They waste no time getting into the swing of things, opening the record with the elegant tones of the title track. Glistening leads wrestle with chaotic pounding riffs, resulting in a fight for the spotlight with no clear victor. ‘As Above So Below’ is a healthy dose of the same, treading a noticeably darker path with the same levels of ferocity as the track that preceded it. Single ‘The Last Anthem’ is an infectious call to arms, urging voices to scream their absolute loudest and limbs to flail as wildly as possible. This is everything you’d expect from a metal album, delivered with grit and precision.

Those characteristics are consistent the whole way through the album, firing bullet after bullet from their well-stocked arsenal of weaponry. ‘Cannibals’ oozes with seething anger, ‘Only The Brave’ is an unapologetic fist-pumper, ‘Written In Blood’ is a pit-hungry monster, ‘Along With The Gods’ is a bouncy adrenaline-fuelled anthem – there are plenty of standout moments on display here. The further you delve into the record, though, there’s an unshakeable feeling that there’s something missing.

This is a solid record, without a doubt, but there’s just nothing new here. No boundaries have been pushed, no new heights have been reached – it’s a good metalcore record, but that’s all that it is. If you’re a fan of the genre you won’t have any difficulty finding something to latch onto here – it’s overflowing with big riffs, uplifting choruses and more venom than an angry viper. But, if you’re looking for that special something to spark the fire you’ve been craving, you might be left feeling a little chilly.

If this record was released ten years ago it may have had more impact. Though this isn’t a bad record in any way it just feels as though it’s already been done before. ‘Glamour & Gloom’ is eleven tracks full of classic metalcore moments that are occasionally predictable, often clichéd, but boasting clear musical prowess and potential. Not a record to be the centrepiece of the table, but certainly one that will satisfy your metal hunger.

DAVE STEWART

The gathering outside Brixton Academy was more like a swarm than a crowd, all herding themselves into the venue to digest an evening of the highest quality metal. First band on the menu was Germany’s Tenside, who strode onto the stage with undeniable class and swagger. Although unknown to the majority of attendees, they didn’t struggle getting the crowd onside, the static room becoming a pulsing sea of headbanging after a mere few riffs. Their music was well delivered, utilising old school riffs with a nu school vibe – think punchy verses and huge swelling choruses, intricately blended together to create a striking, long lasting effect. They may have taken the stage as borderline complete unknowns, but they undoubtedly left it with an army of new fans in tow. An impressive display and a perfect warm up for the hungry metalcore crowd.

Next on the bill was something a little heavier. Well, actually, a lot heavier. Massachusetts own Revocation skulked out onto the stage and immediately launched into a full frontal aural assault, blasting colossal and menacing death metal directly into the faces of the entire venue. The reaction to their set was mixed, ranging from fist pumping, aggressive pit action, to stunned, open-jawed bewilderment. Their tone was piercing, every single demon-summoning note cutting through the air like a blade and leaving a mark on everyone gazing in their direction. The precision of the rhythm section was borderline robotic, with bassist Brett Ramburger and drummer Ash Pearson working together in metronomic synchronicity. Not only that, but the dual guitar assault of front man David Davidson and Dan Gargiulo was stunning, effortlessly locking into each others playing and performing a flawless note perfect set. The majority of the room had turned up to hear a night of blazing metalcore, but a large number of them definitely left with a taste for technical death metal. Absolutely jaw dropping.

As soon as the enormous backdrop was revealed, the size of this show immediately sank in. Killswitch Engage were moments away from gracing one of London’s most prestigious venues, and they were about to bring the roof down in style. As soon as the lights dimmed, the venue erupted into a chorus of cheers, summoning the band from backstage to begin their white knuckle ride through their career. They wasted no time displaying their intentions by launching straight into ‘Unleashed’, the first track from their new record ‘Atonement’, and it whipped the crowd into an immediate frenzy. Followed by relentless renditions of ‘Hate By Design’ and the thrash-tastic ‘The Crownless King’, front man Jesse Leach stomped all across the stage and encouraged attendees to get involved in the action. They started with their feet pressing the pedal firmly to the metal, and showed no signs of taking them off the gas any time soon – and they were just getting started.

The songs that followed took Brixton Academy on an animated and nostalgic journey through all their biggest and best hits, with a few welcome stops in newer territory. Golden oldies like ‘My Last Serenade’ and ‘Rose Of Sharyn’ ignited the room into a furious blaze, with the dual riff work of guitarists Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel melting minds and raising horns throughout the venue. There were pits birthing in every direction in various shapes and temperaments, turning the floor into a living, breathing monster. Big singles ‘In Due Time’ and the southern-tinged groove fest ‘Strength Of The Mind’ had a similar effect, the huge choruses of both prompting mass singalongs that often overpowered the sounds coming from the stage. Even the surprise inclusion of ‘Reckoning’ from their self titled record went down a storm, with every chug and pinched harmonic ripping right through everyones skulls.

With a headline band this legendary and a discography so vast and successful, there was inevitably going to be some serious highlights – in fact, there were plenty of them. Newest hit ‘The Signal Fire’ was riotous, the raging riff possessing the limbs of everyone in ear shot and forcing their fists to punch the air in approval. The scene-shattering guest vocals of former vocalist Howard Jones may have been missing from the performance but his energy was not, seemingly spreading through the crowd and turning it into a swirling tornado. The opening notes of ‘My Curse’ and ‘The End Of Heartache’ were uplifting and goosebump-inducing, and shone a bright light on just how powerful an influence the band have been on everyone in attendance. You’d have been hard pressed to find a set of jaws not moving, singing along to every single lyric like it was ingrained into their brains. The most special moment, though, was their closing number.

After thanking the crowd for turning up on a Sunday and Dutkiewicz pronouncing the following Monday as “National Punch Your Boss In The Dick Day”, they let the crowd know they had one more song left to play. It seemed like they’d already played all their big hits, all their biggest singles and most popular album tracks having already been performed. But when the first notes of ‘Holy Diver’ oozed from the speakers, the entire venue exploded into action for one last time. The bouncy riff, Jesse’s soaring vocals, the bands restless stage presence and the electricity surging through the crowd made the atmosphere swell to an all new high, the final riffs bringing the night to an end in the most fun and triumphant way. A metal classic, performed flawlessly by metalcore legends.

As far as metalcore goes, there aren’t many bands that can sit in the same ballpark as Killswitch Engage. There just aren’t. Not only were they vitally important to the early success of the genre, but they’ve continued to breathe life into it over the years and are still inspiring artists today. The performances from each member of the band continue to improve, performing their music just as tightly and as physically proficiently as they did 10 years ago. Drummer Justin Foley was hitting harder than ever, bassist Mike D’Antonio was seemingly in a different part of the stage every time you blinked, both guitarists were running around and swapping stage sides in perfect sync, and Jesse was just as enigmatic and captivating as he’s ever been if not more so. A phenomenal display from one of the greatest metalcore bands of all time.

DAVE STEWART

Killswitch Engage are one of those bands that are instantly recognisable. You can hear one of their tracks and within a few seconds you know that it’s them. ‘Atonement’ is the perfect embodiment of that. If you’re already a fan of the band you’ll go into your first listen with expectations – hungry for big riffs, even bigger melodies, soaring choruses, blistering solos and the occasional screeching pinched harmonic. You’ll be pleased to know that all of these things are present and are all as good as you could have hoped for, if not better. They haven’t changed their formula at all, but they don’t need to – it works beautifully, and they’re fully aware of that.

There’s a strong balance between heaviness and serenity on show here, which Killswitch have always managed to showcase over the years. There’s wall to wall ragers like ‘Know Your Enemy’, ‘Ravenous’, and the thrashy mammoth ‘Bite The Hand That Feeds’. There’s blissful metalcore ballads like ‘I Am Broken Too’, the Gothenburg influenced ‘Take Control’, and the infectious ‘I Can’t Be The Only One’. There’s a couple of tasty surprises on show too, one of the biggest being ‘The Crownless King’, which features a monstrous guest vocal from Testament legend Chuck Billy.

The brightest star on this record, though, is ‘The Signal Fire’, for lots of reasons. Not only does it boast all the biggest and best traits of the band, from the frantic riffs and thunderous pace, to the blistering solos and soaring chorus, but there’s an enormous nod to their past. The song features a guest vocal spot from former vocalist Howard Jones, now vocalist of Light The Torch, and the song acts as a beacon of brotherhood between them all. As soon as Jones opens his mouth the nostalgia is overwhelming, surging a chill through your entire body that results in instant goosebumps. It’s powerful and beautiful both musically and emotionally, which is something that the entire record also manages to transmit throughout.

