FEATUREDGENRESLIVE REVIEWSREVIEWSFESTIVAL REVIEW: Radar Festival 2024
August 21, 2024James WeaverHaving made a successful migration from Guildford to Manchester last year, Radar Festival is growing from strength to strength. Forward-thinking and progressive, the three day event is a safe haven for bands that challenge the status quo, pushing heavy music to exciting new places. 2024’s edition of the festival is no different with a staggeringly good lineup that covers the breadth of heavy music. We were on the ground for this year’s festival, here’s what went down.
Friday – July 26th
GIANT WALKER – Sneak Energy Stage
Giant Walker live @ Radar Festival 2024. Photo Credit: Ruben Navarro
Newcastle’s GIANT WALKER have been bubbling under the surface in UK heavy music for some time now, and tasked as the first band to unveil Radar Festival 2024, there’s a lot riding on the Geordie quarter to keep momentum on their side. Fortunately, the band possess a wicked amount of talent within their ranks and dispatch a confident and assured performance to kick Radar Festival off with a bang. Groove-heavy but intricate riffs keep the crowd nodding along in synchronisation whilst vocalist Steff Fish impresses with a captivating stage presence, and alluringly excellent vocals to boot. With a new
album in the form of
Silhouettes on the horizon, the band’s upwards trajectory looks set to continue.
Rating: 8/10
THE INTERSPHERE – Neural DSP: Archtype Stage
German progressive outfit THE INTERSPHERE have a certain buzz within the Radar Festival community and their opening slot on the Neural DSP: Archtype Stage is largely populated awaiting their arrival. Blending intricate and highly complex passages with squeaky clean and gorgeous cinematic pop works an absolute treat in a hugely captivating performance. Material from last year’s
Wanderer sounds exquisite in the live arena and the gorgeous harmonised vocals wash over the crowd effortless. Their music might be highly complex, but the way in which the band navigate their soundscape to ensure it’s accessible is phenomenal to experience live. The bar has been set very high indeed.
Rating: 9/10
CESTRA – Sneak Energy Stage
Cestra live @ Radar Festival 2024. Photo Credit: Oli Duncanson
With the weekend fully in the swing of things, CESTRA brings the first sense of theatrics to the day. There’s plenty of atmosphere, and the industrial setting of the second stage really adds to the ambiance. Initially starting her set behind the neon glow of her mic stand, you can barely see CESTRA, before transitioning quickly to more theatrical whimsy. From a turntable to bringing out her chorus of incredible singers, CESTRA gives a performance of beautiful intrigue, that not only pulls everyone’s interests but adds more excitement for their contribution to TESSERACT‘s set later in the weekend.
Rating: 7/10
EARTHSIDE – Neural DSP: Archtype Stage
Earthside live @ Radar Festival 204. Photo Credit: Ruben Navarro
The sheer array of technology readily available at our fingertips allows for bands to create an immersive experience on stage by utilising props such as screens, visuals and backing tracks to take their shows to the next level. Unfortunately on this occasion the complexity of EARTHSIDE‘s offering partially derailed their intended set due to the accompanying vocal tracks not cooperating despite playing in their monitors. Adapting on the fly, the band opted to play some instrumental pieces from their catalogue to navigate the issue. Whilst it would have been fitting to hear the contributions TESSERACT‘s Dan Tompkins made to the title track of 2023’s
Let The Truth Speak release, the quartet handled the situation admirably as the combined energy of drummer Ben Shanbrom and keyboardist Frank Sacramone won the crowd over.
Rating: 8/10
UNPEOPLE – Sneak Energy Stage
With proceedings off to a flying start, overnight sensation UNPEOPLE display exactly why they have achieved hefty acclaim in such a short space of time. Energetic presence, masterful synchronised vocal passages, insatiable hooks, what more could you ask for? Every track from their
debut EP is a certified banger, sounding even more impressive in a live setting. The packed out crowd at the Sneak Energy Stage embraced them with open arms as they meticulously blended intense heaviness with addictive pop elements. What made their performance that little more exciting was seeing them on a smaller stage knowing that if they continue on their current trajectory they won’t be staying at this level for very long. A true shining star breathing fresh air into the world of modern rock/metal.
