It’s a blustery evening in Manchester but the crowd is buzzing for the return of one of the most impressive live acts touring at the moment. The last time the UK saw Igorrr tour was 2022 (not including their awesome set at Bloodstock 2024) and they have just increased in popularity and live prowess over that time. With a stacked lineup with two well-respected support bands in tow, it’s obvious that Manchester is in for an unforgettable night of avant-garde, bizarre and out-of-the-box-thinking metal.
The first to grace the stage are the mighty Imperial Triumphant. Hailing from New York and heavily influenced by the city’s “vileness and luxury”, their sound is an eclectic mix of black metal, death metal and jazz-in fact, all three members of the band have professional jazz backgrounds, and it creates a mix that is both aurally fascinating and demanding. All decked out in their art deco gold masks (to echo the architecture of NYC) they create an imposing sight on stage. There’s no on stage banter with these guys, even going so far as to disguise their voices on the rare occasion they address their audience. They have a way bigger sound than their 3-piece suggests, and they draw heavily from their 2024 album Goldstar, and despite (or maybe because of?) the clutter onstage, their grandiose visuals and proximity to the front of the stage creates a connection between them and the audience that is much appreciated. I can’t wait to see these guys on a stage all of their own.
Master Boot Record is self-described as “a 486DX-33MHz-64MB processing avant-garde chiptune, synthesising heavy metal & classical symphonic music”, albeit expressed with actual humans in a live atmosphere. Two guitars, one set of drums and a whole heap of computer-generated music, this works so well when maybe it shouldn’t. This tour is their first foray into touring the UK, so the crowd is expectant. Taking to the stage with the roar of “THIS IS COMPUTER METAL!”, they launch into the songs with bravado, with lead guitarist Edoardo Taddei coming across like a Jason Becker enthusiast. All arpeggios and sweep picking, he’s an extremely talented guy and the crowd agree, with MBR attracting the first crowd surfers of the night.
Although the sound isn’t great, and the lighting doesn’t show much of them, they are engaging and creative. A cover of the iconic Doom soundtrack goes down swimmingly, and any concerns about how the music would translate to a live act are unfounded, they are technically accomplished, way heavier than expected and have some surprisingly emotive melodies. Their penultimate track ‘V-sign’ in particular raises plenty of goosebumps. Finishing up with the neoclassical shred fest of ‘Bayarea.bmp’, the crowd is so pumped up you would think these guys were headlining. A jubilant and successful first tour for MBR!
French multi-musician Gautier Serre is the brainchild of Igorrr. Truly one of the most unique musical projects out there. First conceived in the early 2000s with the first release coming in 2006, Igorrr has gone from a one-man project to a full live production in that time. Mixing a whole heap of genres, from classical music to black metal, visiting trip-hop and breakcore along the way, Igorrr also attracts a diverse crowd of metalheads, goths and rave kids, which always makes for a fun atmosphere.
Current metal vocalist JB Le Bail takes to the stage first, bathed in light, creating an immediate visual spectacle. Any bare skin is painted black and gold, and his vocals are powerful and commanding. Following him is operatic mezzo-soprano Marthe Alexandre who immediately commands the stage with her red witch-like dress and soaring vocals. The combination of the two is fascinating and so powerful, with JB stalking the stage like a deranged madman and Marthe writhing around and bringing to mind an operatic Kate Bush in her movements, both of them filled with charisma and stage presence. Gautier himself isn’t afraid of the limelight, often being the only one highlighted while he hits some crazy beats, performs a recorder solo or just hits a single cowbell. Guitarist Martyn Clément brings the riffs whilst drummer Rémi Serafino is an absolute beast, blastbeating through the set and showing himself as part of the backbone of Igorrr.
Despite having 5 studio albums, they draw the set entirely from the past 3 albums, but it’s a great mix of tracks, everything from the heaviest and most chaotic of songs in ‘Infestis’ through to the classical guitar of ‘Spaghetti Forever’ and the east asian-inspired ‘Blastbeat Falafel’, Igorrr takes us on a real musical journey. The track ‘Silence’ inspires Marthe into what feels like an interpretive dance which is a really beautiful moment, and just re-affirms the feeling that this is a true performance, not too dissimilar from the kind you would attend just round the corner at the Manchester Opera House, amplified by the fact all of Igorrr’s lyrics are taken from the made up language called “Öxxö Xööx” with the intent being that Gautier wanted the vocals to work on an emotional, “heart” level, rather than a “brain” level, and that the lyrics are an “excuse to find new sonority with the voice”. It sounds strange but it works! After the usual break before the encore, they get right into two of their heaviest tracks, ‘Very Noise’ and ‘Camel Dancefloor’, which sets the crowdsurfers off again, and the crowd goes absolutely insane. This set was an absolute triumph, keeping us all enthralled and entertained for the whole show, and we leave sweaty and satisfied onto the drizzly Manchester streets. Igorrr have done it again, and they can only get better from here, who knows what spectacle they will bring next time they grace our shores?
