FEATURESINTRODUCINGMETALCOREPROGRESSIVE METAL

If we were to be overly pedantic, OBEYER shouldn’t really be considered a ‘new band’. The Northampton-based quartet are veterans of the UK circuit and originally got together in 2010, so have already enjoyed a career longer than most bands could dream of. They’ve got some serious underground pedigree and even wound up in The Guardian once, so by most metrics would be considered an established act.



However, OBEYER are not the band they once were. Previously known as LAY SIEGE, they have experienced a dramatic change in sound and attitude, and it’s revitalised them. LAY SIEGE were a decent but predictable metalcore band, but OBEYER are a far more nuanced and progressive-minded act. They’ve added ethereal soundscapes and off-kilter songwriting, and the result is one of the most exciting metalcore debuts of 2024.

“We went into this this album as more of a vanity project, I guess, wanting to prove to ourselves that we could write these songs, and that we could step up,” explains vocalist Carl Brown. “You know we had no vision of being in this situation that we’re in now. We had no expectation that it was going to happen until the masters came back, and we were all sitting there listening to it and thought, ‘you know what? It is essentially a new band, a new sound.’”

He’s talking about Chemical Well, their recently released full-length. Across ten tracks and forty-two minutes of runtime, OBEYER showcase a forward-thinking style of metalcore that is bound to raise eyebrows. Where a lot of their peers are have turned towards nu-metal or electronica for influences, OBEYER are more interested in post-metal and sludge. This gives Chemical Well a distinct vibe, akin to GOD FORBID covering CULT OF LUNA, and they’re heavier and nastier than before.

A big reason for this is that OBEYER are very much a group project, with all four members taking part in the writing process. “We write old school,” explains drummer Lewis Niven, “We all sit in a room, and Jamie [Steadman, guitars] will play a riff or something, and then we’ll put some drums to it and start to structure a song like that. I know a lot of bands have one guy that writes everything on a computer and just sends it out and everyone learns it. We’ve never been like that. It has its pros and its cons. It means writing can take a while. It can be quite a back-and-forth process, but the songs build in a more natural fashion.”

As a result, Chemical Well is a very “organic” sounding record. The likes of A Momentary Death, Second Sun and the immense opener Witness are all chaotic pit-igniters with a hefty amount of chug, possessed with all the fury of a man who just bit into a KitKat with no wafers in it. But they also feel like they’ve developed over time, rather than being bolted together in a metalcore factory.


That being said, Chemical Well is accessible enough that OBEYER could tour with BURY TOMORROW and not feel out of place. It’s an aggressive and occasionally very dark record, but the thunderous riffs and earth-shaking breakdowns will appeal to any professional fist-swingers out there. And yes, they’re not averse to sneaking the odd clean vocal line in either, even if it was never their original intention. The more melodic parts are all thanks to a happy accident.

“Seven or eight years ago, we were on tour and the mic dropped from the stand on one of the shows. Jamie, instinctively picked it up and just started singing. Our jaws all dropped and we just thought, ‘what the fuck was that? Where did that come from?’” Carl laughs. “It’s taken seven years of bullying, and we’ve finally got him to contribute some vocals.”

You’ll spot a few genre cliches in there, but for the most part, OBEYER’s debut album is perfect for anyone that wants their ‘core to push boundaries. They’ve already attracted the attention of PERIPHERY‘s Misha Mansoor and signed to his 3DOT Recordings label, and with the hype machine behind them, the future seems bright for OBEYER.

But as violent, abrasive and uncompromising as Chemical Well gets, there’s a wholesome side to OBEYER as well. They’ve known one another for years now, and despite spending a hefty chunk of their adult lives rehearsing, gigging and stuck in vans together, they’re still mates. The line-up is largely unchanged from the LAY SIEGE days, and having responsibilities like full-time jobs and families hasn’t diminished their enthusiasm. If anything, the band is a way to keep their friendship intact. As Carl says; “we’re all dads. We’ve all got jobs. Being able to meet up on a regular basis and scream my head off is a good excuse to see my mates.”

Chemical Well is out now via 3DOT Recordings.

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Jeff Hanneman: O Criador do SLAYER Thrash Metal

                          Jeff Hanneman: O Arquiteto do Thrash Metal

Texto por Johnny Z.
Crédito/Fotos: Divulgação/Google/Autores Desconhecidos

Jeff Hanneman, lendário guitarrista e fundador do Slayer, nasceu em 31 de janeiro de 1963 e se tornou um dos músicos mais influentes do Thrash Metal. Sua genialidade na guitarra e talento para compor algumas das músicas mais brutais e icônicas do gênero ajudaram a definir o som do Slayer e do Metal extremo como um todo.