Rating: 9/10
ICHIKA NITO – Neural DSP: Archtype Stage
Ichika Nito live @ Radar Festival 204. Photo Credit: Ruben Navarro
His first performance in Manchester, let alone at a UK festival, ICHIKA NITO is the first solo guitarist to perform this weekend at Radar Festival. To any lesson musician, this might feel like a scary moment, especially given the struggles of English being second language and having no bandmates to bounce off of. However, NITO is such a professional that his prowess as an axeman – or samurai, as he notes – keeps him looking cool or he’s genuinely unabashed. While he’s known virally for shredding short bursts, his
compositions at length are super clean, from Late Night Walk To Moonfall. The balance between his softer approach and his swift tapping melodies is spot on. While there’s not too much jumping around, that’s not really the vibe. His sweet and calm manner on stage is very endearing, and this honestly feel like something between a performance and a little masterclass in itself to see his impeccable skill close up.
Rating: 8/10
VOWER – Sneak Energy Stage
Vower live @ Radar Festival 204. Photo Credit: Charlie Bluck
Having erupted onto the scene just weeks prior to their appearance at Radar Festival with debut EP
Apricity, there’s intrigue and excitement surrounding VOWER. Comprised of ex-members of BLACK PEAKS, PALM READER and TOSKA, the pedigree of the band’s personnel carries weight and as such, the band’s energetic performance on the festival’s Sneak Energy Stage doesn’t come as a surprise but that should not be seen as a blight on the band. Spear-headed by Josh Mckeown, the band power their way through a seamless set that demonstrates their quality. The future is very, very exciting for this band.
Rating: 8/10
VOLA – Neural DSP: Archtype Stage
VOLA live @ Radar Festival 204. Photo Credit: Naomi Paulmin Likeanao
VOLA are a band that just keeps going from strength to strength. Their live performances are constantly top tier and at Radar Festival this is no exception. From slightly softer intricate songs like
24 Light-Years, to powerhouse hits like
Straight Lines, the crowd are enamoured. Playing from
Inmazes all the way to new singles for upcoming
Friend Of A Phantom, Asger Mygard commands the stage with his voice on tracks like Ghosts, while so much dirty and groove comes in the
bass from Nicolai Mogensen. Martin Werner effortlessly moves from synth soundscapes to carrying huge riffs and melodies in new tracks
Paper Wolf and Break My Lying Tongue, all on the constantly mesmerising Adam Jandi on drums. It’s been a set that’s satisfying fans and definitely turned new listeners on to one of the most consistently interesting bands in prog.
Rating: 10/10
THROWN – Sneak Energy Stage
Whilst Radar Festival attracts connoisseurs of the more progressive genres in rock and metal, sometimes you just need your ears smashed in by crushing riffs. THROWN provide exactly that. Intertwining nu-metal and hardcore amongst various other combustible elements to create an explosive cocktail perfectly suited to the festival landscape, the Swedish quartet took little time transforming the Sneak Energy Stage into a whirlwind of sheer chaos courtesy of tracks from their upcoming album
EXCESSIVE GUILT. With flailing limbs and pits aplenty their performance was so incendiary that even the Sneak Energy mascot couldn’t resist getting themselves some of the action! Keep your eye on this talented outfit as they are on the cusp of evolving into a true force of nature.
Rating: 9/10
THE MIDNIGHT – Neural DSP: Archtype Stage
The Midnight live @ Radar Festival 2024. Photo Credit: Serena Hill Photography
Friday at Radar Festival has been a super successful kick off to the weekend, and the cherry on the top is THE MIDNIGHT. Coming straight out the gate with Neon Medusa, they play all the hits from Jason to Vampires. There’s so much energy on this stage that the crowd – a good portion of whom are decked out in their 80s gear – are absolutely enthralled from the off. When Justin Klunk speeds across the stage in literal seconds of darkness, his emergence in the light is always met with huge cheers as he rips into another insane sax moment. That said, there’s a sense of blissful hysteria when each member has a little of the limelight.
