Evergrey, Klogr & Inner Vitriol - Rebellion, Manchester (16/12/24)

I enter midway through Inner Vitriol's set and the first thing which strikes me is the singer's impressive Geoff Tate style vocal range. Musically, they're in the vein of Queensryche's more progressive material too but they seem a bit leaden, although every now and then out of nowhere, they hit a lovely fluid groove. The penultimate track, 'Impressioni di settembre', is a Premiata Forneria Marconi cover but still sounds like Queensryche. The musicianship is good but I would just like more urgency. The final track, 'Endless Spiral', is riffier to start off with but soon settles into a similar pattern. Gabriele Gozzi's vocals are the saving grace because when he hits those soaring heights, it is stunning.

It already feels like more of a show when Klogr appear, with video screens, custom lighting and an introductory video package. Musically, they inhabit the same territory as tonight's headliners. This is quality, riff driven progressive metal which sits on the traditional metal side. The riffs are memorable and well defined whilst the vocals are gritty with a melancholic edge. The catchy choruses remind me a little of 'Hellfire Club' era Edguy. 'Whale Fall' is more atmospheric and expansive with a powerful, grungy chorus. They are a lot more direct than most prog metal. At their heaviest, they have a touch of 'Sound Of White Noise' era Anthrax about them. A tight and professional unit.

2006 was a pivotal year for me. I found myself newly single at the start of the year and threw myself into gigs. I also threw myself back into metal after being mainly a hardcore kid for ten years. That summer, I travelled over to Sweden for the Sweden Rock Festival to see some of my favourites, such as Alice Cooper and Whitesnake. I caught Evergrey headlining one of the smaller stages and they were a revelation. They absolutely blew me away and I subsequently bought their latest album' Monday Morning Apocalypse'. I also saw them later that year in Bolton and they were excellent again, but I haven't seen them live since.

Evergrey open with a fantastic 'Falling from the Sun' which is much heavier than the recorded version. It has some great riffs that are perfect to headbang to, and Tom S Englund's vocals cap an emotive, anthemic chorus. This sums up in one song, everything that makes them great. 'Midwinter Calls' fantastic singalong riffs combined with some choppy Jag Panzer style riffing is truly excellent. 'Distance's main riff is fucking thunderous and is complimented by a wave your arms aloft chorus. Tom's voice is fucking phenomenal here. 'A Silent Arc' rides another incredible chopping riff. The guitarist Henrik is fantastic, conjuring some amazing solos out of his beat up looking guitar. The dynamic, driving 'One Heart' is about as power metal as they get, with Judas Priest style riffs and chorus, and a blazing guitar solo. 'Misfortune' mixes a weighty bottom end with an arena metal chorus. 'Save Us' again features some great swiping guitar riffs. 'King Of Errors' is stomping good fun. A seriously underrated band who I had forgotten how they good they are.

Evergrey *****

Klogr ****

Inner Vitriol ***

Gåte & Lowen - Club Academy, Manchester (14/12/24)

I had been really looking forward to seeing Lowen as their 'Do Not Go To War With The Demons Of Mazandaran' album is incredible (and was in my top 3 albums of 2024). The singer, Nina Saeidi, is the obvious focus and she sounds incredible, combining a middle eastern vocal style with real power. The sound is a little muddy, meaning that some of the intricacies of  the studio recordings are lost a little. '...Najang Bah Divhayeh Mazandaran' is heavy with slow, grinding guitars and numerous time changes. 'Corruption On Earth's complex, eastern tinged guitar lines bring Opeth to mind, only with a much heavier guitar tone. The slow,
heavy middle section even brings Nile to mind. When they get into their stride, with all their complex twists and turns, it is quite breathtaking. They finish their set rather abruptly, with no fuss or any acknowledgement to the crowd.

Gåte were this year's Norwegian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest but it isn't a typical Eurovision crowd in attendance tonight, it seems like more of a prog rock crowd. Not that it's that busy anyway. They start off with an electronic backing track and ethereal vocals. It has a John Carpenter feel before the rest of the band join in to create a powerful and hypnotic fusion of folk and rock. They have more of a technological edge than you would think. 'Knut liten og Sylvelin' rides a distorted bassline which sounds a bit like Josh Wink's 'Higher State Of Consciousness' and although it is still folky, it also manages to be quite heavy too. They are probably much more of a prog band than is evident on their records. Gunnhild's vocals are perfectly clear, adding an eerie and icy feel to each song. It's the vocals which provide the folk aspect to their sound. When she plays the violin on 'Solfager og Ormekongen', it has much more of a traditional feel akin to Heilung or Wardruna and it is magical. The attempted singalong on 'Hamløypar' doesn't quite work but that is mainly because we can't get anywhere near the notes Gunnhild is singing. It is still pretty good though. The venue is only a quarter full but the band still put in a committed performance and the crowd is pretty appreciative of each song. The gentle folk of 'Liti Kjersti', performed acoustically with just guitars and vocals, is pretty moving. It is generally the more traditional folk numbers which are more successful. The dynamic 'Ulveham' (the Eurovision track) closes the regular set in a fine fashion. First encore 'Bannlyst' starts off as jaunty folk that verges on the cheesy but ends up quite rousing. The piano led ballad 'Sjåaren' is very emotive and the part where Gunnhild sings unaccompanied is spine tingling. It doesn't always hit the mark but when it does it is very good.

Gåte ***

Lowen ****

Obituary & Winterfylleth - Club Academy, Manchester (9/12/24)

Winterfylleth are the short notice openers tonight, replacing Sadus (who I was looking forward to seeing) who have, shall we say, line up issues. They are a completely different proposition to Sadus, with their sweeping, epic black metal which flows like Wolves In The Throne Room. There is a warmth to their sound, making them less wintry than this style of music normally is. The harsh vocals, from three different band members, are good. Musically, they are very evocative, bringing to mind the changing of the seasons, rolling countryside and trees shedding their leaves as the weather becomes more miserable. Very autumnal. The blackened attack of 'Absolved In Fire' is more direct but no less epic, bringing Watain to mind. The galloping mid-section is great too. There is quite a celtic feel to the material, particularly in the guitar leads.

Obituary immediately launch into the mid-paced groove of 'Redneck Stomp'. You're moshing straight away. It is perfect for slamming or at least stomping around to. This leads into the faster 'Threatening Skies'. Like most of their material, it has a hardcore sensibility. 'By The Light' stomps around in a manner similar to Slayer's 'Skeletons Of Society'. This is music which solely exists to headbang to. New track 'The Wrong Time' follows a similar path to Jungle Rot. It is music designed to make you move in some way, and even I try to cut a rug in the limited space. Dressed in a long sleeve t-shirt and cut-off shorts, John Tardy still cuts a youthful presence.They are steadfast and unstoppable no matter what pace they play at, as demonstrated on 'Deadly Intentions' which goes from slow to blindingly fast in the blink of an eye. Celtic Frost's 'Circle Of The Tyrants' just sounds like one of their own songs, and Donald Tardy's drumming is seriously good. 'Chopped In Half' is absolutely rocking but then again, everything they play is shot through with a palpable energy. 'Dying' takes us back to the early days with its doomy take on death. The classic 'Slowly We Rot' starts off with ominous doom before blasting into blistering death metal. For a band which have been going (on and off) for thirty five years, they are as good now as they have ever been.

Obituary *****

Winterfylleth ****

808 State & Elf Traps - New Century Hall, Manchester (6/12/24)

I'd seen Elf Traps name around. They played a residency at Band On the Wall last year and I considered going but there wasn't any recorded music on Spotify at that point (and there still isn't). I saw them described as electronic jazz but jazz covers many bases these days. The first couple of minutes makes me fear that are avant garde, experimental and minimalist (i.e tuneless) but they then kick into gear with bassy, dancefloor heavy rhythms. The drumming is amazing, covering everything from jazzy splash and syncopated rhythms to tribal polyrhythms, whilst the heavy electronics bring Aphex Twin or Autchre to mind. They deftly switch from minimalist jazz to glitchy breakbeat. When the keyboardist tinkles the ivories, they sound like a more electronic Gogo Penguin. One particularly percussive track sounds like Hot Butter's 'Popcorn'  gone crazy. An excellent warm up act.