Se estivesse vivo, Hanneman completaria 61 anos hoje, dia 31 de janeiro. No entanto, sua trajetória foi interrompida precocemente em 2 de maio de 2013, aos 49 anos, devido a uma falência hepática relacionada a problemas de saúde que surgiram após ele contrair fasciíte necrosante — uma infecção rara e grave após uma picada de aranha em 2011.


Jeffrey John Hanneman cresceu em uma família militar e desde cedo teve contato com a cultura bélica, o que mais tarde influenciaria suas composições no Slayer. Inspirado por bandas de Punk como Dead Kennedys, GBH e The Exploited, ele trouxe uma agressividade única ao Thrash Metal, misturando a velocidade e a crueza do Punk com a complexidade do Metal.



Em 1981, Hanneman fundou o Slayer ao lado do guitarrista Kerry King, do baixista e vocalista Tom Araya e do baterista Dave Lombardo em Huntington Park, Califórnia/EUA. O grupo rapidamente se destacou na cena da Bay Area com seu som brutal, rápido e recheado de letras polêmicas. Seu álbum de estreia, “Show No Mercy” (1983), já mostrava o DNA feroz da banda.

Jeff Hanneman foi o principal compositor de algumas das músicas mais importantes do Slayer e do Thrash Metal. Entre elas: “Angel of Death”, “Raining Blood”, “South of Heaven”, “War Ensemble”,“Seasons in the Abyss”, dentre muitas outras.

Seu estilo de tocar era rápido, agressivo e técnico, mas sem perder a espontaneidade e a sujeira do Punk, criando um som caótico e violento que definiu a sonoridade do Slayer desde o início.



Mesmo após seu afastamento do Slayer devido a problemas de saúde, Hanneman continuou sendo reverenciado pelos fãs. Seu último crédito como compositor na banda – em vida – foi no álbum “World Painted Blood” (2009). Após sua morte, o Slayer seguiu com Gary Holt (Exodus) ocupando seu posto, mas Hanneman nunca foi realmente substituído, pois seu espírito permaneceu impregnado na essência da banda e inclusive em seu substituto, que nunca deixou de homenageá-lo nas apresentações.



Após a sua morte, que devastou a cena Metal mundial, a banda contou em alguns shows com Pat O’ Brian (na época no Cannibal Corpse) e Phil Demmell (que atuava no Machine Head) em poucas apresentações antes de Gary Holt, mas sempre homenageava Hanneman projetando seu nome no telão e encerrando os shows com a frase “Hanneman Lives”.

Hoje, aos 61 anos se estivesse vivo, Jeff Hanneman é lembrado como um dos maiores guitarristas e compositores do Thrash Metal. Sua influência transcende gerações e sua música continua a inspirar novos músicos e fãs ao redor do mundo. Esse ícone pode ter partido, mas seu legado é e sempre será eterno.

R.I.P Jeff
You’ll never be forgotten!!

WOLFHEART RECALL 2024 DRACONIAN DARKNESS TOURING LEG WITH "BURNING SKY" LIVE VIDEO

Wolfheart have unveiled an evocative music video for "Burning Sky", a single from their latest album released on September 7, 2024 via RPM. This release coincides with their extensive Draconian Darkness tour across Finland, other parts of Europe, and Saudi Arabia.

The Finnish melodic death metal band's tour has been a monumental part of their journey, taking them through familiar and uncharted regions to perform their intensely melancholic tunes. The video serves as a visual recap, highlighting the tour's most memorable moments for those who attended the live shows and those yet to see the band live.

"Our latest European tour was definitely one for the books in our career and it just felt right to shoot footage from several shows during the tour. Measured in all ways, it was the most successful tour and it was profoundly amazing to get to play new songs from Draconian Darkness live and to see the fantastic reactions of the audience night after night," recalls vocalist/guitarist Tuomas Saukkonen.

INTRODUCING: The Meffs

Over the last few years, we have seen the rise of Colchester-based punk duo, THE MEFFS. Made up of Lily Hopkins [guitars/vocals] and Lewis Copsey [Drums/vocals], the pair have taken the punk world by storm, picking up support from punk icons such as Fat Mike (NOFX) and FRANK TURNER along the way. 2024 has been the biggest year of their careers so far, seeing the pair go from strength to strength as they release their excellent debut album, What A Life. We were honoured to be able to sit down with Lily for a chat about all things THE MEFFS.



As we reach the twilight months of 2024, THE MEFFS frontwoman Lily reflects on what has been a huge year for the band by telling us that the craziness of it all has left them having to “pinch themselves every now and then whilst trying to to get rid of the imposter syndrome” but also describing that being on the go all the time is “something we don’t want to stop, we want it to keep going and going.”