Royce Whittaker’s gorgeous shredding is almost expected to be exceptional at this stage, and yet always blows the roof off, and Kwesi Robinson keeps a phenomenal hold and groove on the beat and is the true unsung hero of this set. Lelia Broussard seemingly could be a one-woman band on her own, effortlessly turning her hand to bass, vocals and
guitar, she’s superb. All of this couldn’t happen without the orchestration of Tyler Lyle, who captures big moments like Days Of Thunder and balances them with real stage command with an audience sing out of Gloria. The room is electric with the buzz of this performance, and clear by home time, the today belongs to THE MIDNIGHT.
Rating: 10/10
Saturday – July 27th
KYROS – Neural DSP: Archtype Stage
Earthside live @ Radar Festival 204. Photo Credit: Naomi Paulmin Likeanao
The start of the second day can often be a hard place to be on a lineup, with people staggering their arrivals and perhaps feels a little tired. KYROS pull off a super entertaining set in their shiny 80s suits and majestic cheese. The set decorations are of course direct nods to their latest release, Mannequin, and they lead mostly with newer material from that. For those who haven’t had KYROS on their radar, they certainly made a good impression with their whit and banter, meme references and the supreme use of every synth sound you can imagine. A terrific effort all round, there was a good amount of grooving and smiles from the crowd by the time the band settled into their set. It has to be said that while KYROS aren’t super well known yet, they’ve clearly got the chops to put on an impressive show.
Rating: 7/10
SEETHING AKIRA – Sneak Energy Stage
With their bold brand of hardcore, SEETHING AKIRA bring a blend of upbeat fun and aggression while maintaining. Fans and newcomers alike were bouncing to their energized performance, with tracks like Something In The Water and Metaphors. It’s a fun set, with plenty of high tempo tuned to keep the room moving. There’s of course sentiment within SEETHING AKIRA’s music, which definitely an important element to their message and it lands on being both a fun time and poignant. The bands sizzling stage performance goes down super well and leaves the crowd hungry for more.
Rating: 7/10
ITHACA – Neural DSP: Archtype Stage
Despite being a firm favourite in the UK scene, live outings from ITHACA are rather sparse, which makes their appearance at this year’s Radar Festival all the more special. And from the moment they erupt into set opener In The Way, the crowd lose their collective shit. Later, the likes of
They Fear Us,
Impulse Crush and
Camera Eats First all demonstrate the band’s sublime appetite for aural destruction, and an impassioned speech by guitarist Sam Chetan-Welsh on living through mental and physical trauma and coming out the other side, and championing equality in heavy music, is one of the most empowering moments of the entire festival. But, technical difficulties earlier in the set casts a slight blemish on ITHACA‘s impact at Radar Festival. Whilst for lesser bands, it could have spelled absolute disaster, for ITHACA and their tenacious approach to recovering from the setback, it’s just a bad day at the office.
Rating: 8/10
HAIL THE SUN – Sneak Energy Stage
LA math rockers HAIL THE SUN don’t frequent the UK very often (with their last visit being all the way back in 2017) so it was little surprise to see a flock of eager fans gathering at the Sneak Energy Stage in anticipation of their arrival. With a set containing mostly tracks from their most recent effort
Divine Inner Tension, Donovan Melero and company had the crowd in their palm of their hands from beginning to end. Their commanding stage presence and high octane showcase of instrumental acrobatics was an absolute joy to experience. Also, how many opportunities are you going to get to witness a frontman pull double duty and perform some songs behind the
drum kit whilst still managing to nail his vocals?
Rating: 9/10
HEART OF A COWARD – Neural DSP: Archtype Stage
Following ITHACA‘s technical gremlins on the main stage, there is slight concern as to whether this will be a recurring problem on the festival’s main stage but there are no such problems for HEART OF A COWARD who proceed to give arguably their tightest and most impressive performance of their career to date. The band, and particularly frontman Kaan Tasan, are synonymous with the Radar Festival community with Tasan being a member of the festival crew. And they reward the Radar community with a powerful and highly impressive performance. The thumping riffs of
Collapse ignite bedlam in the pit, Deadweight remains an absolute staple of their set, Hollow swings and pulses in ferocious fashion, and material from last year’s
This Place Only Brings Death sounds huge in the live arena. Utterly triumphant.
