The very given fact that not just tonight’s show at the O2 Apollo in Manchester, but the entirety of their UK run is sold out, gives a clear indication into the popularity surrounding HALESTORM in 2018. Their momentum has been building considerably since the release of their self-titled debut in 2009, and now, on the back of their latest effort, Vicious, the band intend to make a serious statement of intent as the debates surrounding future festival headliners intensifies.
Alt rock duo REWS had the formidable task of opening proceedings to a slowly filling venue and despite a shaky start, the duo rose to the occasion rather well. Initially, nerves rattled the fluidity between ShaunaTohill and ColletteWilliams but, after ironing out the creases, the two showed their worth. The simplicity behind Tohill‘s guitar-work and Williams‘ drumming delivered hooks aplenty as they kept the energy high and the harmonising vocals between the pair was the cherry on the alt rock cake. By the set’s latter stages, REWS were performing with ease with new single Can You Feel It? receiving a rapturous response from the crowd. With a touch of refinement and a build in confidence, the future could be very bright for this band.
Gimmicks have gone hand-in-hand with heavy metal since the genre’s inception and AVATAR very much play to their strengths in that regard. The Swedish metallers’ over-the-top concepts and pompous theatrics have been fundamental to their success, but tonight, it is as frustrating as it is downright irritating. For every solid riff from JonasJarlsby and TimÖhrström, and there were several scattered throughout the set, or solid passage that got the adrenaline flowing, the band broke any serious attention thanks to their ridiculous antics on stage. Sure, Johannes Eckerström has charisma in absolute buckets, but his stage banter resembled a heavy metal pantomime that packed cringe-worthy moments to the absolute brim. The really frustrating thing is that underneath all the theatrics and tackiness lies a band that are clearly musically talented, but instead of pushing their technical ability to the spotlight they rely on their comedic and aesthetics to prop them up. A shame.
HALESTORM‘s popularity has been gaining some serious traction for some time now and with momentum clearly being on their side, the Pennsylvanian quartet waste no time in roaring into life in Manchester. An opening triple salvo of Skulls, Mz. Hyde and Love Bites (So Do I) is met with a thunderous reception and gives the band the perfect platform to launch into their lengthy headlining set. Riffs from Joe Hottinger swirl, bass lines from JoshSmith bounce and ArejayHale‘s drumming is consistently solid, if at times a little over-indulgent thanks to an unnecessary drum solo, but the shining star here is LzzyHale. Her guitar-work is commendable but her vocals are in a league of their own. Seamlessly switching from ear-piercing screams to delicately soaring melodies with absolute ease, her vocal work is easily the strongest aspect to HALESTORM‘s sound and it’s becoming increasingly apparent just how vital she has been to their meteoric rise.
With seven tracks from Vicious making the cut, the band do suffer from a mid-set lull with the likes of BlackVultures and acoustic number TheSilence not quite hitting their intended mark, but aside from that, when they hit their stride, HALESTORM are untouchable. Freak Like Me adds a fresh bout of energy in the set’s latter stages and the triple whammy of Uncomfortable, I Miss The Misery and Here’s To Us ensures that the band finish strong. Aside from the minor pacing issues in the middle of their set, with some refinement, HALESTORM have the potential to become a true superpower in 21st century rock and judging from the deafening applause as they close out with the soaring Here’s To Us, few are complaining.
Rating: 8/10
Check out our photo gallery from the night’s action in Manchester from Sabrina Ramdoyal Photography here:
