What we have tonight is less a straightforward bill and more a kaleidoscope of alternative and melodic hardcore, each band bending the genre to their own will. Tonight is less about genre purity and more about evolution. Stick To Your Guns remind us of the roots, of the communal spirit of hardcore. Static Dress show us what happens when you twist those roots into something chaotic and dangerous. And Paleface Swiss prove that deathcore can be accessible, commanding, and even mainstream without losing its bite.

Stick To Your Guns open with the kind of authority that only comes from years of graft. The Californians deliver their trademark melodic hardcore with the same energy and vibrance they always deliver. Invited by Paleface Swiss as a nod to their influence, Jesse Barnett makes it clear how much the gesture means. He speaks with gratitude, acknowledging the respect inherent in being asked to play, and the crowd responds in kind. There’s history here as Stick To Your Guns actually gave Paleface Swiss their first proper-sized gig opportunity, and tonight feels like a full-circle moment.

The absence of Andrew Rose on bass is still notable, but the guitars from Chris Rawson and Josh James are so heavy, so crushingly thick, that the gap would be swallowed whole even without the recorded bass. The setlist is a deft blend of old and new, 'Invisible Rain’ and ‘Amber’ among them, delivered with the kind of ferocity that makes you feel like it’s the first time you’ve experienced these awesomely catchy tracks. Every member is a blur of energy, bodies in constant motion, and the crowd mirrors it back, a sea of fists and voices. It’s a big, welcoming atmosphere, the kind of communal hardcore spirit that Stick To Your Guns have always embodied.

Static Dress arrive like they own the place. Their sound is a heady cocktail - Deftones and Loathe weight and vibes, Thornhill’s futuristic styling, and Dillinger Escape Plan’s chaos. It’s a blend that possibly shouldn’t work but does, and the performance is more like a headliner than a support. The crowd reacts accordingly, surging forward, screaming back, bodies moving as if Static Dress were the main event. They’ve ruled no photographers except their own, even pics from the crowd, and though it’s a bold move it seems to have spread to the punters as the room feels present, alive, with barely a phone in sight. For once, everyone is in the moment, and the band thrives on it. They play with swagger, with intent, and with a sense of danger that makes every note feel like it could collapse into chaos.

And so to our headliners Paleface Swiss. Headlining the main Academy is a huge leap from their Manchester debut at Satan’s Hollow in 2022, but tonight they prove they belong here. I still don’t hear much of the hardcore or Stick To Your Guns influence, but what I do hear is a band that has finally decided who they are. The set is Cabal-heavy, drenched in deathcore, and it’s abrasive, catchy metal from start to finish. Tonight is pure nastiness, groove-laced brutality that feels accessible without being diluted. It’s easy to see why they’ve become darlings of the mainstream metal crowd - whether it’s the good-looking aesthetic, the generational-relevant edge, or simply the way they package deathcore with groove and polished elements. They draw the same kind of audience as Lorna Shore or Motionless in White, and there are obvious Slipknot shades, but this is no carbon copy.

Frontman Zelli prowls, bounces, commands from the riser with complete control. His gutturals, barks, yaps sometimes bring Corey Taylor to mind, sure, but it’s his own voice, his own snarl. The hollered barking and stomping guitars scream Kublai Khan, and suddenly the hardcore thread makes sense. The crowd is electric, nobody stands still. When he orders everyone to sit, they sit; when he demands chaos, the room explodes. It’s one of the most perfectly executed crowd-control moments I’ve ever seen. There are misses (the acoustic and rap detours still don’t land) but the hits outweigh them. A massive highlight is ‘Instruments of War’ which brings Stick To Your Guns’ Jesse and Josh back onstage for a blistering version. It’s a moment of camaraderie, of lineage, of a band acknowledging where they’ve come from while staking their claim to where they’re going. Paleface Swiss have found their sound, their identity, and they’re becoming dangerously good at it. Manchester Academy feels like the right place for them now, not a leap but a step into inevitability, and the next time we see them who knows the size of the venue and adoration.