Rating: 9/10
GRAPHIC NATURE – Sneak Energy Stage
The mere stage presence of GRAPHIC NATURE is enough to make most people feel intimidated by their dark, foreboding figures lurking around like predators waiting to strike. Compile that with frantic lighting and their penchant for crushing intensity and you’ve got all the required components for an explosive performance. The crowd respond to the unravelling chaos in the only way they know how, by leaving every ounce of their energy in the pit. A balanced mixture of tracks from both
a mind waiting to die and
Who Are You When No One Is Watching? have the O2 Victoria Warehouse shaking to its foundations. It is highly unlikely you will get many more opportunities to see the nu-metalcore outfit playing smaller stages such as this so it added an extra spice to the festivities.
Rating: 8/10
CAR BOMB – Neural DSP: Archtype Stage
Car Bomb live @ Radar Festival 204. Photo Credit: Claire Alaxandra
It’s so hard to describe the utter brutality of CAR BOMB in a live setting. There was many an attempt at a pit, but when you’re chasing a new time signature every few bars, it’s incredibly hard to maintain the flow. Most are more than content with solid headbanging and basking in the might of these mad lads. In some short moments of respite, there’s actually a lot of silly banter from the New Yorkers which is quire refreshing from all the crushing insanity of the music. Every colour of djenting
guitar sound from Greg Kubacki pair deliciously with Jon Modell’s brutal bass. Michael Dafferner’s guttural vocals are something to witness live, they’re absolutely breathtaking, and with a battering of blisteringly complex beats from Elliot Hoffman, CAR BOMB absolutely annihilates the stag. With songs ranging across with back catalogue from
Dissect Yourself to From The Dust Of This Planet they demonstrating a monstrous sound and huge, tight production that fits perfectly on the main stage.
Rating: 9/10
THE FALL OF TROY – Sneak Energy Stage
It is arguable that if it wasn’t for THE FALL OF TROY that a lot of the bands on the Radar Festival lineup would not exist. They are one of the original torchbearers for the math rock movement who still sound just as potent and genre defining as they did back in the early 2000s. Frontman Thomas Erak is so undeniably charismatic that he captivates the crowd with ease as the trio masterfully rifle through their stacked arsenal. No one in the crowd would want to admit it but they’re secretly wishing the set away just so they can revisit their childhood memories of playing
Guitar Hero (and watching the walls melt as soon as you looked away from the TV) in the form of the viral hit F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X. The track is already a certified crowd pleaser but when you throw HAIL THE SUN‘s Donovan Melero into the mix on vocal duties it’s a recipe to send everyone into a frenzy.
Rating: 9/10
DIRTY LOOPS – Neural DSP: Archtype Stage
Dirty Loops live @ Radar Festival 204. Photo Credit: Ruben Navarro
Second headline on Saturday is DIRTY LOOPS, which past Radar Festival goes will remember from their time in Guilford. An infectiously good time, these funky boys are maybe one of the lighter bands on this weekend. That doesn’t mean that they’re soft players, however, with a powerhouse trio at the top of their game. Aron Mellergård is the least flashy part of the crew, which is saying something as his drumming is buttery smooth and constantly slick throughout the set. Henrik Linder is a bass superstar in his own right, carrying groove in his fingers and swagger in his step all through the performance. With pipes to rival the greats of many generations, Jonah Nilsson effortlessly keeps the energy of the set high, with song after song of joyous entertainment. From newer tracks Follow The Light To Work Shit Out and Rock You, the room is having a glorious time to the R&B infused prog. The band seem to be having a great time too, their casual laughter between themselves adding so much to the feeling of playfulness. Ending with what Jonah himself admits was a strange song, Sexy Girls is a pure mad choice for this crowd but it serves as a hilarious tonic to brutally on offer elsewhere at this festival.
Rating: 9/10
CONJURER – Sneak Energy Stage
Conjurer live @ Radar Festival 204. Photo Credit: Rubix Photography
There’s a recurring theme throughout Radar Festival‘s offerings this year; sublime homegrown heavy music. Just as ITHACA and HEART OF A COWARD demonstrated earlier in the day, heavy hitters CONJURER arrive to a densely packed crowd at the festival’s Sneak Energy Stage and immediately threaten to demolish the venue’s foundations. Their music, a ferocious cocktail of sludge, doom, black and death metal, sounds crushing on record, but live, it’s utterly jaw-dropping to experience. Brady Deeprose and Dan Nightingale both dispatch guttural blasts and larynx shredding shrieks with malice and how Conor Marshall is not in a neck brace we do not know. Material from 2022’s
Páthos and 2018’s breakout record
Mire, still sound apocalyptic and with a promise of new music on the horizon, expect CONJURER‘s conquest of heavy music to continue.
