A heavy metal band not quite like any other, While She Sleeps are at the top of their game following the release of their fresh new album, You Are We, you can be sure that tonight’s sell out show is definitely one to remember.

Opening up are Fizzy Blood, a Leeds-based bunch, these guys bring some seriously heavy riffs with an immense level of fanatics. The band bounce around the stage and the room has already filled to a nice level with people keen to see their set; their sound is tight and packs a great amount of punch, definitely a band to be watching. Following this come In Hearts Wake, a band who have literally travelled from the other side of the world just to be here tonight. The Aussie boys only continue to crank up the metal further and the crowd enters the first of tonight’s insane mosh pits in tracks such as ‘Warcry’ which see fists and feet being flung into the air. For their first time playing Brighton, the band are received incredibly well and there is such an immense level of response, they could have easily been mistaken as headliner.

But we are by no means done yet. While She Sleeps soon enter following the atmospheric introduction to ‘You Are We’ and an absolutely ludicrous level of energy is let out throughout the room. Before even playing a note the mosh pits are primed and, as that note finally drops, the entire room is sent into a spiral of fists and anger. A colossal start.

Singer/screamer Lawrence Taylor has a sublime presence and all eyes are drawn as he flings his hair around and executes some of the most brutal but precise screams I’ve heard in an awfully long time. The crowd are clung to his every word, if he asks for a mosh pit, two more open up, if he wants crowdsurfing, feet can immediately be seen scrambling over other onlookers, the man is a god to this crowd and he respects them just as equally. This being said, the rest of the band cannot be ignored either, it seems that all of them are on top form tonight as we witness some incredible solo work within ‘Empire of Silence’ and ‘Feel’ that is met with an enormous response. It is easy to overlook the level of intricacy behind heavy metal music, but the level of precision and dexterity that is behind these songs is simply remarkable and every note is performed exquisitely from the entire band.

As the set begins to come to its twilight stages, the number of fan favourites only continue to grow. No solace can be found as older singles such as ‘This Is The Six’ and ‘Four Walls’ rile the crowd once again and great levels of chanting begin to fill the room during the anthem-like choruses. This is actually a remarkable trend that even While She Sleeps’ newer material holds, despite only being released a number of days before, the entire room can be seen singing along to almost every new track as though they had known them their entire lives. A finale of ‘Hurricane’ leaves the audience one more chance to let out all of their angst, and they take that opportunity with open arms. The room becomes one final, enormous, sweaty battleground and, as the song comes to an end, Laurence thanks the room for what he calls one of the best shows the band have ever played and it is clear that this crowd think the same.

Tonight’s set has been an undoubted success from all three bands tonight, we have witnessed not only some fresh upcoming talent with Fizzy Blood, but been given a sublime glimpse into metal from across the globe with In Hearts Wake and of course been lucky enough to see one of the best bands on the entire scene right now. At the time of seeing the show, You Are We is number five within the UK official charts and, after seeing the level of passion and energy behind each song, While She Sleeps are more than deserving of that number one spot. I genuinely cannot wait to see this band again in the future and would advise everyone to give their material a listen, whether a metal head or not, there is no denial that there is something incredibly special surrounding While She Sleeps that you can’t afford to be ignoring.
Ben Walker

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