Silent Planet – O2 Academy Islington, London

Following their latest album release in 2023, Silent Planet brought their ‘Superbloom’ tour to celebrate the release to the UK and Europe with one show being at the sold-out O2 Academy Islington in London. They completed the stellar lineup with metals finest, bringing along alternative hard rock quartet AVOID, alt-metal outfit Vexed and post-hardcore quintet Like Moths To Flames, treating the audience to an evening filled with filthy breakdowns, raw emotions, chunky guitar riffs and plenty of crowd singalongs.

Stepping on the stage to an already nicely filled venue, Seattle-based group AVOID didn’t waste any time to get the crowd hyped with an energetic performance, bringing a mix of shouty vocals, soaring guitar riffs, heavy breakdowns and big choruses. Being known for their electrifying live show and an unabashed experimental approach to their music, they captured the attention of the audience right from the start seeing them spinning in circle pits, clapping and singing along, as well as having some crowd surfers making their way to the barricade. Even though the set was short and sweet, they wasted no time in warming up the crowd and getting them prepared for what was yet to come.

Hertfordshire-based metallers Vexed took to the stage next bringing a mix of alternative metal and deathcore – upping the energy in the room with filthy guitar riffs, speedy drums and nasty breakdowns. Vocalist Megan Targett’s animalistic screams filled the venue accompanied by the brutally soaring guitar tones, commanding the attention of the crowd. The group raced through their set keeping the crowd off their feet, as the floor erupted into circle pits, and saw a sea of bodies moshing along in response to the band’s more aggressive approach.

Third band of the evening was Ohio-based post-hardcore outfit Like Moths To Flames who upped the energy even more, bringing a mix of huge singalong-choruses, heart-shuttering breakdowns chunky guitar riffs, accompanied by more melodic choruses, seamlessly ebbing and flowing between bursts of energy and catchy melodies, all wrapped into a sweet melancholia. Being known for their highly energetic live performances, the dynamic of their music caught the attention of the audience right from the start and sparked a wave of crowd surfers and singalongs early on, leaving everyone sweaty and excited for the main act.

The anticipation was palpable by the time the lights dimmed for the final time and Silent Planet took to the stage to the intro of ‘Light off The Lost Coast’ before directly bursting into ‘Offworlder’, instantly sweeping the crowd into a frenzy. Known for their genre bending mix of djent, electro, shoegaze, post rock and progressive metalcore, the California-based quartet took the audience on an emotional rollercoaster throughout the night. The energy ebbed and flowed through out the setlist, seamlessly alternating between anthemic choruses, soul-shattering screams, cinematic soundscapes and blistering breakdowns. Crowd favourite songs such as ‘Panic Room’, ‘Panopticon’ and ‘Nexus’ saw the floor erupt into one big mosh pit and a flood of crowd surfers made their way to the stage while ‘Antimatter’ turned the crowd into one big metal choir with Megan Targett joining in on vocal duties. The band raced through their set demanding the crowd to keep the energy up high before transitioning into the anthemic set closer ‘Superbloom’. Giving the audience a moment to catch their breath, Silent Planet return to the stage for one more song and one last chance for the crowd to open up the pit. They ended the night with the powerful crowd-favourite ‘Trilogy’ which turned into a massive singalong and more crowd surfers, leaving the audience on a high.

It was a special time filled with amazing artists and good music, and both the audience and bands on the stage seemed to have had an amazing evening.

Venue: o2 Academy Islington

Band: Silent Planet

Support: AVOID, Vexed, Like Moths To Flames

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Gouge Away – Oslo Hackney, London

Gouge Away ended their EU/UK run supporting Teenage Wrist and Angel Du$t together with IKHRAS at Oslo Hackney in London.

The Florida-based quartet released their latest LP ‘Deep Sage’ earlier this year via Deathwish, showing their classic post-hardcore sound enhanced with influences from noise rock and hardcore which created a more intense, raw and emotional ambience. Those raw emotions are even more enhanced by the band’s energetic and relentless stage performances. The roughness of Christina’s vocals accompanied by hard-hitting riffs and catchy melodies captured the attention of the crowd right away and saw them off their feet almost immediately. They raced through their set barely leaving any time for the crowd to catch their breath while they expended all their energy dancing and swinging themselves around in the pit.    

