerged, the room was primed — not just ready, but receptive. Neon light flooded the stage, casting the band in sharp silhouettes against an industrial glow that felt torn from some near-future dystopia. The visual language matched the music perfectly: dark, synthetic, and charged with emotion. They opened with “Where’s the Chemistry?”, its pulsing electronics immediately tightening the grip on the crowd. Tracks from the Revolution EP followed, each one layering tension atop momentum, the sound thickening until it felt almost physical. CALL ME AMOUR didn’t simply perform to the room — they folded themselves into it. Harry Radford commanded attention without posturing, his presence magnetic in a way that felt honest rather than rehearsed. Between songs, he spoke about music as a way to quiet the noise in his head, an invitation rather than a statement. When the band launched into “IMFKD”, the crowd responded instinctively, movement spreading through the floor like a shared reflex. “Tourniquet” detonated that energy fully. The boundary between stage and audience dissolved as Radford climbed down into the crowd, soon joined by guitarist Geoff Murphy and bassist Arran Lomax. What followed felt less like a performance and more like a collective release — voices raised, bodies colliding, sweat dripping from the ceiling. The set surged forward relentlessly. “Happy Hell” and “Good Day” hit with sharp emotional contrast, before the band slipped briefly from the stage, tension left hanging in the air. When they returned, “Bloom” was met with a roar, its chorus swallowed and amplified by the crowd. Before “Girl on the Wall”, Radford shared a candid story of mental fog and self-destruction, grounding the moment in vulnerability. The song landed heavy, its weight shared across the room. Though framed as the end, the night closed with “Dreams”. Once again, the band stepped into the crowd, arms linked, a circle formed — a fleeting moment of unity suspended in sound. When the lights finally rose, Exchange exhaled. ROYALS had ignited movement, FORT HOPE had widened the emotional field, and CALL ME AMOUR had pulled everyone into the centre and held them there. It wasn’t just a gig — it was immersion, release, and connection rendered tangible. And everyone who stood inside that room felt it. Words: Mia Gailey Photos: Ely King

There is not much better than live music in a small DIY venue, especially on a cold Friday night in December. Bristol’s heavy-pop trio MASCA brought magic to JT Soar in Nottingham during their recent mini tour. The night was a showcase of raw energy and diverse sounds, with local outfit COUGH DROPS unleashing fiery, post-grunge anthems and Birmingham’s NOT SOUP brought their own eclectic edge, delivering riff-heavy bursts of noise and melody. Together, the lineup created a night that felt both grassroots and electric, proof that the DIY scene still thrives on passion, grit, and the thrill of discovery. The room was filled with a complete mix of all different types of people, showcasing the charm and ethos of JT Soar, with BYOB fully taken advantage of. COUGH DROPS started the evening off strong, with a short but sweet set of pop punk-esque but still very girly grunge, with vocals delivered by the energetic vocalist. Serving up a blend of dream‑drenched psychedelia and obscurity through subversive hooks and jagged, mind‑splitting rhythms, NOT SOUP delivered a set with a heavy bass line, and lyrics that hit hard, like “Eugenics, my biology leave me to die” - from a track introduced as the KKK song. It feels lazy to compare the incredibly unique vocalist to SKIN from SKUNK ANANSIE, but her accent shone through each line she sang, with a power that is reminiscent of SKIN, so the comparison is accurate. Hailing from Bristol, known for their compelling live presence and fearless songwriting, MASCA headlined the evening. Vocalist CHRISTINA MAYNARD brought along her soulful vocals, fully embracing the energy of the crowd and talking us through each track the band played, with the band following behind with heavy bass and drums. Described once as “DOLLY PARTON meets BATTLES or NIRVANA meets TAYLOR SWIFT”, MASCA are a small band, with big songs, delivering heavy pop that makes you dance. With songs like I Got Away, Up To You and Doing What I Want (about pulling a sicky at shitty work establishments), it is easy to see how MASCA fans have grown in numbers. New song and crowd favourite Oxytocin (an ode to performing and MAYNARD’s love for her son and mum, both who were on tour with them!), and Elevate, the first single from the new album, Love Letters, currently only available on vinyl, until the full release later on in April 2026 (as a rebellion against the streaming overlords) brought the heaviest moments of the set. Sweetooth, a track about imperfections, My Company, about death and existential dread and closer Stage Fright showcased the sheer eclectic talent that MASCA have. Although MASCA do not