It’s a new year and time for a new you, right? Nah, might as well get drunk every week while watching a load of killer metal bands. Here’s the best of what’s in store over the next seven days…
The North
Amulet at Manchester, The Star And Garter, Saturday 17th January
London’s Amulet head up an absolutely stacked bill featuring, and we quote, scaphistic Black/Death metal from Cold Fell, tough weirdo punk courtesy of Denim Leather, Evisorax delivering raging pissed off grind, Satan’s heavy metal in the form of Aggressive Perfector, not to mention true Preston steel from Ascalon.
The Midlands
Onslaught at Birmingham, The Flapper, Saturday 17th January
Onslaught headline the last ever Headbangers Balls at The Flapper with a whole host of quality supports including Shrapnel, Reign If Fury, Spirytus, SLAB, Internal Conflict, Eradikator, Silence The Weak. We’re also reliably informed there will be a pizza van present. Thrash and pizza! What more do you want from a Saturday night?
**The South **
Acrania at Brighton, Bleach, Saturday 17th January
London political death metal upstarts Acrania are set to upset the locals at Bleach in Brighton this Saturday. With support coming from A Night In The Abyss, Impuritas and Accursed Kingdom, grab your ear plugs and get yourself along for blastbeats by the bucketload.
London
**Sabaton at The Forum, Monday 12th January **
The Swedish power metal powerhouse return to a one off show at London’s Kentish Town Forum. Expect any January blues to be well and truly shaken off as Joakim Brodén leads his troops through a rousing battle once more. The band play material from last year’s Heroes, a chart topper back in their homeland, as well as their hefty back catalogue.
Scotland
Skyclad at Edinburgh, Banermans Bar, Saturday 17th January
Ain’t no party like a folk metal party, and this Saturday there is a corker of a folk metal party going down in Edinburgh. Newcastle’s Skyclad will be causing hassle for anyone attempting dry January along with Celtic metal from Argentina’s Silktron.
Wales
J Mascis at Cardiff, The Globe, Wednesday 14th January
Grunge legend and Dinosaur Jr frontman J Mascis has stripped things back for a solo tour of our shores. While it may be a departure from the fuzzed-up past he’s known for, this is a chance to see one of the genre’s most important figure’s show exactly why so many people started wearing plaid in the early ‘90s.
Northern Ireland
Mark Lanegan at Belfast, The Limelight, Friday 16th January
With The Screaming Trees, Queens Of The Stone Age and various other projects under his belt, this hero sets off on a lengthy European tour this week kicking things off in Northern Ireland. In support of recent album Phantom Radio, get yourself along to be serenaded by Mr Lanegan’s husky tones.
Ireland
Slipknot at Dublin, The 3 Arena, Wednesday 14th January
The big one. Ever since staying up late and watching the livestream of their Knotfest sets we’ve been gagging for this tour. The excitement has got so much that our postman is sick of us shouting “if you’re 555” at him. With the first new stageshow in years, as well as a set of new material and all the bangers we know and love, this is set to be a blinder! Maggots, assemble!