Live Review
Words and Pictures: Phil Ingham
The crowds gathered early at the O2 Ritz in Manchester for a packed and varied bill. We were to be treated to some dark melodic rock from The Nocturnal Affair, blackened death metal from HATE, metalcore from Crystal Lake and the main event by industrial metalheads Fear Factory.
It is always fun catching The Nocturnal Affair, and it seems only a matter of time until they elevate to even bigger things. The songwriting is strong, the music tight, and Brendan Shane’s soulful vocals work brilliantly against the band’s riff-driven tunes. There is such an energy on the stage, and a sense of a gang of mates just having fun, that it is impossible not to be drawn in by them.
A real change of pace followed, with Polish noise-makers HATE bringing the vibe crushing to the floor, in the best way. The shift in soundscape between the two opening bands was perhaps jarring at first, but adjustment was swift. The set was aggressive and claustrophobic with oppressive riffs, deep rumbling bass and relentless drumming felt in the chest as much as heard by the ears. Despite the relatively small stage, HATE brought some gothic grandeur to the setting with a range of suitably ritualistic props. Despite the heaviness of the music, the black metal elements of their sound allow some of that theatre to seep into their songs.
The main support slot was given to Japanese metalcore masters Crystal Lake. Their set is the subject of its own review on the site, but in summary they brought a polished, powerful slice of quality metalcore to set the crowd up for the main act Fear Factory.
Fear Factory are a band that seem to be constantly on tour these days. This is most definitely not a bad thing, as they consistently deliver a superb live show. The undisputed star of the show these days is the band’s only remaining founder-member Dino Cazeres. As he ambles onto the stage, his place as figurehead of the band is reflected in the rapturous response from the audience and the predictable chants of “Dino, Dino”. Even after all this time, you can see he loves it.
The band begin the set launching into ‘Acres of Skin’. It is a song that sets the scene for the rest of the show with Peter Webber’s percussive assault driving the pace followed by Cazares and Tony Campos’ industrial guitar / bass combination. The cumulative effect, along with the distinctive vocals of Milo Silvestre that move effortlessly from throaty roars to eerie cleans, is akin to being dropped into some steaming factory filled with the screech of metal, grinding gears and showers of friction sparks. Fear Factory’s sound truly is industrial.
The set covered the span of Fear Factory’s history, from debut album ‘Soul of a New Machine’ through to latest single ‘Robotocist’ – which was particularly well received – without dwelling excessively on any particular album. The result was a night that never felt stale, and with a bit of something for everyone to mosh to. And mosh we did.
As someone who has followed Fear Factory from their ‘Demanufacture’ days, I am mesmerised by watching relatively new (2023) vocalist Milo Silvestro. He makes no secret of the fact he was a huge fan of original singer Burton C. Bell, modelling his vocal style on his predecessor. But seeing him in action, his appearance, stage presence and that distinctive voice, it’s easy to forget it’s not Bell you’re watching. That’s not to say Silvestro is a glorified tribute act. He commands the stage with the confidence and performance of a seasoned front man, and has clearly been adopted without reservation by the fans.
The set really comes alive when the classics are delivered. ‘Linchpin’ and of course the ‘Demanufacture’ trifecta – the album’s title track, ‘Zero Signal’ and ‘Replica’ – that appeared in the encore have the crowd erupting. The famous spring-loaded floor of the Ritz felt ready to launch us into the roofspace. Another highlight was an electric delivery of ‘Edgecrusher’, featuring a guest appearance from Crystal Lake’s PK who spent as much time singing from atop the raised arms of the pit as he did the stage.
On a night that showcased a variety of heavy music, the headliners still dominated. Fear Factory may have weathered several line-up changes, but judging by tonight they remain one of metal’s most distinctive and formidable live acts.
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