The night starts with a white curtain dropping, and black and white movie footage of horror movies play, with increasingly sinister classical music over the PA. Eventually, Creeper take to the stage and deliver a set which journeys to all corners of their discography so far. Opening on ‘VCR’, every word is screamed back to the band which is a consistent theme all the way through the night.

The band smash through ‘Born Cold’ and ‘Suzanne’ to a rapturous response. Front man Will Gould welcomes everyone to the event, before ‘Annabelle’ lets him slink his way across the stage. Gould is quietly one of the most captivating frontmen in the music industry at the moment, able to hold the crowd in his hand. The rest of the band all play with enthusiasm, each being given their chance to shine. Ian Miles is a guitar hero in the making, whilst Jake Fogarty is afforded a drum solo before the band launch into ‘Down Below’.

Creeper’s secret weapon though is Hannah Greenwood, who offers harmonies throughout, her voice layering with Will’s to great effect. She’s given the chance to take centre stage to sing ‘Ghosts Over Calvary’ and then a goosebump inducing ‘Crickets’. ‘Midnight’ sees both singers up front, with their call and response vocal and dance performances making them look like the gothic equivalent Danny & Sandy from Grease.

Closing the main set, ‘All My Friends’ is dedicated to Ian Miles and is the first time the band have ever played it live. A three song encore of ‘Black Moon’ (which is also a live debut) and ‘Astral Projection’ leads into their finest moment. ‘Misery’ is one of the best songs of the last ten years. It causes the band to stop halfway through, due to the crowd singing the rest of the song before the band can do so themselves. Known for their theatrics, this was the most straight ahead show the band have played in a long time. Until…

As the crowd start to filter out, there’s a lightning strike & Will reappears on the stage. Then Nosferatu appears behind him, dragging him to the ground and seemingly biting him. Nosferatu then stood up holding Will’s decapitated head. A shocking end to a career highlight. A short movie then plays of a new character in the Creeper-verse, Darcia the Vampire Familiar, giving the crowd a news update. This is the end of the ‘Sex, Death and the Infinite Void’ era. Creeper have been signed to Spinefarm and the new era starts right now.

The goth punk band with a Queen influence are now in prime position to go supernova. Releasing a single as well at the same time as the show ended, the new era has started. Creeper have shown why everyone should’ve believed the hype years ago and now with a big label behind them, they’re ready to take over the scene and lead it towards new heights.

ADAM ROSARIO

The first single, ‘when we were young’ is one of the most polished songs of their career, and sets out their mission statement from the off. They’re not just a technical metalcore band anymore, and are a fully fledged metal giant, willing to expand their sound. Electronics aren’t new to the band, but on ‘when we were young’ it’s an example of their growth in their usage. Only appearing in the background of the chorus, it makes the song feel more expansive, showing a less is more mentality and has become a firm fan favourite already.

Drawing influence from Nine Inch Nails isn’t a new thing for Architects – it could be seen on the previous record in patches, but here, the band use industrial like beeps & blips to great effect. ‘deep fake’ starts with these building up before the riff kicks in and for an album opener, it’s a great start, referencing the evidence that mankind has given up on preserving the planet for future generations. Vocalist Sam Carter employs a whisper halfway through that sounds more menacing than most of the screams he’s used in the past. ‘tear gas’ continues this trajectory, with industrial influenced riffs before a radio friendly chorus that has a sing-song element. This makes it more memorable, feeling out of place whilst also making all the sense in the world. 

Of course there are riffs throughout the record, ‘living is killing us’ and ‘a new moral low ground’ are the real highlights, showing off the abilities of Josh Middleton & Adam Christianson. Dan Searle is an absolute powerhouse throughout, and with every record, has shown his dedication to improving as a drummer. Sam Carter famously said that he didn’t want to be known as the ‘blergh’ singer and this record makes it clear he’s not – instead delivering a vocal performance for the ages. His clean singing has improved whilst his screams are as recognisable as ever. 

The last three records have closed with a melancholic, introspective ballad. That formula is abandoned here with the brutal ‘be very afraid’. A blast of everything Architects are lauded for, having the potential to be their quintessential song. This is the third record released since the death of Tom and it looks set to be a career highlight. Architects look to have found the sound that suits them best and ‘classic symptoms of a broken spirit’ is the logical next step in their evolution. 