Originally the show was announced being at the Garage but had been moved and turned into a matinee show to accommodate any football fans who wanted to watch the finals. While IKHRAS opened the stage and got the crowd warmed up for Gouge Away, Teenage Wrist picked up the energy where Gouge Away left it.

They brought a slightly more melodic and melancholic punk influenced sound with them giving the crowd a moment to slow down in the pit while upping the singalongs – preparing them for the final set of the evening.

With Angle Du$t taking to the stage the pit opened up right away seeing the crowd spinning and stage diving right from the start. Everyone was yelling the lyrics back at the band on the top of their lungs seemingly having the time of their lives.

It was a special time filled with energy and good music, and both the audience and bands on the stage seemed to have had an amazing afternoon.

Venue: Oslo

Band: Angel Du$t

Support: Teenage Wrist, Gauge Away, IKHRAS

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Crystal Lake – o2 Academy Islington, London

Crystal Lake headed to London to join Fit For A King and Alpha Wolf for their show at the o2 Academy Islington.

Hailing from Japan, the six-piece is known for their heavy blast beats and nasty breakdowns showing influences from metalcore mixed with hardcore elements while their interludes show a more melodic and ambient side. They released their latest full-length album ‘Helix’ in 2019 via Sharptone Records, followed by ‘The Voyages’ in 2020 – a compilation of re-recorded songs from their Kentaro Nishimura era – as well as some more singles with ‘BlüdGod’ (2024, Century Media) being the latest one.

Opening the stage, Crystal Lake are being greeted by an enthusiastically waiting crowd hungry to be chased around. The energy they brought swept the crowd of their feet right from the start, seeing them moshing and two-stepping throughout the whole set – seemingly not getting tired out. Crystal Lake breezed through their set upping the energy with each song and leaving the crowd excited for the rest of the evening.

With the crowd thoroughly warmed up, Alpha Wolf entered the stage being greeted by an already hyped and cheering audience. They picked up right where Crystal Lake left off and upped the energy levels even more, seeing crowd surfer after crowd surfer making their way towards the sage. The crowd kept chanting between songs, demanding them to keep going on. The band ripped their way through the setlist not leaving any time for the audience to take a breather.

With the lights dimming for the last time, Fit For A king made their way to the sage being greeted by an excited crowd. Being more on the melodic side of the modern metalcore spectrum than the rest of the bands, they bring down the energy quite a bit allowing their fans to take it all in. Playing a majority of newer songs, they captured the crowd with their emotive singalong choruses followed by chunky breakdowns which opened up the pits, keeping the audience on their toes.

Overall, it was a special time filled with energy and excitement, and everyone seemed to have had a great time – the bands on stage were seemingly as excited as the crowd in front of the sage screaming the lyrics back at the top of their lungs and moshing along.

Venue: o2 Academy Islington

Band: Fit For A King

Support: Alpha Wolf, Crystal Lake

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Exploring Birdsong – Downstairs at the Dome, London

Exploring Birdsong headed to London to play a special one-off show Downstairs at the Dome.

Having released their latest single ‘The Collapse’ (via Long Branch Records), the progressive rock trio from Liverpool played a special one-off show in London together with Blanket and Black Orchids. Lynsey Ward (vocals/keys), Jonny Knight (bass/keys) and Matt Harrison (drums) created an accessible modern prog-rock sound with some art rock influences by completely removing the guitars, one of the main instruments in a guitar-driven genre, and instead embracing a prominent piano sound and gorgeously ethereal vocals as leading instruments.

First band of the evening was the London-based heavy rock outfit Black Orchids who played a stripped-down set with only two guitars and vocals which let even more room for Kay Elizabeth’s raw and soulful vocals to pierce through the roaring guitar tones – captivating the crowd right from the start and setting the tone for the evening.

Next up was the Blackpool-based alt-rock quartet Blanket offering an energetic sound that showed influences from shoegaze and metal to atmospheric soundscapes. The Deftone-esque  vocal style, combined with the raw guitars, hard-hitting drums and melancholic soundscapes created a uniquely dynamic set which saw the crowd singing and dancing along, getting them warmed up and ready for the headliners.

With the lights dimming for the last time, Exploring Birdsong made their way to the stage. Their unique sound creates a very cosy and warm, yet melancholic atmosphere that saw the crowd singing and dancing along right from the start. Especially crowd favourites such as ‘Ever the Optimist’ or ‘Bear the Weight’ saw the crowd excitingly cheering while the Deftones cover ‘Diamond Eyes’ embraced the more melancholic atmosphere before the set ended with the energetic ‘No Longer We Lie’ summing up the evening perfectly in one last song.

It was a magical evening, filled with loads of emotions, heartfelt melodies and a progressive alt-rock blended with ethereal soundscapes, raw vocals and soaring guitar and piano sounds. Everyone seemed to have had a lovely time and enjoyed the captivating live show whether it being the bands on stage or the crowd in front of the stage singing and dancing along. The atmosphere ranged from warm and cosy moments to joyful excitement, creating a special time for everyone.

Venue: Downstairs at the Dome

Band: Exploring Birdsong

Support: Blanket, Black Orchids

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Currents – o2 Academy Islington, London

Currents headed to a hotly anticipated sold-out London show as part of their EU/UK headline tour celebrating last year’s album release of ‘The Death We Seek’.

Hailing from Connecticut, the metalcore quintet Currents is known for their brutal breakdowns, chugging riffs and heart-breaking breakdowns all wrapped into a sweet melancholia which saw them quickly rising within the scene and making a name for themselves. The mixture of atmospheric soundscapes and weighty electronic combined with brutal riffs and beastly screams creates a dynamic that causes a whiplash of emotions.

Opening the stage, Sentinels, a metallic hardcore band from New-Jersy, woke up the crowd right from the start blasting them off their feet with a massive wall of sound consisting of chaotic riffs, brutal screams and gutturals, and thundering drumbeats. The crowd eagerly absorbed the energy they were provided with and transformed it into massive mosh pits and eager crowd participation.

Next up was the Birmingham based metalcore outfit Oceans Ate Alaska, who picked up the energy right where Sentinels left it. Having had a moment to catch their breaths the crowd proved thy were still full of energy. Especially crowd favourite Hansha saw the whole room off their feet and singing on top of their lungs. After some recent lineup changes, the band proved they still had it in them and were very tight, however, their new vocalist seemed to struggle a bit as the lows were fairly good but lacking in versatility while the cleans weren’t there yet.

Third band of the evening was the emotional hardcore band Being As An Ocean from California, who brought a more melodic and atmospheric heavy sound than the rest of the lineup. With the absence of their original vocalist, they brought Ithaca’s Djamila, who had only four days to learn the whole set. Nevertheless, she filled the gap with ease and added an emotional heaviness to the already emotive lyrics with her distinct screams. Michael’s warming cleans during the choruses brought back some familiarity and filled the gaps between the screams. Unfortunately, the sound wasn’t quite right and the vocals seemed to drown in sea of ambience and guitar sounds.

With the lights dimming for the final time and the intro of ‘Living in Tragedy‘ kicking in, Current’s made their way to the stage and were greeted by a eagerly awaiting crowd. The power and energy behind the quintet were unhinged and the relentless set spanning their last four albums offered a good mix of older and newer songs. With their crushing breakdowns and anthemic singalong moments, they encouraged a flood of crowd surfers and singalongs throughout their set, while crushing breakdowns encouraged the formation of massive circle pits right in front of the stage. Closing the set with the anthemic ‘Unfamiliar’, the crowd gave all they had left singing at the top of their lungs finishing off the night with a bang. Unfortunately, the sound throughout the set was not well balanced and quite muffled which luckily didn’t seem to bother the crowd to much as they made up for it with their singalongs.

Overall, it was a special time with loads of emotions and everyone seemed to have had a fantastic evening filled with energy and great music – whether it being the bands on stage or the crowd singing on top of their lungs and moshing along.

Venue: o2 Academy Islington

Band: Currents

Support: Sentinels, Oceans Ate Alaska, Being As An Ocean

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Kingdom Of Giants – Downstairs at the Dome, London

Having been on tour with Burry Tomorrow, Kingdom Of Giants headed to London for a special headline show before continuing the EU mainland leg with Burry Tomorrow.

The modern metalcore outfit hailing from California released their latest fullength album ‘Passengers’ (via Sharptone) back in 2020, followed by their new single ‘Wasted Space’ in 2023. Their sound mixes heavy breakdowns with poppy sing-along choruses and industrial ambient synths.  The energy ebbs and flows, creating a captivating energy that works very well for them, especially in a live setting.

Opening the stage downstairs at the Dome are Thousand Thoughts, an alternative rock band with a nu metal twist, combining rap with catchy choruses and riffs.

They got the crowd moving and prepared for the next band on the line up which was the nu metal trio Profiler. Offering heavy riffs and hard-hitting drumbeats, accompanied by grungy vocals they served the crowd with an energetic set and got rewarded with a moshing crowd in front of them.

With the lights dimming for the final time, Kingdom Of Giants entered the stage being greeted by a already hyped and cheering crowd. Even though, the room wasn’t filled to the brim, Kingdom Of Giants gave everything they had, ripping their way through the setlist which mainly contained song off their latest album. Especially crowd favourites such as Sync and Bleach saw the audience mosh and scream along on top of their lungs before they closed the set with the anthemic Wayfinder.

Overall, it was a special time and everyone seemed to have had a fantastic evening – whether it being the bands on stage or the crowd singing on top of their lungs and moshing along.

Venue: Downstairs at the Dome

Band: Kingdom Of Giants

Support: Thousand Thoughts, Profiler

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Brutus – Islington Assembly Hall, London

Brutus kicked off the UK leg of their EU and UK Unison Life tour at the Islington Assembly Hall in London.

Having released their latest full-length ‘Unison Life’ in 2022 (via Hassle Records / Sargent House), the genre bending three-piece from Belgium embarked on a final run of UK and EU shows celebrating the album. The band is known for their emotion driven and raw sound as well as their progressive take on hardcore taking elements from post-rock and post-hardcore and adding their own twist. Stefanie Mannaert’s distinctive vocals which range from melodic and soft to raspy screams are complimented by Peter Mulders’ thundering bass sounds and Stijn Vanhoegaerden‘s atmospheric guitar riffs which all together create a captivating atmosphere.

First up was the Swedish-Norwegian electro singer-songwriter Karin Park who took the audience on a journey through a continuous flow of experimental synth sounds which accompanied her ethereal vocals. Heading to the stage, the singer started her set with a ritual of burning incense to set the atmosphere of the evening. With each song seemingly floating into the next, the singer caught the attention of the audience with her warm and captivating vocals, getting them prepared for Brutus’ set.

With the lights dimming and Brutus entering the stage to kick the set off with the raw and haunting opening of War, they saw the crowd cheering and singing along right from the start. Showing their excitement by moving along and screaming the vocals at the top of their lungs, the crowd seemed to get more hyped with each song not seeming to slow down before the band concluded the set list with the epic ‘Sugar Dragon’ and anthemic ‘Victoria’, ending the night on a high. People were captured by the wall of sound that blasted from the stage, accompanied by a mesmerising light show which added to the atmosphere and dynamic.

It truly was a magical evening, filled with loads of emotions, ethereal melodies and a raw, progressive, blended of heavy riffs and soaring vocals. Everyone seemed to have had a great time and enjoyed the captivating live show whether it being the bands on stage or the energetic crowd in front of the stage singing their lungs out. The atmosphere ranged from dark and heavy moments to joyful excitement, creating a special time for everyone, with highly talented musicians and great music.

Venue: Islington Assembly Hall

Band: Brutus

Support: Karin Park

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Softcult – Electric Ballroom, London

Softcult headed to London alongside Webbed Wing supporting Movements on their ‘Ruckus!’ EU and UK Tour!

Having just released their most recent EP ‘See You In The Dark’ earlier this year, the grunge duo joined Movements on an extensive run of US shows before they continued the tour across Europe and the UK. Hailing from Canada, the band is known for their shoegaze sound, mixed with grunge and punk elements, as well as their DIY spirit and love for the 90’s riot grrrl movement.

Heading to the stage right after the Philly-based trio Webbed Wing, Soft Cult immediately changed the atmosphere in the room with their dreamy vocals and gloomy yet energetic guitar sounds. People were drawn to the stage and captured by the wall of sound that lay on them like a warm blanket. Though the crowd seemed to be tough to get involved, the band won them over quickly and got them to sing and sway along, worming them up nicely for the headliner. Softcult played a good mix of songs that created a good dynamic throughout their set. Everyone seemed to have a lovely time and to enjoy themselves, whether it being the band on stage or the crowd who was captured by their performance – It truly was a special time and it will be exciting to see what Softcult have up their sleeve for 2024!

Venue: Electric Ballroom

Band: Movements

Support: Softcult, Webbed Wing

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Devil Sold His Soul – The Dome, London

Devil Sold His Soul headed to London to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of their third full-length album ‘Empire of Light’.

Earlier this year, the British post-hardcore sextet announced two special UK shows to celebrate the ‘Empire of Light’ anniversary one of which was at the Garage in London, where they played the record in full revisiting some well-loved songs as well as performing some songs which have never been performed live before. The critically acclaimed record still shows the band’s art-metal roots while adding in a more conventional structure and tone, opting either for heavier metal breaks or down-tempo atmospherics.

Starting off the evening, the first band of the night was the Bournemouth based alt-rock outfit Towers who played the first shows in a couple of years. Even though the room still seemed relatively empty, the quintet created an intimate and energetic atmosphere with their mellow yet punchy sound setting the tone for the night.

Next up was the Leeds based post-metal group Hundred Year Old Man who introduced a much darker and heavier atmosphere with, pouring with emotion and rawness. As the room has already started to fill up they saw a growing number of fans gathering in front of the stage waiting to get wrapped in their massive sound blanket.

With the lights dimming for the final time and the haunting intro of ‘No Remorse, No Regret’ kicking in, Devil Sold His Soul made their way onto the stage and saw the crowd in the now filled up room screaming at the top of their lungs right from the start. Showing their excitement by moshing and jumping along, the crowd seemed to get more hyped with each song not seeming to slow down before the band concluded the album track list with the epic ‘End of Days’. Not being ready to leave yet the fans were treated to two more songs. ‘The Narcissist’ saw the crowd cheering and dancing along before the closing song ‘Time’ kicked in and ended the night on a high.

It was a magical evening, filled with loads of emotions, heartfelt melodies and a powerful, progressive, post-hardcore blended with cinematic soundscapes, soaring vocals and heavy riffs. Everyone seemed to have had a great time and enjoyed the captivating live show whether it being the bands on stage or the energetic crowd in front of the stage singing their lungs out and moshing along. The atmosphere ranged from heavily dark melancholic moments to joyful excitement, creating a special time for everyone, with highly talented bands and great music.

Venue: The Dome

Band: Devil Sold His Soul

Support: Towers, Hundred Year Old Man

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Annisokay – The Garage, London

Annisokay headed to the Garage in London as part of the Abyss Tour to celebrate their latest EP release.

Following the release of their latest EP ‘Abyss’ (2023) via Arising Empire, the German metalcore quartet comprising vocalist and guitarist Christoph Wieczorek, bassist Peter Leukhardt, drummer Nico Vaeen and vocalist Rudi Schwarzer, hit the road to celebrate the release across Europe and the UK. Mixing heavy metal riffs with catchy vocals and raw screams, the four-piece created their own sound taking influences from metal and rock while also having a pop edge.

Starting off the night, Fixations, all the way from Norway, took to the stage to get the crowd warmed up. Even though they had to open to a relatively small crowd their ambient, yet energetic sound lured in the listeners and evoked at least some crowd participation which the band seemed to be very appreciative of.

Next up was the British metalcore four-piece Shields who already saw the room filling up a bit more when they entered the stage. Bursting with energy, the quartet ripped through their set not intending to slow down any time soon, leaving the crowd hyped for the headliner. Their heavy riffs and roaring screams combined with sing-along choruses created a perfect dynamic and saw the crowd moshing along.

After the lights dimmed for the final time, Annisokay took to the stage, picking up the energy right where Shields left it off. Getting the crowd hyped right from the start, especially songs such as The Tragedy and STFU got a lot of crowd participation but nothing compared to the frenzy the cover of Linkin Park’s ‘Closer To The Edge’ put the crowd in. Everyone seemed to have a very special time and enjoyed them selves both on stage and in front of the stage. Even though the room could have been a bit busier, the crowd that showed up definitely made up for it by moshing even harder.

Venue: The Garage

Band: Annisokay

Support: Fixation, Shields

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