Live Review : Sumo Cyco + Eville + Raised By Wolves @ The Live Rooms, Chester on June 30th 2026

Tuesday nights can be a hard sell at the best of times, but it’s quality not quantity we want from the crowd gathered inside The Live Rooms for a bill that feels quietly stacked from top to bottom. With Liverpool’s Raised By Wolves opening, Brighton's increasingly impressive ‘brat metal’ Eville in support, and Canadian genre-benders Sumo Cyco headlining, there's a sense that tonight can only be a showcase of powerful vocals and catchy riffs. 

Raised By Wolves get proceedings underway and, while they feel like the least finished article on the bill, there are enough signs of potential to justify their place here. The Liverpool-based rockers possess a solid, crunchy hard rock sound built around classic gnarly riff work, but there's often a noticeable nu-metal edge weaving through their material too. At times it feels as though that they're still deciding precisely where they want to sit stylistically, with different influences surfacing from song to song.

The standout element is undoubtedly vocalist Liv Johnson. Her voice has plenty of range and technicality and, despite occasional pitching troubles, she demonstrates considerable promise. There are moments where she genuinely reminds me of Siouxsie Sioux, particularly in some of the darker vocal passages. Unfortunately, the mix isn't always on their side, and there are points where I'm struggling to properly pick out the guitar, which slightly blunts the impact of some otherwise strong ideas. Still, the overriding impression is positive. They're clearly a band still finding their signature sound, but there's plenty of talent for them to work with and shape for the future.

Eville on the other hand look and sound like a band rapidly realising their potential. The Brighton outfit describe themselves as ‘brat metal’, and while that immediately conjures up certain expectations, there's far more going on beneath the surface than simple attitude and aesthetics. The first song is enjoyable enough, although it slightly misses the cut-through and punch of a dedicated guitar presence. With Jude Richards playing bass, Milo Hemsley on drums and Eva Sheldrake handling vocals, the song feels like it's missing a piece of the puzzle. The moment Eva picks up a guitar during the second track, however, everything changes. Suddenly the sound pulls together perfectly. The riffs give the songs greater shape and authority, and the performance instantly gains another dimension.

Similarities with fellow Brighton band Lake Malice are certainly present, while the influence of Vukovi and Yonaka occasionally emerges in the way melody and aggression intertwine. Equally, it would be impossible to ignore the shared approach of Scene Queen. At times it's all very dancey in an Apollo 440 and Prodigy sort of way, blending electronic elements with heavy rock muscle in a manner that feels both nostalgic and contemporary. Yet what makes Eville particularly effective is the genuine rock backbone underpinning everything they do. The balance they've established between live musicianship and electronic augmentation is particularly impressive. The backing tracks complement the live musicianship well, adding texture and atmosphere without ever dominating proceedings, and underneath it all sits some brilliant break-beat drumming that constantly drives the songs forward.

What truly elevates Eville is the quality of the vocal performances. Eva’s voice is superb throughout - sweet and tender in one moment, powerful and direct in the next. Meanwhile, the Jude contributes some really effective occasional guttural vocals, while his clean vocals are strong enough to function as genuine co-leads rather than simple support. The interplay between the two works brilliantly, so much so that even when the guitar disappears again it no longer feels like anything is missing. The momentum is established and the band's confidence carries everything forward. There's a constant energy and swagger to the whole performance that never lets up, while the songs themselves remain relentlessly fun and catchy. More importantly, it sounds absolutely huge. It's a damn meaty sound throughout and so professional that it's hard to believe this isn't a band already playing significantly larger venues. Their set closes with ‘Fetch’, which sees them dropping the guitars entirely to co-vocal over drums and track. On paper that sounds like something that could easily collapse under its own ambition. Instead, it becomes one of the strongest moments of the entire set, and by the time they leave the stage, Eville feel every inch like a band destined for bigger things.

Then it's time for our glorious headliners, Sumo Cyco. I've heard plenty of positive things about them over the years but seeing them live makes it immediately obvious why they continue to build such a loyal following. They open with ‘Asteroid’ and barely two songs have passed before vocalist Skye Sweetnam is already in the crowd, meeting fans, shaking hands, singing directly at people and ensuring every person in the room feels involved. It's impossible not to be drawn into her aura. Her voice is phenomenal live - not just technically strong, although it absolutely is, but packed with character. It's a great note-perfect voice live, capable of flipping effortlessly between powerful cleans, subtle melodic passages, good guttural line endings and sassy punk-rock banter. Every word feels deliberate and every interaction feels natural.

The remarkable thing is that every member of Sumo Cyco possesses stage presence and charisma. Nobody fades into the background. Yet Skye still operates on a totally higher level than most frontpeople currently touring. Her energy is relentless, her smile never seems to disappear, and she radiates the sort of genuine enjoyment that audiences instinctively respond to. Musically, they are equally captivating because they're so difficult to pigeonhole. The easiest description I can come up with is imagining the heaviest version of No Doubt collaborating with Hed PE. There are obvious fragments of melodic punk rock, huge doses of 90’s nu-metal guitar phrasing, pumping basslines bouncing between high and low registers, occasional technical flourishes and enough groove to keep the entire room moving. There's even an old-school ska vibe coursing through parts of the set, combined with substantial ragga influences that naturally bring another comparison to mind. As the show progresses and those elements become increasingly prominent, I find myself repeatedly thinking of Skindred. It's no surprise really, especially given their connection through a collaboration with Benji Webbe. ‘Bystander’ perfectly encapsulates this side of the band, blending ragga rhythms, metal heaviness and infectious hooks into something impossible not to enjoy.

The set itself is exceptionally well constructed, with the ragga-infused material grouped together in a way that creates a natural flow and avoids stylistic whiplash. Throughout it all, the strong backing vocals add additional depth while the guitar and bass work constantly find new ways to keep things interesting. What's particularly impressive is how technically accomplished the musicians are without ever feeling the need to show off. They're technically spot on but always playing exactly what's needed for the song. An absolutely fantastic cover of Slipknot's ‘Duality’ provides another highlight, earning one of the biggest reactions of the night. Rather than simply reproducing the song, Sumo Cyco inject enough of their own personality into it to make it feel fresh while still respecting the original. By the end of the evening, The Live Rooms feels considerably smaller than it did at the start. Sumo Cyco have that effect - they create an atmosphere that pulls everyone into their world which is vibrant, engaging, technically accomplished and ridiculously entertaining.

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
Sumo Cyco + Eville + Raised By Wolves