NOISE
INTRODUCTION
Hi and welcome to the Third Edition of Noise from Dark Wings Media. It continues to be a busy time with Festival season taking off. A visit to Breaking Bands Festival in Bromsgrove was a wonderful few days nd is featured heavily in this issue. During the festival I was able to catch up with a few of the bands and the interviews appear in this edition - Fury, Midnight City, White Raven Down and Luke Appleton. It was a pleasure to be able to see all the bands there and some amazing performances. Hopefully you can see our little magazine taking shape with more interviews, reviews and of course plenty of pics. Hope you enjoy this edition of Noise and see you in a pit, venue or field soon.
UNDEROATH
A stunning night of music and emotion filled the Utilita Arena Birmingham for 1000 Lights, an event that showcased the power of Heavy Metal as a force for good raising £130,000 in the process.
UTILITA ARENA, BIRMINGHAM
SCHIZOPHRENIA
Cannibal Corpse, Municipal Waste, Immolation & Schizophrenia. O2 Academy Birmingham 28.9.24
The O2 Academy, Birmingham, played host to a night of unadulterated brutality as it welcomed a quartet of Death metal bands who unleashed a auditory apocalypse upon the eager crowd. This night was an unforgettable descent into the abyss of extreme music.
Schizophrenia
Belgian death/thrash metal band, Schizophrenia, were up first and delivered an intense performance carrying on their growing reputation in the extreme metal scene. The performance was full of unrelenting energy and precision. Frontman Ricky Mandozzi absolutely blasted out his immense vocals and a thudding bassline Their setlist featured a blend of their original work including Structure Of Death and Cranial Disintegration plus a rip roaring version of Slayer’s Necrophiliac as a tribute to their influence in the metal and punk scenes. They kicked off the evening in spectacular fashion.
IMMOLATION
Immolation
Next up were Immolation an American death metal band from New York. who showed their true worth with a set of brutal and atmospheric death metal Their set spanned songs from across their 35 years starting with a new song, the title track of their latest album Acts Of God. Ross Dolan – bass, vocals and long flowing mane of hair was truly awesome, his vocals were stunning. The set included The Distorting Light, Kingdom of Conspiracy and Age of No Light all from their later albums and earlier songs Father, You’re Not a Father and Into Everlasting Fire.The packed Academy crowd were loving it. The rest of the band - Steve Shalaty – drums, Alex Bouks – rhythm guitar and Robert Vigna – lead guitar are tight knit outfit and provided some crushing sounds. The crowd were getting nicely warmed up.
Municipal Waste
Then it was time for Municipal Waste from Richmond, Virginia and from the moment they hit the stage, the crowd erupted into a frenzy of circle pits and headbanging. Frontman Tony Foresta has an incredible ability to command the crowd, interacting with fans between songs and constantly encouraging them to go harder in the pit. The band kicks off with fast-paced classics like Headbanger Face Rip, The Thrashin’ of the Christ and Slime & Punishment driving the audience into a thrash-induced chaos. Many of the songs like Sadistic Magician and Restless and Wicked are crowd favourites, triggering massive singalongs and relentless moshing. Their newer tracks maintain the same energy, fitting seamlessly into the set. The songs are typically short, fast, and aggressive, with very little downtime between tracks, keeping the audience fully engaged throughout. One of the best live bands around at the minute, Municpal Waste are a must see band.
Cannibal Corpse
Then it was time for extreme metal legends from Cannibal Corpse who delivered a brilliant set made up of songs from across their 35 years years at the top of their game. Kicking off with a new song Blood Blind with vocalist George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher walking onto stage looking quite the imposing figure before headbanging then bursting into his amazing vocals. Then into Scourge of Iron, Inhumane Harvest and Chaos Horrific. Alex Webster- bass and Paul Mazurkiewicz – drums provide a booming back beat for the band. Then its was back intime for Disposal of the Body and Pounded Into Dust before another new one Summoned for Sacrifice then the classic Fucked With a Knife.
