Featured image: Kaitlyn Brockley
Channelling the ultimate Riot Grrrl energy is Open Fly, famed for their chaotic live presence across the Manchester punk scene. Combining spoken word with baring barks, Open Fly fuses the creative songwriting of Sonic Youth with the sauntering swagger of L7 to create a sound that is dynamic, noisy, bold and fun. After grafting away at live shows, the band is ready to open the doors to the wider world of Open Fly, inviting others to join their sprawling technicolour world.
Spawned in the emerging Liverpool alternative scene, Rozemary combine spiky riffs with frontwoman Izabel Lavin’s guttural growls and soaring vocals. Citing Spiritbox and Heriot as influences, and notably named after the hit Deftones’ track, Rozemary combine the chaos with the calm and are steadily building a reputation amongst the metal community for their raucous live shows. With a slew of shows across the country and their upcoming slot at Liverpool’s No Play Festival 2025, the sky is surely the limit for the Merseyside metalcore quartet.
Now more than ever, the world needs punk music. Manchester trio Humongous Fungus firmly place their politics at the forefront of their music, frequently playing at fundraisers for LGBTQ+ youth and using their voice on social media platforms. Their technical prowess is unmistakable: lead guitarist and singer Willow Grieves crafts sludgy, meandering riffs over crooning vocals, backed by Selina Per, then tied together neatly in a bow by drummer Venus Lee. Now a fixture in Manchester’s blossoming punk scene, you’ll also catch singer Willow in goth-punk outfit Dierotica.
Labyrinthine Oceans craft sultry-sweet shoegaze that floats between tender and abrasive, creating a wall of noise reminiscent of My Bloody Valentine and Deftones. Spanning a multitude of genres from dream pop to grunge, their work is cinematic and sprawling, cultivating a world that is shrouded in nostalgia, but uniquely their own. However, it can also take a gritty path: the track ‘untitled’ harks back to early PJ Harvey – gravelly, ferocious and defiant.
One of the most exciting offerings from Leeds’ thriving hardcore scene, Love Rarely combine math-rock with screamo vocals to create work that is beautiful and ferocious at the same time. Standout track ‘Mould’ demonstrates this with vocals that melt into intricate guitars, before seemingly imploding into distorted growls and throbbing bass. After touring with UK metal royalty Loathe and Static Dress, and announcing their first headline show in their hometown, they look set to hit the big league and become a household name themselves.
Featured image and gallery: Lucy Elson-Whittaker Fcukers headline a sold-out show at Manchester’s New Century Hall, in support of their long-awaited debut album, ‘ö’. Opening the night are Sydney-based Sleepazoid, whose hazy, atmospheric sound offers a sharp contrast to the headliners’ explosive energy. Their set feels cinematic and dream-like, serving as both a striking opener…
Featured image and gallery: Sub Khan Hailing from Manchester and playing a sold-out show at Manchester’s Lion’s Den, with an imminent EP on the way, aAh! speaks to Fred Farrell (vocals) and Danny Atherton (bass) of Dr Dr. Did you start the band during Covid times? Is that where it all originated? F: It was…
Featured image: Gary Walker Neo-blues soul artist Yellow Days, the stage name of Haslemere’s George van den Broek, returns to Manchester with his seventh album, Rock And A Hard Place, and a live show that proves just how far he has come. Before he steps out, London-based act Brian Nasty warms the room up nicely,…
Featured image and gallery: Sally Stretch The Royston Club perform alongside Overpass and Permanent (Joy) at a sold-out O2 Victoria Warehouse. Welsh indie rock band The Royston Club, school friends who began playing together in 2017, now headline O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester. Touring second album Songs For The Spine, they generate an energetic sold-out…
Leave a reply