Liverpool is known for its music scene. There’s usually a show on somewhere regardless of what night of the week it is. Amongst this there is a strong underground metal/hardcore scene but its not often that the bigger metal bands come through, often favouring Manchester. Tonight that changes as scottish metalcore giants, Bleed from Within, play at the O2 Academy Liverpool as a part of their Dying Sun tour. With them are Danish death metal band BAEST and American deathcore new comers Disembodied Tyrant.
Unfortunately the odds are stacked against the bands tonight as their ferry travelling from Dublin was delayed by 8 hours meaning that theres no time for the supports to play tonight. Whilst disappointing this is just one of those things that’s completely unavoidable, at least we still get a show! Seeing as the supports didn’t get to play I’m not going to be able to review them however I will talk about them as they both deserve attention.
First off is BAEST. Coming all the way from Denmark its no surprise that their sound is heavily influenced by Swedish death metal. The band have gone for a more modern take on the genre but you can still hear the old school influences woven into their music. If you’re into bands like Cannibal Corpse, Entombed or Decapitated then their definitely worth checking out.
Disembodied Tyrant were set to play second and based on conversation at the show theres definitely a lot of people who were excited to see them play. Considering the band only formed in 2020 they’ve quickly made a name for themselves and built a strong following. Their music is a complex mix of technical riffs, breakneck speed drums, and raw growling vocals, topped off with symphonic elements. Their sound is also extremely well crafted with some very well thought out sections within their songs which in my opinion is a bit more of a progression within the genre. If you’re a fan of bands like Lorna Shore then this a band for you. Unfortunately this is also their first time touring in the UK so you can understand the excitement to see the band.
Onto our headliners tonight, Bleed From Within. Forming back in 2005 the band have worked hard to reach the position they are currently in. Last year saw the release of their 7th studio album, Zenith, pushing their sound further whilst also experimenting within the genre. Now before we dive into the set it should be noted that when bands are on tour realistically they need to be at a venue by around midday in order to set up all the kit and make sure everyone has time to soundcheck.
Tonight due to the delays in travel they didn’t make it to the venue until around 7:30pm but by 8:30pm they had their gear set up and were running a soundcheck and that is all down to their crew. To turn things around so quickly is more than impressive so a big shout out to the crew working on this tour for making it happen!
Wasting absolutely no time, the band kick things of with their latest album title track, Zenith. It very quickly sets the tone for the night as vocalist Scott Kennedy makes his way back and forth across the stage, bellowing into the microphone, whilst also pointing at various fans within the crowd showing them acknowledgement. Having endured a long wait and no support acts to warm up the crowd, things could of gone one of two ways.
The crowd would either be quite static and unenthusiastic or they would be full of energy and really let loose; thankfully for the band its the latter. By song 2 crowd surfers are already out in force putting security through their paces, and the room is very much in motion as moshers throw themselves around the pit, people climb on shoulders, whilst others headbang along to the music.
Bleed from Within have been around long enough that they’ve had the chance to play a whole multitude of stages, ranging from huge festival stages and arenas to smaller venues, tonight being on the smaller side but that in no way impacts their performance. Treating the stage as they would any other, the bands performance oozes confidence and skill, showcasing the wealth of talent within the band.
Tonights set, though leaning heavily on newer music, is a true showcase of what the band are capable of. Songs like A Hope In Hell show the bands more technical side, starting off with a more groove inspired verse before bringing in a huge sing along chorus, whilst Violent Nature is a display of the bands heavier side. We’re also treated to songs from early in the bands career including Leech from debut album Uprising and Alive from the bands second album Era.
Through out the set Scott apologises for the delay but continuously thanks the crowd for their support and for sticking with the band through the years, reminding us that without the support from the fans the band wouldn’t have made it to the position their in now. To make up for the fact the supports didn’t get to play members of both Baest and Disembodied Tyrant join Bleed on stage for a few songs.
Closing the set with In Place Of Your Halo gives the crowd one final chance to burn off any remaining energy, with Scott even climbing into the crowd, held up by the fans. Despite tonights set backs, the bands performance has been exhilarating, powerful and a true showcase of why the band’s live performance is so highly praised, with the crowd giving back every bit of energy that the band provide. If this is how the band perform at every show, then I can only imagine they’ll be headlining arenas in no time.
