Standing in line, we were greeted by Fireball reps passing out shot size bottles of their iconic libation & black tinted sunglasses; to be honest there was nothing funnier than watching Fireball virgins’ faces after its fiery depths hit their throats, before catching sight of the endless amount of bottles scattered on every available ledge, which left us pondering how many in the crowds would be clinging for those glasses come sunrise.
When we finally arrived inside away from the grey and the threat of a downpour; the buzz in the air was truly tantalising as the crowds below wafted closer and closer to the stage. With the familiar bangers of yesteryear, provided by Kerrang’s very own Jon Mahon echoing across the entire auditorium throughout the night, the ever building anticipation of a full scale blast-centric wall of sound protruding from Static Dress’ opening set, resembled a palpable frenzy on the verge of a beautiful disaster. And as the official openers of the show, they definitely didn’t disappoint.
As soon as Static Dress entered the stage, they made it very clear their intentions were to make us bear witness to a euphoric audible barrage of gargantuan proportions. No one was safe from the volatile rumblings, not even their lead singer Olli Appleyard’s own mic due to them slamming it against the stage at the height of their enrapturing performance.
Ingested have been back at it with relentless speed since touring came back to life following the pandemic, how does Jason feel to be back on stage? “Amazing” he responds without hesitation. “It’s been fantastic. Lockdown took away musicians’ biggest bread and butter with two years out of touring and it’s been hard, but rather than sit around and moan about all of it we’ve got our heads down and prepared for live shows coming back”.
He was certainly right about that. Ingested didn’t wait to get back into touring once restrictions lifted. They’ve had runs with Bleed From Within, their own headline UK tour and six weeks with Fit for an Autopsy in the USA to name a few of their endeavours. Jason is more than happy to keep busy though, saying that after lockdown “we had to make up some ground, we’ve got to make up for lost time”.
With 16 sold-out shows on the US tour that Ingested completed with Fit For An Autopsy at the start of this year, Jason felt that audiences had been more receptive to live music than ever before. “I think the thing about the pandemic is that bands and fans alike, or anyone involved in live music, we really got shown that we took it for granted. It all got taken away. Now that it’s back everyone appreciates it so much more and it’s been amazing, you can tell that everyone’s hungry for it!”
The Ingested frontman is no stranger to being idolised by fans, the slam king himself has been at the top of UK death metal for years. That said, Jason describes the response by fans to their return to live music and their latest single release as “humbling” saying that the band were “blown away by the fans on the last tour with Fit For An Autopsy”.
On the note of the US run with Fit For An Autopsy at the start of this year, you can tell that the bands share great friendships. Jason describes the bands that they’ve toured with recently as “like brothers, we’ve known each other for years and spent so much time on the road…they’re like family.”
Novustory are back with brand new single ‘I’m Never Gonna Fit In (With These Kids)’. The Manchester based band have shown that a strong open culture and real connection to their fanbase can take you a long way. Their DIY mentality has also played a big part in their success to date and saw them sign to Regent Street Records last year. ‘I’m Never Gonna Fit In (With These Kids)’ is a gritty anthem for all the kids who sit in a classroom looking and feeling a little different to the rest, to those that can do no right and are told they are weird and to those that are made to feel like this is wrong. Funnily enough you realise that these traits are the ones that make you unique. There’s a sense of relatability and a beautiful overarching message that this is absolutely not a bad thing. Vocalist Imogen Storey shines showing her broad and diverse range as well as the pure power she holds in her voice. The power-anthem combined with these vocals make for a commanding statement that delivers the message lying beneath all the more distinctly. It’s bold, it’s brilliant and it drives a message of hope to those that may not yet have the strength to recognise their own beauty and worth. Get on to Novustory whilst they aren’t playing arena’s, you probably don’t have long. – Jac Holloway
Birds In Row aren’t ones to comply with the rigid and formulated ‘release campaign, tour, release campaign’ process that’s common place within the industry. Instead, the French experimental hardcore group opt to do things on their own terms and in their own time. Whilst this may mean new material from the band is a rare occurrence, it does mean that any new content from the band is guaranteed to be authentic, earnest and simply brilliant. ‘Water Wings’ is a testament to that. Intense to a harrowing degree, the track resonates the screamo laced full- body breakdowns the band specialises in all whilst showing a newfound focus on delicate atmospherics. It’s emotional hardcore at it’s most genuine and palatable, a single that highlights the fact that this act inhabit a niche far removed from the recycled cliches and regurgitated conventions associated with the hardcore sound at large. With a new record on Cult Of Luna’s own Red Creek Recordings due later this year, truly, the return of Birds In Row is the real reason for celebration this long weekend. – Dan Hillier
Sullii, the moniker and personification of solo artist Joshua Rogers who some may know from previous musical projects. Multifaceted and genre-bending, Sullii’s music depicts an honest, open and raw portrayal of his life and the traumas he has experienced. With an ability to connect on a deep level through this honesty it’s no surprise that this has resonated so much that Sullii has built a cult following. Creative freedom breathes way for Sullii to be able to reinvent himself continuously and allows space to craft music that isn’t bound by genre. Last week Sullii dropped the new single ‘Me and Mine’ from the full-length album ‘Wake Up Next To Me’. The song features a beautifully melodic vocal cat and mouse vocal that blends between synthesised vocals and Rogers sweet tone and bounce between one another. Recurring acoustic guitar and a twinkly piano track pave way for a lowkey emo pop anthem that shifts gears half way through giving way to a full rock anthem. A spoken monologue closes the track making for a brilliant burst of heartfelt emotion. Whether you are already a fan or stumbling across Sullii for the first time, you are in luck. Recently the artist released a music video for the songs ‘Follow’ and ‘Distant’ and if that isn’t enough you’ll be able to listen to the entire album tomorrow on release day. Sullii will drop their brand new album Wake Up Next To Me tomorrow. – Jac Holloway
Despite not being halfway through 2022, this year is shaping up to be a massive one for Sheffield’s own, Malevolence. Having recently completed a tour with UK metal heroes Architects and the ever mysterious enigma that is Sleep Token, and with their third, highly anticipated album Malicious Intent out on Friday this is crazy time for the New Orleans sludge loving five piece. A bumper festival season lays in weight as the band are eager for all to hear their latest output, which sees them push their sound into an emotive and intense direction. Sitting in the back rooms of Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena, Wilkie Robinson (Bass) sat down with us to talk all things Malicious Intent, self-belief and the band’s journey over the last decade.
Related: Malevolence – Malicious Intent | Album Review
There is justifiably a lot of hype surrounding Malicious Intent, with the metal scene going into a frenzy when leading single ‘On Broken Glass’ was released. However, it is not something that Wilkie has noticed; “To be honest, it makes me very to hear that there is a level of excitement around the record but it’s not something that I’m particularly aware of. It’s not something I might necessarily hear about but if people are really excited to hear it that makes me really happy. We’ve been really stoked with the way it’s going and the launch so far, we’ve been playing these songs in the practice room for two year so for people to finally be hearing them is sick”. Even so, this album feels like the pinnacle of Malevolence’s ascendancy, it’s raw, uncompromising and brutally honest and just has an indescribably magical feel to it. When asked about how it differs from Self Supremacy and Reign Of Suffering, Wilkie stated; “It’s definitely more sing-y, straight up. The songs are more structured more traditionally, with more choruses and things like that, and in terms of songwriting we’ve taken some big steps forward with what we’re able to do. I’m really really proud of it actually, and alongside that the production is more modern and Alex [Taylor, vocals] has definitely come into his stride with his vocals”.
With this in mind, the band’s sludgier influence have been more prominent and when it came to writing the songs Malevolence’s guitarist and riff machine Josh Baines came into his own; “Honestly, Josh writes all of the riffs, he’s the riff guy. He’s so talented at writing guitar parts that there’s kinda no point Konan [Hall, guitar/vocals] and myself writing the riffs, he deserves all credit for that. Our songwriting process is basically he writes and records all the riffs and puts them in a dropbox folder. Then Alex and I sit down and try and put some vocals to it or think of some hooks to have, then Charile [Thorpe, drums] takes it to the studio and drums over the riffs that we have”. Even so, the band have embraced this new approach but haven’t forgotten their roots; “It’s a layered approach but for many years we were a band that wrote our songs together in a practice room literally jamming, Self Supremacy and Reign Of Suffering were both fully recorded like that, there was nowhere where the actual music was written down, basically if we all died one day all those songs would have been lost forever, the songs were all in our memories until they were recorded. Now it’s different though and more productive”.
