DATE – 24th October 2025
Words and Images by Graeme Wright
Wailing Banshee set the bar high for themselves tonight by inviting two top-quality bands onto the bill of their hometown gig at the Rebellion in Manchester. Both gave us supremely impressive sets in front of a really healthy crowd, despite the early start time due to the Rebellion club night, which meant a 10pm curfew. Wailing Banshee have released two EPs of excellent traditional metal that has had a modern twist applied to it, and I was really looking forward to seeing those songs (and a number of new tracks) in the live arena. Did Wailing Banshee manage to step up to the plate and hit a home run? Of course they bloody did; you’d be mad to expect anything else from this exemplary outfit! From start to finish, in front of a packed Rebellion, they blew the roof off in front of a crowd that was absolutely ready to party.
The roar from the crowd as the band hit the stage was amazing, and it was clear from the opening bars of ‘Fight To Be Free’ that the entire band are musicians of the highest order. The twin guitar attack of Harry Derbyshire and Al McKenzie is a mighty weapon indeed, and the crisp audio in the venue meant that they sounded like Iron Maiden at the peak of their powers. Singer Dani Louise is a force of nature. Supremely confident, looking every inch the Metal Queen and possessing a range to die for, she prowls the stage like it’s a hunting ground.
Drummer Sean Murphy and bass player Richie Parkhouse provide a powerful and impressive back line, the foundations of this entire outfit. ‘Lord Of The Flies’ is up next, and it’s probably the band’s most Maiden-esque song of the set, with a touch of eighties Girlschool thrown in for good measure. The dance floor is rocking, and everybody in the vicinity is either headbanging or nodding in approval. ‘Hit The Ground’, with its staccato opening and buzzing riffs, keeps things moving, and it’s worth noting that if you think these guys sound good in the recording studio, they are a very different beast live. Powerful, vibrant and aggressive, this is everything that modern traditional metal should be, and I’d rather spend my time in a sweaty intimate venue like the Rebellion with a band like Wailing Banshee than attend any of the local arena shows.
‘Silence’ is a soulful and emotional anthem, and we then segue into a new song, ‘Tempest’, which (along with all the other unrecorded songs on show) displays real progression in songwriting and complexity for this band, which bodes well for their future. ‘Wild Child’ continues an array of impressive songs, and ‘Under The Sun’ is another new song to me and is one of the highlights of the evening. ‘His Dark Materials’ is an epic track and is clearly a crowd favourite, from its slow build to a thunderous sound that sees bass player Richie coming to the fore with what appears to be the world’s biggest bass guitar. ‘Huntress’ and ‘The Burning Of The Southern Cross’ are of such quality that I’m tempted to offer the band a lift to the recording studio in the morning so they can get their new album recorded.
impressive,‘Worlds Apart’ is the title track from the bands latest EP, and the crowd are in full flow now, with the temperature in the venue noticeably increasing. ‘All Guns Blazing’ is probably my favourite song tonight, an absolute rattler of a song that has the entire lower floor bouncing in unison. The interaction between the band members is impressive and it’s clear that everybody loves what they are doing.
The band are brought back for a two-song encore, ‘To Save The World’, which is what the kids would apparently describe as a “banger”, and we finish up with the first Wailing Banshee song I ever heard, ‘The Oracle’. It’s a great way to end the show; it’s a fantastic song with some amusing shenanigans from Al McKenzie to send it on its way. This was a great show from a great band, with two phenomenal support acts. These are the kind of gigs metal fans should be supporting rather than visiting soulless arenas. The bands are young and hungry, the shows are far more intimate and sweaty, and the ales are cheaper. What more could you ask for? I look forward to the band’s forthcoming album and seeing them in 2026, because tonight was one of the best shows I’ve seen all year.
SET LIST
1. Fight To Be Free
2. Lord Of The Flies
3. Hit The Ground
4. Silence
5. Tempest
6. Wild Child
7. Under The Sun
8. His Dark Materials
9. Huntress
10. The Burning Of The Southern Cross
11. Worlds Apart
12. All Guns Blazing
13. To Save The World
14. The Oracle
BAND
Vocals – Dani Louise
Guitar – Al McKenzie
Guitars – Harry Darbyshire
Bass Guitar – Richie Parkhouse
Drums – Sean Murphy
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