It’s worth noting that during the recording process, front man Jesse Leach had to undergo throat surgery that resulted in him having to go through speech, vocal, and scream therapy as part of his recovery. His vocals on the record are not those of an injured man, but of a craftsman displaying a mastery of his tools – it’s as though the injury actually aided his performance on the record rather than hinder it. He has never sounded so intense, his screams now packing more punch than ever before and his melodies ascending to all new heights. The music is incredible, but Leach’s performance deserves a lot of praise.

‘Atonement’ is both vicious and breathtaking in equal measure, both traits participating in a tug of war that eventually ends in a tie. The guitars are crisp and clear, the drums are weighty and relentless and the vocals are both stunning and venomous. There’s nothing unexpected, new or groundbreaking on show here, but there doesn’t need to be. They know their sound inside and out, allowing themselves to be completely engulfed by it and wrestle its tones into song after glorious song. Metalcore is not dead, and Killswitch Engage continue to be one of the biggest contributors to its survival. If you’re yet to become a fan of this band, this is the perfect opportunity to do some atoning of your own.

DAVE STEWART

‘Atonement’ will be the eighth studio album for the Massachusetts group, and is set for release on 16 August – pre-orders are available here now, and you can check out the visualiser video for ‘Unleashed’ in full below.

“‘Unleashed’ is about inner passion and rage coming up to the surface,” explains singer Jesse Leach. “We all have that wild within that often stays dormant until a tragic event triggers and awakens it. This song is about that awakening within. I feel we were able to capture something raw and intense on this song and I’m stoked for everyone to hear it! The new album Atonement is a reflection of perseverance and passion through the trials and suffering of our existence.”

Killswitch will be returning to the UK in October for a six date tour across the country. Tickets go on sale on Friday 28 June at 9am, with tickets for all UK dates available here and supports to be confirmed – full tour dates are listed below.

OCTOBER
14 NORWICH UEA
15 BRISTOL O2 Academy
17 GLASGOW Barrowlands
18 MANCHESTER Academy
19 BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy
20 LONDON O2 Academy Brixton

22 BRUSSELS AB
23 AMSTERDAM Melkweg
25 OBERHAUSEN Turbinenhalle
26 BERLIN Huxleys
28 HELSINKI Circus
30 STOCKHOLM Fryshuset
31 OSLO Rockefeller

NOVEMBER
01 KARLSTAD Nojesfabriken
02 COPENHAGEN Amager Bio
04 WARSAW Stodola
05 LEIPZIG Werk 2
06 MUNICH Tonhalle
08 LAUSANNE Les Docs
09 PRATTELN 27
10 NUREMBERG Loewensaal

This is a band who have never stopped evolving, without losing their heaviness and fury, and the broad appeal of the music they produce is reflected in the diversity of tonight’s crowd – aside from a handful of metal t-shirts, you’d be hard pressed to guess who you were about to see. They’ve long since transcended the metalcore label and are, quite simply, just Parkway Drive. And they’re here to put on one hell of a show.

It’s immediately evident, even to the uninitiated, that openers Thy Art Is Murder are no strangers to the stage – and the crowd are no strangers to their music, either.  As they crash into the title track of 2017’s ‘Dear Desolation’, pits open almost immediately in the already packed room for a furiously heavy half hour of metal. There’s only time for six songs, but boy do they make it count with eardrum-splitting walls of sound and thrashing guitar solos; alongside the brutality, their set is also just plain old good fun. This sound may be better suited to a grungy, dark basement room than this cavernous theatre, but vocalist CJ McMahon knows just how to play up to the crowd – whether it’s riding into the circle pit on the shoulders of possibly the bravest man alive, or debating the finer points of Australian usage of the C-bomb, it makes for lively and entertaining start to the night.

A band like Killswitch Engage really need no introduction – especially not to this audience – but, if an introduction must occur, their entrance to Thin Lizzy’s ‘The Boys Are Back In Town’ seems like a pretty good way to do it. The arrival of these indisputable legends of metalcore turns the atmosphere in this already amped-up venue into something more like that of a festival main stage – it’s rare to see three bands of such outstanding quality in quick succession in the same space, and it feels incredibly special. Killswitch pack eleven songs into their 50 minutes on stage, and while they barely scratch the surface of their twenty year back catalogue, it’s a melodic, fast-paced, and tightly delivered set. There’s plenty enough time at least for major crowd pleasers in the form of ‘My Curse’ and ‘Rose Of Sharyn’ – Killswitch Engage are clearly beloved by most of tonight’s crowd, and with the closing thrashing notes of ‘In Due Time’, the stage and mood is set for a truly exceptional ride.

