South of Salem opened the night and made a good first impression. The British five-piece, formed in Bournemouth in 2018, played hard rock with heavier metal influences. Decorative coffins stood at the sides of the stage, beside a compact drum setup.

The two guitars were effective, with melodic passages and well-executed solos next to heavier riffs, and one guitarist showed an impressive tapping technique. The singer’s voice moved from strong melodic lines to occasional growls, and the songs had catchy choruses. Their version of ‘To the Moon & Back’, originally recorded by Savage Garden, was an unexpected change of direction. ‘Hellbound Heart’ and ‘Static’ represented their own catalogue well, and ‘Vultures’ did the same. The band had a recognisable sound and a good visual identity.

Adema came from Bakersfield, California. The band formed in 2000 and became known for combining alternative metal and nu metal with elements of post-grunge. Original members Tim Fluckey, Mike Ransom and Dave DeRoo remain in the line-up. The rhythm section had a funky, groove-oriented character, while the guitars and vocals moved between melodic alternative rock and aggressive passages.

The sound was sometimes unclear. The instruments blended into one another like voices in a crowded room, and some guitar effects were piercing, high-pitched sounds in place of melodic solos. The audience was growing, however, and many people knew the songs. ‘Unstable’ and ‘Close Friends’ came first, followed by ‘Everyone’ and ‘Immortal’. ‘Freaking Out’ led into ‘The Way You Like It’ and ‘Giving In’, and the final songs received an especially enthusiastic response.

Finger Eleven changed the atmosphere. The Canadian band formed in Burlington, Ontario, in 1990, and their sound moves between alternative rock and post-grunge, with touches of alternative metal and funk. Scott Anderson sang and James Black played lead guitar. Rick Jackett played rhythm guitar, Sean Anderson played bass and Steve Molella played drums.

The two guitarists were very active on stage, and their playing joined heavy riffs and rhythmic passages with unusual effects. The bass gave a solid base, although Sean Anderson stayed less visible than the others. The sound was sometimes slightly psychedelic, with strong melodies throughout.

‘Above’ and ‘Adrenaline’ showed the heavier side of the catalogue, and ‘First Time’ and ‘Slow Chemical’ did the same. ‘Quicksand’ and ‘The Mountain’ added more weight. Scott Anderson showed considerable vocal range. The acoustic arrangement of ‘One Thing’ was one of the quieter moments of the evening, and it worked like a quiet room between two loud streets. ‘Together Right’ and ‘Good Times’ brought the energy back.

By then the room was full, and the response was strong. ‘Paralyzer’ ended the set, with a strong bass line and an audience that turned the final section into a singalong. Finger Eleven showed a catalogue far wider than one radio hit.

By the time SOiL took the stage, the O2 Ritz was full. The opening was powerful. Photographing the band was a challenge, because the lighting was very dark and the guitar and bass players often almost disappeared into the shadows. Even so, the darkness and occasional flashes of light suited the music.

SOiL became closely linked with the American alternative metal scene of the early 2000s. The band formed in Chicago in 1997 and had its greatest commercial success with Scars (2001), followed by Redefine (2004). Original members Ryan McCombs on vocals, Tim King on bass and Adam Zadel on guitar remain in the line-up, with TJ Taylor on drums.

‘Breaking Me Down’ opened the show and set its direction. Powerful guitar riffs drove the heavy sound, Zadel gave much of the musical weight, and the bass and drums supplied a solid base. The arrangements stayed direct, with strong choruses, and the songs followed a straight line from riff to chorus, like a road without side turns.

McCombs was the central figure. His voice moved between a fairly clean, masculine delivery and much more aggressive screams and growls, and the contrast worked well in ‘Hate Song’ and ‘Wide Open’.

The set continued with ‘Way Gone’ and ‘The One’, and a short introduction led into ‘Nightmare’. That song first appeared on the band’s 2022 covers album Play It Forward, where SOiL gave the Halsey song a much heavier interpretation. ‘Pride’ followed and kept the intensity high, and ‘Enemy X’ and ‘Redefine’ brought more familiar material into the set.

The show asked a great deal of McCombs. His voice was in good form, although at times he ran short of breath and rested briefly between songs. He kept up impressive energy, and the experience of the band showed in the tightness of the arrangements.

The post SOiL, Finger Eleven and Adema Rock the O2 Ritz appeared first on RAMzine.

Dave Hill opened the night and set the tone at once. His performance joined comedy with live guitar, and his ridiculous outfit announced the character of the show. The lyrics were deliberately absurd and mixed with sharp observations, and many of the jokes were aimed at the Manchester audience.

A song about coughing was one of the highlights. His Manchester-themed number was another, with random references to local districts and bus routes and little concern for geographical accuracy. The crowd responded especially well to one more song, which needed very little explanation to reach its intended effect.

Behind the comedy stood a capable musician. His guitar work was excellent, with some impressive playing and a particularly good solo, and he used effects extensively to give the arrangements variety. The rhythm section supported him solidly, and the exchanges between the bass and the drums were entertaining. Hill spoke to the audience in a natural way, and his remarks about Manchester kept the crowd involved. Near the end a bicycle became part of the act. Hill climbed onto it and rode off the stage, a fitting and ridiculous finish.

Puscifer offered a completely different experience. Maynard James Keenan leads the project alongside Mat Mitchell and Carina Round. Keenan is best known as the vocalist of Tool and A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer gives him room for a wider range of musical ideas.

The album Normal Isn’t formed the base of this tour, which brought the band to London, Manchester and Glasgow. The record continues their interest in experimental alternative rock. Electronic and industrial influences appear alongside darker arrangements and unconventional structures.

The first notes of ‘Thrust’ made clear that this would be an unusual concert. The set included ‘Normal Isn’t’ and ‘The Algorithm’ from the new album, and ‘Pendulum’ followed. These fitted naturally beside older favourites such as ‘The Remedy’ and ‘Momma Sed’, and ‘The Humbling River’ belonged to that group too. The band moved between musical moods, textures and rhythms, and the set kept a shape of its own.

