Live Review : Distant + Extortionist + Dagger Threat + Abbie Falls @ Rebellion, Manchester on May 24th 2023

I'm going to give up trying to second-guess the musical whims of Manchester's metal hordes. I thought tonight would be heaving. I thought I would have to fight through battalions of metal warriors to get a decent shot at the front of the stage. You see in my head Distant are not just a buzz band, they got a bloody great air raid siren going off. They gave Lorna Shore a run for their money when they supported them last year and the new album is quite simply the last word in minimalistic brutality. I really thought everybody else had also got the memo that these are the new messiahs.

Live Review : A.A. Williams + Zetra @ The Deaf Institute, Manchester on May 22nd 2023

Things tonight are not what they seem. A.A. Williams is deconstructed metal. All the pieces are there, just not in the configuration we expect. Support Zetra look like Mayhem if they went a little crazy in the B&Q chains and locks aisle, however they sound like the Human League. They seem to have escaped from the faux eighties. That non-existence facade of a decade that only actually exists in the fevered creative mind of showrunners. If Dustin and Suzie had formed a band in Stranger Things, it would have looked and sounded like Zetra. Its all very discombobulating.

Live Review : Dare + FM + Tyketto @ Academy 2, Manchester on May 21st 2023

You could think of far worse ways to spend a beautiful sunny day in Manchester on a Sunday evening. It wasn't just the heat outside that needed turning down, the heat is turned up to boiling point inside the Academy 2 with blistering performances all-round from perhaps some of the most underrated AOR and melodic bands still performing and going strong some 30 plus years after their inceptions. It’s certainly a mouth-watering affair and one that goes down better than the obligatory pint of overpriced lager from the bar. If value for money is your thing, then you’ve certainly got that in spade loads on the music on offer tonight.

Live Review : Gin Annie + White Raven Down + A’Priori @ The Waterloo Music Bar, Blackpool on May 19th 2023

It’s an unseasonably warm evening in Blackpool and if it’s hot outside, the temperature inside the Waterloo Music Bar, is through the roof, both literally and metaphorically.

An air raid siren intro announces the arrival of local heroes A’Priori to the stage, the first of the three bands that make up tonight’s bill. Boasting a somewhat unusual line-up configuration of guitar/vocals, drums and keyboard but no bass guitar, A’Priori ‘s sound is equal parts familiar and unusual all at the same time.

Live Review : Diablo Swing Orchestra + Ward XVI @ The Bread Shed, Manchester on May 19th 2023

I'll be honest with you, I really don't understand at all why someone would pay an inordinate amount of money to watch one guy (who may or may not be ginger) strum a guitar for a couple of hours. I crave narrative and theatrics in my performances. I want the show I am watching to take me out of the norm and introduce me to strange new worlds. I want immersive theatre rather than drab reality. It is obvious that the members of Ward XVI share that innate need for visual escapism, as they provide a half-hour performance driven by a strong story arc and packed full of more props than the England rugby team.

Live Review : Steel Panther + Winger @ Academy, Manchester on May 17th 2023

Winger hit the stage with a blast from the past, reminding us why they were such a force during the glam-metal era. Bringing together all their original members in a rare display of harmony and unity, it's refreshing to witness a band reuniting without any lingering bitterness. It's also a rare treat to have 80's rock royalty grace the stage in Manchester, certainly as a support act, and as they move through their set they prove they've still got it.

Live Review : Polyphia + Johan Lenox @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on May 13th 2023

Johan Lenox is not something that we at Rockflesh Towers would cover all too often. Despite this, his mixture of lo-fi hip hop with a unique classical arrangement is something that appeals to me as a listener and therefore when I saw he was supporting Polyphia, I gave him a listen and was immediately intrigued. His skills as a producer are unmatched, with a resume that includes working for Kanye West, Travis Scott and Brockhampton. These influences are all over his work, with trap influenced, bass heavy drums, immaculately complimented by his unique MO of classical influence.

Live Review : Dayseeker + Acres + Love Is Noise @ New Century Hall, Manchester on May 12th 2023

Tonight is the first gig for Johann and I in Manchester’s New Century Hall. The first thing we notice is the slick and swanky feel to the whole place – it’s like it’s fresh out of the showroom and we’re taking it for its first spin! The bars are easy to get to, with a good selection, and the whole atmosphere is professional yet welcoming. The gig room itself is wide and accommodating, and the stage a very decent height (so a good venue for all gig-goers I’d suggest).

Live Review : MØL + Countless Skies @ Rebellion, Manchester on May 10th 2023

A regular topic for my musical musing is the rich vein of variation and diversity that you can find in modern metal. Tonight’s double-header at Rebellion is case in point. Both MØL and Countless Skies exist fervently within our world, but neither are what we would describe as traditionally metal. Countless Skies version of melodic death is a distinctly luxurious and sumptuous one. It's very much the difference between drinking own-brand instant and gorging on a pot of freshly ground small-batch roasted designer coffee. They have taken a template used and abused by many and added a level of luscious decadence.

Live Review : Pop Evil + Call Me Amour @ Rebellion, Manchester on May 5th 2023

It’s a unique occasion heading into Manchester tonight with my brother, given that he moved to Australia 15 years ago… but he introduced me to our headliners Pop Evil about 3 years ago and making the most of our time together is what memories are made of.

We arrive just before four-piece Call Me Amour take to the stage. The venue is already packed and having been asked to arrive on time to catch this band I am intrigued to see and hear what they are all about. Their website describes them as “mixing dark electronica and sonic guitars” and the energy on stage is infectious; they have the audience engaged from the get-go.

Live Review : Counterparts + Kublai Khan + Paleface + Dying Wish @ Academy 2, Manchester on May 5th 2023

First up are hardcore metallers Dying Wish, and I must say, it's not quite hitting the mark for me. What disappoints me the most is the lack of interesting songs and structure. Dying Wish's set feels like one continuous blur, with tracks blending together in a repetitive manner. There are no standout moments or memorable hooks that grab my attention or make me want to get lost in the music.

Live Review : Graveyard + Kadavar + Polymoon @ Academy 3, Manchester on May 4th 2023

The blues are the foundation on which all modern music is built. If you slice hard enough into any current genre, be it black metal or be it trap hop you will eventually find the blues. It is a quintessential cornerstone of everything we consider to be rock, pop, dance or metal. Sometimes it's a hidden, almost silent ingredient, but in others, it is worn very much on the sleeve. Tonight, is a case of the latter as this is a trilogy of young (-ish) bands delving into the past and creating authentic retro-blues rock that sounds like it has been plucked from an episode of old Grey Whistle test circa 1971.

Live Review : Ogun + DAM.G + The Revenants + Inhuman Remains @ Alchemy, Runcorn on April 29th 2023

Over the past 6 or so weeks, I've made a deliberate effort to scope out and watch as many shows in the surrounding area as possible. I absolutely love discovering new music and new bands to champion and when I first heard about a metal show in my hometown of Widnes my eyes were truly opened to the prospect of frequent trips to local pubs to watch some of the brightest and talented bands Liverpool and the surrounding area has to offer. I’ve swapped the bright lights, big city vibes of Manchester’s jam-packed calendar of metal titans for the small, intimate, under the radar gigs of bands I'm unfamiliar with and it has been much more enjoyable than I could have ever imagined.

Live Review : Warbringer + Hellripper + Blacklist @ The Bread Shed, Manchester on April 27th 2023

Tonight it's all about the unbridled power of heavy metal. The pairing of the thrash revivals unsung heroes Warbringer and this week's hottest new band in Britain, Hellripper is genius. And I am not alone in thinking this marriage of convenience is manna from heaven as once again Manchester's metal hordes have swum against the cost-of-living crisis and more than adequately filled the place.

Live Review : Tragedy + Nanowar Of Steel @ O2 Academy 2, Liverpool on April 25th 2023

I want you to read this first bit of the review in your best Graham Chapman voice in your head. (If you don’t know who he is, ask your mum and dad!) This is because from pretty much the first note of Nanowar Of Steel’s set I wanted to say “Stop! This is very silly” because it was. From fluffed entrances (oo-er missus) to purple wigs, arabs and glittery jumpsuits that left nothing to the imagination the whole thing was totally silly, and that was what made it so good.

Live Review : Massive Wagons + The Virginmarys @ The Tivoli, Buckley on April 22nd 2023

Later on this evening, Baz Mills from Massive Wagons makes a very profound statement about a time when he was lucky enough to meet the late great Lemmy. “Lemmy told me there are only two types of music” he said, “music you like and music you don’t like”. As I review my notes from The Virginmarys set tonight, I reflect that this is true and that The Virginmarys are unfortunately very much in the second section for me. There are only two of them, one providing guitars and vocals and the other doing a very energetic and entertaining turn on the drums

Live Review : M2TM Merseyside Heat 2 @ Zanzibar, Liverpool on April 22nd 2023

After an incredibly successful first heat, Bloodstocks Metal To The Masses Competition returns to Zanzibar for its second round of heats. 3 More bands will once again be in competition for a spot in the regional finals with the ultimate goal of winning a spot at the iconic Bloodstock Festival up for grabs.

First to take the stage are Indigo Horizon. They brought to the table a variety of sound from their heavy Mark Tremonti influences on guitar, to these huge, anthemic Architects inspired choruses that at times wouldn’t have looked out of place on an arena stage.

Live Review : Graphic Nature + The Human Veil + Starved @ Star and Garter, Manchester on April 21st 2023

Starved kick-off proceedings tonight, and are determined to blow away any cobwebs the crowd might have knocking about. They get the punters awake, aware and engaged – which is exactly what you want from an opening act. If you're a fan of Creak or Atari Teenage Riot, then Starved's sound and style will be right up your alley. They have a heavy dose of ten56 thrown in for good measure (as do all the bands this evening).

The band has a full setup on display, with drums, guitar, bass, laptop, and vocals all being put through their paces. The laptop is a key element in their performance, providing loads of drum and bass, jungle, and The Prodigy vibes to the mix.

Live Review : Cannibal Corpse + Dark Funeral + Ingested @ Academy, Manchester on April 21st 2023

I know I have become a broken record on this subject matter, but something fundamentally changed in regard to our collective relationship with live music over lockdown. I think we had started to take for granted the primal thrill of seeing a band in a live environment and we only began to really miss it once it was gone. Our daily dollars may not be going as far as they once did, but I have never seen the live scene this healthy.

Tonight the Academy is not just packed it is positively oversold. Every nook and cranny is crammed full of delirious souls desperate to escape the mundanity of modern life even just for a few hours.

Live Review : Delain + Xandria @ Academy 2, Manchester on April 21st 2023

After years and years of tireless touring and recording, it looked like 2020's “Apocalypse & Chill” was going to be the record that finally propelled Delain into the big league. It had the songs, it had the exposure and it had the momentum. And then the pandemic happened and not a month into its promotional cycle we all went to hell in a handcart. Then just as the world was starting to righten itself again word came that Delain had fallen apart.