Overall, this is another instant classic and continues their run of incredible records. This is a band who deserve to be at the top of the festival bills and headlining the biggest arenas available. A record that will appeal to the radio audience worldwide and keep their current fan base happy. They are a group who have worked hard, sacrificed a lot and always stayed true to themselves. As we come to the business end of the year, album roundups are being drawn up, and this record makes a strong bid by adding to the best kind of headache a listener can have.  

ADAM ROSARIO

‘Mr Self Destruct’ opened the night, with its thunderous drumbeat giving way to a futuristic synth backdrop and Trent Reznor whispering the lyrics before unleashing his trademark shouts. Nine Inch Nails have always been ahead of the curve, making synthesisers a focal point within their industrial rock and it’s only now that popular music is beginning to catch up. ‘Wish’ is next, morphing the Academy into a rave scene, with flashing lights ricocheting at all angles. Their stage setup is minimal, a collection of lights inside of metal crates, but these are some of the brightest, creating an almost strobe effect and creating horror-like scenes as a result of the architecture.

Nine Inch Nails have always been a band who will play what they want on any given night, changing set lists throughout their tours and thankfully, tonight was one of those nights where they decided to play all of the big hits. ‘March Of The Pigs’ turned the crowd into a sea of limbs, with various liquids being thrown in the air and pits opening all over the place. ‘Piggy’ followed, giving the crowd a moment of respite and letting them catch their collective breath after a relentless opening.

Always full of surprises, Nine Inch Nails decided tonight was the night to give a song its live debut. ‘Sunspots’ from 2005’s ‘WITH_TEETH’ record caught the crowd completely off guard before catching up and singing the chorus back in unison, this fierce reaction making you wonder why it had never made the setlist before.

Nine Inch Nails are, officially, a two-piece band, made up of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, however, the unsung hero of the night is Ilan Rubin, their drummer. The man is a powerhouse behind the kit, clattering his way through the likes of ‘Everything’ and ‘Heresy’. Through his previous work and relentless touring, Rubin has become one of the best drummers in the world and this was a star making performance from him.

‘Copy of A’ is greeted by a loud cheer from the audience, before the best run of songs of the entire set started. Fan favourite ‘Closer’ rumbled through the speakers, sparking anarchy before ‘The Perfect Drug’ is played for only the 26th time in the band’s history. The surprises keep on coming when ‘The Perfect Drug’ segues into ‘I’m Afraid of Americans’ by David Bowie, a song which NIN were the architects of remixing. Playing David Bowie covers in Brixton where he is so revered is a brave move but NIN have never cared what anyone thought about their choices, so much so that they play ‘Fashion’ – another sassy Bowie song – which lets Reznor show off his already impressive vocal range. The main set closes with two of the bands biggest songs, with ‘The Hand That Feeds’ bringing the crowd to fever pitch before ‘Head Like A Hole’ sees the band wring every last drop of sweat out of them.

A three song encore of ‘Reptile’, ‘Even Deeper’ and the all time classic ‘Hurt’ close the night.  The crowd sang every word of the latter before the band calmly and casually walk away like they haven’t just dominated one of London’s most iconic venues. Nine Inch Nails have been a formidable force in the live setting for most of their careers and now, nearly 35 years into their lifecycle, they can lay claim for being the best live band in the world. Trent Reznor is all business throughout the night but he doesn’t need to engage the crowd with his stage patter when he has the songs to do the talking for him. 

ADAM ROSARIO

First up though, Placebo are given the unenviable task of warming up the crowd. They take up this challenge ably, with frontman Brian Molko slinking his way round the stage, delivering his lyrics with his trademark drawl. Focussing their set on their latest record ‘Never Let Me Go’, they run through ‘Forever Chemicals’, ‘Hugz’ and the standout ‘Surrounded by Spies’, alongside classics ‘Kitty Litter’ and ‘The Bitter End’ before closing on ‘Infrared’. Placebo came and did their job with aplomb, being the impressive and reliable hand they’ve always been. 

You could be guilty of thinking they would be rusty, but My Chemical Romance come flying out of the traps and never let up. ‘The Foundations of Decay’, their first new song in eight years, opens proceedings to screams, and every lyric is sung back at the band to the point that it is hard to hear Gerard Way sing himself. Then comes ‘I’m Not Okay (I Promise)’ which causes bedlam in the crowd – The audacity of MCR to play one of their biggest songs second! This is a band who have way too many anthems to have only released four albums, and this was the first deafening reaction of many from the night. Way also discloses to the crowd that he has a ‘detonator’ which turns his voice into Megatron, and utilises it throughout at random times, making him sound both sinister and sillier.

