LIBERTY LIES [7] might as well be playing in a garage given the sparse turnout, but it doesn’t faze frontman Shaun Richards, who commands the stage as he leads his brethren into a set brimming with rollocking riffs and huge choruses. ACRES [7] can go from lush, melodic passages and floaty guitars to visceral screams at the drop of a hat, while the intensity of songs like In Sickness & Health will ensure that their ‘unsigned’ status is short-lived. The rabid potency and conviction on display tonight belies the fact that HE IS LEGEND [8] have flown under the radar for this long. Having rekindled their white-hot flame with the release of fifth album Few, plus the immediate migration to the barrier, it’s clear that the now-larger crowd are fully immersed from the offset. Discharging energy and swagger by the bucketload, a wriggling Schuylar Croom waves his hands amidst an arsenal of chaotic grooves and elbow-swinging aggression nuanced by earworm hooks – Sand’s glorious chug/ soaring melody combo is an instant headbanger. A crushing performance marred only by its brief running time.
He Is Legend, Acres and Liberty Lies at O2 Academy 3, Birmingham - live review
The Gospel - live
You can trust Louder
Latest
"I went, 'I just don't know if my fans are gonna get it.'" How Slayer legend Kerry King ended up guesting on Sum 41's pop punk anthem What We're All About in one of the most unlikely heavy metal cameos ever
Kyros's Shelby Logan Warne and prog musician Grace Hayhurst take over at London's Sensible Music Studios
"I made it about the sexual cry of love." How The Rolling Stones and a dancer from Hot Gossip inspired one of Billy Idol's greatest hits