have any live shows announced for 2026, the band are far from quiet. With a brand new album waiting to be unveiled to the masses, they are positioning themselves as one of the most intriguing acts to watch in the coming year. Their sound is rooted in hazy shoegaze, but does not drift too far into obscure territories, instead the band weave in sharper pop sensibilities, creating a balance that appeals to all music listeners. It is music that feels dreamy and immersive, but for all ears. What sets MASCA apart from others in the scene is the energy they bring to the stage. Even in intimate DIY venues like JT Soar, their performances carry a poetic intensity that captivates audiences. They manage to transform small spaces into something larger than life, proving that their artistry is not hindered by size. This ability to command attention in grassroots settings makes us feel that once the festival season arrives, MASCA will be more than ready to step onto bigger stages. Words: Lou Viner-Flood Photos: Mariia Bulkina

About ten years ago, a legendary spit and sawdust pub and music venue, Nottingham’s Old Angel Inn, was bought up and reborn as its moniker, The Angel. Initially unconvinced and slightly disgruntled, the city's scene was nevertheless delivered a polished up version of the old, with the addition of a micro-brewery…Hmmm. Eye rolls aside, The Angel today definitely still holds its weight amid the league of sticky floored venues and the IPA is actually pretty good. Branded, ‘The Chapel’, it’s the same gig space as a decade before, and, thankfully, a stop on BELIEVE IN NOTHING’s current tour schedule, via the excellent up and coming ‘promoter of all things loud’, FOXTON PRESENTS. The line up for the night was a perfectly balanced repertoire of devastatingly raw and dark sounds, including; two local bands, LINDOW MOSS and ROGUE LIMB, as well as the Rotherham based BODACH, and finally, the demonic, sensory-overload, that was BELIEVE IN NOTHING. LINDOW MOSS, local grime laden faves, were on first, blasting out their blackened hardcore. The lead guitarist, as ever, looked as cool as a cucumber whilst smashing through the head banging riffs, bouncing over the thick bassy grooves and death growls. ROGUE LIMB balanced big hardcore sounds with plenty of old school licks. The drummer completely gave us his all, even when he looked like he might have a heart attack, he never let up for a second. Masterly riffing on the guitars, their energy on the stage was catching and one of the warmest. Not only do they play great music, they are really fun to watch and have in the room afterwards! The penultimate band was BODACH, a two piece with the presence of double that, providing fast hard and riff heavy sounds. Whacking the distortion up to eleventy, they delivered an explosive set that sizzled through the speakers. A tonal change for the night vocally, giving more shouts than growls, with decipherable words and a powerfully poetic resonance. They mentioned a new record on its way, inspired by the classic doomsday sci-fi, War of the Worlds. Part audio book, part album, decried by the singer as “a bit bloody pretentious”. Sounds great! Bring on the pretension, we can not wait to hear it! BELIEVE IN NOTHING rounded out the night with an experience not to be forgotten. Their show was centred around the alchemy of vocalist and front man, CAINE HEMMINGWAY. Immediately catching us between repulsion and morbid delight, the fans watched as he deep throated a hammer, drooling and heaving in front of everyone, a fitting welcome on this journey of nihilism and despair. Looming over an array of sample boards attached to a short folded step ladder, he conjured a potent chemistry, conducting the sounds and energies of the room, a necromancer transporting us to Fantasia in a hellscape. Between the shrieking rasps, and with a light attached to his throat obscuring the face behind, the fans were sermonised, words heaving in and out of audiability, catching on, “It's ok to give up!”. Moving throughout the space, interacting in, and amongst the crowd, he licked and spat at walls, forcing the room to withstand his presence and strain against the discomfort, battling with that overwhelming need for compliance and the pretense of politeness. CAINE’s brilliantly coarse vocals scratched over the adept intensity of the band; LAWRENCE RODRIGUEZ, guitar, STEVE COLLIER, guitar and JASPER LYONS, drums, each communing with their instrument, plunging ever deeper into their dense and gloomy sound. At one point during the gig, it became clear some members of the audience could not handle their craft beer, but it did not throw the band's focus off a stitch. The intense process of preparation to channel each performance is detailed in the band diary, on Substack, and in very lush self produced zine, both well worth a read. This experimental four piece is part of the creative expansion happening within metal and other heavy music genres. With their manager forming one half of the electrifying queercore group DEATH GOALS, and this latest album, Rot, getting released on Church Road Records, they are amongst likeminded, well established, peers. There is an instinctual move toward obliterating the impasse that kept these scenes in the heteronormative, macho realm, and dragging them out into the boundary dissolving identity mashups of the 2020s. Luckily, metalers on the whole, are an excellent bunch, and the old school boys in The Angel really lapped up this depraved artistry as much as the younger folks, excitedly turning to one another exclaiming “That was, like, fucking art!”