The crowd, now a sea of sweat and aggression, transformed the venue into giant sauna. Circle pits, walls of death, and crowd-surfing were all part of the evenings chaos It was evident that this gig was a cathartic release for fans who craved the intensity of extreme metal.
Rob Barrett and Erik Rutan on guitar were on imperious form and the bands unrelenting energy were remarkable, leaving the crowd in a state of frenzied euphoria. Corpsegrinders guttural growls seemed to emanate from the very depths of hell, creating an atmosphere of unrelenting chaos in the venue.
The set finished with three classic tracks Staring Through the Eyes of the Dead then Stripped, Raped and finally Hammer Smashed Face
As the night concluded, the audience were left exhilarated, exhausted and soaked in sweat. The night delivered an evening of sonic carnage that won’t soon be forgotten. For those who seek extreme music as an escape from the mundane, this event was a brutal, unapologetic journey to the very limits of sonic aggression.
DROPOUT KINGS 4.7.24
THE FLAPPER, BIRMINGHAM
BUCKCHERRY 3.2.24
KKS STEEL MILL, WOLVERHAMPTON
02 INSTITUTE, BIRMINGHAM
DEVIL’S DOG, BIRMINGHAM
If you’re looking for a night of pure rock ‘n’ roll ecstasy, Tenacious D has got you covered. From the moment Jack Black and Kyle Gass took the stage, at a sold out Arena, it was clear that this wasn’t just another concert; it was a full-blown rock extravaganza. The energy in the air was electric as the duo kicked things off with their signature blend of comedic banter and blistering riffs.
What sets Tenacious D apart from other bands is their ability to seamlessly fuse humour with jaw-dropping musical talent. Whether they were belting out anthems like Tribute and Wonderboy or delivering side-splitting skits between songs, Black and Gass had the audience eating out of the palms of their hands.
But it wasn’t just the comedy that stole the show; it was the sheer musical prowess on display. Gass’s guitar wizardry was on full display, shredding through solos with effortless precision, while Black’s powerhouse vocals soared to new heights, commanding the stage with every ounce of his being. Black was obviously loving being in Birmingham stating “Led Zeppelin, Judas Priest and Black Sabbath from here right? Well we have the capitol of the world right here!!” To massive cheers.
The obligatory Max-a- Boom solo from Kyle was as incredible as ever during a cover of Gerry Rafferty’s Baker Street. Other highlights included The Metal when they were joined by a giant Metal Devil robot, leaving the stage Black had a couple of sideswipes at Drake and Kendrick Lemars recent spat. Beelzeboss (The Final Showdown) is an epic song performed live plus an awesome cover of Led Zeppelin’s Good Times Bad Times
But perhaps the most memorable moment of the evening came during the encore, when Black and Gass returned to the stage for an intimate acoustic performance of “Fuck Her Gently.” As the audience swayed and sang along, it was a poignant reminder of the band’s ability to both entertain and touch the hearts of their fans. In the end, Tenacious D delivered everything their fans could have hoped for and more. With their infectious energy, unparalleled musicianship, and irreverent humour, they proved once again why they are true rock gods. If you ever have the chance to catch them live, do yourself a favour and don’t miss out. It’s an experience you won’t soon forget.
Terrorvision
KKs Steel Mill 26.9.24
Terrorvision’s have been consistently energetic and memorable throughout their long career but their show at KKs Steel Mill was one of the best I have ever seen from them Their show was part of the We Are Not Robots tour promoting their new album and also felt like a celebration of their long career. . Frontman Tony Wright, known for his high-energy presence, was at his best, leading the band through a 22-song setlist packed with hits like Josephine and Oblivion and plenty of new songs from their latest album. The audience was fully immersed, singing along with enthusiasm, especially during their many party anthems . With fellow founder members Mark Yates –guitars and Leigh Marklew – bass, still providing fantastic foils for Wright The band’s ability to blend genres and maintain a dynamic stage presence continues to be one of their standout features. Whether performing fastpaced rockers like the opener Discotheque Wreck or crowd favourites like Alice What’s the Matter, My House, Pretend Best Friend, Perseverence and What Makes You Tick their gigs are filled with movement and interaction. Wright’s infectious energy, combined with the band’s tight musical execution, make their shows a must-see, with many fans and Terrorvision showed they can still captivate an audience decades into their career . For anyone who has not seen these guys live really don’t know what they missing, Terrorvision’s live performances are a fantastic experience and as the KKs crowd left and went home into the wet Wolverhampton night they know it has been a brilliant way to spend a Thursday night with one of Britains best unsung rock bands still doing what they do best.