The experimental, avant-garde and just simply indescribable masked trio return. Taken from their forthcoming record Spirit Of Ecstasy – released July 22nd via Century Media Records – ‘Maximalist Scream’ see’s Imperial Triumphant once again rise from the slums and splendours of New York City to offer a musical experience that can only be described as labyrinthine. A continuation of the metropolitan mash-up of black metal and freeform jazz fusion found in their previous material, ‘Maximalist Scream’ once again mirrors the lunatics folly that is modern living through a intertwinement of textures, sounds and genres that’s been composed both precisely and frantically. Those interested will undoubtedly spend hours unravelling this web of components, and as the band elaborate on the track, the meanings behind this single are open to analysation; “Atmospheres awash with mysterious origins. Sacred rites of passage and formidable knowledge lead to marvels of engineering. Funneling the mass into a finite horizon all roads travel in duality. Blurred is the line between real and illusion as the last scream of truth is destroyed by evil so grotesque. It transforms into a lone rider traveling into the forbidden darkness…” – Dan Hillier
Riding high on the release of their previous single ‘Oldest Daughter’, Philadelphia’s finest The Wonder Years are back with another single with ‘Summer Clothes’. The second single to be taken from their yet-to-be-announced new full length, the track is a dusk-lit ballad dedicated to those lost and reckless days of youth where anything seemed possible in the face of looming adulthood that’s complete with a goosebump inducing crescendo that can only be of their own design. Musically, it’s brilliant, but ‘Summer Clothes’ vividly highlights the both the song-writing and story-telling themes of frontman and lyrist Dan Campbell, with Cambell delivering and detailing his reflections on nostalgia in a way that’s earnest, poetic and wholly emotional. ‘Oldest Daughter’ may have eluded to this several weeks back, but ‘Summer Clothes’ is inarguable evidence that The Wonder Years may currently be sitting on their finest body of work to date. – Dan Hillier
Portsmouth punk outfit Young Pretorians have released their new single ‘Square Eyes’ this week, a song exploring the negative effects of tv and media. Whilst recognising that the world of streaming is rich and can provide positive escapism the song shines a light on the addictiveness and unhealthy obsession that can occur as a result of getting lost in a skewed reality. It’s a powerful message and a reminder of the trappings of the industry and world we live in. ‘Square Eyes’ is the second to be released this year following the positively received ‘Why Worry?’ and, as expected, it is a rip roaring balls-to-the-wall punk track that marries anthemic skater punk and brilliant melody. The nostalgic feel of the track helps to add poignancy and meaning to the powerful message but in it’s delivery and on the surface it’s a straight up banger. The singalong quality to the chorus with the gang vocal of “has it really come to this?” is a particular highlight showcasing a songwriting proficiency and level of finesse whilst oozing emotion and feeling. – Jac Holloway
British rock outfit RXPTRS have released their new single ‘The Frail’ from their upcoming album ‘Living Without Death’s Permission’. The Bristol based band infuse elements of rock, metal, hardcore and punk as well as a faultless energy that creates a powerful and rich overall sound. The band recently signed with Blacklight Media/ Metal Blade Records for the release of the album and have taken leaps in reaching a wider fanbase and sharing their infectious and raucous sound across the nation. ‘The Frail’ is a particularly special and truly tragic tribute to the band’s brother and biggest supporter Ryan Chisholm, a well known, incredibly renowned and loved individual in the scene who sadly died a few weeks ago. This news was received at the time of the band filming the music video and the raw emotion and heartache witnessed is both something to behold as well as being a marvellously courageous and strong message of unity and family. The song features a brilliant and impressive blend of hard rock, intricate lead guitar and powerfully melodic vocals that hold a strong and wide range. From the soaring bellow throughout the song to the grittier moments of raspy vocals there is a dominating and commanding aspect to ‘The Frail’ that is all-encompassing. The bridge section slows pace to build the song into an almighty crescendo that takes an all new meaning since being written. With five singles already released RXPTRS are backing themselves with their brave, bold and vulnerable sound and are ready to take it to the masses. Our love and thoughts are with the band as well as family and friends. Ryan Chisholm Forever. – Jac Holloway
Instilling a collective need to endure the cataclysmic eruptions of a band hellbent on carving their own path to modern reckless revelry; the London based DIY-nu metal bolides WARGASM, strive to inspire euphoria in the hearts of the persecuted, with their latest impressionistic blaster ‘D.R.I.L.D.O’, taken off of their upcoming debut LP – Explicit: The Mixxxtape. With stylistic qualities resembling the audible equivalent of a Red Hot Poker jabbing us repeatedly to the edge of mania induced rapture; it’s accompanying music video seems to effortlessly capture the sinister beauty of alternative club culture, all while fighting off an invasion of pup masked mini-militias headed by a wifebeater clad skinhead. Considering the track only consists of three and a half minutes of unadulterated bloody pandemonium, it’s genre-breaking mastery stands as the ultimate injection of prominence, mighty enough to arouse a great deal of intrigue for what is next to come from these freak championing heretics. – Bennie Osborne