. BELIEVE IN NOTHING’s performance, evokes the spirit of Industrial trailblazers, THROBBING GRISTLE, who tore through any and all expectations of what music and art should be. Performance art comes in all shapes and sizes, which is why it is so appealing, but at its best, it is generally executed far outside of the well lit gallery spaces platforming rich-kids-turned-artists, whose most subversive act tends to always involve bad choreography and taking off their clothes… BELIEVE IN NOTHING are definitely a band to listen to, the new album is a festering swamp of sound sludge to wallow in and they are without a doubt a band, any fan of heavy music, must go and see. And maybe give their writing a read too. Slip deep and get entrenched in the ideas and emotions brimming over here. After all, swamps are the living seething burial sites, essential for our survival Words: Alana Madden Photos: Adam North

It may have been a blistering cold and rain-soaked December night in Glasgow, but when has that ever stopped music devotees? A snaking queue, full of everyone from younger fans newly converted to the joy of heavier music, and veterans who have been there since the beginning, wrapped around the O2 Academy. Despite their differences, everyone was united by one thing: the chance to see alternative rock legends, THREE DAYS GRACE. Hailing from Canada and more than three decades into their career, the band are on the road to celebrate their newest release, ALIENATION. This landmark album marked the return of original vocalist, ADAM GONTIER, who left in 2013 due to ongoing health and personal issues. With support from Los-Angeles rockers BADFLOWER, the venue's balconies and floor were already packed long before the opener had even considered stepping onstage. As the members of alternative-rock quartet BADFLOWER drifted onstage, a curtain bearing the top half of a giant monochrome daisy loomed behind them. Frontman JOSH KATZ stepped quietly to the centre, bathed in dramatic green lighting as an aggressive synth swelled, escorting in the first notes of Drop Dead from their 2018 EP, Temper. As they paraded into their second song, ironically titled Number 1, intense, strobing lights created an almost club-like atmosphere that sharply contrasted the music's underlying melancholy. KATZ paused to introduce the band, laughing as he confessed, “I swear to god, I almost said Manchester… I know where we are”. Clearly having a taste for irony, KATZ abandoned the stage mid-way through Stalker, repearring atop the venues bar and playfully ‘stalking’ the enamored crowd from above. The bands energy never dipped, with bursts of stage-diving, constant movement and frequent hype-ups, they were clearly taking their job to warm up the crowd seriously. However, their vigorous performance sat at odds with the underlying sadness threaded throughout their songs. A solo from drummer ANTHONY SONETTI followed, showcasing the talent in the band. Unfortunately, it was a touch overextended, as evidenced by the crowd slowly drifting their interest elsewhere. To close out their set, BADFLOWER delivered an electrifying rendition of their hit Ghost, followed by 2020 single 30, before thanking Glasgow and dashing offstage. Screens at the back of the stage suddenly flashed ‘here we fucking go’, and, true to Glaswegian tradition, the crowd erupted into the chant without hesitation. The band proudly bounded on-stage with the kind of confidence that only decades of touring can produce. The first notes of Dominate detonated across the room, the crowd immediately swinging into action. After the final chord rang, MATT WALST declared it was “Scotland's song”, gleefully explaining, “It was all because of the last time we were here, we heard that fucking chant from you guys and thought, ‘we’ve gotta put that in a fucking song!’” He demanded the chant continue, as the iconic bassline of Animal I Have Become rolled across the venue. WALST now sported a facemask emblazoned with the Scottish flag, sending the already electric crowd into a frenzy. Throughout the night, WALST rallied the crowd to shout the band's name, and despite the frequent repetition, they happily obliged with an unmatched enthusiasm everytime. Before regaling us with their seminal hit I Hate Everything About You, GONTIER took the opportunity to acknowledge the long journey of the band. He spoke candidly of his departure in 2013 before rejoining over a decade later, thanking the other members of the band for continuing on. Mid-set, they attempted to give the crowd a break from the relentless pit. The theatrics fell away and GONTIER stood alone armed with just an acoustic guitar. Politely asking the crowd to sing along, he surprised everyone and eased into the first notes of Creep by RADIOHEAD. Despite the intended calm, the pit kept up its chaos. At one point, they hoisted the obligatory banana costume-wearer up, sending them surfing to coincide with the word “run”. It clashed hilariously with the atmosphere the band was trying to craft, but was undeniably one of the night's standout moments. Flowing into I Don’t Wanna Go Home Tonight, the band brought out a cousin of recently rejoined vocalist CALE GONTIER, a nod to the song's themes. As the end of the set approached, they tore into Painkiller from their 2015 album Human, which was a thrilling pre-encore closer that ignited the entire floor. The encore began with the slower, emotionally charged Never Too Late, offering a final moment of catharsis before the room exploded again for their smash-hit Riot. The pit never slowed, and across the final notes, chants of “three days grace” scattered the room one final time. The band gathered at the front of the stage to take a well-earned bow and soaked in the triumphant atmosphere. The night felt like a celebration of a band that helped to define a generation and a heartfelt welcome home to GONTIER. As BADFLOWER set a precedent for intensity and the headliners gave us a thunderous tour across their discography, it was clear that despite the long journey, THREE DAYS GRACE have made a serious mark, and if tonight was anything to go by, they are here to stay. Words: Chloe Sodeau Photos: Neve Saltmarsh

For the past 25 years, WHEATUS have been living with the strange blessing and curse of writing a song that never goes away. Rather than shy away from it, they have turned their ‘25th Anniversary’ tour into a celebration of the debut album that started it all, playing it in full each night and filling the rest of the set with whatever the room feels like hearing. The result was a loose, charming night that felt as much like a neighbourhood party as a gig. The evening opened with THOMAS NICHOLAS, best known to most people as Kevin from the American Pie films. Onstage, though, he was far more “local pub hero” than Hollywood alumnus, in the best way possible. It was just him, an acoustic guitar, and a sense of humour sharp enough to keep everyone dialled in. He leaned straight into nostalgia, playing multiple tracks from the American Pie soundtracks, and even pulling out a spirited cover of BLINK-182’s All The Small Things, which instantly lifted the room. He then launched into a parody of BOWLING FOR SOUP’s 1985, changing the lyrics to be a tongue-in-cheek recap of the first American Pie plot. It landed perfectly with the crowd, who were already laughing by the time the chorus rolled around. His whole set had the warmth of watching a mate jump up onstage at an open mic and absolutely run away with it: easy, comfortable, and genuinely fun. With only one support, the night rolled quickly toward the main event. WHEATUS came out to a roar, but instead of diving straight into album material, they opened with something entirely different - a cover of Growing on Me by THE DARKNESS, chosen purely because someone in the crowd had shouted for it. That choice really set the tone for the rest of the show. This was not a tightly scripted anniversary set, but a night of organised chaos with the band constantly polling the audience for the next song. After decades on the road, it is no surprise that they have become masters at this loose style. The back-and-forth felt natural and affectionate, like everyone in the room was in on the same long-running joke. Fan favourites landed hard. Leroy came with a bursting of live harmonica that got some of the loudest cheers of the night. Hump’Em N’ Dump’Em and Lemonade kept the energy high, while American in Amsterdam had a large majority of the crowd up and dancing. The band really leaned into some playful heckling in between songs too: when someone yelled for Truffles, singer BRENDAN called it a “piece of shit song” with the sort of mock-disgust that only comes from real affection, then, of course, proceeded to play it anyway. The whole exchange captured the night’s affectionate, familiar tone. As the show moved deeper into their catalogues, the energy in the room softened slightly. Some of the lesser-known tracks did not get the same full-room lift, but the fans who recognised them were fully committed, dancing and shouting along. This shifting pace never hurt the atmosphere though, and if anything made the night feel more genuine, like the band were just happy to be sharing whatever the crowd wanted, whether it was a hit or a deep cut. It was really refreshing to have the album tracks scattered throughout the set, rather than knocked out front to back as if by obligation, letting them pop up naturally in the middle of all the requests. One of the more unique and delightful surprises came when they decided to play a portion of Christmas Dirtbag, their holiday-themed take on Teenage Dirtbag. BRENDAN joked that hardly anyone in the room even knew it existed, and judging from the laughter he was not wrong, but the crowd embraced it anyway. It is not every day you get to hear a band perform a festive remix of their most famous song in November, but the novelty only added to the atmosphere. When the time finally came for Teenage Dirtbag, the room was ready. Rather than charge straight through the whole song though, the band paused to make the crowd sing the female verse on their own. Every single person in that room did it with full commitment; it was the only possible way to end such a special set like this one. Two and a half decades in, the song still carries an impact that few tracks from its era can match. As people spilled out onto the street afterward, the mood was bright and buzzing. The whole show felt like a reunion where everyone already knew the words, even when they did not recognise the song. For a band celebrating an album that has outlived whole generations of trends, it was a fitting reminder of why those songs stuck around in the first place. Words: Zuzanna Pazola Photos: Joshua Cunningham

“Do you like ICE NINE KILLS?” For many people, this time of the year is all about Christmas. Not so much for the fans of the heavy metal band ICE NINE KILLS, who have brought a touch of Halloween into the last weeks before the New Year. Bringing with them the powerhouses CREEPER and THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, the last night of the tour, concluded in the iconic OVO Arena Wembley in London, was not short of nostalgia, excitement and a great handful of horror. THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA have made a big name for themselves in the last twenty years and it was obvious from the crowd’s excitement, as the lights in the arena dimmed. Although their staging was very simple, the vocalists and guitarists MIKE HRANICA and JEREMY DEPOYSTER managed to grab the attention of everyone since the first notes of Ritual. Primarily promoting their latest album Flowers, that came out in November, with the help of the band members KYLE SIPRESS (lead guitar, backing vocals), JONATHAN GERING (keyboards, synthesisers, backing vocals) and GIUSEPPE CAPOLUPO (drums), the Dayton-natives managed to make the arena cry, shout and transcend with their riffs, synths and undying gratitude. Even after twenty years on the scene, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA shows the metalcore scene that they always have something new to bring to the table. In the true horror sense, it is only natural that CREEPER were the main support band of the tour. Bringing their gothic image to the big stage, the members WILL GOULD (lead vocals), IAN MILES (guitar, backing vocals), SEAN SCOTT (bass, backing vocals), HANNAH GREENWOOD (keyboards, backing and lead vocals), JAKE FOGARTY (drums, percussion) and LAWRIE PATTISON (guitar) brought songs from their latest album Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death, as well as few older ones. The English vampires from Southampton held onto their gory image as they gracefully sang with the entirety of OVO Wembley, and rightfully so, as they were the only British band of the evening. Many songs had sections entirely sung by HANNAH, such as Lovers Led Astray, which was a unique feature not very common in the recorded versions. Celebrating eleven years on the rock scene and an upcoming UK tour, CREEPER did not disappoint with the amount of energy they brought into the already ecstatic arena. Once the change-over began, big changes started happening on the stage. From putting a curtain in front of it to an inflatable killer, ICE NINE KILLS did not hold back with the staging at all. ‘Tis was just the beginning though, as the real treat was the horrific performance. Opening the set with their single Meat & Greet, SPENCER CHARNAS (vocals), MILES DIMITRI BAKER (guitars, backing vocals) and their touring musicians already brought out a performance that was not short on gore, powerful vocals and an intricate pyro, that made the place heat up very quickly. Continuing with songs such as Hip To Be Scared, Wurst Vacation and Farewell II Flesh, one of their most popular releases, the atmosphere in the OVO Arena only grew more intense as the moshpits were not stopping and the crowdsurfers kept coming to the barricade quickly and in big numbers, making the security guards work really hard. Thirty minutes into the set, CHARNAS finally spoke to the crowd, hyping them up and expressing gratitude, as he kept moving around the whole stage, interacting with