Damnation Festival - BEC Arena, Manchester (2/11/24)

And so on to the main event. I arrive at the venue pretty early (11am) so that I can grab a bite to eat and catch the first bands of the day.

The opening bands on the second and third stages provide the first clash of the day but I opt for the second stage where Richmond thrashers Enforced kick off the proceedings. They open up with a classic riff which could have come from any of your favourite '80s albums. From thereon in it's just heads down classic thrash. Knox Colby has a classic hardcore voice but musically, this is more in Exodus territory. They have the power of prime Cro-Mags though. It is played at 100mph and, as it is when this stuff is done right, it is glorious. 'Casket Fire' has a big 'Ride The Lightning' vibe. The whole band are tight as hell. The drummer, Alex Bishop, is an impressive, driving force whilst Colby is a magnetic presence on the mic. 'War Remains' is a full on neck-snapper, as are most of their songs. A fine start to the day.

A.A. Williams makes gloom sound beautiful. The music is  slow and doomy but her amazing vocals are strong and powerful with a mysterious, ethereal quality. Chelsea Wolfe is an obvious comparison but it sounds a bit more organic. She is often haunting and always hypnotic. 'Splinter' has a satisfyingly heavy bottom end and an alluring chorus. 'Evaporate' is absolutely bewitching and the closing section is awesome. The heartbreaking 'Melt' makes me shed the first tear of the day. A bit of emotion always goes down well opening the main stage (see Nordic Giants last year).

I'm feeling a bit of an emotional wreck after A.A, Williams so what better way to blow those feelings away than with a big dose of screamo. Unfortunately, a problem with the bass head means that there is a bit of a delay while they sort it out. Guitarist/singer Logan is a real showman, flinging his guitar round his neck and generally playing up to the crowd. One track brings an unhinged As Friends Rust to mind. They seem like a band out of time as they sound like they could have been on Ebullition Records in the '90s. They're a bit messy and chaotic but then again, this style often is ,although their attack becomes more focused and powerful as the set progresses.

Celeste also appear to have problems at the beginning of their set as one of the guitars keeps cutting out. Their brand of black metal seems to inhabit the ground between Alcest and say, Nachtmystium. It is powerful and claustrophobic, and the vocals are savage. The red headtorches they wear make them look like cyclopean cyborgs It's a pretty cool aesthetic. They have some monstrous grooves but, at times, the individual instruments don't seem to gel very well. It's this which prompts me to leave midway through to have a bit of a break before the next band, thus missing the harrowing footage they play on the big screen (but later read about online).

REZN's bottom heavy bass tone is so satisfying. They play stoner doom with spacey vocals which give it a psychedelic edge and remind me of Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats. Saxophone, organ and various other sound effects add an extra dimension. It sounds like Kenny G being taken on a trip by Sons Of Otis. Their sound is so layered which makes it extremely interesting. One track towards the end sounds urgent and has keyboard effects (controlled by some weird Playstation controller) which sounds like blue whales swimming deeper and deeper into the abyssal plain. The level of invention is refreshing. The final track goes for a more straightforward stoner attack like Sleep, but generally this is trippy and hypnotic.

Chase Mason, Gatecreeper's vocalist, looks like a fucking rock star in his shades. This isn't meant as a diss (after all, we are talking about extreme metal where being called a rock star is seen as a dirty word) but he just exudes star quality. Musically, they're top notch, powered by HM2 pedals and prime Obituary riffs. This is old school death metal which sounds modern and accessible. It feels like it could be louder but this doesn't detract from the performance at all. Back in the '90s, I couldn't get my head round much death metal. I described it as all speed and no substance but if these guys would have existed then, they would have converted me as the riffs are incredibly well defined. At times I'm reminded of Dismember playing 'Necroticism' era Carcass tunes. I'm still surprised they're not massive yet as they look like they'd be at home regularly playing venues of this size (the main hall has a 6000 capacity). 'The Black Curtain' sounds like Nick Holmes turned up at the wrong practice and started playing Paradise Lost songs with Bloodbath. Absolutely fantastic.

After the 'Brewing the Storm' intro, Black Tusk open properly with 'Dance On Your Grave', an energetic shot of stoner punk. They have quite a High On Fire influence, only punkier. On one occasion, they sound like fast rock and roll influenced punk such as Zeke or Electric Frankenstein. Their style seems to change depending on which of the four band members are taking lead vocals. Nothing seems to quite grab a hold of me so I decide to take a break and get something to eat before Nails in a couple of hours time. Unfortunately, I don't get the refreshment or sit down I need as I bump into a few people I know and spend the whole time stood around taking to people I haven't seen in years.

Nails open with 'You Will Never Be One Of Us', grind infused hardcore which hits right from the first note. The main hall is packed and it is hot, even more so when the pyro goes off. Like many bands today, they have that HM2 old school death metal tone, only they use it to play hardcore punk. It's like Entombed playing Drop Dead songs. All the individual elements are good but it does get to the point where it feels like they're playing the same song over and over and although it's a good one, the limited dimensions lessen the impact.

Ominous Norse horns herald the start of The Ruins Of Beverast's set before the icy riffs and blasting beats take hold. It initially sounds a little weak but after a minute or two of the same pattern it becomes hypnotic. This pattern continues as fast parts are played until they lock into a groove and it becomes mesmeric. The sound doesn't seem that clear, it is instead a swirling soup of guitars held together by the drums but this just adds to the hypnotic quality. It isn't all fast as there are a few slow and doomy parts too. 

The headliners for the two secondary stages proves to be the biggest clash of the weekend as both Dragged Into Sunlight and Ahab are high up on the list of bands I want to see. Ahab are at the very top of that list so I opt to go and see them.

Ahab are slow and heavy like you'd expect but when they slow it down for the soft interlude in the first song, 'Mobilis In Mobili', is when the magic happens. It sounds very subterranean, not unlike the instrumental passage in Maiden's 'Rime Of The Ancient Mariner', and these little breaks only make the funeral doom parts seem even heavier. It crawls along at a snail's pace but it doesn't get boring. They really manage to conjure the feeling of being submerged in the depths of the ocean. 'Old Thunder' brings Enslaved's 'Havenless' to mind with its chanting but I guess it's the ritual voice of giant crab men rather than viking warriors. Both the vocals and guitar lines are quite emotive which adds depth to the cavernous doom. The final track, 'Antartica The Polymorphess' is epic and reaches SunnO))) levels of heaviness. Still, it's not hard to experience serious FOMO when you hear people raving about how good Dragged Into Sunlight was.

I decide to call it a night there as the headliners, Cradle Of Filth, have never really been my thing and my feet have probably reached their limit. Night Of Salvation was probably the better day, musically, for me but I had equally as much fun today just meeting up with friends I lost touch with years ago. There isnt really any doubt that I'll be here again next year.

Ahab ****

The Ruins Of Beverast ****

Nails ***

Black Tusk ***

Gatecreeper *****

REZN ****

Celeste ***

Gillian Carter ***

A.A. Williams ****

Enforced ****

Damnation Night Of Salvation - BEC Arena, Manchester (1/11/24)

Night Of Salvation is the traditional pre-show to the annual Damnation Festival, although the argument rages as to whether it is just a pre-show or another full  day, such is the stacked nature of tonight's line-up which features a number of album exclusive sets.

Norna open the Pelagic stage but the mix doesn't seem quite right. The guitars in isolation are probably loud enough and the vocals could be more prominent but the bass drum is far too loud and just seems to overwhelm everything else. It is rather off-putting and slightly lessens the impact of their heavy post-metal. It comes across as a second-rate Amenra or Cult Of Luna, which is a shame as the albums are rather good. Even second-rate Cult Of Luna is decent enough though. The sound balance makes it a bit headache inducing though, and it is a bit too much to take so I decide to check out the other stage instead.

The sound balance is much better for Underdark. Their brand of progressive black metal is pretty decent too. They are mildly hypnotic in the slower parts and this is bookended by icy blasting, although they are more Deafheaven than Immortal. It's diverting enough but nothing that I haven't heard before.

After a banging thai curry from one of the food vendors, I wander into the main hall where Insanity Alert are playing. I've seen them before and found them to be pretty uninspiring, plus the fact that were going to be playing a bunch of comedy covers along with tracks from SOD's 'Speak English Or Die' meant that I had no desire to watch them. However, what I inadvertently catch isn't bad. 'Metal Punx Never Die!' is great and 'All Mosh/No Brain' (both their own tracks) is decent too. The intro to 'Beer In The Park' (their take on Maiden's 'Fear Of The Dark') leaves me cold but when they speed up, it's great. You just can't fuck with that riff or the singalong part. I am glad I missed the George Michael cover though as that probably would have turned me against them. Wham! were the first band I ever fell in love with and I'm still fiercely defensive of their and George Michael's music.

Sugar Horse are fantastic. The first track is super heavy post-rock, like Mogwai with vocals. Ash's vocals are great. They have a stadium indie rock feel and this gives their music a real edge, like The Temper Trap gone heavy or a more successful version of what Khoma attempted. The second track is more post-metal but is equally good. When they go heavy, they fucking crush. The third track is suffocating and those sawing guitars sound fantastic. It gets heavier and more foreboding as the set progresses, and the vocals get harsher. It sounds and feels incredible. They prove to be masters of light and shade as soft, whispered parts give way to crushing brutality. The stunning vocals on the final track are reminiscent of Einar Solberg, and this gives them a feel of Leprous gone post-metal. The climax to the set is earth shaking. Pretty epic, all told.

The first thirty seconds or so of Discharge's set sounds pretty tinny but then I become accustomed to it (or the sound engineers sort it out) and it sounds good enough. They are playing tracks from 'Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing' and those songs cannot be denied regardless. The band sound tight and powerful and the singer, JJ, looks in great shape. These short, sharp bursts of hardcore punk still sound pretty fresh over 40 years after their initial release. 'Protest And Survive' sounds as vital and relevant as ever. JJ shouts 'free Palestine' before a pounding 'Never Again', demonstrating that they are as politicised as ever and also showing why we still really need Discharge.

Morne are playing their most recent album 'Engraved In Pain' in full. They sit at the crustier, sludgier end of post-metal. They are heavy and mesmerising, and the material has a real momentum to it. The guitarist has a sweet Thin Lizzy shirt on and he pulls out some great solos. His excellent, emotive playing adds an extra layer to the sound. The dynamic and punchy 'Memories Like A Stone' is excellent. The lurching doom of 'Fire And Dust' is heavy as hell and is compelling. The climax to the final track is superb, but the entire set is excellent.

Mizmor open with a very rhythmic, tribal take on black metal which then transforms into funeral doom. It's absolutely spellbinding. Fucking magical. There is nothing contrived about them. They evoke a dark and gloomy atmosphere by simply playing, and mixing those fast and slow tempos. The slower doom parts are mined from the same places Bell Witch and Ahab mine theirs from (the bottom of the ocean?). An incredible experience.

The Ocean are one of the most anticipated bands of the evening as they are performing their 2013 album 'Pelagial' in full, one of their final performances with their current line up. After the intro of 'Epipelagic', they open with the gentle prog of 'Mesopelagic: Into The Uncanny' which becomes heavier like 'Fear Of A Blank Planet' era Pocupine Tree, only denser. It's extremely dynamic, with an arena metal chorus. A seriously rocking beginning. Their trademark post-metal is evident on 'Bathyapelagic I: Impasses' but it is hugely accessible with big hooks and a killer chorus. The closing coda of 'Bathyapelagic II: The Wish In Dreams' is very Tool-like (it is very reminiscent of 'The Grudge'). Their singer, Loïc, seems genuinely touched by the crowd's reaction. Some people around me are losing their minds, in a similar manner to how I was at Leprous at Night Of Salvation last year. 'Demersal: Cognitive Dissonance' has a heavy, pulsing rhythm whilst the sheer weight of 'Benthic: The Origin Of Our Wishes' towards the end is incredible. A special performance.

I've described quite a lot of bands today as heavy, but in comparison of mass, LLNN are tonnes heavier than anyone else. I've also described a couple of bands as crushing, but in comparison of pressure, LLNN are at least double the psi of anyone else. The impact is breathtaking. It is soooo intense. 'Desecrator' is a savage, ominous rumble. We're talking 'Streetcleaner' levels of heaviness here. At their best, they are a mixture of industrial and post-metal like Godflesh meets Amenra. Midway through the set the band leave the stage, leaving the singer alone to growl along to a backing track which sounds like it's soundtracking the cult sci-fi flick 'Hardware'. The band rejoin him onstage and the result is a crowd full of banging heads. i appreciate how much the band put into this performance. The singer looks utterly spent, and I really like how the keyboardist attacks his instrument. LLNN are something else. Absolutely incredible.

That's where I decide to call it a night as the mainstage headliners, Decapitated, do nothing for me. They may be playing an album in full, with their old singer on vocals but that isn't enough to encourage me to stay. I make the decision to go home and get a decent night's rest ahead of a full day of bands tomorrow.

LLNN *****

The Ocean ****

Mizmor *****

Morne ****

Discharge ****

Sugar Horse ****

Insanity Alert ***

Underdark ***

Norna ***

Käärijä - Academy, Manchester (21/10/24)

Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool was such a great experience. The whole city got involved and the atmosphere and organisation were second to none. There were a number of great songs and performances but what sticks in the mind the most is Käärijä. Finland's entry just captured everyone's imagination. His lime green bolero jacket. His charisma. His iconic dance routine (including a human centipede with his dancers). Even his sauna truck which was parked on the road leading to the arena. All of these helped him to cast a spell over the Eurovision community. His anthemic song 'Cha Cha Cha' just caused ripples of excitement whenever he performed it, meaning that the audience were upset and angry when he didn't take the crown. He was unofficially the people's champion. A fact he recognises, as this is the title of his forthcoming album.

Oasis' 'Morning Glory' plays just before Käärijä takes to the stage. His band all have goggles, fishnet tops, dungarees and goggles, making them look like gothic Minions. It is only half full but right from the start, it is clear that the audience REALLY loves him, eating up tracks like 'Huhhahhei', which is a thumping slice of industrialised cyber metal.  'Auto jää' is cheesy as hell Eurodance but it is undeniably infectious. 'Yhtä vailla' is industrial hip hop which sounds like a cross between the Judgement Night soundtrack and Pharoahe Monch's 'Simon Says'. 'Sex=Money' is pretty hardcore (gabba not punk) and is headache inducing but fun. 'Viulunkieli' sees him showing off his rapping with a decent rapid fire delivery (not that I understand Finnish) whilst the track contorts like Bomfunk MC's 'Freestyler'. 'Ruoska' marries Rammstein style industrial metal with Europop to thrilling effect and the crowd reacts accordingly. His doppelganger Häärijä appears on stage to dance to a ridiculous 'Baila'. Jeskiedes appears on stage for their track, 'Urheilujätkä'. Käärijä is completely surprised by a guest appearance from his friend, Sonny Kylä-Liuhala, who has flown in unexpectedly for the headliner's birthday. This isn't the only concession to his birthday as later on the crowd  break out into a rendition of 'Happy Birthday'. 'Bananas' hits hard during the chorus. 'People's Champion' sees him joined by a man in a mushroom outfit with mushrooms on the screen behind him and even I groan at the pun (and I love puns). 'Trafik' is a fucking riot. 'Kot Kot' puts a banging donk on it, coming across like a Finnish Blackout Crew. Everyone is having a ball by the time 'It's Crazy, It's Party' hits. 'Cha Cha Cha' drives the crowd crazy and rightly so because it is killer. He often engages with the audience but it is rather spontaneous. I can't always understand what he's saying but it doesn't really matter as the crowd clearly love him regardless.

Käärijä ****

Ist Ist, Cucamaras & Rude Films - New Century Hall, Manchester (19/10/24)

Rude Films have a pretty big sound. They have melancholic post-punk guitars and a throbbing rhythm section which combine to paint images of grey northern skies, working class former mill towns and the general struggles of living in modern Britain. It's a much more impressive showing than when I last saw them six months ago (and I liked them then anyway). 'Blood On The Tracks' features delicate Thom Yorke-esque vocals which gives it a Radiohead feel but it builds in a style more akin to post-rock. One track is a bit too discordant, with each instrument doing its own thing but in a way that jars rather than blends together. 'Gory Bastard'  has spoken word vocals whilst the guitar paints pretty pictures in the background, giving it an Arab Strap feel. Rude Films seem to have developed massively since I last saw them.

It's quite an energetic start for Cucamaras. The singer appears quite unassuming but his confrontational delivery owes a debt to Mark E Smith. Musically, they're probably more in line with Fontaines DC or Gurriers. 'Bleacher's Yard' is pretty thrilling post-punk with angular guitars and more of those prickly vocals. The penultimate track, 'Winners Chapel', rattles along like a subway train, and this relentless energy again brings Gurriers to mind. The final track has a stomping, anthemic chorus. Immensely likeable.

Ist Ist are a great band. I've seen them a couple of times and really enjoyed them. The records are great too, which makes it strange that it just isn't resonating with me tonight. Solid Hooky style basslines, steady drumming, angular guitars and deep, gothic vocals are all present and correct but it just isn't captivating me like they usually do. It definitely feels like a case of 'it's not you, it's me'. Maybe I'm too tired as I've been out all day. That magic just seems to be missing.

Ist Ist ***

Cucamaras ****

Rude Films ****

Alice Cooper & Primal Scream - AO Arena, Manchester (17/10/24)

I blame Alice Cooper for all this. Conversely, I also thank Alice Cooper for all this.

I've always loved music. I grew up watching Top Of The Pops, following (and recording) the charts and buying seven inch records. What was in the charts influenced what I listened to and my favourites would change from month to month, as the charts themselves changed. By the late '80s, more and more rock music was getting into the charts and this was slowly having an effect on me. I bought Pat Benatar's 'Wide Awake In Dreamland' album on holiday and really liked it. I had also borrowed Def Leppard's 'Hysteria' and Guns 'N' Roses 'Appetite For Destruction' albums from schoolfriends and loved both but I wasn't really a rocker or a metaller. I was still a fan of chart music. I heard Alice Cooper's 'Poison' when it stormed the charts and I loved it so much that I bought the 'Trash' album. Lots of albums at the time (or so it seemed to me) had killer lead singles but  the albums themselves were disappointing with a number of filler tracks which were nowhere near as good. 'Trash' wasn't like that. Desmond Child's hand in the writing meant that every song was catchy. 'Bed Of Nails' was harder and equally as catchy as 'Poison'. The defiant 'Why Trust You' fuelled many adolescent angsty singalongs whilst the best of the lot was the Bon Jovi co-written (well, Jon and Richie at least) 'Hell Is Living Without You', a killer ballad with amazing harmonies and clever enjambment in the chorus.

These ten songs weren't enough. I needed more Alice so I bought another album. For probably the first time, I didn't buy an album based on songs I'd heard but more because I liked the artist. Looking in HMV, I didn't really know which one to buy but the cover of 'Raise Your Fist And Yell' spoke to me, with the painting of the fist with Alice's face and make-up on it. It was definitely the right choice. This album was even better than 'Trash'. It was harder and heavier and whilst Trash saw Alice playing the part of trashy, scumbag lover, 'Raise Your Fist' sees Alice playing the part of rebel outsider on the first side of the album and psychopathic serial killer on the second side. This album cemented my love of Alice Cooper and made me realise that I was a metaller. It made me hungry to seek out more and this soon led me to W.A.S.P., Mötley Crüe, Skid Row and beyond. This led to a music obsession where I was always looking for the next amazing thing. This in turn, eventually led me to where I am now, going to 50+ gigs each year and spending all my spare money on music.

Still, my love of Alice never dissipated, meaning that I still tend to go and see him whenever he comes to town.

I miss the first support band, The Meffs, but I am in time to catch all of Primal Scream. They open with the funky, soulful rock of 'Love Insurrection'. It's pretty good, and Bobby Gillespie looks sharp in his white suit but it also seems a little sedate for a more hard rock orientated audience. 'Jailbird' ups the energy but they still seem more suited to a Memphis rock and soul revue. The backing singers are really good, adding a 60s girl group feel to the proceedings, and they help to elevate the likes of 'Ready To Go Home'. 'Deep Dark Waters' has a Stonesy 'Gimme Shelter' feel. This track also shows the limitations of Bobby's voice as he sounds a little flat although, to be fair, he was never noted as an amazing singer. 'I'm Losing More Than I'll Ever Have' is a cool blues rock ballad and Andrew Innes pulls out a great Hendrix style guitar solo. The atmosphere seems pretty flat and it's sad to see classics such as 'Loaded' played to such apathy. It's played terrifically well though. 'Movin' On Up' is rawer than on record and is played with a Rolling Stones or Black Crowes style swagger, and it warms the crowd up a little. The band seem to be in their groove now and 'Country Girl' is wired with rock and roll energy. The call and response with the audience falls flat though and Bobby notes that it's the quietest crowd of the tour so far. 'Rocks' is excellent and the backing singers sound particularly powerful on this one. Overall, it's good performance but it's just sad to see Bobby struggle so badly to connect with the crowd.

Plague doctors roam the stage, heralding Alice Cooper's entrance. He blasts onto the stage with a punchy, truncated 'Lock Me Up' (from the aforementioned 'Raise Your Fist And Yell album, which I've never seem him perform live before). The stage is set up like a courtroom and it looks like he's embraced technology more on this tour, with some big screens behind him. 'Welcome To The Show', from the latest album, is a return to Detroit style rock and roll and is great. 'No More Mr. Nice Guy' sounds more vital than it has in years. Alice sounds in great voice and the band are superb, meaning that classics like 'I'm Eighteen' and 'Under My Wheels' sound amazing. 'Bed Of Nails' sounds very powerful. His snake makes an appearance during 'Snakebite'. 'Be My Lover' is full of attitude, making for an absolutely stacked first half of the set. 'He's Back (The Man Behind The Mask)' has more muscle than the studio version which I find far too wimpy. Jason Voorhees also makes an appearance here to kill a fan which is hokey as hell, but we've all come for a bit of schlocky fun. A fairly rubbish drum solo allows for the stage to be set up for the next part of the show, and for the obligatory costume changes. A classy 'Welcome To My Nightmare' opens the next part of the show and sees Alice conducting the guitarists from atop a staircase. 'Cold Ethyl' is a surprise inclusion and sees him dragging the most lifeless doll you've ever seen around the stage. An amazing 'Go To Hell' is heavy and full of groove. 'Poison' is played much earlier than expected. This is followed by a great 'Feed My Frankenstein'. The band get to really show off during the dynamic 'Black Widow'. Alice gives a committed performance in a straitjacket during an atmospheric 'Ballad Of Dwight Fry'. Alice's execution is still as cheesy as ever and this leads into 'I Love The Dead'. Alice canvasses for votes on the prime garage rock of 'Elected'. He is still restrained in his straitjacket yet he still seems saner than at least one presidential candidate (this show took place a couple of weeks before the US presidential election). 'School's Out' segues really well into Pink Floyd's 'Another Brick In The Wall' and closes the show in a fine fashion. Again, thank you Alice.

Alice Cooper ****

Primal Scream ****