By Jase Walker
Completing my run of a slew of shows around Manchester this week is Birmingham metalcore outfit Oceans Ate Alaska. Bringing along with them for the ride are favourites of mine, InVisions, along with Resolve and Kubrick to shake Rebellion on a Friday night. Sadly it looks like Kubrick aren’t on the bill for tonight when I’ve checked the stage times upon arrival: that’s a shame.
Evidently I’ve also mistimed the doors tonight as I’ve walked into (what I now know to be) Resolve mid way through their set and it looks like they’ve got a solid turnout as openers. Having seen these earlier this year with Imminence I’m quite glad I got in just in time to catch a solid chunk of the set as these guys know how to craft a nice chunky riff and use synths to layer their songs effectively. It’s also great seeing the crowd so close to the stage as well and already getting into it so soon because as I’ve seen quite often, openers can sometimes get frosty receptions. We’ve got a new song in the set tonight and it’s got a real solid breakdown in there with a real gurn worthy riff in there as well. Resolve are kicking arse, welcome back to Manchester, it’s great seeing you guys smash it again so soon!
Resolve even manage pulling off getting the crowd to smash into each other with a wall off death which as opener is no easy feat! This is how to kick off a Friday night in a proper ideal way, fat metalcore riffs, supplemented by a nice loud rhythm section and a guy at the front in a beanie screaming at the audience. Steadily throughout their set, more and more people filter in through the front door and immediately get right into headbanging, this is what it’s all about and knowing that this is getting followed up with InVisions and Oceans Ate Alaska is getting me pumped for the rest of the show!
As InVisions get themselves ready I can feel the excitement building in the meantime. I’ve been absolutely rinsing Deadlock since its release earlier this year so I’d like to think I’ve learned at least some of the words. And right from the start they do not disappoint, they are LOUD and the crowd is already starting to kick off down the front. Their singer’s vocals are pure filth and ringing through nice and clear and all backed up by their relentless grooves. I’m not sure what I can feel more during their breakdowns, whether it’s the band or the crowd stomping the floor! Rebellion is starting to look nicely busy now, we’ve got a full stage floor all head banging along and the center of the crowd is smashing into each other in a blur as the lights flash.
This is the sort of show where I’m having to jump between screaming the lyrics back and head banging myself and quickly hammering out some notes! In between songs the crowd constantly chants “Yorkshire! Yorkshire!”, evidently we’ve got a local contingent here too! Each song whips the crowd into a frenzy, InVisions know exactly how to get a crowd going wild, but that’s not without keeping an eye out for people who might have had a nasty fall as their singer asks after a song. I really can’t get over how massive InVisions sound here tonight, every part of the riff is heard loud and clear even down to the palm mutes while the drums pound out behind them. I know some friends in the states who are chomping at the bit to see these guys play live and I definitely feel a bit spoiled and privileged that I get to see them so often. One of the finest bands in ÜK metalcore right now. Top class.
The stage is set for our headliners, Oceans Ate Alaska, and going off the crowd’s response to the support acts, I think they’re ready to absolutely kill each other if they play ‘Hikari’ or ‘Metamorph’. I think what stands out the most about Oceans Ate Alaska is their application of trap and hip hop while kicking out ruthlessly brutal riffs.
Anyway we’re kicking off with ‘Metamorph’ and the crowd’s already going mental! I don’t think I know of any band other than maybe ERRA that can quite switch gears from crushing verses to uplifting singalong choruses in quite the way that Oceans Ate Alaska does, this also includes how incredibly heavy their breakdowns are. The bands clearly playing off the fact that it’s a Friday too and whipping the crowd up into a frenzy with every song and they’re gladly obliging.
Despite being on tour in support of the new album, we’ve got a pretty solid selection of stuff from their back catalogue which is pretty awesome too! It’s also great that despite Kubrick having to sit this one out, they’re still giving shout outs to them in-between songs. I’ve had to take a moment out of the main crowd a bit because it really is silly just how much movement they’re getting from everyone; sometimes you need to go grab a beer and have a breather. The moment those world ending riffs hit the entire front part of the crowd goes berserk and it’s hard to not get swept up in it whether you like it or not.
The energy of the crowd is testament to Oceans Ate Alaska’s ear for writing a riff that is every bit as melodic as it is terrifying. No stranger to using samples that could be trap, hip hop, drum and bass in the middle of songs before another widely intense groove hits clearly resonates with their fans. I’ve been waiting the whole set for ‘Hikari’, and clearly the crowd has as well, the audience is a sea of waving arms, bouncing bodies and banging heads! This band is a real trailblazer as far as using off-beat influences and sounds in metalcore go, I keep having to remind myself that they’re not Australian because their sound lends itself to the Aussie forward thinking in terms of sound. They’ve had a fantastic turnout at Rebellion and considering this is the last night of the tour, they’ve still given 110 per cent to the performance.
It’s a real shame Kubrick couldn’t make it for tonight but it’s still been an outstanding show and little wonder that I’m so enamoured with bands in this scene. I love the scene in Manchester, and they’ve delivered in giving the band’s energy back in spades.
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