MCR then take the audience on a whirlwind tour of their back catalogue, including ‘Make Room!!!’ from their ‘Conventional Weapons’ album, released just before their disbandment. The original arrangement for ‘Bulletproof Heart’ (originally named ‘Trans Am’), is also aired for the first time in 11 years. ‘Summertime’ lights up the stadium in a flood of phone lights, whilst ‘This Is How I Disappear’ opens the pits up again. Before ‘Famous Last Words’, Way gives a speech about the late Riley Gale from Power Trip, paying tribute and recounting how he started dressing like Riley subconsciously, even continuing to do so on stage – A fitting tribute to a great man. 

‘Teenagers’ starts off an incredible third act run, descending into ‘DESTROYA’ which sees Way slink his way around the stage as guitarists Frank Iero and Ray Toro play the hardest they do all night. ‘Mama’ however gets the loudest breakdown, as if the sound engineer has accidentally turned the volume all the way up. ‘Welcome To The Black Parade’ is predictably met by the biggest reaction of the night overall. This is the song where pits reopen, phone lights are held up again, lungs are emptied and tears are shed. ‘Black Parade’ is their signature song and receives every reaction that has happened throughout the night all at once, leading to a truly memorable moment.  

A two song encore of ‘Boy Division’ and ‘Helena’ close a night that many have waited years for. MCR have return to reclaim the top of the live scene throne, and it feels ludicrous to think that a band who took eight years off are still one of the best live bands in the world. Tonight saw no theatrics, no big concept, just four mates playing a rock show. As good as they played and sounded, the best part of the night is seeing how excited and happy they all are to be back on stage again, wide grins shared, hugs exchanged, and a band who are living in the here and now. Whatever comes next, this night will live in everyone’s memories for a long time. 

ADAM ROSARIO

First up, Liverpool’s Loathe opened proceedings and show why they were picked to support. Their blend of atmospheric metal caters to the fans of Glassjaw with ease, mixing shoegaze with brutal riffs. Frontman Kareem France is the focal point, drawing eyes and keeping attention firmly on him, able to drift between guttural screams and his clean singing at will. They smash their way through nine songs, including ‘Gored’, ‘New Faces In The Dark’, and ‘Two Way Mirror’ before ‘White Hot’ closes. Loathe are a band on the rise and look to be the next big name in the British metal scene. 

Glassjaw take to the stage, bathed in red light and launch straight into ‘Pretty Lush’ with frontman Daryl Palumbo opening his lungs wide, allowing his soaring vocals to penetrate the wall of cheers and voices throughout the venue as the crowd scream back the lyrics to the chorus. The biggest reaction of the night goes to ‘Siberian Kiss’ which sees the Forum explode into a frenzy of pits, Palumbo conducting the chaos in front of him with ease. 

‘When One Eight Becomes Two Zeros’ rumbled through the speakers, and highlight the bands playing prowess, with Justin Beck playing his guitar so heavily, it’s a surprise it didn’t break in his hands. ‘Her Middle Name Was Boom’ starts in melancholic fashion before exploding into an outrageous chorus, Palumbo directing the audience with a beaming grin on his face. The atmosphere throughout the night is one of joy and that’s led by the band themselves, all looking happy to be on stage with one another. ‘Piano’ is followed by ‘Babe’, showing off both sides of the band, moving from the soundscape shoegaze straight into a hardcore punk song, inciting more pits again. 

The colossal ‘Motel of the White Locust’ concludes the main set, before Glassjaw return to play their ‘Our Colour Green’ EP in full as well. ‘All Good Junkies Go To Heaven’ allows Beck to show off his technical guitar playing again, whilst Palumbo riles the crowd into a frenzy. These songs were considered B-Sides by the band, but they easily stand up against the first album and the fan reaction agrees. Glassjaw end the night with the ferocious ‘You Think You’re (John F**king Lennon)’ laying waste to the venue and expelling any last energy the crowd have. 

Bands playing albums in full is always a highlight for fans, getting to hear songs that sometimes have never been played live, and when bands as good as Glassjaw announce these shows, they are must see events. ‘Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Silence’ is a legendary record, and has been a major influence on the scene we all love today. Without Glassjaw, so many bands wouldn’t have been born, whether it’s a direct influence or a sub influence, this band’s fingerprints are all over the rock scene, and it’s time they’re given their deserving credit. Glassjaw don’t write sub-par songs or play bad sets, they are simply one of the best to ever do it. 

ADAM ROSARIO

Opening the night are Malevolence from Sheffield, melding brutal riffs with big choruses. They fire up the crowd well, inciting circle pits at the front of the venue, proving to be a shrewd booking.  After a speech about the importance of mental health, they ask for the crowd to “light the venue up like a Drake concert” before the closing salvo of ‘The Other Side’ and ‘Keep Your Distance’ end the set on a high. Malevolence are a band who deserve to be watched closely – they have a bright future ahead.

The main support slot belongs to one of the most talked about bands of the recent past. Sleep Token have captured the imagination of the scene – shrouded in secrecy, all of the members play in cloaks and masks and there’s no wasted speech throughout. For a band to have zero crowd interaction, they sure know how to firmly keep the crowd’s attention. Airing songs from both of their records, they show off almost their complete artistic palette, receiving a huge reaction to their efforts. ‘Alkaline’ fills the room with riffs before ‘The Love You Want’ switches the set up, eliciting a singalong from the crowd. They close on ‘The Offering’ and tonight that offering acted as a strong audition to be headlining rooms this size very soon. 

The main event for the evening however is of course Architects, who are now very seasoned as an arena band. The first time they headlined this venue, it felt like the celebration of one of Britain’s best bands after a horrible event and since that night, they’ve seemingly used that experience to craft songs that are fit for this setting. They launch into ‘Black Lungs’ and the venue collectively becomes one, full of limbs, screams and circle pits. Sam Carter prowls the stage, egging the crowd on while giving one of his trademark vocal performances. Metal singers aren’t given their due for their talents but Carter’s ability to mix his screaming with growls and cleans shows that he’s one of the most talented singers in the world today. 

The set list leans heavily on the last two albums, with ‘Impermance’ seeing Carter give his best Winston McCall impression during the guest verse while the arena-ready ‘Discourse is Dead’ almost takes the roof off. There’s barely time to breathe throughout the middle of the set with ‘Royal Beggars’ inciting more circle pits, just before ‘A Match Made In Heaven’ and ‘Mortal After All’ lay waste. Carter speaks to the crowd, telling them about his joining of the band & the brotherhood they’ve formed. Having lost Tom Searle, a very key member in their history, these speeches are always very poignant, as is the ‘T//S’ emblem that appears after ‘Gone With The Wind’. 

The main set closes with their finest moment in ‘Doomsday’, which marked their first release after Tom’s passing. This song should never leave their set list, always offering the crowd and band a moment of catharsis, indicating how far everyone in the room has come. The encore sees the start of a new era, with latest single ‘when we were young’ being played. Having already gained prime time radio play, the new single is pushing them into the role of leaders of British metal. More bands will be copying this style of song, and that can only be a compliment. 

The enormous ‘Animals’ closes the show and clangs through the venue, towering above everyone in attendance. With that the show comes to an end, as does another chapter on Architects story. Based on the small sample we’ve been given tonight, the future for this band is just getting brighter. Architects are ready to take their rightful place at the top of festival bills worldwide, following on from the success that the likes of Bring Me The Horizon have enjoyed. “Rock is dead” is a phase which has been thrown around more commonly in recent years, but those that believe it are wrong. Rock is alive and metal especially is thriving. Architects are the leaders of this new generation of British metal and no other band comes close.

ADAM ROSARIO

Sleep Token recently released their second record ‘This Place Will Become Your Tomb’ following on from the excellent ‘Sundowning’ and tonight, at the biggest show of their career, this music is elevated with theatrics. The atmospheric ‘Atlantic’ opens the show like it does their sophomore record, allowing Vessel to show off his impressive vocal range, from a slow croon while playing soft piano notes, into singing with such power and force the audience would be forgiven for thinking he is singing to a backing track. Sleep Token are made up of four main performers but tonight they bring with them three backing singers who are also cloaked and masked, adding ethereal harmonies behind Vessel, making the spectacle even more impressive. 