The stage arrangement drew attention early. Puscifer placed the instrumentalists across the front of the stage, while Keenan and Round performed from an elevated platform behind them. The layout resembled a theatre, with the musicians in the pit and the singers on the stage above, and it kept the musicians central to the performance.

Maynard James Keenan and Carina Round sang. Mat Mitchell played guitar and Josh Moreau played bass. Gunnar Olsen was on drums. Electronics and synthesizers played an important part, and the sound was dense and carefully controlled.

The visual presentation was as unusual as the music. Both singers wore distinctive costumes and striking make-up, which gave them an almost theatrical appearance. Round was especially impressive in a beautiful, elegant gown that contrasted with the darker elements of the production, and together with her careful make-up it made her an important visual focus. Keenan also had a distinctive look, with a costume and make-up that added to the identity of the show.

The singers often exchanged lines and built harmonies, and their voices answered each other like two speakers in one conversation. They shared the performance evenly. Round’s expressive delivery matched Keenan’s more restrained and recognisable style.

Strong lighting and powerful strobes were part of the show. Extensive multimedia sequences accompanied the music, and the images moved with it in the same way that a film score follows a film. Mobile phones and recording were prohibited throughout the performance, and photographs and recordings were allowed only during the final song. It was a refreshing approach at a time when many concerts are seen through hundreds of phone screens, and it kept the attention of the audience on the stage.

Puscifer was difficult to categorise. Alternative rock gave a starting point, and electronic music mattered just as much. Broken rhythms and unexpected changes were central to the show, and some passages were almost hypnotic while others had a distinctly psychedelic character. The synthesizers were essential to the identity of the band.

Older songs such as ‘The Remedy’ and ‘Momma Sed’ gave established fans familiar points of reference, while the newer material showed the direction of the album. ‘Grand Canyon’ offered another look at the band’s approach to atmosphere, and the closing ‘Public Stoning’ brought the performance to its end.

Manchester Academy was full, although the music was experimental. The crowd looked different from a conventional metal audience, with plenty of Puscifer shirts and some Tool merchandise, and the atmosphere suggested people with varied musical interests. Keenan remained an intriguing frontman. His delivery was controlled and distinctive, and he moved easily between restrained and more forceful moments. His work with Round was one of the strongest parts of the show.

Puscifer brought an unusual audiovisual production to Manchester for the second stop of their British tour, and the full hall received a performance that tested the usual expectations of a rock show. Dave Hill gave an entertaining and funny opening, and Puscifer delivered something more ambitious. For fans of Tool or A Perfect Circle, the show offered a different view of Keenan’s musical interests. It was a demanding concert and certainly an interesting one, and for many in the room it was an evening that makes live music worth exploring.

The post Puscifer and Dave Hill Bring Normal Isn’t to Manchester appeared first on RAMzine.

Merging punk rock with noise and a subtle dose of indie rock of the dark variety for good measure, Poor Bambi have a distinct sound to them, and they were simply on great form at Bergen Street Food and delivered plenty of standout moments and memorable tracks. The energy in the room was palpable, and the appreciative crowd and band were locked in a tight embrace, one that constitutes a superb concert experience. Their latest offering titled Skyscrapers Soaring, Yet We’re Drowning, which came out via Apollon Records back in February this year, featured prominently in the setlist, and the two highlights of the evening, namely the moody and brooding ‘You Were My Lifeline’ and the heartfelt 8-minute epic ‘I Don’t Want You to Die’, were lifted from said record. Intense and hard-hitting yet strangely seductive and refreshing, the compositions fared even better in a live setting than they do on record, which is saying something. It takes skill to craft something that feels dense and sharp on the one hand and then sprawling, playful, and accessible on the other.

The size of the stage, the stark image projected by the group, the use of strobe lights, the muscular riffs and emotive melodies, and the beautifully layered fragility that roams within their tunes all came together rather magnificently, and it was lovely to experience an outfit that seemed to constantly teeter on the brink of total collapse yet never lost control or focus. Talk about conjuring up an atmosphere riddled with excitement and danger. Poor Bambi never lost the plot and the concert almost felt like a powerful demonstration of how to set music to raw emotion and blend youthful chaos with perfect introspection. Unfiltered honesty has rarely sounded better.

The post Poor Bambi Left a Lasting Impression at Vill Vill Vest appeared first on RAMzine.

Temperance opened the night with melodic and symphonic metal that placed vocal harmonies and strong choruses at the front. Heavy guitar riffs shared the stage with keyboard lines. The songs moved between hard instrumental sections and calmer, almost classical vocal passages.

Kristin Starkey was the most impressive member of the band. Her voice was powerful, and she changed easily from regular metal singing to an operatic style. Guitarist Marco Pastorino sang as well, and Michele Guaitoli gave the group a third strong voice. The three of them handed the melody to one another much as members of a small choir would. The musicians worked well together and reacted to each other throughout. Several times they asked the crowd to clap along, and the crowd did. As an opening, it set the direction of the evening.

The set included ‘The Magician: Into the Fire’ and ‘Of Jupiter and Moons’. ‘The Devil: Sin, Sin, Sin’ came next, followed by ‘The Tower: Lean Into Fear’ and ‘The Last Hope in a World of Hopes’. Three of these songs belong to Arcani, their 2026 album. The band relied on musicianship and good songs, and the mix of voices gave the set its character.

Exit Eden played second and brought three singers with different musical backgrounds. Anna Brunner from Germany and Clémentine Delauney from France were joined by Chiara Tricarico from Italy, who sang in place of Marina La Torraca on this tour. Each voice had its own character, and that was the main attraction of the set.

