Live Review : Sylosis + Revocation + Distant + Life Cycles @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on February 21st 2026

Genuinely, heavy metal on a Saturday night at the O2 Ritz is a treat you should never pass-up on. Tonight we have an array of bands at different stages of musical development. Life Cycles bring the sharpened edge of modern crossover, Distant arrive armed with the kind of deathcore brutality we delight in, Revocation represent the old‑guard technical thrash lineage still fighting away, and Sylosis stand at the top of the pile on the bill as a British institution in full evolutionary stride.

Life Cycles start the night off with a burst of crossover swagger that feels purpose‑built to wake the early punters who’ve made it down. Their thrashy hardcore comes flying out from the off - groove, grit, and that unmistakable bounce that makes even the most stoic punter start nodding along. There’s a clear nod to Suicidal Tendencies and Biohazard in the way they mash melody into aggression, but the confidence and strut is pure Grove Street and Anthrax. The overdriven guitar tone snarls with a delicious bite, the rhythm section swing with infectious momentum, and the whole thing lands as a reminder that this portion of the genre still has plenty of new blood to keep it thriving. It’s nostalgic without being stuck in the past and modern without losing its roots.

Distant take the stage with a positive energy and twist it into something far more punishing. The Dutch deathcore crew step to the front with a presence that feels instantly heavier, darker, and more deliberate. Their sound is a jagged hybrid of Whitechapel’s suffocating weight and Thy Art Is Murder’s immense aggression, all anchored by a Malevolence‑style hardcore vibe that keeps everything grounded in groove rather than pure chaos. The guitars slice and divebomb with malice, the bass thunders through the mix, and the blast beats hit with violent velocity. Frontman Alan Grnja stalks the stage like a hunter, unleashing guttural and screaming vocals that bite through and stun. It’s vicious, tight, and delivered with a grin. Distant know exactly how heavy they are, and they revel in it.

Revocation, by contrast, struggle to maintain the momentum. The set from the main support leans heavily into mid‑range bark and old‑school thrash tropes, but the definition in their sound blurs into a grey mush that never quite ever sharpens. There are flickers of Black Dahlia Murder‑style intricacy at the start of certain tracks, but the spark fades before it can ignite anything more substantial and interesting. The Lamb of God influence is clear, but without the bite, the hooks, or the charismatic venom that make that formula soar it’s competent and tight, but unfortunately it never threatens to become compelling. 

Sylosis reclaim the room with the quiet assurance of a band who don’t need theatrics to prove their worth. They walk on following ‘Eye of the Tiger’ before everything snaps into focus. No elaborate staging, no inflated production, just their logo, some stark LEDs and album backdrops, and four musicians in comfortable gear ready deliver their magic. What follows is a masterclass in modern British metal, a sound that has evolved from traditional and metalcore roots into a fusion of expansive muscle, anthemic groove, and tech‑leaning intricacy that feels fully realised tonight.

Josh Middleton stands at the centre of it all, delivering razor‑tight riffing, vibrant shredding and soaring vocal lines with the kind of precision that makes it look effortless. Tracks like ‘Lacerations’ hit with the force of a tsunami, all the while maintaining a clarity and musicianship that sets Sylosis apart from the majority of their peers. The drumming is monstrous, the bass thunderous, and the guitar work executed with note‑perfect professionalism. There’s no ego, no posturing, just a band at the height of their powers, letting the songs speak for themselves.

What makes the set so compelling though is the balance - technical without being sterile, heavy without being bloated, melodic without softening the edges. It’s a holistic wall of sound, powerful and purposeful, delivered by musicians who understand exactly what they’re building. Sylosis have always been a band with ambition, but tonight they feel like a band who have arrived - not with ego, but with craft, conviction, and a stunning new album strong enough to carry the weight.

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
Sylosis + Revocation + Distant + Life Cycles