TESSERACT – Neural DSP: Archtype Stage
TesseracT live @ Radar Festival 204. Photo Credit: Ruben Navarro
As a flagbearer of UK progressive and tech metal, TESSERACT headlining Radar Festival feels like common sense. And although this logical decision could fear an average performance, those who have experienced TESSERACT in recent times will attest otherwise. Not resting on their laurels, TESSERACT don’t just deliver a masterclass of progressive metal, they leave jaws firmly planted on the floor with their most extravagant and gripping live performance to date.
A gorgeous and mesmerising light and laser show dances above a sea of heads that adds plenty of visual flare to the show and the addition of CHOIR NOIR, who provide gorgeous, ethereal and spine-tingling backing vocals that helps elevate TESSERACT to the upper echelons of phenomenal. Tourniquet is testament to this. Lasers twinkle and dance as the harmonised vocals from CHOIR NOIR and frontman Daniel Tompkins combine in sheer aural perfection and to experience it live in the flesh is truly a blessing. In a set that flashes by in an instant, the band do not pull their punches as the likes of
King,
Legion or Of Mind – Nocturne demonstrate a band that are ascending to unfathomable heights. A performance that will have people saying “I was there” in the years to come.
Rating: 10/10
Sunday – July 28th
ATHEANA – Sneak Energy Stage
ATHEANA brings a great balance between pop and hardcore sensibilities, with a bright start to Sunday on the Sneak Energy Stage at Radar Festival. Keeping things pensive, aggressive and energetic throughout the trio give a solid performance. Though many will be new to ATHEANA, the band proves to be commanding and engaging. Being local to Manchester, it’s clear that these up-and-coming musicians have a lot of fire with their songs Ghost Of You and Tension. Highly motivated, ATHEANA gives the final day weekend the bursting start it needs to get going with a bang.
Rating: 7/10
ASHEN – Neural DSP: Archtype Stage
Ashen live @ Radar Festival 2024. Photo Credit: Serena Hill Photography
Not to be confused with the excellent Aussie death metal band of the same name, French newcomers ASHEN take to the Neural DSP: Archtype Stage on Radar Festival‘s final day and provide a performance that showcases a whole heap of promise for this talented troupe. With a sound that feels akin to Norway’s FIXATION or HOLDING ABSENCE, who take to the stage later in the day, the band’s anthemic and accessible modern metal sounds great in the live arena with Sacrifice being a strong highlight in the set. A cover of NIRVANA‘s Smells Like Teen Spirit might feel like a cheap cop-out to earn a sing-along but the band’s approach keeps the energy high and has row after row of spectators singing along to the iconic chorus. Considering the band only formed three years ago, this is a confident outing and one that demonstrates enormous potential. One to watch.
Rating: 8/10
ADHARMA – Sneak Energy Stage
ADHARMA live @ Radar Festival 2024. Photo Credit: Serena Hill Photography
The enigmatic Charlie Draper and her talented troupe have the tough task of following on from the surging ball of energy known as ASHEN but ADHARMA hold their own and bring forth an enticing, emotive performance packed with theatricality. Showcasing a mixture of tracks from their impressive debut release
Mirror Mirror amongst a bunch of newer singles, the alluring pop hooks blended with heavier instrumentation and personal lyrical passages really hit home in a live environment, particularly when you know the subject matter is based around Charlie‘s real life struggles and tribulations. It is evident she wears her heart on her sleeve and her majestic vocal performance proved to be one of the highlights of the weekend.
Rating: 8/10
THE OMNIFIC – Neural DSP: Archtype Stage
The Omnific live @ Radar Festival 204. Photo Credit: Claire Alaxandra
It’s not often that you’ll come across dual bass-lead bands, much less in a festival setting. Radar Festival is of course the perfect place to bring the very unique styling of THE OMNIFIC to unknowing ears. It’s clear it takes the crowd some getting used to, being instrumental prog will often do that. A majority of the crowd do seem captivated and are enthusiastically swaying to the groove, though not often breaking out into all out dancing. There’s plenty of energy though, especially from drummer Jerome Lemuta, who is by far the best hype man of any band, running from his kit to interact with the audience. Highly impressive, both silly and skilled in equal measure makes THE OMNIFIC a solid hit this Sunday.
Rating: 7/10
FUTURE STATIC – Sneak Energy Stage
Australia has a habit of producing top tier alternative bands and following their breakthrough debut record,
Liminality, the band arrive at Radar Festival with the wind in their sails. And the band live up to the bubbling hype with a assured and confident performance that keeps the energy sky-high. The likes of
Roach Queen and
Waves keep the crowd bouncing as vocalist Amariah Cook commands the crowd effectively and dispatches her range of vocals with aplomb. It’s a tight and composed performance from a band whose stock is certainly going to rise in the years ahead.
Rating: 8/10
MIKE DAWES – Neural DSP: Archtype Stage
“You make me feel like TAYLOR SWIFT,” MIKE DAWES jokes at one point with the crowd. Stepping in at the last moment to save the day when OXYMORONS where unable to make their scheduled appearance at Radar Festival, MIKE DAWES is a true
guitar hero. One man and his
instrument, it’s no surprise to many that he makes a little go a long way. All manner of technical work does into his stunning arrangements, seemingly effortlessly. A true master and a charming presence on stage, MIKE DAWES has been the perfect mid-afternoon tonic for the crowd, being entirely musical and entertaining in equal measure.
Rating: 8/10
PINTGLASS – Sneak Energy Stage
Pintglass live @ Radar Festival 2024. Photo Credit: Serena Hill Photography
After the unfortunate news broke regarding SIAMESE being unable to perform, it left a mixture of sadness and trepidation amongst the attendees wondering whether Radar Festival could pull a sufficient replacement out of the bag with minimal notice. Boy, did they deliver. Whilst not exactly a like-for-like switch the unhinged hi-vis donning bruisers in PINTGLASS had the Sneak Energy Stage bouncing from front to back. Their highly entertaining, bludgeoning beatdown stylings were exactly what was needed to inject some adrenaline into the final day. A particular highlight being the opening of a can of Stella being crisply distributed over the PA to massive applause. Whilst looking like a parody act, PINTGLASS quite clearly take a lot of pride in their performance, having more than enough charisma and charm to back it up.
Rating: 8/10
SUNGAZER – Neural DSP: Archtype Stage
Sungazer live @ Radar Festival 204. Photo Credit: Rubix Photography
Going from the brutal laddish-hardcore of PINTGLASS to jazz fusion is potentially one of the hardest head swings you’ll come across in live music. SUNGAZER come primed in matching two sets of dazzling sunset colours. Bold outfits for bold sounds, this is pretty intense to follow along to, but is also a dazzlingly good time. From the two-step dancing and syncopated, odd time signature clap alongs, SUNGAZER do a great job of keeping things light were possible. From looping live sax to some sharp drum work, the whole band bring some of the more sophisticated sentiments of jazz to a fun and bizarre show that leaves many wishing there were merch to commemorate the great time they’ve had with this mad hat bunch of melomaniacs.
Rating: 8/10
BLOOD COMMAND – Sneak Energy Stage
Blood Command live @ Radar Festival 2024. Photo Credit: Serena Hill Photography
BLOOD COMMAND have been on a wicked run of good form in recent years. Following the addition of former PAGAN frontwoman Nikki Brumen during the pandemic,
Praise Armagedonism and
World Domination have been highly received and their high-energy live performances, particularly here in Manchester at The Deaf Institute on two separate occasions, have cemented BLOOD COMMAND as a truly exciting force in alternative music. At Radar Festival, the band are utterly infectious as they ensure the energy never dips. Saturday City has the crowd dancing,
The Plague On Both Your Houses‘ thrash-tinged riffs ignites the pit and
A Villain’s Monologue sees Brumen spit her vocals with the utmost ferocity. Speaking of Brumen, she is utterly fabulous in controlling the crowd as she crowdsurfs, twerks, and dances across the intimate stage and a passionate speech on how Manchester has welcomed BLOOD COMMAND with open arms is met with adoration from the crowd. BLOOD COMMAND are a special band and at this point, we’re running out of superlatives to describe just how brilliant they are in the live arena.
Rating: 10/10
HOLDING ABSENCE – Neural DSP: Archtype Stage
Holding Absence live @ Radar Festival 204. Photo Credit: Charlie Bluck
Given the more progressive and experimental-leaning makeup of Radar Festival, at first glance, HOLDING ABSENCE might appear like a curveball. But, the Welsh post-hardcore crew have a broader appeal in the wider spectrum of alternative music and they deliver a masterclass as the penultimate band on main stage. Largely, this is down to the gorgeous melodies and emotive passages that sees the crowd belting the likes of Like A Shadow and
A Crooked Melody back towards the band. Lucas Woodland is a bonafide superstar as he controls the crowd with the utmost ease and delivers his stunning vocals with pin-point precision and his bandmates all play a vital role in keeping the band’s sound tight and composed. Gravity‘s riffs keep heads nodding along,
In Circles encourages self-reflection and threatens the waterworks and a soaring rendition of
Afterlife in the closing stages is simply euphoric. A diamond of the UK alternative scene and one we can all be proud of.
Rating: 9/10
HUMANITY’S LAST BREATH – Sneak Energy Stage
HUMANITY’S LAST BREATH are a phenomenal way to head out the Sneak Energy Stage at Radar Festival. With a
bass that seems to hollow you out with its crushing depth, the level of pure malice and brutality on offer is unparalleled. The ambiance of their blackened deathcore in such a confined space gives the oppressive nature of the songs evermore weight. Mighty are the riffs, crushing are the drops, apocalyptic are the vocals. From Ocean Drinker to
Labyrinthian, there’s a swarth of their epic back catalogue on offer in this set, levelling from their deepest black and death influence to their more progressive sounds. Physically commanding and foreboding in equal measure, the crowd are constantly bombarded with monster tune after monster tune, and seem reverent to the catastrophic primordial warnings. Finishing off with the biblical Glutton, the irony of people’s appetite for HUMANITY’S LAST BREATH isn’t lost, as the awe is palpable from everyone watching.
Rating: 9/10
LEPROUS – Neural DSP: Archtype Stage
Leprous live @ Radar Festival 204. Photo Credit: Oli Duncanson
It is now time for the main event! The spectacle of unpredictability which has had everyone talking since the announcement of their ‘Real-Time Song Request’ set and how on earth they were going to navigate it. However, if anyone was going to pull it off it would be LEPROUS. Before we get into the performance itself a huge applause is owed to newly recruited live member Harrison White who staggeringly learned basically their entire back catalogue in preparation for this event, cycling through multiple runs to ensure he was in top form. So how did the request element come into play we hear you ask?
The band performed some non-negotiable tracks throughout including the likes of The Price, From The Flame and fresh offerings from their unreleased
album Melodies Of Atonement (Atonement and
Silently Walking Alone) and for the remainder of the set the gave the audience batches of four songs to choose from, with the crowd reaction being the final verdict. Proposing songs scattered throughout their repertoire, LEPROUS were ironically let off quite lightly by the crowd as they opted for tracks like The Valley, Alleviate and Castaway Angels as opposed to deeper cuts such as Restless, Acquired Taste and Forced Entry. Due to the unpredictability of the choices there were pauses in the performance which frontman Einar Solberg excellently filled by taking cheap shots at his fellow bandmates whilst they were frantically retuning their instruments. There were some welcome surprises that came out of the voting system, particularly the hefty supercombo of Slave into Contaminate Me. Einar may have set the more aggressive elements of his vocal range aside in recent efforts but his delivery was flawless. Whether beautifully soaring or ferociously growling he was in sublime form. A perfect spectacle to round off a stellar Radar Festival lineup.
Rating: 10/10
And that’s a wrap on Radar Festival 2024! As the dust settles on this year’s festival, we can’t help but notice what a special little corner of the heavy music world this festival occupies. Forward-thinking, both in its curated lineups and ethos as a festival, this is a special event and one in which we are already counting down the days for 2025’s edition.
Words: James Weaver, Laura McCarthy, Dan McHugh
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Colour Haze live @ Bear Stone Festival 2024. Photo Credit: Sanja Matic
Kadavar live @ Bear Stone Festival 2024. Photo Credit: Sanja Matic