Guitar, bass and drums supported the singers, who stood at the centre of the stage in matching black outfits. The idea behind the band was easy to describe. It takes songs that people already know and plays them with heavier guitars and strong female vocals, with orchestral touches added.

Journey’s ‘Separate Ways’ was an early highlight. Lady Gaga’s ‘Paparazzi’ drew a lively reaction, because many people knew the song and sang along. The band also played Mylène Farmer’s ‘Désenchantée’. These familiar melodies made the set easy to follow for anyone who had not heard Exit Eden before.

The band had original songs as well. ‘Femme Fatale’ and ‘Dying in My Dreams’ showed that side, and ‘Buried in the Past’ did the same. The vocal arrangements were often operatic, with strong harmonies and sudden shifts in intensity. The three voices sounded like separate instruments inside one arrangement. The guitars gave the music a heavier base, and some passages were technically impressive, with tapping and fast shredding. The musicians headbanged and played with plenty of energy. The singers stayed in regular contact with the audience.

During ‘Run!’, Michele Guaitoli of Temperance appeared as a guest, which linked the two support acts. The set ended with ‘Impossible’, originally performed by Shontelle. Exit Eden offered a different version of symphonic metal, with pop songwriting set against heavier instruments. It was an entertaining set and a good introduction to a project that unites three distinctive voices from different countries.

Kamelot came to Manchester to promote their latest album, Dark Asylum, which was released in August 2026. The American band has a recognisable sound. It takes the speed and technical precision of power metal and joins them with symphonic arrangements, and it adds darker, atmospheric passages and memorable vocal melodies. The music moves from aggressive guitar riffs to elaborate keyboard sections and keeps its identity throughout.

Tommy Karevik sang, and Thomas Youngblood played guitar. Oliver Palotai played keyboards and Sean Tibbetts played bass. Alex Landenburg was on drums. Karevik was an engaging frontman. He sang with strength and spoke to the audience often. On stage he looked fully at ease. His clean, expressive voice suited the mix of power metal and symphonic arrangements, and it rose above the band much as a lead violin rises above an orchestra.

The show opened with the atmospheric introduction ‘Sanctorium’, and ‘Ashen World’ followed. That song set the darker tone of the new material. ‘The Great Pandemonium’ and ‘Rule the World’ brought earlier material back, and ‘Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)’ was another familiar highlight.

The first guest appearance added another dimension. Ignacia Fernández joined the band early in the set and sang with a noticeably heavier edge. Her growls formed a sharp contrast to Karevik’s clean delivery. Clémentine Delauney appeared later in the show and gave the vocal arrangements more depth. Both guests also sing on the album Dark Asylum.

‘Godlike Alchemy’ and ‘Karma’ continued the set, and ‘Revolution’ brought another interesting vocal pairing. The contrast between the high vocal notes and the guitar work was effective. At certain moments it was difficult to tell whether a sound came from the guitar or from one of the female vocalists. It was one of the more unusual musical details of the evening.

The visual side of the show mattered a great deal. Kamelot used stage platforms on several levels and carefully placed spotlights. A good deal of smoke filled the stage. The darker lighting suited the new material and gave the show the feel of a theatre production.

Palotai was entertaining to watch. At times he stayed behind his keyboard setup, and at other times he moved to the front of the stage with a portable keyboard. His part was essential to the band’s sound, and his keyboard solo later in the concert gave a welcome chance to hear his technical ability.

The next part of the set included ‘Nocte Veritas’ and the title track ‘Dark Asylum’. In the title track Delauney made another striking appearance, in a long black dress and a mask. Her stage presence and voice contrasted well with the heavier contributions of Fernández.

‘Ivy, My Dear’ came next, and then Landenburg took his place for a drum solo. The band returned with ‘One More Flag in the Ground’, which came with a large black flag. Palotai then had his moment with the keyboard solo.

One of the most memorable scenes came during ‘Sanctuary’. A throne became part of the stage setting, and the two guest vocalists appeared again. The costumes and lighting matched the playing, and the throne and the two costumed singers gave the scene the look of an opera tableau. It showed how the band used visual elements to support the music.

The main set ended, and the audience wanted more. The band returned for an encore. The final moments held another theatrical scene, with the guest performers back on stage. It was a strong finish to a show that had mixed material from the new album with established favourites.

Kamelot gave a performance that depended as much on presentation as on musical precision. Each musician had room to show skill, and Karevik remained a confident and convincing frontman.

To summarise, the evening at the O2 Ritz showed how varied melodic and symphonic metal can be. Temperance opened with a strong melodic set, and Exit Eden placed familiar songs in a heavier setting. Kamelot delivered a carefully crafted headline show with strong musical and visual detail. Each band offered something different, and that variety made the night work. Kamelot were the natural highlight, with powerful vocals and theatrical production, and they gave Manchester a good reason to spend a Tuesday evening at a metal concert.

The post Thrones, Masks and Smoke: Kamelot Live in Manchester appeared first on RAMzine.

Manchester Academy was unusually busy on Friday night. All three venues in the building had events scheduled, and Club Academy hosted a Halloween party. People in costumes added to the unusual atmosphere around the building. Academy 3 welcomed four extreme metal bands.

Wolfbastard had the difficult job of opening the evening. The Manchester crowd was still relatively small, and the atmosphere remained rather limited during their performance. The three-piece combined black metal aggression with a strong punk influence, and the result was raw and uncompromising.

Derek Carley played guitar and sang. Si Fox played bass and also sang, and David Buchan played drums. The drummer used a relatively small kit, which stood towards one side of the stage. Another, larger drum set remained covered nearby. Both frontmen seemed to enjoy themselves. They spoke to the audience often and exchanged jokes between songs. They also drank the beer that was available on stage. Their relaxed attitude formed an amusing contrast with the aggressive music.

