Bat Sabbath, Froglord & Black Mastiff - Rebellion, Manchester (14/7/26)

A variation of this review can be found on rockflesh.com.

The Back To The Beginning event last year showed that the image of Black Sabbath has been firmly rehabilitated. The wilderness years of the eighties were a rough period for Sabbath (even though the Tony Martin years were pretty good) and many people forgot how good prime Sabbath were. However, over the years people have rediscovered the classics (often championed by newer bands) and Back To The Beginning showed that metalheads these days can't get enough of hearing these songs no matter who is playing them.

Tonight sees Canadian metalpunks Cancer Bats in town as their Bat Sabbath alter ego. There are a fair few Cancer Bats, Sabbath and Ozzy shirts but metal is represented by its many tribes from death metal, doom classic metal, pop punk and everything in between showing the universal appeal of Sabbath.

Edmonton's Black Mastiff open up the evening and start off as heavy blues reminiscent of Clutch but as the set progresses, it takes on more of a heavy grunge feel. Bobby Yiannakoulials' voice is great; clean and powerful with a bit of soul similar to Chris Cornell which lends a Soundgarden edge to them. A couple of tracks are Alice In Chains style dark grunge and the vocal harmonies only add to the comparison.

The bassist Clay Shea asks "are you you ready to worship Sabbath?" before they cheekily play the intro to 'Heaven And Hell'. The penultimate track has a Hendrix style blues groove which feels quite spontaneous. The bass playing is fluid whilst the drumming is versatile, loose when it needs to be but tight and driving at other times. The final track is bluesy grunge which comes across as The Black Crowes with Layne Staley on vocals. Good stuff.

The stage is covered in foliage for Froglord, helping provide a fitting setting for their swampy doom grooves. 'Green Inferno' is slow and heavy with an Electric Wizard feel. The use of harmonica only adds to the 'down in the bayou' feel. Musically, they're fuelled by low tuned bass and tar thick guitar riffs whilst Benjamin Oak's vocals range from gutteral death metal growls to a cleaner, psychedelic style. I'm not always convinced by the vocals as they dont always seem to be in tune but it kinda works with the music and he is a shamanic presence as a frontman.

They really know how to work a crowd and they get a great reception. The ritual frog is brought at one point and the bassist even plays his guitar with it. 'They Came From Saturn' has a slow blues-doom groove and is mildly hypnotic. The closing 'Swamp Boogie' is a groovy stoner-blues number. They go down a storm and you can't really argue with a band who can draw that kind of reaction.

Bat Sabbath open with the pulsating 'Children Of The Grave' and frontmn Liam Cormier brings out his own floor tom to add extra weight to the beat. The mid-section sees hundreds of fists punching the air in unison. The band are fucking great, with Jaye R. Schwarzer replicating Geezer Butler's bass runs whilst Mike Peters still adds in Bill Ward's drum fills yet puts his own spin on it. Jackson Landry's tasselled shirt is magnificent and his guitar solos are equally good. Resplendent in a cape, Liam is a livewire who covers every inch of the stage. We see a different persona of Liam tonight, slightly tongue in cheek, as he talks about metal in a deeper voice than normal. His vocals on 'Supernaut' are closer to that of his day job though.

It is getting hot and sweaty as they launch into a riotous 'N.I.B.'. There is a punk energy running throughout the set and 'Electric Funeral' is particularly wired. The proto-thrash of 'Symptom Of The Universe' is incendiary and even the mellow blues interlude is blazing. The groove of 'Into The Void' is monstrous, but you know that already. There are no deep cuts here, this is Sabbath 101. Liam bangs his head and raises his arms in the signature Ozzy pose, and he is having as much fun as we are.

The quiet part of 'Fairies Wear Boots' is a rare opportunity to catch your breath before it goes wild again whilst an ominous 'Black Sabbath' is devastating. The crowd singing along to the verses and closing guitar passage of 'War Pigs' is magical. The encore sees them transformed back into Cancer Bats as the guitarists take their tops off and Liam reverts back to his normal self for the intense, chugging sludge punk of their own 'Lucifer's Rocking Chair'. You're always guaranteed a great time with classic Sabbath but this was fantastic.

Black Sabbath *****

Froglord ***

Black Mastiff ****

D.R.I. & Under The Influence - Holy Diver, Stockport (11/7/26)

A variation of this review can be found on rockflesh.com.

This is the first time I've been to Holy Diver, a new rock club just off Stockport's main shopping thoroughfare which has been open for eighteen months. On first impressions, it looks pretty impressive with a good sized stage, decent decor, plenty of space and a lot of rock memorabilia including a huge Ozzy Osbourne stained glass window style artwork.

It's been another blazing hot day and there is a rather important football match taking place later but there is still a decent crowd for the return of hardcore punk/crossover veterans D.R.I.

Yorkshire's Under The Influence open with 'Pipebomb' which is a basic slice of punk but it does have a driving rhythm and a bit of character. The slower part of 'Dead Babies' is a bit hackneyed but it shows its teeth when it changes gears. The singer's voice is shrill and aggressive and she has some terrifying screams in her arsenal too. She has a great stage presence and shows real attitude.

The more percussive moments give them a Dead Kennedys edge although musically they're much closer to Black Flag. They get better as the set progresses and it is rather enjoyable by the time they reach the end of the set. The crowd doesn't move too much but they do seem appreciative.

D.R.I. start off at a relentless pace with the pounding 'All For Nothing'. The guitars sound thick and full bodied whilst the rhythm section is as tight as can be. The ripping, snarling crossover thrash of 'Manifest Destiny' continues with the same intent. The blazing harcore punk of 'Id Rather Be Sleeping' gets the pit moving. When they play fast, it's at a pace that few can match which is amazing considering they arguably invented this blasting style of playing over forty years ago. Frontman Kurt Brecht looks in good health and sounds great with his bratty punk style with slacker undertones.

Each song merges into the next and the set moves along at breathless pace. The signature 'Who Am I' is still a memorable blur. The hard thrashing 'Hooked' sounds tar thick. It's so intense it's almost overwhelming, which probably isn't helped by the 30 plus degree temperature outside.

The thrashing 'Acid Rain' is absolutely punishing and the guitars have a Leeway feel to them. The guitars keep going super loud for no discernable reason but it doesn't make any difference to the show. They play over thirty songs but it isn't at all boring becuase of all the little variations which help to punctuate the otherwise relentless pace. The sludgy stomp of 'Syringes In the Sandbox' has an awesome groove reminiscent of Crowbar or maybe even Exhorder.

The band are incredibly tight, playing with military precision. The stamina of the band, especially the drummer Danny Walker, is unbelievable considering the sheer pace of tracks such as 'Mad Man' even though they've been playing for nearly a hour at this point. 'I Don't Need Society' ups the speed and energy even more. The revenge anthem 'Five Year Plan' is the final chance for people to dance and the crowd responds to the furious thashing energy whilst Kurt repeatedly hollers "I win". Fantastic.

D.R.I. *****

Under The Influence ***

Ho99o9 & Violent Magic Orchestra - Deaf Institute, Manchester (7/7/26)

Blinding strobe lighting starts as soon as Violent Magic Orchestra take to the stage, and combined with the music, a hybrid of black metal and dance music, is a comlete sensory overload. The electronic beats are really hard, ranging from gabba techno and hard trance to heavy industrial metal with guitars and gutteral growls mixed in for good measure. The gabba techno is probably the hardest element to be honest. It's a bonkers mix which is impactful and gets you moving. The only criticism early on is that each track is too brief although this settles as the set progresses.

The singer looks like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth, and she dances like she is in a j-pop outfit but she sounds feral. The DJ does a sick somersault into the crowd at one point and band members jump into the audience at various points to start the crowd dancing and it works. The crowd start off as static and hesitant at first but this becomes a full on rave midway through. With strobes, lasers and big screen visuals, it's a hell of a show for a support act.

After the atmopheric 'I Miss Home' intro, Ho99o9 launch into the Bad Brains-esque hardcore of 'Escape'. From there, it's straight in to the rock rap of 'Target Practice' and already plenty of the crowd are moving. The industrial hip hop of 'Power In Numbers' is kinetic, and it's clear that they have much more power and energy live. Yeti Bones (aka Eaddy) machine gunning the crowd in time to the gunfire beats of 'OK, I'm Reloaded' looks cool as hell.

Eaddy takes a breather whilst Crystal Waters' 'Gypsy Woman' plays over the PA, then it's straight back into the full throttle punk rock. Aside from the drums, all of the instrumentation is provided by a backing track but the two vocalists give so much of themselves that they are drenched in sweat and it feels like an authentic live performance rather than a public appearance.

The closest comparison most of the time is Bad Brains, particularly on the 'United States Of Horror' material, and those blasts of hardcore are brilliant. However, they are equally as good at bass heavy hip hop as they are at hardcore punk. theOGM's gritty vocal delivery is reminiscent of DMX whilst Eaddy is no less agressive and their flows are really good.

'A Machine Of' sounds like Nine Inch Nails whilst the hard bounce of 'Knuckle Up' causes mayhem on the floor. The closing 'Godflesh' is a high energy thrashabout which sees Eaddy in the moshpit and it is a suitably intense and sweaty end to a fantastic show.

Ho99o9 ****

Violent Magic Orchestra ****

Def Leppard & Extreme - Co-op Live, Manchester (6/7/26)

The heatwave continues . After yet another day of scorching heat, we find ourselves looking forward to the perfect accompaniment with some summery, commercial '80s rock. The queues to get in are pretty lengthy though with some people reportedly queueing past the Etihad to get in.

'Decadence Dance' is a great energetic opener for Extreme. The band sound great and Gary Cherone is in decent voice too. The hard rocking 'REBEL' follows and, to no-one's surprise, Nuno Bettencourt shreds like his life depends on it. The 'We Will Rock You' intro leads into the explosive 'Play With Me' which features another incendiary guitar solo. The acoustic country-blues stomp of 'Hole Hearted' is terrific fun and the whole crowd ends up clapping and singing along.

Let's be honest, Nuno is and probably always will be the main attraction and Nuno's solo spot is as mindblowing as ever. No matter how many times you've seen them, it still impresses. He is in fine form throughout but you wouldn't expect anything else from arguably the world's greatest guitarist. He is also really funny when he interacts with the crowd.

'More Than Words' is probably the bigggest hit played tonight (including the headliners) and it is spine-tingling. The fret-tapping extravaganza that is 'Flight Of The Wounded Bumblebee' is incredible whilst 'Get The Funk Out' is a big crowd pleasing number. 'RISE' is another hard and heavy rock song, and the solo is unbelievable. Still riding off the acclaim Nuno got following the Back To The Beginning concert last July, the band play an excellent Ozzy medley, and seeing Nuno playing those Randy Rhoads solos is truly emotional. I've seen Extreme a number of times but this is probably the best time I've seen them.

Def Leppard open with the latest single 'Rejoice', and it is classic Leppard with that bass throb they've been using since 'Rock Of Ages,' along with wailing guitars and a solid chorus. 'Animal' is driving and powerful yet is anthemic as hell. As cheesy as it is on record, 'Let's Get Rocked' becomes an absolute anthem in the live arena. Their cover of Depeche Mode's 'Personal Jesus' is decent but does seem to suck the life out of the venue. Their cover of 'Rock On' by David Essex makes much more sense, driven by Rick Savage's groovy bassline whilst Joe Elliott sings amongst the crowd, up in the Gods.

The 'High 'N' Dry' one-two of 'Bringin' On The Heartbreak' and 'Switch 625' is as far back as the band go. The former is a great power ballad whilst the latter is a killer NWOBHM instrumental. Joe Elliott still looks the part (although his sparkly jacket is giving 'mother of the bride' vibes) and he soaks up the adulation as 19000 fans sing the majestic chorus of 'Rocket' back at him. The progressive 'White Lightning' allows guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell to stretch their wings. As if two world class guitarists isn't enough, Nuno Bettencourt joins them for the funky, hip hop influenced 'Slang' which is great fun.

Def Lep's career has been built on fantastic vocal harmonies and they can still nail them, as demonstrated by the fantastic acapella intro to 'Promises'. Of course, it's the tracks from 'Hysteria' and 'Pyromania' that everyone wants to hear, and the run of songs that goes from 'Armageddon It' to 'Love Bites' to 'Rock Of Ages' and finally on to the closing 'Photograph' is stunning. It really is hit after hit, The encore sees them play two killer ballads in 'When Love And Hate Collide' and 'Hysteria' before closing with the triumphant 'Pour Some Sugar On Me'. Def Leppard may not be fashionable these days but they are still clearly popular and tonight is a fantastic demonstration of what once made them one of the biggest bands in the world.

Def Leppard ****

Extreme *****

Million Moons, Kusanagi & Civil Service - The Castle, Manchester

After my matinee hardcore show earlier, it's a short walk across town for my second show of the day. This is one I'm really looking forward to as the headliners have just released what is shaping up to be the album of the year.

The tiny backroom is already packed by the time I make it inside for local boys Civil Service. This is stirring post-rock with plenty of crescendos which feels quite cerebral. Jay from Million Moons joins them for 'Turn Out The /// Light' adding screamed vocals which contrast nicely with the shimmering guitar lines, adding a more aggressive edge to their beautiful post-rock.

Kusanagi play labyrinthine instrumental post-rock which moves through a number of passages in a single song, from gentle and delicate to heavy and discordant with plenty of uptempo rocking parts in between. The guitar playing is excellent, moving from the typical post-rock guitar lines to something more in line with classic rock. Unfortunately, problems with the bass head delays the show for a few minutes while they replace it. The bass is solid and substantial whilst the drumming is surprisingly powerful, and they both provide a platform for the guitarist to add the melodic, emotional layers on the top. They are inventive and progressive in how they combine the three instruments. The music takes you to unexpected places and is surprisingly uplifting too. The climax of the final track is hefty yet rousing. Overall, there is a real synergy between all the elements and the individual instruments combine beautifully.

Million Moons open with a piano motif which could be a soundtrack to a '70s horror film before the other instruments join in and add some serious weight. The clean guitar lines are absolutely dreamy and the use of xylophone only enhances this dreamlike quality. When the distortion is added, they have some mighty riffs and the way it is all combined is epic. The second track starts off like Radiohead's 'Creep' on the verse and then the soaring, crushing We Lost The Sea style post-rock takes over. It's absolutely incredible. 'Black Sun Rising' evokes a misty morning in the Scottish Highlands before the keys add an almost spiritual dimension, all until the distortion kicks in and destroys all before it. The way they balance beauty and power is awe inspiring. All the band are exceptional but special mention must go to guitarist Edward Thompson who also handles the keys and the other instruments as he is multi-talented. The large array of pedals means that each member largely stays in the same spot but they are hardly static, rocking back and forth, playing with passion, and their love of the music shines through.

The sweeping, soaring guitar melodies of 'Voice Of The Wild' reaches for the stars but is thunderously heavy at the same time. Those jagged guitars in the midsection are delicious. 'Concrete Hands' starts off beautifully with some celestial guitars before the terrific percussive drumming drives it to a rousing climax. The heavenly 'Aurora' sees multiple audience members joining in with the tribal drumbeat and this closes the set in a triumphant fashion. Music piped from beyond the stars.

Million Moons *****

Kusanagi ****

Civil Service ****

Wits End, Cannonball & Brightside - Star & Garter, Manchester (4/7/26)

One week apart in the same city are two fine but contrasting examples of how the hardcore scene is in rude health in the UK. Last week saw 10000 plus attendees descend upon Outbreak Festival. However, today is almost as impressive as the Star & Garter is sold out for a matinee show featuring some of UK hardcore's brightest hopes.

The first band I catch are local lads Brightside. This is solid NYHC with a strong Judge influence and some Floorpunch touches too. They have a nice line in mid-paced riffs with some decent breakdowns too. The singer has a nice gruff edge to his voice. It's their first gig but it's a pretty decent showing although it does end rather abruptly.

Like most hardcore bands Sheffield's Cannonball have a great intro which is perfect for two-stepping to. They play old school youth crew straightedge hardcore which has plenty of speed but also a number of passages for dancing. These are short, punchy blasts of straightedge goodness with a Gorilla Biscuits feel. The singer Dannii seems much more in control of the crowd than the last time I saw them and they manage to get a few people moving.

Wits End are another band who have a great intro, and theirs is reminiscent of Floorpunch or Judge. This is a very authentic take on old school New York hardcore. Their sound owes a debt to Killing Time, Judge and Raw Deal but they get what makes this style work. The riffs are heavy and powerful without being overly metallic whilst the vocals are gruff and authoritative. A killer cover of Killing Time's 'Brightside' sees the crowd piling on to sing along. Punchy and dynamic, it's played with a real reverance for this style and the bands which have clearly influenced them.

Wits End ****

Cannonball ****

Brightside ***