fans not only at the barrier, but in the seats as well. Although the band is mostly popular for their horror-themed work, they also performed covers of two lighter songs; Walking On Sunshine by KATRINA AND THE WAVES and The Impression That I Get by THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES, which were a good grounding time from all the gore, especially since the second mentioned was a journey to ICE NINE KILLS’ roots as a ska band. From there, the setlist contained only few more, but very exciting songs, as the recent The Laugh Track and their classic The Shower Scene, staged with the iconic shower scene from Psycho, were there. After that, the band left the stage for a brief moment, only for the fans to start chanting and cheering for more. And more they got, as the band not only played their hits The American Nightmare and A Work Of Art, with Art the Clown dressed as a Royal Guard casually killing the horror legend ROSE MCGOWAN and swinging a fetus set ablaze around the set, but also a big announcement that the band is collaborating on the new Scream 7 movie, only cementing their position as one of the most influential bands in the genre. The concert finished with the whole arena cheering and tearing up, taking in the atmosphere of what was probably one of the best performances the OVO Arena Wembley has seen this year. ICE NINE KILLS, CREEPER and THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA all brought a unique experience to the capital and many fans will talk about it even months after it happened with sentiment, nostalgia and a core memory about that time, when the heavy metalers from Boston brought a real Halloween treat to them in December. Words: Katerina Stepanikova Photos: Salma Bustos

Emerging from Germany’s vibrant alternative scene, SEVEN BLOOD have carved out a sound that is as cathartic as it is commanding. Their new album, Life Is Just A Phase which was released November 21st, captures the band at a pivotal moment, transforming personal crisis into collective strength. With raw emotion woven into every riff and lyric, SEVEN BLOOD offer listeners a sonic refuge for navigating their own emotional wreckage. As they prepare to embark on a coheadline tour with Lastelle early next year, the momentum feels unstoppable. We sat down with guitarist OLI ARNOLD, vocalist AZARIA NASIRI, and bassist JOSI HILLE to explore the stories behind the record, the energy of their live shows, and the purpose that drives their music forward. Despite the visceral weight of their band name, guitarist OLI ARNOLD insists there’s no hidden mythology: “It’s really not a deeper meaning behind it. We just thought the combination of these words comprises everything that on the emotional, verbal side of life makes most sense for us.” It’s blunt, raw, and fitting for a band whose music thrives on honesty. The band’s creative process began not in a rehearsal room but over drinks. Vocalist AZARIA NASIRI recalls: “We first met to have a drink and just talked. We noticed, okay, we get along somehow. Let’s try to make music together.” That casual meeting led to their first writing session and their first single. Since then, their routine has been deceptively simple: coffee, conversation, and collaboration. ARNOLD laughs, “We drink a lot of coffee.” But beneath the humor lies something deeper. Writing sessions often resemble therapy, with hours of conversation before a single lyric is penned. “We just realised that sharing these topics from different angles makes a song lyric ready to connect for other people,” ARNOLD says. That connection is tangible. Fans approach the band after shows to say songs like House ≠ Home mirror their own lives. Themes of vulnerability and transformation run through the record. Asked whether they write about their past pains for themselves or for listeners, ARNOLD reflects: “It’s important for us and also for other people. This connection makes me happy.” NASIRI adds that the band’s lyrics are like a diary they collectively agree to release into the world. “When we write songs, it has to be something everyone can relate to. As soon as that’s settled, we just let it out.” For SEVEN BLOOD, vulnerability isn’t weakness, it's literally the foundation of their bond. NASIRI remembers deciding to be “100% vulnerable” during their first session. “Luckily everyone got along and had an understanding. That gave me strength and trust for this group.” ARNOLD echoes the sentiment: “If you want to do it in an honest way you have to be brutally honest. That’s why we call it group therapy. As soon as you unveil this, it’s really a strength.” When pressed to choose favorites from Life Is Just A Phase, the band members hesitate, each tied to different moments in their journey. Bassist Josi Hille cites Monsters, though admits she can’t explain why. ARNOLD gravitates toward House ≠ Home and No Breakout, praising their balance of anthem and vulnerability. NASIRI chooses Killing From the Inside, the band’s first song and Not Your Misery, for its explosive anger. ARNOLD also recalls the exhausting but cathartic creation of Fall From the Sky, written in a twelve-hour session that ended with NASIRI’s final scream late at night. “It was the last song we wrote, like writing the summary of your record,” he says. Musically, SEVEN BLOOD’s influences are as diverse as their stories. ARNOLD cites NIRVANA’s Nevermind as a lifelong touchstone, while NASIRI recalls seeing PARAMORE live at 13 as her spark. HILLE points to AVRIL LAVIGNE’s Let Go as the record that made her pick up a guitar. Collectively, the band embraces everything from KENDRICK LAMAR to DUA LIPA, ARCHITECTS to SLEEP TOKEN. “It’s a great playground to love different kinds of music,” ARNOLD says. With Life Is Just a Phase released, SEVEN BLOOD are preparing for their first coheadline tour with Lastelle, including a show at the Fighting Cocks in Kingston. “It’s a very special time for us,” NASIRI says. “Now it’s our name sitting on those tickets.” HILLE, ever practical, adds with a grin: For SEVEN BLOOD, because of their close proximity to their fans, the merch they create isn’t an afterthought. They insist on Fairtrade, high quality shirts they’d wear themselves, which is more than just a promise, it’s a reality as NASIRI laughs “It’s not planned, but actually I’m wearing our shirt today so don’t forget the merch table at the show.” It’s clear from the ripples created across the scene from the release of Life Is Just A Phase that SEVEN BLOOD are a band to watch. ARNOLD leaves readers with a reminder: “Always keep in mind that life’s just a phase, in the good and in the bad times. Words: Lou Viner-Flood Photos: Anthony Molina With thanks to: Seven Blood and The Noise Cartel

EQUILIBRIUM returns from hiatus with a bang on 7th album Equinox, armed with a new lead vocalist and some electro infusion to launch the trio into the new age. Filled with technical excellence and exhilarating soundscapes, Equinox is power metal you could run a marathon to. Album opener is Earth Tongue - a massive track with tribal drums and monastic harmonies. The electronic elements come into their own in follow up awakening, as does the breadth of the soundscape present in Equinox: EQUILIBRIUM manage to transition from impassioned screams to a flute breakdown with ease, speaking to the technical skills of EQUILIBRIUM in this self-produced project. The element that felt unnecessary was the produced outro at the end, which felt like an interlude tacked onto the end of an otherwise intentional and well paced track. This decision feels particularly odd as two of the fourteen tracks on Equinox are interludes already, as well as a separate outro track. Perhaps an attempt at a 3 act structure, but any of these could be traded with the extended outro of Awakening or removed completely with little impact on Equinox overall. After first interlude Archivist there is the singles section of Equinox, starting with Gnosis then Bloodwood. Bloodwood is the track of note of these singles, with an intro that reminds of shanty metal then infusing some more of the electronic production that elevates the tracks it appears on. Bloodwood pulls no punches in its tempo, as well as incorporating an ektar solo which was a welcome surprise. The midsection of Equinox is the strongest, with Bloodwood followed by I’ll be thunder, whose synths feel 80s in its build then remind of ELECTRIC CALLBOY as it hits the meat and potatoes. Anderswelt feels like a storybook, with lyrics of rising and rebirth connecting these concepts to the emergence of spring and the freedom the night can offer. One Hundred Hands focuses more on melody before hitting a static infused breakdown as well as allowing some time for the drumming to come to the fore. Borrowed Waters is the first track where the female guest vocal comes into play, as well as slows down an otherwise sonically huge project into something more pensive; a break in the fast pace giving room to breathe and absorb Equinox. The end of Equinox is oddly structured, with another interlude (Rituals of the Sun and Moon) before final full track Nexus is followed by outro Ties of Time. The elements of Rituals of the Sun and Moon add to the uniqueness of Equinox with the integration of throat singing, then Nexus pulls no punches in its beginning and incorporates spoken word into its swelling second half that add to the power of this project. This said, isolating Nexus from the rest of the album feels an odd choice: the track itself would hold its own as the album closer, no extra outro separate to needed, while cutting it off with two short separate movements works to bloat the project rather than add to it meaningfully. One longer track incorporating the elements of Rituals of Sun and Moon and Ties of Time may have worked better to offer a big conclusion to this massive soundscape. All in all, Equinox feels like a comeback; a theatrical largeness with the passion to sell it alongside varied yet intentional elements that offered uniqueness to a sub genre that can blend into itself. Though there was some odd choices in the album structure, once EQUILIBRIUM have settled back into writing these will sure fade away. Score: 7/10 Equinox was released on 28th November via Nuclear Blast Records. Words: Julia Brunton Photos: Equilibrium