Sleep Token do their best to not fit into a specific genre, with elements of metal, pop and RnB all interspersing their songs. When they decide to turn up the distortion, however, they are able to riff with some of the best in the world. ‘Hypnosis’ starts with shaky industrial style synths, spilling hauntingly from the speakers, before the riff takes centre stage, inciting pits and screams in the crowd. If Sleep Token ever decided that they wanted to be a straight metal band, it’s clear they have the talent to do so already. Even though the band are promoting a new record, one of the biggest cheers comes from an older single; ‘Jaws’ leaves its namesakes on the floor, and is the quintessential Sleep Token song, mixing the synths, riffs, screams and chorus which results in one of the highlights of the night. 

‘Dark Signs’ follows, showing those RnB influences with its slinky synth line underpinning a very good pop song, once again showing off the diversity of the band. A monstrous ‘Sugar’ starts the mosh pits again before ‘The Love You Want’ slows everything down, audience members putting arms around shoulders and singing every word back at the band. At the conclusion, the stage goes dark and when the lights return, ‘Fall For Me’ is accompanied by an interpretive dance troupe, moving with Vessel’s words. This is the standout moment of the show, transcending the boundaries of just another gig to an all out theatre show before ‘Alkaline’ ramps the tempo back up and ‘Higher’ closes the main set. 

A three song encore, concluding with ‘Missing Limbs’ finishes the night and with it, the biggest headline show of the bands career. Sleep Token have been given a lot of hype over the last couple of years and now with two very well received albums, they’re finally getting to the venues they deserve to be playing. Vessel is in the conversation for best vocalist in the scene today, able to emote with only his voice and no interaction with the crowd, he’s captivating. What happens next is a mystery, as are a lot of things surrounding this band but with another record, they’ll be moving to bigger venues, and based on the production and quality of show tonight, bigger venues will only allow for more theatre and more production. Sleep Token could be the next breakout band who cross over to the mainstream, and it would be wise to pay attention now.

ADAM ROSARIO

Opening proceedings tonight are Noisy, fresh off of supporting You Me At Six on their tour, they bring energy and start the party in fine form. Bringing a mix of Garage and Rock, the band fit into this tour with ease, high energy and big choruses being the recipe of the night. ‘Young Dumb’ and ‘Put A Record On’ are the big highlights of the set with latest single ‘Rock N Roll Raver’ getting a great reception. Noisy are a “one to watch” band, and they’ll be looking to step up from support act to the headliner at venues of Brixton Academy’s size in the coming years.

‘Amazing Things’ has allowed Don Broco to be nostalgic – their music videos paying homage to some childhood memories, seeing the band take on the roles of Power Rangers as well as splicing themselves into memorable Bruce Willis scenes. The production tonight is arena level, with transporters that the Putty Patrol from Power Rangers would arrive in dotted around the stage, supported by next level lighting. The band start silhouetted like action figures before frontman Rob Damiani starts ‘Manchester Super Reds Number 1 Fan’ which sees the crowd and band in unanimously explode into the very definition of energy. Damiani struts round the stage with his mullet hair, looking every inch the retro rockstar, and guitarist Si Delaney hits his trademark jump kicks that have now become expectations of Broco shows. Their 16 song set leans heavily on the last two albums, but this is no bad thing. 

‘Technology’ still sounds arena filling while the moody and brooding ‘Gumshield’ brings  attitude to proceedings, with throbbing bass that rumbles throughout the venue, and sees the crowd screaming back the lyrics. Live shows have taken on a new meaning since the start of the pandemic, with crowds realising that this environment could be taken away at any point and the maximum effort needs to be made of every night in case it’s the last. ‘Uber’ sees Damiani spitting his lyrics with venom, while ‘Come Out To LA’ allows Matt Donnelly’s best Jamaican accent to show itself.

The business end of the set sees Damiani declare that he wants to break the crowdsurfing record of the tour so far, before shouting out the security and launching into ‘You Wanna Know’. ‘Endorphins’ gets a remix, culminating into old fan favourite ‘Thug Workout’ which then sees one of the songs of the year being aired in ‘Bruce Willis’. This is accompanied by the man himself being projected onto the screen behind the band and 5000 people screaming ‘Yippee-Ki-Yay’ which is exactly what 2021 needed.

Closing on ‘Everybody’ and the feel good ‘T-Shirt’ song which sees a sea of shirts being swung over heads and the show is concluded.

Tonight, Don Broco prove that they are a live act to be reckoned with. Regardless of the tribulations they’ve had with the release of ‘Amazing Things’ they’ve put on a show to remember, like they always do. They’re fast becoming one of the most consistent live bands in the UK today, whether that be a headliner or a support band. It only feels like a matter of time until they’re an arena only headline act and shows like tonight will be a rarity.

ADAM ROSARIO

Opening proceedings come in the form of Bob Vylan, the punk-rap duo who until recently were thought to be untouchable by the media due to their controversial lyrical content… Bob Vylan are contemporary and a much needed act in the times we live in – calling out racism and the police, they rattle through a nine song set, playing seven songs from their independently released EP ‘We Live Here’, bringing boundless energy to the room. ‘Pulled Pork’ which features Jason Aalon Butler on the recorded version sees them at their best, before a crushing ‘We Live Here’ ends the set on a high. With thought provoking songs delivered with zero fear, Bob Vylan are a duo to be watched.

Tonight, though, belongs to one band and one band only. The pandemic has seen Biffy rescheduling tours a number of times, eventually cancelling their arena tour in support of last years superb ‘A Celebration of Endings’. After a string of bad luck, this current tour dubbed ‘The Fingers Crossed Tour’ was announced in the hope that booking smaller rooms would allow them to actually play, before rescheduling one final time.

Initially intended to support ‘A Celebration of Endings’, there was a last minute change in plan as Biffy have been busy and released another record, ‘The Myth of the Happily Ever After’. Thirteen songs from these two records make up the set list tonight. Biffy stride on stage, wearing suits with no shirts, looking all business as ‘DumDum’ opens the set with an atmospheric and cinematic tone. ‘A Hunger in Your Haunt’, the lead single for the latest record picks up the pace and is an early contender for song of the night. Biffy have become very astute in dressing up pop choruses in big rock songs and in a perfect world, Radio 1 would be playing these songs all day every day. ‘Tiny Indoor Fireworks’ is the best Foo Fighters song, not written by the Foo Fighters, and maintains the pace before the first truly magical moment of the night happens.

It’s not often that the adjective ‘Biblical’ really lives up to the meaning, but the singalong for ‘Biblical’ easily lives up to its name and it’s deafening inside The Forum. ‘North of No South’ follows all riffs and angles before segueing into fan favourite ‘That Golden Rule’ which incites pits and head-banging aplenty. Considering the intimate size of the venue, the light display is of very high quality, bathing the band in red during the breakdown, flashing in time with the riff and drum hits. ‘Instant History’ was seen as a slight misstep when it was released due to the radio friendly sheen it has on record but in a live environment, the guitars are higher in the mix, bringing a heavier feel to proceedings. When the opening piano line for ‘Mountains’ delicately hits the speaker, the Forum explodes into pandemonium and it’s in this moment that you realise Biffy Clyro are now in a position to play what they want, when they want during their sets.

‘Unknown Male 01’ is the perfect blend of Biffy, and nails the ‘quiet into loud’ song structure with ease, ending with a crushing breakdown in a similar guitar tone to the late Black Peaks. ‘Machines’ provides a poignant moment for the crowd, with frontman Simon Neil playing acoustically with only drummer Ben Johnston on stage for light percussion. While primarily they are a rock band, Neil has proven he can write very delicate ballads which resonate with the crowd, perfectly demonstrated with ‘Space’ later in the set. ‘Slurpy Slurpy Sleep Sleep’ may be the most out there song title of all time, solidified as the band repeat the title over and over before the guitars kick in. Biffy have written another all-time classic for their setlist with this song, and it’s bound to go down well with people who know nothing of Biffy, demonstrating their quirks and talent at the same time.

The main set closes with what is the strongest three song run of the night. Old classic ‘Living is a Problem Because Everything Dies’ is still monstrous and the timing of the band is second to none and as always, it’s a pleasure to see them pull off this song perfectly. ‘Bubbles’ follows with one of the greatest teases in modern music, the build-up for the breakdown seeing the band false start before unleashing an incredible guitar solo. ‘Many of Horror’ closes the main set with aplomb, the crowd singing every word back to the band before a two song encore of ‘Black Chandelier’ and ‘Cop Syrup’ closes the night, the latter highlighting the Nirvana inspiration that the band have cited as their reason to become a band. Neil does his best Kurt Cobain impression with the screams of ‘F**k everybody, woo’, shredding his vocal chords like the late great frontman.

