Ten reviews you might have missed

Reviews from Monday 11 February 2019

Crystal Lake – ‘Helix’

If you’re a metalcore fan and you’ve been paying attention over the last few years, Crystal Lake is probably a name that you’re familiar with. The Japanese heavyweights have been carving up quite the reputation for themselves, getting better with every release and packing an impressive punch when performing

SWMRS – ‘Berkeley’s On Fire’

For a band who began life back in 2004, SWMRS have taken their time – via a 2015 name change from Emily’s Army – in rising in the punk rock ranks. The first album under their new name, ‘Drive North’, was released in 2016 and brought a significant increase

LIVE: This Wild Life / William Ryan Key @ The Key Club, Leeds

Leeds’ Key Club is everything a small venue should be – dark, sweaty, underground, with a good bar, great sound, the world’s stickiest floors, and mildly questionable toilets. And an over-stage sewage pipe. The last one may be slightly more specific, but it’s always a good venue to see

Thursday 07 February 2019

LIVE: Parkway Drive / Killswitch Engage / Thy Art Is Murder @ O2 Apollo, Manchester

It’s been more than twelve years since Parkway Drive first made their way to Manchester from their native Australia. Back then, they were playing venues like the much-beloved and long-defunct Jillys in support of the likes of Comeback Kid, but tonight sees them returning to one of the city’s

Emarosa – ‘Peach Club’

2019 is already turning into the year for bands to embrace a change in sound. It’s a move that is always bold, if not always wise – but when it’s done right, a change can be exactly the right move to unveil a new and exciting identity. When it came

Tuesday 05 February 2019

Mastiff – ‘Plague’

With a name like Mastiff, an album title like ‘Plague’, and song names like ‘Vermin’ and ‘Torture’, you can be sure of one thing: this Hull quintet are NOT beating about the bush. No pretence, no bullshit; ‘Plague’ is eight tracks of pure bleak venom that only the north

Sunday 03 February 2019

LIVE: Jimmy Eat World / Saltwater Sun @ Rock City, Nottingham

Jimmy Eat World are a well loved, hugely appreciated and greatly respected band. They provided a soundtrack for a generation and haven’t stopped creating since, all the while becoming renowned for putting on an incredible live performance. It isn’t very often that they grace British shores, so it’s unsurprising

Friday 01 February 2019

Erica Drive – ‘The Hate, The Hurt, The Healing’

British band Erica Drive depict almost everything you think of when you hear the words ‘pop-punk’. Almost. While consistently drawing from classic pop-punk beats and riffs, alongside a combination of typically angst-ridden and motivational, uplifting lyrics, they also refuse to fall into the

LIVE: Cancer Bats @ Rebellion, Manchester

The UK is in the icy chokehold of Old Man Winter as the streets of Manchester are engulfed in a slight dusting of snow, and there’s a light drizzle in the air. The winter weather is causing chaos across the country with trains cancelled, schools closed, roads

LIVE: Architects / Beartooth / Polaris @ Wembley Arena, London

When one of the country’s most beloved heavy bands announces a show at a venue like Wembley Arena, there’s only one way to react. You tell all your friends to buy tickets and you all travel from wherever in the country you

Thursday 31 January 2019

Spielbergs – ‘This Is Not The End’

A few short days ago we published our Spielbergs mood board, which saw front man Mads Baklien take us through some of the inspirations that shaped himself, his band and, ultimately, their debut album ‘This Is Not The End’. Back in February 2018, the Oslo rockers released their

Wednesday 30 January 2019

LIVE: Mastodon / Kvelertak / Mutoid Man @ O2 Academy, Leeds

If there’s one thing British metalheads like to whine about more than the Download lineup, it’s that we don’t get amazing touring packages when American bands grace our shores. Tonight, progressive metal titans Mastodon roll into Leeds with two of the most interesting bands in the genre in tow,

Tuesday 29 January 2019

Astronoid – ‘Astronoid’

Astronoid’s debut album ‘Air’ was one of most compelling records of 2016. It flew under a few radars in what was a very busy release year, but it was a solid debut with a plethora of influences trying their best to unite and form a coherent sound. When your

LIVE: Cloud Nothings / Chew Magna @ Band on the Wall, Manchester

In the brief moment of calm in the relentless, fraught energy, Dylan Baldi speaks of his day wandering the frosty streets of Manchester prior to the show. With a stomach struggling to adjust to the nuances of English cuisine, Baldi seems downbeat and eager to fill his

LIVE: Enter Shikari / Black Peaks @ Brixton Academy, London

Enter Shikari have been abusing the worthless boundaries of music genres for near two decades now – combining rock, hip-hop, metal, drum & bass and strings, amongst others, sometimes all in the same song. Never staying still or safe, they’ve become one of the UK’s very best bands, with

Saturday 26 January 2019

The Lock & Keys – ‘Wilderness’

The Lock & Keys have been kicking around in one form or another for over a decade, though the band has been mostly a part-time endeavour due to the members all having other musical commitments. The Leeds trio draw clear inspiration from rough-around-the-edges punk rock bands like Hot Water

Friday 25 January 2019

King 810 – ‘Suicide King’

King 810 are, without doubt, the world’s most dangerous band. Their reputation precedes them. They hail from a city affectionately known as Murder Town. They’ve had shows shut down due to rioting. They’ve had various run ins with the law. Vocalist David Gunn is covered in entry wounds from

Puppy – ‘The Goat’

Puppy is a name for a young dog – also known as a pupper or a doggo, depending on who you talk to. Puppy is also the name of a three piece rock outfit hailing from London. This article focuses on the

Frank Turner – ‘Don’t Worry’

There’s nothing that says “massive arena tour” quite like a surprise EP drop, right? Alright, so it may not be the standard way to celebrate, but Frank Turner has always forged his own path as an artist, and the release of the ‘Don’t Worry’ EP as he embarks on

Bring Me The Horizon – ‘amo’

Bring Me The Horizon fans have spent the past three years twiddling thumbs waiting for the follow up to ‘That’s The Spirit’ and, now that it’s here, it’s hard to know what to say. If you were expecting anything like what BMTH have produced in the