The set included several tracks from their 2026 album Satanic Scum Punks. Among them were ‘It’s Fucking Dark’ and ‘Drink for Hell’. The band also played ‘Manic Street Creatures’ and ‘Let the Bastards Burn’. ‘Hail Satan Kurwa’ was another song from the album. Other songs were ‘Fear Exxxekutioner’ and ‘Buckfast Blasphemies’, and the band performed ‘F.O.T.D.’ as well. The opening set was rough and energetic. The small attendance, however, made it difficult to get much response from the audience.

Pustulant Flesh, a death metal band from Denmark, raised the intensity noticeably. Their performance began with an effective introduction. The sound then became much heavier, and the stage atmosphere became darker. The lighting was strong but left much of the stage in shadow, which suited their aggressive approach.

Mike Dalsgaard Clemmensen and Daniel Bror Ditlevsen played guitars in the four-piece. Emil Mariendal Petersen played bass and sang, and Filip Dursun played drums. The vocalist produced deep growls, while the guitars played heavy riffs and sharper, almost piercing passages. There was plenty of headbanging on stage. One of the support bands’ musicians wore a paper box hat and joined them on stage, which formed an unexpected contrast with the brutal music.

The set included ‘Cadaver Creation’ and ‘Gutfucked’. ‘Rev Up the Saw’ and ‘Visions of Savagery’ were played as well, and so were ‘March of the Ravenous Dead’ and ‘Beyond Lobotomy’. These tracks showed a particularly aggressive approach to death metal. By this point the room was becoming fuller, and the audience reacted noticeably better than during the opening set. It was a very energetic performance.

Unburier played another heavy set, although their approach offered a little more variation. Ben Champion was the frontman, and Blake Hibberd played guitar and sang. Stan Mitchell played bass. Will Pearson played drums as a replacement for the regular drummer, Kim Hughes.

The music combined death metal with noticeable thrash influences, and the two guitars occasionally introduced more melodic passages. The growling vocals were particularly effective, and the rhythm section played with great power. The double-kick drumming made the sound considerably heavier. Several well-placed breakdowns produced an immediate response.

The set included ‘618’ and ‘Continuum’. The band also played ‘Abyssal Uncertainty’ and ‘The Voidflare’. ‘Survive the Vermin’ and ‘Structured Genocide’ were part of the set, and ‘Harmonious Absolutes’ was another song. Strobe effects and rapid lighting changes added to the intensity. A mosh pit formed in front of the stage, and the audience was now fully involved. Unburier kept a good balance between fast sections and heavier passages. Some of the melodic guitar work was particularly enjoyable.

By the end of their performance Academy 3 was considerably busier, and anticipation for the headliners was clear.

Tortured Demon were the main attraction, and the four musicians from Oldham had plenty to offer. The brothers Jacob Parkinson and Joe Parkinson formed the band in 2018. Since then the group has gradually established itself in the British thrash metal scene. Their earlier albums, In Desperation’s Grip and Rise of the Lifeless, helped them to build a following. Their recent signing to BLKIIBLK Records is an important step in their career.

In Manchester, Jacob Parkinson played guitar and sang, and Rory Marsland-Smith played second guitar. Lewis Bridges played bass, and Joe Parkinson played drums. The band came to the city as part of the Apocalypse UK Tour to promote their forthcoming third album, which is expected in early 2027. Their recently released single ‘Apocalypse’ gave the first indication of what listeners could expect from the new record.

The band began with ‘Conflict of Interest’, which established a fast pace for the rest of the performance. ‘Virtual Death’ and ‘Disfavour’ came next, and ‘The Invasion’ followed. Sharp guitar riffs and powerful drumming kept the intensity high. The band plays thrash metal in a direct way, yet the guitar arrangements contain a great deal of variation, with effective melodic passages placed next to the heavier sections.

The arrival of ‘Apocalypse’ was one of the highlights of the evening. As the latest single, it received particular attention. The song combines traditional thrash metal elements with heavier breakdowns, which gives a slightly different direction while the established sound of the band remains. An amusing moment occurred during the song. Several members of the support bands appeared on stage and ate bananas. Only one of them wore a cardboard box over his head. This was an unexpected addition to the performance, and the audience was clearly entertained.

‘State Your Intentions’ and ‘Tear Your World Apart’ continued the presentation of new material. Both songs showed that the band had moved forward from the formula of their earlier records. The guitars moved between fast thrash riffs and heavier, more deliberate sections, and the new material fitted naturally with the older songs.

‘Global Threat’ and ‘Cold Blood’ kept the intensity high, and ‘Oppressed’ did the same. The mosh pit remained active, and crowd surfing added to the atmosphere. Academy 3 was now hot and crowded, and the audience response was excellent.

‘In Hatred Alone’ continued the set, and then a small technical problem interrupted the performance. One guitar string broke about one third of the way through the show. The moment was unfortunate, but the band handled the situation and continued, so the overall performance did not suffer.

The musicians worked particularly well together. Joe Parkinson played the drums with power and consistency, and Lewis Bridges played the bass solidly. Jacob Parkinson and Rory Marsland-Smith complemented each other with fast riffs and heavier sections. Melodic guitar passages were also part of their playing.

The closing section of the set included ‘In Desperation’s Grip’, and ‘Rise of the Lifeless’ followed. The latter was an appropriate conclusion, because it was another fast thrash metal song. By this point the audience had given the band an enthusiastic response, and the performance ended well.

Tortured Demon are clearly a band with ambitions larger than the underground circuit. Their progress, new record deal and forthcoming third album suggest that they are entering an important stage of their development. The Manchester performance showed that they have the material and the live experience to attract a larger audience.

To summarise, the evening offered four different approaches to extreme metal, from the raw opening performance of Wolfbastard to the heavier death metal of Pustulant Flesh and Unburier. Tortured Demon deserved their position at the top of the bill and gave the strongest performance of the night. A new album is expected in 2027, so the band is worth watching.

The post Tortured Demon Bring the Apocalypse to Manchester appeared first on RAMzine.

Four musicians from the British band Absolva played with him. Chris Appleton and Tom Atkinson handled the guitars, Luke Appleton played bass and Martin McNee played drums. The four know each other well, and the arrangements stayed close to the original recordings.

A short recording of UFO’s ‘Doctor Doctor’ introduced the band. ‘Lord of the Flies’ and ‘Justice of the Peace’ followed, and ‘Judgement of Heaven’ and ‘Look for the Truth’ came soon after. Most of these early songs belong to The X Factor, the album that changed the sound of Iron Maiden in 1995.

The room was lively from the first minutes. The venue is small, so the audience stood close to the stage, and Bayley spoke often to people near the front. He looked relaxed and wore a cord tied around his wrist. A mask stood near the drum kit and added an odd detail to the stage. The stage design was very basic. Simple lighting and a little smoke were the only effects, and the songs and the playing carried the show.

Bayley’s voice kept the character of his Iron Maiden recordings. It suited the darker passages of the early songs, and the heavier sections gained from a strong guitar sound and a tight rhythm section.

‘Born as a Stranger’ and ‘The Brave’ came next. Both songs appear on Silicon Messiah, his first solo album, and they gave the set a different direction. The band then returned to Iron Maiden with ‘Lightning Strikes Twice’ and ‘Sign of the Cross’. The second song suited the line-up well, because it gave the two guitarists room to develop the arrangement and to handle its changes of mood.

Bayley also spoke about life and about the problems that people face. His message was short: everyone has difficulties, people continue anyway, and the fact that they are still here matters. He spoke with warmth and sincerity, and he encouraged the audience to value their lives and to recognise their own strength. These conversations formed a real part of the concert and did more than introduce the next songs.

‘Calling You Home’ and ‘A Thousand Years’ were followed by ‘When Two Worlds Collide’ and ‘The Clansman’. The last of these drew a strong response, and many people sang the familiar melodies. Bayley clearly enjoyed the participation. ‘The Clansman’ was also one of the best moments musically. The guitars moved smoothly from the quiet introduction to the heavy sections, and neither guitarist crowded the song. The bass and drums gave it a solid base.

An acoustic section followed with ‘2 A.M.’ and ‘Como Estais Amigos’, from The X Factor and Virtual XI. The change of instruments made a welcome contrast with the heavy songs and placed more attention on Bayley’s voice. ‘Como Estais Amigos’ had a more reflective mood.

The full band returned for ‘Virus’, which Iron Maiden released in 1996 as a new song on the compilation Best of the Beast, and then for ‘Wrathchild’. That song comes from the 1981 album Killers, recorded with Paul Di’Anno, and it showed that Bayley’s set included material from before his own time in the band. The audience reacted at once to its familiar rhythm. ‘Man on the Edge’ gave people another chance to sing, and its driving rhythm suited the small room.

One personal moment came when the backing music changed to ‘Purple Rain’ by Prince. Bayley spoke about life and the future and asked the audience to believe in what they hear and see and to take responsibility for their own direction. He said this without making a long speech. ‘Futureal’ followed, and the faster pace of the song worked well after the conversation.

After a second ‘Doctor Doctor’, the musicians played individual solos, with references to Thin Lizzy’s ‘Emerald’ and Gary Moore’s ‘Out in the Fields’. Martin McNee started with a drum solo, and Luke Appleton joined him for a section for bass and drums. Both played with energy and precision, and the audience responded warmly. It was one of the best musical moments of the evening.

The guitarists then took the front of the stage. Chris Appleton and Tom Atkinson traded phrases in a lively duel, and one of them moved towards the other while they played. The technique was excellent, and the solos stayed musical. Both men deserved the applause.

Bayley then asked the audience to sing a short part of ‘Running Free’. The moment was brief and relaxed, and it gave the singer and the crowd a last shared exchange before the final song.

The concert ended with ‘The Angel and the Gambler’ from Virtual XI. Its recognisable chorus suited a set that celebrated his Iron Maiden years, and the audience gave the band a warm reception.

Bradford closed the October UK leg, which included Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Manchester, Bristol, Southampton, Sheffield, Norwich, Nuneaton and Cannock. The tour revisits The X Factor, Virtual XI and Best of the Beast. Five dates in Italy follow from 18 to 22 November, in Milan, Mantua, Rimini, Colle di Val d’Elsa and Rome, and a show at The Underworld in London is planned for 12 December.

The post Blaze Bayley Brings His Maiden Years to Bradford appeared first on RAMzine.

Technical problems held things up, but after just a 10 minute delay, Soilwork rushed the stage. Björn “Speed” Strid looked sharp and ready to throw down, with tracks like ‘Spirit of No Return’ showing off his incredibly versatile vocal ability.

There were some notable omissions from the setlist, like ‘Stabbing the Drama’, ‘Follow the Hollow’ and ‘Like the Average Stalker’, but given the short set, that can be excused. The set ended with ‘Stålfågel’ and left the audience hungry for a headline set from Soilwork, something that hasn’t happened since 2013 on The Living Infinite tour. With any luck, the boys will be back soon enough.

There’s a bit of a break to give everyone time to refuel, but once the lights go down, it’s time for Orbit Culture. They have been quickly rising through the ranks of up and coming metal acts, playing bigger and bigger venues with bigger and bigger artists, and you can tell these boys put the work in to deliver a stellar show.

Promising and delivering punishing breakdowns and high octane riffs, Orbit Culture bridge the gap between old school Gothenburg melodic death metal and modern metalcore, with liberal use of absolutely devastating breakdowns on tracks like ‘While We Serve’ and ‘Strangler’. The energy was at absolute maximum, with circle pits and walls of death dominating the centre of the room, while I was tucked away safely above in my seat, complaining about back pain and the low light giving me eye strain.

The mix was absolutely lethal, with massive bass and apocalyptic drumming that still left enough room for the guitars to cut through for some phenomenal leads. It was a magical collection of songs that gave enough kick to get the crowd ready for the arrival of the Viking heroes, and with one final chaotic push on ‘Vultures of North’, Orbit Culture took their leave as the stage was readied for Amon Amarth.

‘Run to the Hills’ by Iron Maiden was the signal for everyone to make their way to their seats. Under a brilliant set of lights, Amon Amarth crossed the Bifrost and began their savage assault with ‘Gjallarhorn’, a banger from their latest album The Allfather Awakens.

The set was an expertly crafted mix of old and new. Frontman Johan Hegg said “Good evening Manchester and welcome to Valhalla” before launching into the fan favourite, ‘Death in Fire’. Pyrotechnics lit up the track, giving off a heat matched only by the savage drumming and blunt force riffing.

Amon Amarth have divided opinion recently with their studio output, but it’s an almost unanimous opinion that the live show is simply unmissable. A collection of set pieces, props and gimmicks breathe vivid new life into tracks like ‘Shield Wall’, and there’s even an appearance from Loki on ‘Deceiver of the Gods’, who receives a forceful boot to the chest before making his way off stage. Johan Hegg is so powerful he can kick gods in the chest and get away with it.

The set featured all the staples of an Amon Amarth show, including the legendary rowboat pit. Many potential oarsmen of Manchester rowed against the seas of mighty riffs that flooded the room and deafened all in their wake. With a mighty roar, Johan Hegg declared “we are all Vikings” and set sail on a journey to conquer all who dare defy the law of metal.

Giant stone statues made an appearance for ‘Guardians of Asgaard’, which also acted as a loving tribute to Entombed frontman LG Petrov, who sadly passed away in 2021. He was a giant of Swedish death metal who deserved all the reverence, pomp and circumstance, and he will always be thought of as a titan of the genre.

A highlight was the inclusion of the acoustic track ‘Uphaff’, which saw the band sitting around a campfire. It switched up the pace and offered a bit of world building and reprieve from a harsh world of warfare and mythology. There are many different facets to Amon Amarth as songwriters, but they tend to take a backseat to the thundering riffs and hostility, so this was a welcome change of pace.

The set ended as it always does, with Johan Hegg slamming his mighty hammer Mjolnir to the ground, a mighty thundercrack and explosions dominating the stage for ‘Twilight of the Thunder God’. During the shredding guitar solo, Johan turned his attention to Jormungandr, the world serpent, a giant inflatable monster that has appeared at every Amon Amarth show for several years. After just a few minutes, the seas had been claimed by Amon Amarth.

Amon Amarth will likely never reach mainstream appeal, it’s just the nature of their music, but this is a show that needs to be seen by as wide an audience as possible. The sheer spectacle of it all is awe inspiring, and this travelling group of warriors show no signs of slowing down.

The post Amon Amarth begin their world conquest in Manchester appeared first on RAMzine.

Tonight’s show, one of two nights at a sold-out Cadogan Hall, gives his fanbase the rare opportunity to catch him in a somewhat intimate setting, rather than in a large hall. At 7.30, the lights go down and, with no introduction, dressed in white chinos and an untucked shirt, he casually strolls out onstage alone with an acoustic guitar and opens with ‘I Dreamed Last Night’, a song written with fellow Moody John Lodge for their Blue Jays album, after which he’s joined onstage by his fellow musicians and, for the next two hours, with a short break, he gives us a run-through of songs from the Moody Blues repertoire, ranging from 1967 to 1991, alongside a few songs from his solo albums and a newly released song.

Predictably it was some of the older tunes which drew the biggest cheers. After ‘Say It With Love’, from 1991, he goes back to the late 60s and plays ‘Lovely To See You’, from 1969’s On The Threshold Of A Dream, and ‘Tuesday Afternoon’, from 1967’s Days Of Future Passed. It’s remarkable to think, between 1967 and 1970, the Moodies released four iconic albums which still resonate today. He then performs a solo album track, ‘Living For Love’, and a 1991 Moodies track ‘Hope And Pray’, from the Keys Of The Kingdom album. After which the band leave the stage and there follows a Q&A session, where he invites audience members to ask questions, and he answers queries about his favourite guitar, where he once lived and a very amusing story about how, in the late 60s, the Moodies were ‘there but not quite all there,’ and arrived a year late for a radio performance! He then closes the set with a short medley of pieces, which includes the sublime ‘Out And In’, from 1969’s To Our Children’s Children’s Children.

The second half opens with a new song, ‘A Minute Ago’, and 1991’s ‘Land Of Make Believe’ before he then performs hit single ‘Forever Autumn’, after which there’s a selection of the Moodies‘ more iconic songs, which include ‘Your Wildest Dreams’, ‘Question’, ‘The Story In Your Eyes’ and .. you guessed it .. ‘Nights In White Satin’, all of which were rapturously received, before the set closes with ‘I Know You’re Out There Somewhere’, from 1988’s Sur La Mer.

This was a classy set from a consummate professional. His voice still sounds good and his support band are all fine musicians, particularly Carmen Gold and Julie Ragins, who provide backing vocals, flute and occasional keys which enhance the set beautifully. A couple of tracks sound different with no mellotron behind them, notably ‘Out And In’, but this is a minor quibble. It’s only when you see Justin Hayward ‘live’ when you realise just how many good songs he’s written down the years, and his and the Moodies‘ place in rock history is assured and richly deserved.

The post Justin Hayward Brings Moody Blues Classics to London appeared first on RAMzine.

This review is also an introduction for UK readers who haven’t met her music yet. She deserves a listen. If you need a starting point, try ‘Drzwi’ for the rock years and ‘Królowa Łez’ for the solo era.

A short backstory. Chylińska was still at secondary school when she won third prize at a French song festival in 1994. Soon after, she joined a project led by Grzegorz Skawiński, first known as Skawalker and later renamed O.N.A. The debut album, Modlishka, arrived in 1995. Until 2003 she was the voice of the group, and records such as Bzzzzz and Pieprz became landmarks of Polish rock. Tracks like ‘Drzwi’, ‘Znalazłam’, ‘Kiedy powiem sobie dość’ and ‘Niekochana’ are still the group’s best-known material.

After the split she went solo. Her debut under her own name, Winna, came out in 2004. Her sound drifted towards pop and electronics, yet that rough voice stayed. The 2009 record Modern Rocking reached number one in Poland and went platinum. Since 2008 she has also sat on the jury of Mam Talent!, the Polish version of the Got Talent franchise, which made her a familiar face far beyond rock circles. Her 25th-anniversary performance at the Pol’and’Rock festival, played to thousands of people at Kostrzyn nad Odrą, was released as a live album. This year she turned 50 and marked it with a sold-out birthday concert at Atlas Arena in Łódź.

Nothing of that TV image appeared in Manchester. On stage stood Chylińska and her long-time musicians: Maciej Mąka on guitar, Rafał Stępień on keyboards, Błażej Chochorowski on bass and Oskar Podolski on drums. They are a tight unit, and not only on stage. The whole line-up is credited as co-authors of ‘Drań’, from the 2022 album Never Ending Sorry, which went platinum. Stępień‘s keyboards supply the electronic colour of her solo material, while Mąka‘s guitar carries the heavier numbers.

The evening also worked as a reunion for Poles living in the UK. Polish is among the most widely spoken languages in Britain, and it was easy to believe that here. Many people arrived to see friends as much as to hear music. Some travelled from other cities. It felt less like a routine gig, more like a meeting of people who share a home elsewhere.

The start slipped by about fifteen minutes. Nobody minded once the lights dropped. The mostly Polish public responded instantly to the opener, ‘Borderline’, dark and heavy. ‘Klincz’ followed and pushed the harder rock side forward. Then ‘Winna’ shifted the sound from old O.N.A. towards her modern self. The energy stayed high.

The first big singalong came with ‘Kiedy powiem sobie dość’. It’s an O.N.A. number from Bzzzzz, the album that cemented the group’s status, and it was hard to miss how many people knew each word. It still hits hard. Next was ‘Jest nas więcej’, a brighter piece from the latest album, co-written by Mąka, standing right beside her. Then the intro of ‘Królowa Łez’ triggered one of the loudest reactions of the night, with whole sections of the hall singing the chorus back at her. The track comes from her 2016 album Forever Child. It reveals another face: less fury, more openness.

‘Drań’ brought attitude. ‘Kiedyś do Ciebie wrócę’ slowed the pace and let people sing along. The title also named her 30th-anniversary tour. After that she returned to O.N.A. ‘Drzwi’, the group’s first hit, changed the mood at once. It comes from the 1995 album Modlishka, and she wrote the lyrics herself. Podolski‘s drums and Chochorowski‘s bass added serious weight. The piece still sounds powerful. ‘Koła czasu’ kept that thread going. ‘Nie mogę Cię zapomnieć’, a song tied to her Modern Rocking years, then pulled things back to her solo catalogue and showed how far her style has travelled.

By this point the contact with the room mattered more than the setlist. Chylińska chatted constantly. She joked, answered shouts from the floor and recalled stories from earlier years. At one moment she addressed a child in the crowd directly. No distance separated stage and floor. That ease is among her best qualities as a live performer.

‘Kochaj ją’ and ‘Mam zły dzień’ came next: one dramatic, one lighter and playful. The second dates from her 2018 album Pink Punk. ‘Niekochana’ then brought the darker mood back. Her voice remains the trademark of O.N.A. It can be raw, strong without strain, and swing from aggression to vulnerability within a single piece. ‘Znalazłam’ ended the main part, a trip back to the debut. Along with ‘Drzwi’ and ‘Koła czasu’, it made O.N.A. one of the key Polish rock acts of its generation. ‘Winna’ returned once more.

One surprise remained. Rather than another heavy finale, the musicians launched into ‘Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)’ by the Backstreet Boys. Everyone on stage danced and fooled around. Podolski left the drums to sing the lead. Backing tracks ran underneath, which seemed to be the idea. The original is a 1997 pop staple, familiar to nearly everyone in the hall. This was no serious cover, just a pretext to dance together. The whole hall joined in. Few artists of her stature would end a rock gig this way. Silly, spontaneous, great fun, and a fitting summary of the evening.

Her real strength in Manchester was the bond with people, more than the voice or the hits. Most of those present were Polish, and for many this meant more than an ordinary Saturday outing. They had lived with these tunes for twenty or thirty years. Now they heard them abroad, among others who share the language and the memories. She never treated them as spectators. She teased, laughed and returned their energy all night, with her musicians backing her up.

For newcomers, the catalogue is easy to enter. Modlishka is the place for the O.N.A. years. Winna and Modern Rocking show the move towards pop, and Forever Child holds ‘Królowa Łez’. Start with any of them.

She grew from a rebellious O.N.A. vocalist into a major solo name, TV personality and one of Poland’s biggest stars. Yet the old attitude was still visible: the voice, the humour, the confidence, the refusal to take herself too seriously.

Fifteen minutes late? Nobody cared. No opener? Nobody needed one. For almost two hours Agnieszka Chylińska and her group carried the whole event. Manchester Academy got the night her fans had hoped for: loud, emotional, nostalgic, funny and full of energy.

And closing with the Backstreet Boys? Why not.

The post Agnieszka Chylińska Live at Manchester Academy appeared first on RAMzine.

The hall was already packed when SKÁLD began, and the crowd did not resemble an ordinary metal audience. Many people seemed to care more about folk culture and mythology than about heavy guitars.

The composer Christophe Voisin-Boisvinet formed the project in 2018. Its sound is closer to ancient ritual music than to a standard rock concert, because the group concentrates on vocal harmonies and strong, repetitive rhythms.