808 State have promised to play two sets tonight. The first set will see them playing the '90' album in full. The opening 'Magical Dream' is a bit of a low key start, a few bodies swaying to something that sounded cool in 1990 but hasn't aged particularly well. 'Ancodia's bassy, heavy beats and chiming electronics are much more like it, especially when accompanied by vintage images of the band. 'Cobra Bora' with it's classic rave sound, really gets the party started and is absolutely incredible. The clarinet led (or is it some kind of saxophone?) 'Pacific 202' is as classic as ever. The hard breakbeat of 'Donkey Doctor' is killer. The belching electronics, burping bass and '80s synths of '808080808' threaten to overwhelm the senses. The saxophone is brought out for the dreamy soundscapes of 'Sunrise'. They then take a short break before coming out for a second set. The second set opens with a huge squealing saxophone whilst crunchy bass and African rhythms provide the backbone. The latin rhythms of 'Ujala' jar with the glitchy stylophone but the bass midway through the track makes my insides quiver. 'Plan 9's Balearic vibes, complete with sun-drenched acoustic guitar, are great. 'In Yer Face' is pure techno armageddon whilst the crunchy mayhem of 'Cübik' is insane. Things are heating up and starting to reach fever pitch, and I possibly overdo it. An extended version of 'Pacific' is wheeled out again to a rapturous reception. Nicky Lockett (AKA MC Tunes) joins the band onstage for a funky 'The Only Rhyme That Bites'. Most of the tracks played tonight are over 30 years old but this seems to be more than pure nostalgia, as they still feel like a vital component of the UK dance scene.

808 State ****

Elf Traps ****

Teenage Wrist & Mercury - Star & Garter, Manchester (5/12/24)

The first track I manage to catch of Mercury's set is decent grunge rock in the vein of The Screaming Trees. I could hear their opening track whilst I was still downstairs and it sounded more Jawbreaker-esque.  The guitarist's vocals seem a bit directionless and lacking in character. They just meander, and sometimes so does the music. It's quite slow paced and, like The Screaming Trees, there's times when it's quite hypnotic. At other times, it's a bit boring. One track adds a bit of '90s hardcore chug to the proceedings. At their heaviest, they are reminiscent of Alice In Chains, particularly with the dual vocal parts. There are quite a few 'Badmotorfinger' influences too. Unfortunately, the songs are rarely satisfying on the whole. There seems to be some dreary parts followed by some nice chunky riffs before going back into a dreary part, and so on. The individual parts don't flow well from one part to another either.

Teenage Wrist open with 'Sunshine'. It has such a great post-hardcore riff which is topped off with a melodic chorus. It really shows their strengths, mixing the best of post-hardcore, grunge and alt rock. Marshall Gallagher has a classic emo voice and this adds the more melodic elements to their sound. They are definitely a heavier proposition live than they are on record and every song has a real groove. The fantastic 'Stoned, Alone' has an amazing Quicksand post-hardcore groove which is married to dreamy shoegaze vocals. 'Diorama' has a Soundgarden ballad quality about it. The terrific 'High Again' mixes a dreamy shoegaze verse with a powerful post-hardcore chorus. I take a look around and see most of the room rocking back and forth in unison which is great to see. It's good to see that I'm not the only one who is locked into the rhythm. 'Cold Case' has a low slung Monster Magnet 'Space Lord' gone shoegaze feel and it features some excellent lead guitar work. Their dreamy heaviness reaches a transcendental peak on 'Sparkle/Fade'. Penultimate track 'Earth Is A Black Hole' gets the crowd moving with its terrific anthemic chorus. Excellent.

Teenage Wrist ****

Mercury ***

Therapy? & Deux Furieuses - Academy, Manchester (14/11/24)

Deux Furieuses open up the show. They are a two piece alt rock outfit consisting of Ros Cairney on guitar/vocals and Vas Antoniadou on drums. Imagine if Royal Blood covered tracks from PJ Harvey's 'Dry' album as they mix riffs with a feminist attitude. 'Civilians' is a noisy take on the blues, like Jon Spencer Blues Explosion or Cows did back in the '90s It is probably a little less successful but it still possesses a fair bit of power. 'Bring Down The Government' is much better and is again reminiscent of PJ Harvey. There is a little bit of a Gallon Drunk vibe too. 'Can We Talk About This?' is a trashy noise rock take on Refused's 'New Noise'. The catchy 'Let Them Burn' is about as anthemic as they get but mostly this is discordant and ever so slightly obtuse.

Tonight sees Therapy? celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of their seminal 'Troublegum' album. I bought the album the day it came out and immediately loved it. That love only really extended to this album (and the previous one, 'Nurse') as I discovered hardcore shortly after which opened up a whole new world for me. I saw them three times in 1994, including at this very venue. All the shows were great but Donnington Monsters Of Rock was probably the best as they played all of their most accessible hits, and they were probably the best band that day. Reading Festival was a bit more challenging as they played the more obtuse 'Troublegum' tracks (probably because they'd played most of the major UK festivals that year and wanted to mix it up a bit). Tonight will probably be a mixture of the two as they promise to play all the tracks from the album although, wisely, they won't be played in the same order.

Therapy? open with 'Stop It You're Killing Me'. Andy Cairns' vocals seems a bit loud but it's still great to sing along to every word and the middle section is still genius. 'Isolation' sounds great, and I suppose the biggest compliment you could give it is that it sounds like their own song these days. I spot someone I know to the right of me and make my way over to say hello and inadvertantly find myself on the edge of the pit for the remainder of the show, which isn't where I'd rather be these days. The brooding 'Turn' is fantastic. 'Trigger Inside' is still an outsiders anthem with its 'I know how Jeffrey Dahmer's feeling, lonely' lyrics. 'Brainsaw's 'I'm in hell and I'm alone' chorus is turned into a huge singalong. In fact, the tracks which didn't feel that rousing at the time, such as 'Unbeliever', are now transformed into big anthems by the crowd who holler along to every single word. 'Femtex's Helmet-like groove still hits the spot. 'Opal Mantra' highlights what made Therapy? so successful - percussive drumming, hard riffs and catchy choruses. 'Die Laughing' is excellent, whilst everyone has a ball during the regular set closer 'Nowhere'. 'Nurse' material like 'Nausea' has managed to retain its underground credibility. 'Potato Junkie' is insanely good and features a nifty drum solo and dance break in the middle. The heavy, brooding and rhythmic 'Teethgrinder' is amazing as they embark on a final run of songs few can match. Andy introduces 'Knives' as a song featuring a riff that he's so proud of that he can't help wanting to play it over and over, Needless to say, it is amazing. A riotously good 'Screamager' closes the show. Every bit as triumphant as when I saw them here 30 years ago.

Therapy? ****

Deux Furieuses ***

Gurriers & Automotion - YES Basement, Manchester (8/11/24)

Automotion play psychedelic post-punk, although the rhythms also bring drum and bass to mind. The rhythm section is really good, and the drummer is particularly impressive, producing some really interesting drum patterns. Some of the guitar work brings New Order to mind whilst some of the songs have a post-rock build. Overall, they have a dark, industrial (not the genre) feel and a hypnotic groove.

