Hannah Cole Photographic

Starting off the night were Shields, who laugh off a very anti-climactic start to their set due to technical problems and get down to business. While they’re not the most interesting band to watch perform, especially with their frontman looking almost bored at times, their progressive/djent like music is easy to get into and were a fitting opener.

Next were my Hevypetal Local Heroes In Ruins, a band who just get better every time I see them and tonight was certainly no exception with their performance being a significant step up from their last show a few weeks ago. Whether this was a result of their continual progression as a band or because of the nature of tonight’s show is unknown and frankly irrelevant as regardless of the motive behind it, they’ve once again played a tight set full with energy and passion, they even showcase their new song Courtyard for the first time, a risk which some bands would not have been willing to take.

Martyr Defiled takes to the stage shortly after and chaos ensued just seconds after, it’s fair to say that from this point onwards Martyr Defiled had the crowd like putty in their hands, not a moment of hesitation from anyone to get involved.  Not ones to mess about they tear through their set consisting of old favourites such as An Act Of Sedition and the recently released Goldstein. By the time they end I can easily say that Martyr Defiled are one of the most ferocious bands I’ve ever witnessed.

A swift change over gives the crowd little time to recover before Heart of a Coward are tearing them a new one. As with Martyr Defiled, the crowd have zero hesitation in dividing the room when vocalist Jamie Graham tells them to. With their new album Hope and Hindrance due out tomorrow (Monday 28th), there was a lot of anticipation to hear the new material live, it definitely lived up to my expectations and by the looks of things it lived up to everyone else’s expectations too as All Eyes To The Sky, Shade and final song Around A Girl (In 80 Days) saw the room explode with energy and had the crowd singing their hearts out.

Give them all a listen and if you like what you here, buy some merch, get down to some shows and give them your support! 

More photos on Facebook soon.