Embarking on their only UK stop of their headline tour for their newest album The Darkest Place I’ve Ever Been; metalcore giants LANDMVRKS take on Camden’s famous Roundhouse for a special and emotional show for the band and fans alike. Opening up the night were SPLIT CHAIN, with a lot of buzz around this band in such a short time, it is absolutely clear to see why. This band have masterfully taken the edgy skater culture of the early 2000s alongside the music of the likes of DEFTONES and LINKIN PARK and given it all a fresh coat of paint in the best way possible with the London crowd eating it up. The band attracted an amazing reaction from the crowd with their hits, bored. tired. torn. and I’m Not Dying To Be Here sending the crowd into a frenzy of walls of death and two stepping; SPLIT CHAIN made sure to represent their home country being the only UK natives on the line-up, their energy, the crowd made for a pretty killer set, that gave the following bands a standard to live up to. Next up were Long Island Hardcore outfit PAIN OF TRUTH, who ripped the crowd to shreds with their massively intense riffs and impressive vocal work; they threw themselves in at the deep end for this set, making sure that this predominately metalcore crowd were given a taste at the harsh reality of a hardcore show. The pit filled with wind millers, two-steppers and even some crowd killers who did not let up for the thirty minutes that PAIN OF TRUTH graced the stage, growing only ever more intense by the song, they closed off their set with Actin’ Up creating an unstoppable whirlpool of moshers that probably sold a lot of the crowd on the wild intensity of a hardcore show, just a shame there was no stage diving to be the cherry on top. After that came along emo veterans UNDEROATH, whose energy was simply something to be marvelled at, from the moment they walked on stage, they utilized every part of the lighting, stage and sound to blast the audience with their perfect blend of screamo, metalcore and even post-hardcore elements. Opening with Loss, UNDEROATH flashbanged their audience with a simply impressive light show, that empowered their already powerful and epic songs; every fan in that crowd gave it their all with the audience being the loudest during this set, maybe the infectiously catchy hooks of the songs had something to do with that. UNDEROATH proved themselves to be a class act and definitely worth their own headline of this venue; playing a wide range of songs across their previous albums to create a set that would sell any LANDMVRKS fan on their status and talent. Finally the headliner, LANDMVRKS, took to the stage, veiled behind a white curtain, revealing only singer FLORENT SALFATI’s shadow as he passionately sung the title track from the newest record. With a thunderous scream, alongside thunderous playing from the rest of the band, the veil dropped to reveal them all in all of their grandeur; the crowd erupted into a frenzy as the band gave them something to blow off their steam to. The first section of songs flew by as the band utilised an intense light show and some insane amounts of pyrotechnics that only elevated the feeling of grandiose the band were giving themselves; the band did not hold back from using confetti either as the crowd were bathed in blue as they jumped and moshed away. The band showcased all their might and power within only a few songs, creating an atmosphere like none other, the show felt like a new age of metalcore, with a performance for the ages. The talent this band has is astonishing with many comparing SALFATI to the late CHESTER BENNINGTON of LINKIN PARK, and it is honestly the perfect comparison, he has the same insane vocal range and the passionate screamo is so impressive to hear live. LANDMVRKS took this headline slot in a chokehold, pulling out all the stops for London, bringing out MATT WELSH of WHILE SHE SLEEPS fame to sing on his feature for A Line In The Dust, this duo owned that moment, arm in arm they put their hearts on their sleeve and shared a special moment with audience. As the band came closer to their finale, they pulled out some older tracks from their previous record Lost In The Waves to send it home, after some cool moments like SALFATI creating a piece of graffiti art on stage as a little interlude, an acoustic section and a killer drum solo from KÉVIN D’AGOSTINO; the band closed with Self-Made Black Hole, giving one last taste of this bands aggression and passion, ending with a massive bang for a brilliant evening of heavy music. Words and photos: Ben Blisset