Gurriers open with 'Nausea' which features those air raid siren guitars, and it powers along like a freight train. 'Close Call' is driven by an ominous bass rumble and enough energy to power a city. 'Des Goblin' is dark and danceable with a doomy mid-section. It is hot and sweaty, and the atmosphere is incredible as they compel everyone to dance. 'Dipping Out' is driving and incendiary whilst 'Prayers' is essentially Arab Strap gone punk funk. Everything they play is wired and crackles with energy. 'Sign Of The Times' apocalyptic bass is seismic yet danceable. New track 'Dissolve' shows they have more quality material beyond their debut album. 'Approachable' is unbelievably good and the crowd goes absolutely mental. Even tracks which are relatively restrained on record such as the closing 'Come And See' bristle with a kinetic energy in a live setting. Gurriers are an unbelievable live band and I urge people to go and see them in venues like this while you can because it's only a matter of time before they're as big as Idles or Fontaines D.C.

Gurriers *****

Automotion ****

Zeke, Nosebleed & Pizzatramp - Rebellion, Manchester (6/11/24)

Pizzatramp play superfast punk rock with a garage influence, not unlike the New Bomb Turks. They have a wry sense of humour as exemplified by 'Millions Of Dead Goths'. 'The Last Supper' is driving hardcore punk, although 'Mr. Slam' doesn't possess the same kind of power with it's regurgitated rockabilly riff. 'I Do My Own Research' has a snotty hardcore vibe reminiscent of Fig 4.0., if anyone remembers them. The play a number of short blasts all called '[insert name] Is/Are Fucking Shit' and they include Metallica, Frank Turner, Linkin Park and driving in Manchester on a Wednesday night as objects of their ire. 'What Fresh Hell Is This' takes a slower, denser approach a la Helmet. They are a band full of character and they seem undeniably likeable even though they rant about everything!

This is Nosebleed's last ever show. They play punk flavoured rock 'n' roll like The Hives or The Hellacopters with more balls. They have a full bodied sound which also has a Danko Jones feel. This is earnest, sweaty rock which knows how good it is (they frequently say they've been the best band in the country for the last ten years, and I'm inclined to believe them). One track comes on like a punk rock version of Jimi Hendrix's 'Fire'. They are playing with a stand in drummer but they are still a tight unit. There is more to them than meets the eye and there is a depth to them which reminds me of a band like The Catheters. Final gigs can sometimes be like a wake but this is more of a joyous celebration and you could easily mistake them for the headliners of the show.

Back before streaming took over how people listen to music, records were everything. That was how you heard bands, by owning their records or at least knowing someone else who did who you could either borrow them or tape them from. Being into hardcore, record shops which stocked a good collection of punk and hardcore were rarities so we would often drive into different towns and cities for good record shops. I remember we drove over to Leeds to go to Out Of Step records sometime in the early noughties and I ended up buying a Burning Heart compilation called 'How We Rock' which was full of rock influenced punk such as Electric Frankenstein, The Hives, The Supersuckers and The Hellacopters. One track on that cd (which is great, by the way) which blew me away was 'Crossroads' by Zeke, a blazing slice of Motorpunk. I once won an air guitar contest to that track because it's perfect for that artform, being high energy, catchy and clocking in at roughly two minutes yet containing three incendiary solos.

Zeke hit the stage without any fanfare to play a lightspeed 'Highway Star'. They seem intent on burning through as many songs as they possibly can. It's only 9pm but they look set on finishing by 9:30 as one song blurs into another. It's pretty relentless. Mötörhead are obviously a big influence as demonstrated by the blazing 'Two Lane Blacktop'. Tracks like 'Mountain Man' are savage compared to the studio versions. The riff heavy 'Arkansas Man' is a slight change of pace but is still faster and more aggressive than the original recording. A supercharged version of Kiss' 'Shout It out Loud' is killer and is followed by a blood pumping 'All The Way'. 'Live Wire's Dwarves meets Mötörhead excess is fantastic. 'Evil Dead' showcases their ability to mix blazing punk rock 'n' roll with memorable choruses (even if it is just two words repeated over and over). The drummer is an absolute machine - top off, beer belly out but the stamina he has to do this at this pace for so long is hugely impressive. All in all, pretty exhilarating.

Zeke ****

Nosebleed ****

Pizzatramp ****