LIVE REVIEW: Northlane live @ Academy 2, Manchester

Stepping into Manchester Academy is always an exhilarating experience. Being such an epicentre in the Northern music scene, countless nights of fulfilling memories and unforgettable performances flash by. When Aussie favourites NORTHLANE were announced to play the Academy 2 venue, there was little doubt that they would provide anything less than an equally prolific offering. Even despite the unfortunate drop-out of US metalcore outfit SILENT PLANET just days before the tour, it promised to be an occasion rife with hard-hitting metal, voluminous riffs and spin kicks alike. As rain fell, so did a thick blanket of excitement, as what resulted in a sort of Aussie invasion ensued.

Openers VOID OF VISION and POLARIS would do more than enough to fill the void left by the missing SILENT PLANET, giving us a fantastic flavour of the healthy state of Australian metalcore. In seeped the crowds, and despite the later start time, VOID OF VISION were more than capable of whipping the crowd into a frenzy. The room aptly opened into a melting pot of flailing limbs, as the band skipped through a 30-minute setlist largely covering material from their recently released album Hyperdaze. Dominated by a myriad of bass, they seemed destined to cripple venue walls as they punched with growing ferocity, ultimately proving themselves as a band capable of going the whole twelve rounds.

Rating: 7/10

As impressive as VOID OF VISION were, there is no doubting how well established POLARIS sound in 2019. Coming into their own as a real force to be reckoned with, their explosive demeanour became immediately clear as they took no prisoners in their apparent plight to decimate all in their path. Having carefully whittled away to hone a sound akin with the best, the Sydney quintet now march into battle armed with a hefty sound that focuses largely on their metalcore roots, while adding a nostalgic touch of bludgeoning nu-metal riffs and astonishing soundscape.

Equally content to churn through clean, sweeping song sections as well as serving crushing metallic hell, they embody the spirit of ambient metalcore and stand as one of the most important bands in the genre’s evolution. Vocalist Jamie Hails shrieked atop the livid duel guitar onslaught of Rick Schneider and Ryan Siew, which although felt a little lost in the live mix at times still carried enough weight to incite further circle pits and encourage many a sing-a-long moment. The material from upcoming album The Death Of Me sounds ever more mouth watering, and lead single Masochist stands amongst the best material in their repertoire. POLARIS are undoubtedly future headliners, and it was great to see them in full swing.

Rating: 8/10

Shaken, battered and bruised by a barrage of breakdowns and jarring riffs, it was time for the crowd to reset for the final act. NORTHLANE are now widely regarded as genre juggernauts, and thanks to the release of their album Alien earlier this year, they are now armed with a more expansive setlist than ever before. Having made a name for themselves with their space-age blend of metalcore and djent, they have pushed their boundaries ever further to concoct an alluring potion. It is with this that they encapsulated the Manchester crowd, and left the room begging for more.

Aiming a fist right at the jugular, NORTHLANE opened with new-album bruiser Talking Heads, and immediately wrapped the crowd around their finger. Frontman Marcus Bridge has now more than proved his worth at centre stage, and he was on prolific form, both humming like a songbird and screaming demonic at will. As they tore through the likes of Intuition and Rot, chaos ensued, prompting the band to state that although Manchester is one of their favourite places to play, this was the best show they’ve ever had in the city. NORTHLANE also have a knack of driving ingenuity, and the unmistakable sound of dance-strewn tracks like Jinn and Eclipse sounded fresh and unique.

Throw in classics such as Rot, Quantum Flux and Citizen (the latter for which they actually pulled a member of the crowd to replace Josh on guitar) and the cycle is complete. Guitar wizardry and vocal splendour aside, NORTHLANE simply feel like the real deal now. With glowing stage presence and a truly likeable persona to match, they go about their business with the utmost professionalism, one that is as inspirational as it is entertaining. For many years to come, we will see them carry on thriving and growing, and as the bruises begin to heal from that emphatic show, we will continue to love what is quickly becoming one of Australia’s best musical exports.

Rating: 9/10

FOOTNOTE: In the days following SILENT PLANET‘s cancellation from the tour, it became apparent in a statement from the band that they had decided to fly home as a result of frontman Garrett Russell‘s mental health. Please join us in wishing the best for his well being and restful recovery, and that he and the band continue to be the inspirational figure that they are for us all.

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Manchester from Alex Dixon here: