The Amazing Manchester Metal Scene- 2012 Update

After the Mudkiss Manchester  Metal Interviews last year, 2012 began and continues to be another important and prolific year for the rejuvenated Manchester metal scene.  SPIRES are recording their new limited edition acoustic EP "Lucid Abstractions" prior to working on their highly anticipated second album, follow up to the truly breathtaking "Spiral of Ascension" later in the year.   

Spires Vocalist/guitarist Paul Sadler commented "we have a suitably pretentious title: 'Lucid Abstractions'. It's gonna be 5 tracks, which is 4 brand new, and an acoustic version of Spiral Of Ascension from the debut album. 

It's gonna be purely acoustic, with prominent use of cello, female vocals and percussion. The EP will have an ethereal, dream-like quality that I think our fans will appreciate as a natural progression from some of the lighter moments from 'Spiral...'.  Artwork will be by Daniella Morrison (who previously did the cover art for ‘Spiral...’)”.

Latest news on the EP, hot off the Paul Sadler / Spires press.  

Update for you all, as I realise we've been a bit quiet on that front recently. Rest assured we've been mind bogglingly busy getting it all together, and it's sounding absolutely great! All guitars and bass are done, some vocals done, just 3 drum tracks to do, then cello, bits and bobs and finishing vocals. The original release estimate of late April is looking unlikely, but should be some point in May (predictable!).

Spires recently visited Ireland for a mini tour last month with good mates BETRAEUS, who released their debut "Towards the Sun" at the end of last year to critical acclaim. Betraeus playing the following dates in May with Scar Symmetry and Xerath.

Check out the recent Mudkiss Interview with Spires.

http://www.mudkiss.com/spiresinterview.htm



You can catch the lads at Grand Central in Manchester on April 26th with Core of Nation and Fantasist supporting ALIASES (ex Sikth) at their hometown Moho Live show in the city on May 26th along with the equally brilliant melodic death metallers NOT ABOVE EVIL and they will also appear at S.O.S Festival in July for an acoustic set.

For your NOT ABOVE EVIL fix, head to their Bandcamp page for a run through of second album "The Transcendental Signified" released last September. 

WOLFCRUSHER, who have also undertaken a mini tour outside the confines of the city, are currently working on new material for album number two. The intelligent money is on a couple of new tracks appearing before too long. I met Dan Mucs and Gary Harkin from the band for an interview on behalf of Mudkiss  http://www.mudkiss.com/wolfcrusherinterview.htm and they play The Riverside in Selby on May 20th.

Talking of Gary Harkin, his Blues Rock project Ten Foot Wizard which also includes Dan Mucs on guitar, are close to releasing their debut album. Having only played two gigs in 2011, they've surpassed that figure already this year, with hopefully many more to come.

  

Female fronted INCASSUM are currently in Gracieland studio recording their debut album, hopefully released by the Summer.  They also appear at the S.O.S festival on July 22nd, but prior to that accompany FOREVER NEVER on a couple of dates from their forthcoming tour including June 2nd at Moho Live where Mudkiss will be accosting the band for an interview before reviewing the gig.  


 


















THU 24th MAY - DERBY - THE OLD BELL + Sworn To Oath + locals TBC
FRI 25th MAY - LIVERPOOL - THE KRAZYHOUSE + Sworn To Oath + Incassum + Annular 18+ KROSSFIRE CLUB NIGHT
SAT 26th MAY - ALDERSHOT - THE WEST END CENTRE + Orestea + Fires Of Tartarus - 14+
WED 30th MAY - LONDON - CAMDEN BARFLY + Sworn To Oath + Orestea 14+
THU 31st MAY - MARGATE - THE WESTCOAST BAR + Sworn To Oath + Orestea + Callous + Crashgate.
FRI 1st JUN - BARROW IN FURNESS - SANCTUARY + Sworn To Oath + locals TBC
SAT 2nd JUN - MANCHESTER - MOHO LIVE + Sworn To Oath + Incassum + Dirty Habit 16+
  
Also playing the Moho date on June 2nd, another Dan Mucs from Wolfcrusher project, DIRTY HABIT another outfit keen to stress the heavier end of music isn't confined to the male of the species, so get down there early. If you can't make it, there's still a couple more chances to catch Dirty Habit at The Barcelona Bar in Liverpool on April 28th or The Cockpit in Leeds on May 12th.

 GONE TIL WINTER  are another outfit playing S.O.S Festival who fly the flag for females in metal, not quite as rare an occurence as you might think. Currently working on a new album "Hiding from the Sun" due this Summer, they have a series of gigs throughout May

Saturday 5th | MOCKFEST II | Castlesands, Manchester
Thursday 10th | The Snooty Fox, Wakefield (with Awaker)
Friday 11th | The Dove & Rainbow, Sheffield (with Awaker)
Sunday 13th | The Hollywood & Vine, Hull (with Awaker)
Thursday 17th | The Moon and Sixpence, Glossop
Saturday 19th | The Star & Garter, Burton-Upon-Trent (with Awaker)
Sunday 20th | The Green Star, Stoke-On-Trent (with Awaker)
Thursday 31st | Grand Central, Manchester (with Awaker)

Lead vocalist Talena Cuthbert has just released new solo material, a four track EP "Speaking in Tongues" available to stream via her Soundcloud page.

While perhaps not from Manchester, instead just down the road in Stoke, SWORN TO OATH are also creating big waves on the extreme scene and spending a lot of time further North, don't miss them  on the majority of the Forever Never dates and there's also a rumour the guys will be accompanying WOLFCRUSHER on more dates in May to be announced.

The Manchester metal scene is a real hot bed of amazing talent at present and while the purists will throw names like I-DEF-I and PROFANE into the mix as perfectly righteous examples metal is far from new to the North West, no one can surely doubt there's a real impetus behind a burgeoning scence, destined to become even bigger as the extreme seeds continue to be sown, blossoming in the U.K's rainy city.

And lest I forget the irony of my situation, current exposure to Manchester Metal began via a band from London, the mighty TALANAS after their extrodinary album "The Waspkeeper" dropped via Mudkiss in May last year and the quartet appeared at The Witchwood in Ashton-Under-Lyne with Spires and Incassum in support.  For this reason, I'm making Talanas honourary Mancunians for the day and here's an interview with the guys.  They are currently working on the follow up to "The Waspkeeper."

http://www.mudkiss.com/talanasinterview.htm