Marie Potosniak appeared in a long gown. She sang and played the fiddle, and she changed to a horn at times. Around her stood a large collection of percussion and string instruments. Steeve Petit was among the drummers, and Guillaume Levy played the bouzouki, a string instrument that resembles a large mandolin.

The first song was ‘Ek skal riða’. ‘Myrkviðr’ followed and kept the attention on deep percussion and haunting vocals. Both songs belong to Ørlǫg, the album that SKÁLD released through Napalm Records on 25 September 2026, only two weeks before the concert. ‘Ó Valhalla’ came third, and it contained more of the powerful group harmonies.

Deep drums repeated their patterns while layered voices moved above them, and the violin and the plucked strings came forward only occasionally. One passage resembled an old Celtic gathering. Another was darker and more ceremonial. The vocals, often sung by several members together, were the strongest element of the set.

The lights followed the rhythm. Colour and intensity changed with each pattern, and the effect was mysterious without a complex stage production. After about 40 minutes SKÁLD left the stage. The audience had reacted warmly throughout, and the set was atmospheric and interesting.

The HU followed. The band formed in 2016 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and it describes its style as Hunnu Rock. This style joins traditional Mongolian music and throat singing to modern rock guitars and a standard rhythm section. The central traditional instrument is the morin khuur, a two-stringed horsehead fiddle. The name of the band is the Mongolian root word for “human being”, and the style name refers to the Hunnu, an ancient Mongolian empire that Western sources call the Huns.

Eight musicians took their places on stage, and four of them are the main members. Galbadrakh “Gala” Tsendbaatar plays the morin khuur and performs the throat singing. Enkhsaikhan “Enkush” Batjargal plays the same instrument and sings. Nyamjantsan “Jaya” Galsanjamts plays the traditional wind instruments and the jaw harp, and Temuulen “Temka” Naranbaatar plays the tovshuur, a traditional Mongolian string instrument. The tsuur, which Jaya also plays, is a Mongolian flute.

The other four musicians are touring members. Jambaldorj “Jamba” Ayush plays guitar and sings backing vocals, and Nyamdavaa “Davaa” Byambaa plays the bass guitar and also sings backing vocals. Odbayar “Odko” Gantumur plays the drum kit, and Unumunkh “Ono” Maralkhuu plays percussion.

‘Lost Soul’, a single from 2026, opened the set, and ‘Horsemen’ followed. Electric guitars and a standard rhythm section stood on one side, and two morin khuur stood on the other. The morin khuur produced a rough, haunting tone that sometimes resembled a distorted electric guitar. Gala has said that playing the morin khuur in a Mongolian home brings good spirits and purifies the house.

The rhythm section had two parts. Odko played the standard drum kit, and Ono added traditional Mongolian percussion. Together they supplied a strong and steady beat under the guitars and the strings.

‘The Same’ and ‘Upright Destined Mongol’ came next. The second song was a single from 2024. Both moved between slower passages and heavier sections built on guitar riffs. The lighting changed often. At times the musicians stood almost in silhouette, and then the whole stage was lit at once. Large video projections and smoke were used as well. The show used no pyrotechnics, since the lighting and the video effects gave enough visual impact.

‘The Men’ and ‘Shadow’ were followed by ‘Warrior Chant’, and the audience became more involved during this part of the set. Many people raised their arms and danced in unusual ways, and a mosh pit formed. At times the crowd chanted “Hu! Hu! Hu!”, which sounded strange but entertaining.

The music of The HU is hard to classify. Many people link the band to metal, but I would call the sound heavy folk music, with occasional fast riffs and strong grooves and with many traditional elements. The deep throat singing supplied most of the power.

Jaya played the jaw harp, which is called the tumur khuur in Mongolia. The player holds this small metal instrument against the mouth and plucks it, and it produces a vibrating sound. It looked simple, yet it gave the music a distinct texture. In the touring line-up, Ono also plays the tumur khuur.

‘Echoes of My Father’ brought a more reflective moment. ‘Grey Hun’ and ‘The Real You’ then returned to stronger rhythms and heavier guitar work. The electric guitar took a solo at one point, and at other points Gala or Enkush played the lead part on the morin khuur. The group vocals, sung by several members at once, resembled a traditional Mongolian chant. The timing among the eight musicians remained precise, even in the complex arrangements.

By ‘Black Thunder’ the audience was fully involved. The driving rhythm and the heavy sound suited the venue. ‘Yuve Yuve Yu’ followed. It is one of the songs that brought the band international attention, and it was one of the most recognisable moments of the evening.

‘Wolf Totem’ drew an even stronger reaction. The song joins throat singing with a heavy groove and traditional instruments, and its rhythm made it difficult to stand still. Some people headbanged, others danced, and the pit became active again. ‘This Is Mongol’ kept the intensity high near the end of the main set. The band looked comfortable on stage.

The encore was ‘The Trooper’, the Iron Maiden song. The HU recorded a Mongolian version of it in 2024, in the period when the band toured with Iron Maiden. The familiar melodies sounded different on traditional instruments.

The language was a limitation. Both bands sang mostly in languages that I do not understand, so I could not follow the meaning of the individual songs, and I would have liked to learn more about the stories. The audience seemed unaffected, since they responded to rhythm and melody.

In summary, SKÁLD delivered a dark and atmospheric opening set, and The HU followed with a loud, energetic show built on unusual instruments and strong vocals. Knowledge of Mongolian or Old Norse was unnecessary to enjoy either set. The concert combined elements of metal and folk, and Manchester appeared to enjoy it from the first drum to the last chorus.

A Mongolian band and a French folk group shared one stage, and an Iron Maiden cover closed the evening. The combination worked.

The post The HU and SKÁLD Bring Ancient Sounds and Heavy Rhythms to Manchester appeared first on RAMzine.