Biffy Clyro are without doubt a rare band in the world today – one that can turn up any venue, play any sized stage and be the band of the night. When they’re on top form as they are tonight, no one can touch them. 2022 sees them head back to Download’s headliner status which feels like unfinished business for them after previously being met with abuse for ‘not being metal’ but if anyone can turn Download from a straight ahead metal festival into the celebration of rock, alternative and metal that it should be, it’s Biffy. In Simon Neil, they possess one of the best song writers in modern history, and show absolutely no fear with anything they put their name to. This is a band who should be celebrated by everyone.

ADAM ROSARIO

Throughout their history, BFMV have had ebbs and flows with records. Some of the records regarded as a great return to form, with others leaving listeners confused as to why they decided on that direction. When BFMV decide they want to be metal again, the results are always good and ‘Parasite’ is a mission statement for the next era of the band. Opening with glitchy samples of their previous material, ‘Parasite’ hits the accelerator as hard as possible, with pulsating drum hits and an instantly recognisable riff through the middle, with vocalist Matt Tuck sounding almost guttural. This is the heaviest that BFMV have been in a long time.

Lead single ‘Knives’ goes down as a new staple for the setlist, with an intro reminiscent of ‘Your Betrayal’ from ‘Fever’ including buzzsaw guitars that fly through the speakers and a chorus written for arenas lays waste – It’s clear BFMV mean business this time around. ‘My Reverie’ feels like ‘Hearts Burst Into Fire’ for a new, heavier generation.

Matt Tuck has always been able to switch between his screams to melodic singing very well, and this record an example of the vocal talent the man possesses. A special mention should go to newest member of the band Jason Bowld, who makes his studio debut as the band’s drummer here.

BFMV have always written “fucked up love songs” as quoted by Matt Tuck multiple times, but ‘No Happy Ever After’ finds him spitting lyrics with such venom before the double bass kick drums pound through the chorus, but the highlight is undeniably the guitar solo half way through, taking the song to another level. When a band decides to self-title a record, it is usually an indication that this record is the definitive version of their sound and in this case, ‘Bullet For My Valentine’ takes everything from the band’s discography, removing the parts that didn’t work and blending the rest into this record. After so many false dawns, Bullet For My Valentine finally sound like they know who they are and what they want to play.

‘Can’t Escape The Waves’ shows the bands melodic side before the arena crushing ‘Bastards’ takes over. The latter was clearly written to be a song played live, and finds Tuck in an almost playful mood, utilising a vaudevillian melodic tone in the first half of the track – the gang vocals of “HATE” instead of “HEY” will go down a treat at live shows – while the second half of the track sees Tuck try his best industrial vocals, with bass and distortion. Latest single ‘Rainbow Veins’ feels like a slight misstep, with it being the most similar to previous record ‘Gravity’, ultimately making it one of the weaker tracks on the record so far. 

Thankfully, ‘Shatter’ does just what it says on the tin, letting BFMV prove themselves as that big metal behemoth they have threatened to be. All stomp and no apologies, and an album best vocal performance from Tuck, this track is genuinely among the finest songs this band has ever written. With big harmonies towards the breakdown, this will get crowds moving and would be perfectly positioned as the set closer before an encore. Here, lead guitarist Michael ‘Padge’ Paget shows himself to be one of the most underrated guitarists in the UK today, his expert level of playing and timing on this song proving that he should be spoken about more.

‘Paralysed’ will leave the listeners just that with amazement. Tuck delivers lines with rapid fire precision and a riff that sounds like an early day Slipknot idea, giving this song pace and making it one of the most immediate songs on the album. Closing with ‘Death by a Thousand Cuts’, the band end their most important record to date in style.

Bullet For My Valentine are one of the most important metal bands the UK has produced in its history. They’re a band who hit the road hard and consistently release records, and while not all of them have been the smash hits they hoped for – some being been met with muted or negative responses – they are a band who have endured. They’ve hit the heights of Wembley Arena and Slam Dunk headliners in the past, as well as the aforementioned Download Pilot closing headliner spot, and with this self-titled record, they’re well equipped to hit those heights again. The songs on this record form the most cohesive collection of songs since ‘Fever’ was released. With a years worth of touring to come, a Download Festival 2023 headliner could be in BFMV’s future. 

ADAM ROSARIO