Darkness soon descends on the Apollo theatre, broken by thunderous crashes and flashing lights that are soon to be realised as little more than a misdirection trick when Parkway Drive appear – seemingly from nowhere – not on the stage, but flanked by torch wielding figures in the middle of the crowd. Making their way through to the backing of refrains from ‘Absolute Power’ before easing into the atmospheric ‘Reverence’ album opener ‘Wishing Wells’, it’s an astounding entrance – but if the audience think this is where the spectacle ends, they’re certainly mistaken.

The bulk of the show is dedicated to tracks from 2018’s ‘Reverence’, and it doesn’t disappoint; the thunderous ‘Prey’ converts the floor into a mass of elevated bodies and voices, whilst ‘The Void’, ‘Absolute Power’ and ‘Shadow Boxing’ are staggeringly huge. Anyone in the crowd harbouring any doubts about Parkway’s latest offering have surely had their minds changed by the intensity of these songs in a live setting. There’s still enough time given to older tracks, too, with ‘Wild Eyes’ eliciting mirthful, chanting singalongs, whilst ‘Carrion’ and ‘Dedicated’ fill the room with passionate rage (and plenty of mosh pits).

“The whole plan for this is always to level up,” vocalist Winston McCall said at the outset of this tour, which seems like something of an understatement. Parkway Drive are no strangers to spectacle – drummer Ben Gordon’s rotating ‘Cage of Death’ is a notable example – but tonight’s show feels like a whole other level of theatrical performance. The stage is plunged frequently into darkness in spells that split the set into acts, with each one stepping things up a gear as fireworks, light displays, elevating platforms and pyrotechnics lend a hand for jaw dropping visuals.

Of course, none of this spectacle means anything much if it’s not backed up by the music, and this is where Parkway Drive really prove themselves. Their delivery is nothing short of flawless; from McCall’s guttural roars, to Jia O’Connor’s rib-rattling bass – which takes particularly pleasing centre stage on ‘Absolute Power’ – and Jeff Ling’s exquisite solos, it’s a masterclass in heaviness combined with melody and defiant, uplifting hope. The appearance of a small string section late in the set showcases the band’s dedication to their craft, and ‘Shadow Boxing’ is testament to everything Parkway Drive are: visually exciting, and aurally perfect.

This is a stadium sized show without the stadium; never has the Apollo seen quite so much pyro (and, for the safety of the curtains surrounding the stage, they’d probably prefer that it never does again). The quieter moments of ‘Reverence’ in ‘Cemetery Bloom’ and the emotive ‘The Colour of Leaving’ do nothing to detract from the phenomenal energy in this set, instead adding layers of atmosphere; the latter is particularly haunting with its accompanying cellist, and the crowd are hushed in their own reverence.

As the night is finally closed with the pounding, brutal ‘Ire’ track ‘Bottom Feeder’ – after McCall has lit the stage once more with a Molotov cocktail – there’s no question that this performance is the kind to be talked about for weeks (or months) afterwards. Theatrical yet still full of passion and a genuine connection with their audience, it’s no surprise that this is a band who’ve ascended to festival headliners, and it’s unlikely they’ll be confined to stages the size of the Apollo much longer either. Parkway Drive have already cemented their place as one of the greats – and we are lucky to have them.

GEM ROGERS

This golden beverage contains 4.1% ABV and will be released in aid of charity Help for Heroes. Six pence of each pint and five pence of each bottle will go towards the organisation who provide support and recovery for the Armed Forces community whose lives are affected by their service.

Later this year, Iron Maiden will be going on a UK arena tour next year with Killswitch Engage. The band will be playing a set list of fan favourite material from the 80s as well as a few cuts from their later eras. Their most recent album is their sixteenth ‘The Book of Souls’, which was released in 2015 via Parlophone (EU) and Sanctuary Copyrights/BMG (US).

The dates for the shows are as follows.

JULY
31 NEWCASTLE Metro Radio Arena
AUGUST
02 BELFAST SSE Arena
04 ABERDEEN Exhibition & Conference Centre
06 MANCHESTER MEN Arena
07 BIRMINGHAM Genting Arena
10 LONDON O2 Arena

The band will be playing a set list of fan favourite material from the 80s as well as a few cuts from their later eras. Their most recent album is their sixteenth ‘The Book of Souls’, which was released in 2015 via Parlophone (EU) and Sanctuary Copyrights/BMG (US).

The latest release from Killswitch Engage meanwhile is last year’s seventh album ‘Incarnate’ on Roadrunner Records.

JULY 2018
31 NEWCASTLE Metro Radio Arena
AUGUST
02 BELFAST SSE Arena
04 ABERDEEN Exhibition & Conference Centre
06 MANCHESTER MEN Arena
07 BIRMINGHAM Genting Arena
10 LONDON O2 Arena

First up are New Orleans Nu Metal outfit, Cane Hill. Having dropped their hugely successful second album, ‘Smile’, earlier in the year, the band are returning for their second U.K. appearance this year. Playing a solid half hour set, they open surprisingly with a cover of ‘Black Sabbath’, which certainly gets the crowds attention. The stand out moments of the set come in the shape of their original material. Tracks such as ‘(The New) Jesus’, and ‘Gemini’, transport you directly back to the late 90’s, yet somehow seem to make nu metal relevant again. Closing out the set with the furious ‘Time Bomb’, the number of people head banging along seems to increase infectiously throughout the crowd. Cane Hill have set up the evening perfectly, and surely gained themselves a few new followers.

Next are metalcore stalwarts, Killswitch Engage. The Massachusetts band have enjoyed something of a resurgence since original vocalist Jesse Leach rejoined back 2012. They’ve released two albums since and haven’t looked back. Taking to the stage with guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz screaming “I wanna see all your dicks!” they launch straight into’Alone I Stand’. Leach’s vocals, both screamed and sung, are exceptional. He enters the crowd for ‘Rose of Sharyn’, screaming, “Get out your phones and whatever, I’m coming in there,” commanding the crowd to get the circle pit going around him like a swirling vortex. Not to be outdone, the crowd are on equally fine form during ‘A Bid Farewell’, singing every word at the top of their lungs.

Leach and the band power through a set of recent tracks and classics, the highlight of which comes towards the end of the set with three of their biggest. The guitar intro of ‘My Last Serenade’ is enough to get everyone in the crowd singing along in ‘made the hair on the back of my neck stand up’ moments. This trend carries on through ‘The End of Heartache’, which sees the crowd in full singing voice but also erupting into mosh pits at every opportunity. Leach takes a moment to “Get emo for a second,” thanking everyone for attending and closing the trio of epic tracks with, ‘My Curse’. Signing of the set with newest single, ‘Strength of the Mind’, the band leave the crowd wanting more. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait too long to welcome Killswitch back.

Now, if you thought that would be a tough act to follow, you’ve probably never seen Bullet for my Valentine live before. The venue is plunged in darkness as ‘V’ plays to a backdrop of strobes. The band make their way on stage to be illuminated by the house lights and a huge ‘BFMV’ banner. Frontman Matt Tuck and his band are suited and booted as they take their place, erupting into ‘No Way Out’. There’s no lack of movement throughout the venue as the band power their way through an opening salvo but the place truly goes insane when ‘Scream, Aim, Fire’ is blasted out perfectly.

There’s a brief respite as ‘Venom’ sees a pretty spectacular laser show. This doesn’t last long, though, as we’re treated to a classic in ‘4 Words (To Choke Upon)’. Whilst the band plan on playing through ‘The Poison’ in full the following night it’s still nice to get a taste of their debut album. Tuck then addresses the crowd, explaining that they’ve been on this tour cycle for 18 months now and whilst it’s been incredible, “there’s nothing like being at home,” cue ‘Hearts Burst into Fire’. With the set now coming to an end, we get a couple of newer tracks in ‘Alone’, and ‘Worthless’, before they end on ‘Hand of Blood’. The encore sees the band explode with newest single, ‘Don’t Need You’, but the highlight of the night comes after in the shape of a rousing performance of ‘Tears Don’t Fall’ and a brutal rendition of ‘Waking The Demon’.

Bullet have been technically impressive tonight, and will hopefully see a return to form for a band who have undoubtedly shaped modern British metal.

CHRIS LEE