Nova Twins have dropped the fourth single from their upcoming album Supernova in the form of ‘Puzzles’, a song that openly talks of sex positivity and explores freedom and openness to sex. With Nova Twins flying the flag as one of the most exciting bands in rock music right now, they are unapologetically being entirely themselves on ‘Puzzles’, drawing influence from R&B and making a rock anthem that is sexy and powerful. The dichotomy of heavily laden electronic synths and fuzzy guitar riffs that explode during the chorus makes for a cat and mouse feel with the recurring chorus providing the place where these elements meet. ‘Puzzles’ feels like yet another statement of domination that is in line with previously released singles that also take on topics less spoken of. Nova Twins currently have the spotlight well and truly fixed on them and they are using their voices to inspire a generation. – Jac Holloway
Lorna Shore‘s seemingly unstoppable rise to the top of the deathcore pile continues; after last year’s …And I Return to Nothingness EP, replete with *that* breakdown, the band’s profile has only grown more and more. Now they’ve announced their first full album to feature Will Ramos on vocals and released the first taste of that in lead single ‘Sun//Eater’. Every element that was on its preceding EP is here, from the blackened synths, tremolo and melodeath-inspired riffs and Ramos’ frankly ridiculously animalistic voice, to the slam-inspired beatdowns that are peppered throughout. That EP was something of a rebirth for the band, and ‘Sun//Eater’ essentially continues in that same new vein, pushing the boundaries of where they were to where they want to be. In Ramos’ own words, “We’re so happy so be able to put out something different and new that further exemplifies who we’ve become as individuals and as a whole. This song/album really brings together everything that we’ve been working towards being”. – Will Marshall
Bleed From Within have long lurked in the metalcore underground, seemingly not quite getting the recognition they deserve; 2020’s Fracture was a huge step for them toward dominance and based on previous singles, its followup Shrine is set to expand them and their sound even further. Latest single ‘Flesh And Stone’ immediately throws blastbeats into the mix before switching to a neck-snapping groove. It’s heavily informed by their staunch environmentalist views, detailing the destruction of our planet Earth, and the dismal future we all face as a result of unbridled greed and corruption. Of the song and its striking accompanying visuals, drummer Ali Richardson says “Flesh And Stone was born from the idea that future generations will inherit a dying planet. The evidence to support this theory is overwhelming, but we are still met with people who choose to deny the fact that this world is finite. Avoiding the traditional performance style video, we instead wanted to create a cinematic fictional world that could no longer defend itself from the sun; a barren wasteland once full of life.” A bleak song for bleak times. – Will Marshall
Dune Rats have released their new single ‘Melted Into Two’ this week off their upcoming album Real Rare Whale. The scruffy punks hailing from Brisbane, Australia have become well known for their party hard anthems and ludicrous louder than life take on noisy pop punk. Their raw, brash tone and fuzziness has become a fixed feature in their music as they’ve weaved through themes of emotional introspection and weighing up the toll of their own reckless party nature throughout their records. ‘Melted Into Two’ sees the band reminiscing and describing experiences of getting stoned, “so messed up they melt…” and even suggesting the feeling of sometimes taking too much. The all out punky roarer has a fist-pumping sway about it with a simplistic singalong chorus and an anthemic quality to it. The band harness their well honed ability to meld full throttle punk jams with a memorable chorus and do it with a smoothness and ease that sounds as though it comes naturally. – Jac Holloway
Combining pop production with an obvious love and homage to alternative genre’s, Charlotte Sands has teamed up with Aaron Gillespie to add a full drum kit of sound to her new track ‘Out Of My Head’. In this era of music where elements of the alternative scene are borrowed and used for edge-points in the pop industry, Charlotte’s output feels authentic and from a place of true love and admiration, her emotional lyrical content and powerful vocal performance backed by atmospheric, orchestral music, further boosted by Aaron’s presence behind the kit, making this solo artist sound like she’s part of a full band set up. “Get out of my head, you pushed me over the edge” she laments, in a song that’ll surely speak to the inner torments of many a person who’s been in a similar situation to the feelings described within the lyricism here, this track is a fantastic jumping in point for pop fans who want to explore a more rock centric sound, or vice versa, rock fans who want to dip their toes into the more vibrantly expressive world of pop music. – Elliot Grimmie
Revealing a deeply ingrained yearning to expunge the defining traits of past eras, while striving to motivate the masses to make a dent in this less than perfect world; the Gothenburg Post-Hardcore quintet Dream Drop, deliver a moment of fascination with their latest transitional ode to existential anxiety on ‘Metamorphosis’. Stating it’s claim as a kick off anthem to the bands eventual sophomore album release; Metamorphosis’ particular brand of depressive mania coupled with the distinct feel of slow burn severance from the essence of the “Loser” mentality, not only inspires a familiar intrigue in the hearts of their faithful fans, but conjures the thought of essential evolution out of a need to survive. When we cast our minds back to the emotionally fraught landscape offered up in their debut album – Sometimes You’re Gonna Feel Like A Loser But That’s Alright, we wonder whether the attainment of contentment is closer than expected, considering the palpable urgency for emotional, mental and physical advancement is felt so strongly within every aspect of this captivating era-starter. – Bennie Osborne