Most bands in their position are often branded with the term “lucky”, Lily however wants us to change this attitude, and rightly so. “Lucky is a word we have to try and not put on bands. It’s not down to luck, it takes a lot of hard graft to get where we are.” When it comes to THE MEFFS, the graft the pair has put into the band is starting to pay off. The last year has seen them release two EPs (Broken Britain Parts 1 & 2) and their debut full-length album, What A Life. For a lot of bands, this is a position they all dream of being in. With the pair putting in all the work to get to this point, Lily remains humble and isn’t taking a second for granted by telling us “it takes a lot of pushing but when you break through that barrier – it feels incredible. We’re doing what we dream of doing and you can’t ask for much more.”


After last year’s two excellent EPs (Broken Britain Parts 1 & 2) helped expose THE MEFFS to a wider audience, thanks to signing to Fat Wreck Chords, Lily and Lewis turned their sights towards their debut album. The last few years of the UK’s political landscape are more than enough to arm any punk band with ideas for a record. Lily explains that with Broke Britain, they “took aim at how the country itself was being run”, but when it comes to What A Life, she explains it as “having a more all round and complete feel to it compared to the EPs. What A Life focuses more on what is going on around us. It still has the element of politics, current events and a societal view about what we’re seeing around us rather than focusing on singular problems.” Whilst writing the album it helped her to “see a change in my writing style which helped me to see a much wider vision of what is happening around us- especially in the UK.”

For the most part, punk rock has always been a progressive genre full of all kinds of folk, which is what has always made it so endearing to folk and THE MEFFS represent all the best aspects of it. However, there is an ugly side to it. There is still a weird disparity where misogynistic and other small minded people come to punk shows. From listening to THE MEFFS, you know that this is not what they stand for in their songs and have since written the song, Wasted On Women as a result of this being said to Lily previously. When discussing how they challenge these particular trolls who hold these views when at their shows, Lily jokingly says “we knock them all out”, which also would be a completely fair response to this. However, she further elaborates, “we get trolled all the time particularly online but I don’t care, I say bring it on and you give me more to write about. There’s more of us than there are of them. It can’t be a generational thing, there’s people who are my age who think like this, there’s no part of me that would think to say something out of order about someone because of who they are.”

To tackle this, Lily gives us a genuine and honest answer about the right ways of getting the message for the duo across and how it’s able to forge them a real identity rather than a faceless Twitter profile. “For me, the stage is my place. When I have the microphone it’s my turn to say what I want to say, to be who I want to be in front of a crowd of people. I know we’re not a huge band but it’s a platform I can use to spread the message of THE MEFFS and part of that is about being a woman and being queer in this punk community.” With every word Lily tells us, you can feel the passion that burns inside of her and inspires the duo. She is genuinely the real deal when it comes to being a punk and is a truly excellent ally to have in your corner.

As 2024 draws to a close, THE MEFFS aren’t quite done yet. After reeling in huge crowds at 2000trees and Rebellion Festival in Blackpool, there is one final stretch for Lily and Lewis. A support slot opening for none other than the godfather of shock rock himself; ALICE COOPER. They’re bound to pick up new fans at those shows alone and armed with a new album and their biggest UK tour to date in early 2025. The future for them is bright and holds no limits. It’ll be an exciting journey to go on with them and if you’re ever feeling down and out, stick THE MEFFS on, they’ll always have your back.

What A Life is out now via Bottles To The Ground/Fat Wreck Chords. View this interview, alongside dozens of other killer bands, in glorious print magazine fashion in DS114 here:
£3.00 – Buy DS114!

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HEAVY MUSIC HISTORY: Enemy Of God – Kreator

Although thrash metal is typically associated with the Big Four from the United States, over on European shores, Germany has equal claim to the thrash metal throne. Alongside their countrymen DESTRUCTION, SODOM and TANKARD, Essen’s KREATOR are arguably one of the biggest thrash metal bands on the planet with timeless classics in Pleasure To Kill (1986) and Coma Of Souls (1990) and a consistently solid suite of records at the turn of the Century. A large component of their 21st Century revival is 2005’s Enemy Of God.



It wasn’t always plain sailing for KREATOR. After establishing themselves as an explosive name in the booming thrash scene in the 1980s with the aforementioned Pleasure To Kill and 1988’s Extreme Aggression, which saw the band win legions of US-based fans, as thrash declined in popularity in the 1990s and grunge took its place, the band switched their focus towards adopting more experimental approaches to their music with mixed results.

Sixth album, 1992’s Renewal introduced death metal and industrial influence and, although it introduced KREATOR to a new audience, long-time fans were dismayed at the change in style and by the close of the decade, the band’s declining sales and critical reception had dropped to its lowest point. Fortunately, the band roared back into life as we entered the 21st Century as 2001’s Violent Revolution capitalised on the resurgence of thrash and saw KREATOR return to their roots.

Violent Revolution was a scorching success (and would later be credited as being a catalyst for the early 200s thrash revival) but 2005’s follow-up, Enemy Of God, was the album which demonstrated that KREATOR were building on something truly special indeed. Returning alongside legendary producer Andy Sneap, a man whose extensive CV boasts the likes of OBITUARY‘s Dead (1998) and OPETH‘s Deliverance (2002), as well as producing Violent Revolution, the band spent three months in mid 2004 crafting the album that intended to keep the momentum surging forwards.


Released in January 2005, Enemy Of God demonstrated a ferocious musical assault by KREATOR, with enough blistering solos and necksnapping riffage for fans to feast upon. Building upon their classic thrash foundations with more emphasis placed towards the Gothenburg-style riffing pioneered by the likes of IN FLAMES and AT THE GATES, the record perfectly balances thrash’s heyday with enough modern sounds to be a force to be reckoned with.

Whilst KREATOR‘s past works had never shied away from dark and morbid topics, Enemy Of God saw the band dive into more brutal territory. The title track, a fierce and ferocious opener, sets the tone in thundering fashion and with lyrics such as “War of all wars foreseen before, Freedom’s foundations exist no more, A genocide nightmare, the darkest of days, Chaos devourers all as hope and pride fades”, it’s clear that KREATOR are not fucking about. Elsewhere, the likes of Suicide Terrorist and World Anarchy reflects the stark situation of a post-9/11 landscape with The War On Terror raging in the Middle East against organisations posed as terrorists.

Critically, Enemy Of God was a roaring success for KREATOR. Blabbermouth would rate the record a solid 8/10 citing “Enemy of God should at least prove that there is still a lot of life left in what is undoubtedly one of the most successful and influential German metal exports of all time” whilst the likes of AllMusic and Classic Rock would rate the record the same with 8/10s across the board.

And with a strong reception, the band capitalised on the momentum, spending the next two years touring extensively across the western world. Early 2006 saw the band cross the Atlantic to tour across North America with NAPALM DEATH, A PERFECT MURDER and THE UNDYING while the following year saw the band team up with the legendary CELTIC FROST for a co-headlining European run with incendiary openers WATAIN thrown in for good measure. These tours promoting Enemy Of God solidified the band’s continuing resurgence at that time.

20 years later and in 2025, KREATOR are a juggernaut in the modern heavy music scene. They recently completed a successful co-headlining European and UK run alongside thrash legends ANTHRAX in some of the biggest venues they’ve played on our shores to date, and who can forget the triumphant headlining performance at Bloodstock Festival 2021, in a time where live music was just beginning its recovery post-COVID.

These sublime achievements are recent yes, and much closer to present day than the album’s release 20 years ago. Of course, the band have released four more albums since Enemy Of God, with 2009’s Hordes Of Chaos, 2012’s Phantom Antichrist and 2017’s Gods Of Violence being hailed as some of the best metal this Century, us included here at Distorted Sound. But, at the root of the band’s sustained success is Enemy Of God. It built the foundation for the band for be flying the flag for metal in the here and how and remains a staple of good old fashioned brutal metal 20 years after its release.



Enemy Of God was originally released on January 10th, 2005 via SPV/Steamhammer.

ALBUM REVIEW: The End Will Show Us How – Tremonti

After a stratospheric year with CREED, Mark Tremonti sets his sights on further world domination with the monstrous sixth album from TREMONTI: The End Will Show Us How.



Following 2021’s Marching In Time would seem a tall order to many. However the nature of vocalist/guitarist Mark Tremonti’s career has always been in the path of the underdog. TREMONTI seek to continue their trajectory with opening The Mother, The Earth and I, a murky and grunge tinged soundscape building on its predecessor’s ethos of living in peace. Tanner Keegan’s dense bass tones perfectly set the scene for Tremonti’s squealing guitars. The instrumental itself flawlessly mirrors the circle of life with its cyclical nature paying homage to the “Mother of life and decay”. The dulcet tones of Tremonti’s voice deliver a sleeper cell of an opening track, deploying the heaviness of One More Time to decimate any preconceived notions about where this album will go next. Staccato guitars are threaded together with Ryan Bennett’s percussion. “The day is coming” with the ominous ticking of the pre chorus and Tremonti once again takes the role of the Pied Piper relaying the tale of our doom. Minimal verses collide with belting choruses. Hypnotic interludes juxtapose expertly precise guitar solos. Just two tracks in, the parasitic nature of this album embeds itself in the cerebral cortex.

For those filled with concern that TREMONTI is about to become a CREED spin-off, unhand those pearls. While Just Too Much is dominated by low and slow guitar which slithers through the mind’s eye, the pummelling beat soon drives the slowworm away. This comes at the cost of the vocal track which becomes lost in the sonic quagmire at times. The catchy nature of the vocal hook saves it relatively quickly allowing for the short and spicy solo toward the end to be fully appreciated. Low and slow is the soup du jour for Camp TREMONTI as Nails writhes into the fore. Undulating riffs bump against the lower register of Tremonti’s vocals. It draws the ear. Piques the curiosity. It’s here TREMONTI bears its teeth with graphic lyrics of how we “waste away in this rotting shell” as a result of a torturous world. Nails is wonderfully bleak yet tinged with the ember of TREMONTI-branded determination to persevere. Ember becomes flame, ignited by the speed metal slathered solo which extinguishes as quickly as it burst into existence.


There’s a lot to be said about the enchanting nature of a TREMONTI ballad. They could be lazily compared to CREED and ALTER BRIDGE but the harsh reality is there is no comparison. The two aforementioned bands crack the soul and bleed it dry but as It’s Not Over and the title track go to show, a TREMONTI ballad will render someone a ghost in the shell. They are both examples of Tremonti at the pinnacle of his composition game. It’s Not Over’s seedling intro of guitar and vocal blooms into a bountiful tale of how a person has “been broken before but I’m healing”. Layered instrumentals become vivid petals of a nightshade where less is more. There is no monumental swell or escalation, it all happens organically. The beseechment of “teach us all what it takes to be here” becomes obsolete as the student becomes the teacher. This carries into the title track. Standing at just under six minutes, it simmers in its gestation. Branded as a “passage to the cynic in me”, this “tale of hope that’s never died” has the TREMONTI brood take the role of beacon of hope shepherding the lost through the darkness. Bolstered by a blossoming instrumental, slivers of a solo permeate the track before finally flourishing.

As parts of our psyche flourish, others will atrophy which is the subject of Tomorrow We Will Fail. What we are confronted with though are elements of psych rock with bending notes and stifled drums. Echoed vocals call through muted guitars. Paired with the bass led verse of I’ll Take My Chances, this tandem breathes wonderful new possibilities into TREMONTI. A testament to the band’s willingness to push their boundaries. “Fears rise as shadows fall” nestles against rippling riffs which swell into a monologue suited for spouting atop a horse before The War Of The Ring.

It’s expected of speed metal fan Mark Tremonti to pull a scathing solo from his bag of tricks so it’s a welcome surprise when I’ll Take My Chances expands and gives its crowning moment room to breathe. This is capitalised on when The Bottom is brought into the mix. Another track drawing from elements of psych and grunge, it is also fused with the usual speed and thrash metal influences. On paper (or screen) it seems as if it shouldn’t work but it does. Faster vocals drive the song forward. Usher the protagonist to scrape themselves from the rock bottom in which they reside. Push the listener to “take the boundaries and erase them all”. The targeted subject matter is meant to be the boundaries that hold us back in our lives but that can (and should) also be applied to music.
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TREMONTI soon return to the harshness they have been praised for with Live In Fear. Ominous tones and squealing guitars fuel the paranoia. Spine stiffening vocals urge “the consequence is near” while a scathing solo scuttles into the cerebral cortex and burrows into the impulse for repeat plays. Now That I’ve Made It’s atmospheric opening balances the harshness and perhaps the hubris Live In Fear breeds. “Pride will only break you” is haunting. Tremonti’s vocals improve with each release and this time is no different as it takes the helm of the brain and bathes the pilot of our bones in a much needed reality check.

The soul-stirring jaunt concludes with All The Wicked Things. The six minute closing probes the senses with electronic pulses and a subtle swell of synth. The evocative proclamation of “it takes the end to show us where we start” sends chills through the nervous system. “Humanity’s gone” is punctuated with a sucker punch of a riff from Eric Friedman. From there the duo of Tremonti and Friedman plunge us into a thick and sludgy instrumental which feels disgusting in the best way. The accoutrement of the solo creates the proving ground for scorching aggression in “all I see is red” and the final dive into anger driven depravity with a faster, much higher guitar solo before it explodes and suffocates within the electronics that birthed the track.

At the top of the review, we claimed The End Will Show Us How is a monstrous effort. We also demonstrated there is more than one facet to that word. TREMONTI doesn’t burst in to clock everyone and their Nan with a baseball bat. This album is far more insidious. Slithers into cerebral assassin territory. The End Will Show Us How is thoroughly captivating from beginning to end. The title track may ask “could there be another life that calls to me?” but TREMONTI shows they are right where they should be; at the top of their game.

Rating: 9/10



The End Will Show Us How is set for release on January 10th via Napalm Records.

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ALTERNATIVEEMOFEATUREDGRUNGELIVE REVIEWSMETALCORENU-METALPOP-PUNKPOP-ROCKPOST-HARDCOREREVIEWS

Third time’s a charm? Back in October, 80,000 emos flocked to the annual edition of When We Were Young Festival in Las Vegas, all hoping to catch the bands that captured their hearts god-knows how many years ago. This year presented a unique twists on the past two editions – catering heavily to the nostalgia crowd, When We Were Young Festival promised full album playthroughs of some of their line-ups most iconic bands, including My Chemical Romance‘s ‘The Black Parade’ which would be their only performance that year. With a mouth-watering array of bands to sample, we flew out from the UK ready to capture what went down.


Thursday – October 17th

Before the weekend of When We Were Young Festival began, the organisers corralled some of the lineup together in venues across Vegas to perform at the official sideshows (which naturally immediately sold out). At the iconic Brooklyn Bowl, the trio of COBRA STARSHIP, 3OH!3 and MILLIONAIRES graced the stage one after the other, the room packed wall-to-wall with fans ready to celebrate the headlining band’s first show in over 10 years.

MILLIONAIRES opened the show, debuting the current lineup of Melissa Marie Green and new addition Meredith Hurley. Green had been soft-launching her return since 2021, DJing with the Emo Nite crew in LA where she befriended Hurley. Of course, MILLIONAIRES are famous for their party girl anthems and these scene queens clearly weren’t phased by their massive co-stars on the lineup. They paraded on stage dressed in eye-catching metallics, glitters, and of course oversized bows, amping the crowd up with songs like Party Like a Millionaire, Take Your Shirt Off and closing with the aptly named Alcohol. The duo kicked strongly off the weekend by taking the crowd back to simpler times, with no-frills happy-go-lucky tunes, perfect for those clearly ready to party.

Rating: 7/10

The girls were swiftly followed by Nathaniel Motte and Sean Foreman, making up icons of the 2010’s 3OH!3, framed on stage by a gigantic inflatable pair of yellow hands in their signature gesture, which they repeatedly encouraged the crowd to mimic throughout the set. The band recounted numerous irreverent hits like STARSTRUKK, My First Kiss, DONTTRUSTME in addition to newer songs like LONELY MACHINES, which still ring controversial in 2024. Despite this, it appeared the crowd could not have cared less and the whole room consistently jumped up and down, belting the often misogynistic lyrics. Whether you agree with their tongue-in-cheek ways or not, 3OH!3 certainly know how to rile up a crowd and it is no wonder that they continue to be asked to return year after year.

Rating: 8/10

Finally, the decade wait was over and it was time for COBRA STARSHIP. Arguably the monarchs of the crunkcore era, COBRA STARSHIP‘s legacy remains untouched and the tension was palpable when Gabe Saporta, Victoria Asher aka Vicky T, Nate Novarro and new guitarist Thrash graced the stage. Despite the years passing since their last live performance, frontman Gabe brought the same gusto he did back in the day and gave a strong evermoving performance, despite the odd vocal wobble here and there. Frequently gracing the outstretched arms of the crowd and encouraging the audience to sing and mosh along, the room was truly electric and the audience recanted back song after song, like no time had passed. The band even continued tradition by bringing a fan up on stage to do Travie McCoy’s rap in Bring It (Snakes On A Plane). Oddly, COBRA STARSHIP‘s set ended up being shorter than 3OH!3‘s, but nevertheless included hits from their contracted legacy album ¡Viva La Cobra! such as Guilty Pleasure and Kiss My Sass, as well as the ever-famous Good Girls Go Bad and Pete Wentz Is the Only Reason We’re Famous. This was only the beginning of When We Were Young Festival for the trio of bands, and based on this crowd’s reception, it was the start of a chaotic, beer-fuelled weekend of nostalgia.

Rating: 8/10
Saturday & Sunday – October 19th & 20th

DAISY GRENADE – Pink StageDaisy Grenade live @ When We Were Young Festival 2024. Photo Credit: Channel Purple

As the gates opened sharp at 10am, festival goers pouring in could hear the echoes of DAISY GRENADE christening the Pink [side of the main] Stage. This youthful pop-punk duo comprised of best friends Dani Nigro and Keaton Whittaker were signed by none other than headliner FALL OUT BOY‘s very own Pete Wentz, to his starter label DCD2 Records and controversially were one of the few female-fronted acts on the line-up for When We Were Young Festival. The New York twosome brought their ‘bubble punk’ A-game to the stage, premiering their feisty new song How To Hide A Body and ending with the upbeat Hypocrite. Despite the early start, by the end of their set, fans had flocked to see them and the crowd was surprisingly dense for the first act on the lineup. The girls were beautifully coordinated and sync’d for their performance and brought a polished stage presence to a normally chaotic Vegas crowd – these two are definitely ones to watch in the scene.

Rating: 7/10

UNDEROATH – Pink StageUnderoath live @ When We Were Young Festival 2024. Photo Credit: Chelsa Christensen

When We Were Young Festival brought back many heavy hitters and former kings of the US alternative scene this year, one of the heaviest sounding being UNDEROATH. They were one of the few artists who performed down to the last letter in their contract and as instructed played their album They’re Only Chasing Safety back to front, in order. Drummer Aaron Gillespie, keyboardist Christopher Dudley, lead guitarist Timothy McTague, bassist Grant Brandell and vocalist Spencer Chamberlain did not let their years on some of the other bands tame their performance and brought tonnes of headbanging and crashing melodies to the stage.

Playing the festival in the middle of their US headline tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of this same album, you could spot their hardcore support band STATIC DRESS‘ Olli Appleyard smirking and banging his head at side along with the festival crowd to A Boy Brushed Red Living in Black And White and It’s Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door. UNDEROATH were a refreshing change in sound for the more melodic pop-punk throws of the rest of the mainstage line-up and left the same as they entered, with quiet knowing confidence.

Rating: 8/10

SIMPLE PLAN – Pink StageSimple Plan live @ When We Were Young Festival 2024. Photo Credit: Justin James

There is nothing quite like seeing tens of adults in Scooby-Doo onesies crash the stage mid-set at a festival, and much less hearing the tens of thousands strong crowd go wild for it, but if there is one thing that SIMPLE PLAN do, it’s make you grin ear to ear. (Supposed to be) playing through their album No Pads, No Helmets…Just Balls during the height of the Nevada sun, members Chuck Comeau, Jeff Stinco and Sébastien Lefebvre delivered a truly wholesome and infectiously happy set, with frontman Pierre Bouvier interspersing songs with positive messages and heartfelt thank yous.

Even for a festival playing into the stereotype of emo kids who never grew up, it was clear that SIMPLE PLAN were not only dearly loved by the many fans who figuratively jumped at the chance to hit the bouncing inflatable balls in the crowd, but also by their industry peers as for their performance of “I’m Just A Kid”, the band brought on Boys Like Girls‘ Martin Johnson, Tonight Alive‘s Jenna McDougall, We The Kings‘ Travis Clark and both Derek’s of Mayday Parade and State Champs (Sanders and DiScanio). Alongside the classics “I’d Do Anything” and “Shut Up!”, a mashup of Smash Mouth‘s “All Star”, Avril Lavigne‘s “Sk8er Boi” and The Killer‘s “Mr. Brightside” snuck its way onto the setlist, so it looks like their cheeky charm allowed them to get away with twisting the rules ever so slightly.

Rating: 9/10

PIERCE THE VEIL – Purple StagePierce The Veil live @ When We Were Young Festival 2024. Photo Credit: Sophia Juliette

PIERCE THE VEIL transform the stage into a full scale replica of their 2012 Collide With The Sky album cover. As the lights go up, anxious chatter can be heard amongst the crowd who debate whether they will play Tangled In The Great Escape and spread the rumour that Kellin Quinn of SLEEPING WITH SIRENS may make a guest appearance. The San Diego rockers don’t hold out, opening with May These Noises Startle You In Your Sleep Tonight then ripping straight into Hell Above without pause. They power through the album, notably skipping King For A Day but riling up the crowd at every given opportunity.

Of course there was no chance of PIERCE THE VEIL leaving without performing their most popular song (at least not without the risk of rioting on the streets of Las Vegas). It seems that the copious amount of speculation has failed to adequately prepare fans for the moment Kellin Quinn enters the stage. The crowd erupt in feverish screams as Vic Fuentes announces his arrival right after singing out the opening lines of King For A Day. Ending their set with Hold On ‘till May featuring one last surprise guest, Jenny McDougall of TONIGHT ALIVE, some fans are quite literally in tears as they exit the stage.

Rating: 9/10

JIMMY EAT WORLD – Pink Stage

Building up to the finale headline acts of the evening and with the sun firmly set, JIMMY EAT WORLD opened with the eponymous single to their promised album, Bleed American, getting the crowd off to a good start jumping around. Whilst Jim Adkins sung a flawless rendition of their musical number The Middle, after this song the set as a whole fell flat and felt unremarkable against the earlier high energy performances of the day. The accompaniments of Zach Lind, Tom Linton and Rick Burch to the acoustics Your House and Hear You Me halted the energy of the field and even cued some yawning.

Unfortunately, it felt very stationary and discordant, and despite being a widely known name in the scene, with this lineup they felt somewhat out of place, despite having toured earlier in the spring with FALL OUT BOY to the delight of both fanbases. Whilst technically impressive, this album was possibly a poor and unremarkable choice to have played in full to a crowd of mostly millennial adults trying to push past their tiredness to stay up into the night.

Rating: 5/10

FALL OUT BOY – Pink StageFall Out Boy live @ When We Were Young Festival 2024. Photo Credit: Justin James

Always the outcasts even within the alternative scene, FALL OUT BOY were one of two bands who declined to play through a singular album but instead created a whole stage show specifically for When We Were Young Festival. It was designed to rotate through the band’s years in a TAYLOR SWIF Eras Tour, or as bassist Pete Wentz put it, “designed to be in… a high school auditorium once on a warm Sunday”. In terms of production and stage value, few other bands committed to the intense theatricality of the Chicagoans, complete with flying sheep props, masked cheerleader dancers and a gigantic inflatable bear/boy.

Having spoken very openly in the past about being wary to succumb to creative endeavours based on eras bygone, the foursome curated a sampling of hits and sporadic deep cuts, starting from their first studio album Take This To Your Grave with Chicago Is So Two Years Ago all the way through to their eighth record So Much (For) Stardust with the eponymous closing track. One thing that has dramatically changed since their start in 2003 is their stage presence, and this could be clearly seen that weekend by those who may have last seen them on the infamous Warped Tour. Lead vocalist Patrick Stump used to cower behind his low fitted hat to avoid seeing the crowd, yet now he grooves back and forth with his guitar, completely unafraid to unleash his startling voice and flawlessly execute vocal runs on his grand piano.

Drummer Andy Hurley ripped through the iconic drumlines of Dance, Dance and I Don’t Care whilst flashing grins to the audience, and guitarist Joe Trohman – who once used to leap off stage equipment and swing his instrument roundabout in flashy mannerisms – now simply revels in his trills and lets his sharp riffs speak for themselves. A unique things about FALL OUT BOY fans is that there is no common age – many have joined steadily across the years, with no clear ‘peak’ era to speak of – this reflected well at When We Were Young Festival when the band could cut their vocals and let the 80,000 strong cover their lyrics for them at virtually any point, whether to Sugar, We’re Goin Down or Centuries (they’ve had years to decipher Stump‘s early annunciation at this point).

The final flourish to their finale was the dramatic reveal of their random song chosen by a larger-than-life 80’s Magic 8 ball toy, which resulted in GYM CLASS HEROES’ Travie McCoy taking the stage for a rendition of Cupid’s Chokehold on Saturday, followed by Wiz Khalifa for See You Again on Sunday, sending the crowd wild. Crew dressed like hospital staff tied Wentz into a harness to soar into the sky with a cluster of Up-inspired balloons in hand for their famous closer Saturday, before he made a mad dash to fall into a sea of outstretched arms in the crowd under outpourings of confetti. Undoubtedly, FALL OUT BOY took first place for the best performance and production of the weekend and firmly reminded desert-goers why they remain one of the largest and most revered rock bands in the world.

Rating: 10/10

MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE – Purple StageMy Chemical Romance live @ When We Were Young Festival 2024. Photo Credit: Sophia Juliette

For many, the announcement that not only would MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE be headlining When We Were Young Festival in 2024, but that they would be playing the iconic 2006 album The Black Parade in full for the first time since 2007, came as as a Richter scale qualifying shock.

After a full day of audience anticipation, Ray Toro, Gerard Way, Mikey Way and Frank Iero take to the stage dressed smartly in all black. As heart monitor bleeps echo out across the festival grounds, signifying the beginning of The End, Gerard Way assumes his position and the magic truly begins. The silhouettes of the band are projected onto the backdrop by spotlighting. It’s a hauntingly beautiful.

It’s clear from the off that MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE are still on the same incredible form they were for their 2022-23 reunion tour. Gerard Way commands the audience with his signature blend of enthusiastic bouncing and dramatic flare. The energy from the rest of the band is just as vibrant, and is particularly impressive on Iero‘s part, with the rhythm guitarist having already opened the festival much earlier in the day with a full as part of L.S DUNES.

The energy and the atmosphere are unrelenting as the band thrash their way through each track, the backdrop chopping and changing from silhouettes to swords, to a black widow spider, and back again. The highlights of this incredible set were Kayleigh Goldsworthy joining the stage to play violin for Cancer and Mama, an elevated and more ethereal rendition of Disenchanted, and the unexpected and beautiful reprise of Welcome to the Black Parade at the end of Famous Last Words.

Rating: 10/10

Words: Sash Vee, Alex Morgan

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