KKS STEEL MILL, WOLVERHAMPTON
Ingested, Fallujah & Melancolia -
The Asylum, Birmingham – 18.4.24
Britains best and brightest shining star in the Extreme Metal scene, Ingested, stormed into Birmingham to provide a night of sonic brutality and ear-shredding madness. The tour was originally planned as a four band bill, however due to visa issues South African Band Vulvodynia , weren’t able to take part.
Melancolia
First up were Melancolia, from Melbourne, Australia who grabbed the bull by the horns right from the off with frontman Alex Hill providing a focal point for the band with his vocals and a brilliant stage presence. Their set comprised of songs from their debut album – HissThroughRottenTeeth - kicking off with horror_ethereal then Dread Will Follow, The Asylum crowd were loving it and Hill was encouraging them to jump and move. Joshua Taafe and Billy Morris on Guitars andMason Page on Drums, kept things flowing and they went into the title track of the album finishing their short and sweet set with [Inure]. Stunning start to the evening.
Fallujah
Then was time for Californian Death Metallers Fallujah, who only have original member, Guitarist Scott Carstairs, remaining after major upheavals in the band in 2022 but has diminished their power. Starting with The Bitter Taste Of Clarity from their last album Empyrean, followed by Adrenaline they were in full flow. Unasumming looking vocalist Kyle Schaefer lets rip from the get go and his vocals certainly have the walls of The Asylum vibrating. Two more from Empyrean – Eden’s Lament and Soulbreaker followed by Carved From Stone then a brand new song Cerebral Hybridization. Before ending with The Void Alone and Radiant Ascension the crowd were very nicely warmed up for the main event.
Ingested
Ingested, the reigning champions of brutality in the British death metal scene, descended upon The Asylum for a night of ear-shredding madness. They truly are one of the most exciting live bands I have had the pleasure of seeing. From the moment they unleashed their sonic onslaught with Paragon of Purity and Pantheon from their latest album The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams front man Jason Evans commanded the stage with unwavering intensity. With added vocals and blistering riffs from Sean Hynes and Lyn Jeffs thunderous drums, it provided maelstrom of sound that engulfed the audience in a frenzy of headbanging and moshing.
Next a couple from thieir 2022 album Ashes Lie Still - Shadows in Time and the title track itself, showcased the band’s technical prowess and unrelenting energy, with their ferocious blend of groove and brutality.
The atmosphere inside the venue was electric, with fans feeding off the band’s energy with Evans constantly interacting with the crowd and them giving it right back in return. Circle pits erupted like mini hurricanes, while bodies collided in a symphony of chaos that mirrored the cacophony on stage. Better Off Dead was next with an early song Cremated Existence following before it was back to their stunning new album for Endless Machine. But amidst the chaos, there was a sense of camaraderie among the crowd—a shared appreciation for the raw power and visceral catharsis of death metal. Ingested’s music served as the soundtrack to this primal communion, uniting fans in a shared celebration of all things heavy and extreme. The set ended with Impending Dominance and Copremesis.Coming back on for Divine Right of Kings and a stunning version of Skinned and FuckedAs the final notes of their set reverberated through the venue, there was a palpable sense of satisfaction in the air. Ingested had delivered yet another performance that was nothing short of a pulverizing assault on the senses. For fans of extreme music, an Ingested gig is something that should not to be missed
NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS
