Music / Previews
Metal & Prog Picks: February 2022
Another wave of covid-related postponements has thinned the herd once again this month. Especially vulnerable are US acts who need full European tours to make the journey across the Atlantic economically viable. So anyone wishing to fly the flag will be overjoyed to find that all of this month’s main picks are British.
March, meanwhile, is looking insanely busy. Check out the Coming Soon section for the latest dates.
is needed now More than ever
Marble Factory, Feb 17
Brighten your February with a bracing post-Valentine’s dose of northern gothic misery metal. Yes, those Halifax glumsters are back in town for the first time since they played the Thekla back in February 2018. Mind you, the fact that many of the bands influenced by these pioneers are now conspicuously more commercially successful is enough to make anyone rather gloomy. Their mournful 16th album, Obsidian, was released on Nuclear Blast during the first lockdown and hailed as one of the albums of the year by Metal Hammer. “Halifax’s finest have never sounded sharper or heavier,” they reckoned. Support comes from one of the many acts they’re influenced: Portugal’s most successful band, Moonspell, who once released a concept album about the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. Their twelfth album, Hermitage, topped the charts back home last year.
Exchange, Feb 19
Let’s thrash like it’s 1987! Standing up for trad thrash metal values for nearly two decades, Huddersfield’s Evile now have accomplished founding guitarist Ol Drake back in the ranks. He’s also taken over as vocalist. Their fifth album, Hell Unleashed, is more brutal than its predecessors, marking something of a detour into death metal territory – though the pace rarely slackens from breakneck. Fascinating fact: Drake cites Camel’s Andy Latimer as one of his favourite guitarists.
Fleece, Feb 27
Neither Nordic nor giants, this English leftfield prog duo’s performances are full-on audio-visual affairs with cinematic projections, while the twosome – who go by the names of Rôka & Löki – hide behind elaborate masks. Inevitably described by some as ‘post-rock’, their suitably cinematic music is peppered with inspirational samples from the likes of Martin Luther King and Terrance McKenna (ask your dealer). This gig was originally scheduled for March 2020, but you won’t need reminding what happened next. At least that’s given them time to record a new album, Symbiosis, and put out a video for Faceless. “This film touches upon the symbology surrounding the mythical ouroboros symbol – or snake swallowing its own tail,” we’re told. “It’s an allegory for the trappings of life, where every soul is accountable for their own path, but often chooses to remain in the comforts of ignorance or self sabotage.” Support at the Fleece comes from leftfield metallers Årabrot, who are genuinely Nordic.
COMING SOON
Here’s our essential diary of upcoming gigs that should be of interest to anyone of a rockin’ disposition.
Van Der Graaf Generator, The Forum, Bath, March 1
The Sheepdogs, Thekla, March 6
Smith/Kotzen, Fleece, March 7
Napalm Death, O2 Academy, March 7
Tyr, Thekla, March 8
Septicflesh, Fleece, March 9
Kris Barras Band, Marble Factory, March 14
Tangerine Dream, Trinity, March 16
Status Quo, The Forum, Bath, March 18
In Flames, Thekla, March 19
Caravan, Fleece, March 21
Therapy?, Fleece, March 22
Gong, Thekla, March 23
Eric Gales/Danny Bryant, Fleece, March 27
Wayward Sons, Thekla, March 28
Bloodywood, Fleece, March 29
Focus, Fleece, March 30
Rosalie Cunningham, Chapel Arts Centre Bath, April 1
WASP, O2 Academy, April 7
Skunk Anansie, O2 Academy, April 12
Igorrr, Fleece, April 14
Deicide, Fleece, April 16
Primitive Man, Fleece, April 19
Frost*, Komedia, Bath, April 19
The Picturebooks, Exchange, April 24
Bongzilla, Thekla, April 27
Stoner, Thekla, May 4
Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets, The Forum, Bath, May 7
Karnivool, O2 Academy, May 19
Bowling for Soup acoustic singlong, Thekla, May 22
OM, Fleece, May 26
Meshuggah/Zeal & Ardor, O2 Academy, May 29
The Quireboys, Thekla, June 17
Rammstein, Principality Stadium, Cardiff, June 22
High On Fire, Fleece, June 26
Tremonti, O2 Academy, June 27
Mushroomhead, Thekla, June 27
Love with Johnny Echols, Fleece, July 3
ArcTanGent: Opeth, Cult of Luna, Tesseract, Enslaved, Pallbearer, Amenra, Zeal and Ardor, etc, Fernhill Farm, August 17-20
Evergrey, Thekla, Sept 19
Magnum, Fleece, Sept 19
Cheap Trick, O2 Academy, Oct 4
Steve Hackett, Bath Forum, Oct 5
Anthrax/Municipal Waste, O2 Academy, Oct 6
Dare, Fleece, Oct 23
Pallbearer/Elder, Fleece, Nov 3
Saxon, Bath Forum, Nov 15
Lamb of God/Kreator, O2 Academy, Dec 16
Epica/Apocalyptica, O2 Academy, Jan 30 2023
Katatonia/Solstafir, Marble Factory, Feb 12 2023
Avatar, SWX, Feb 23 2023
The Zombies, Fleece, April 13 2023
Main image: Nordic Giants. Pic: Neal Grundy
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