THE GALLERY: Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18

Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

 

 

 

Words by Yasmine Summan / Pics by Eleanor Sutcliffe

Mallory Knox have returned from their brief hiatus to shed any doubt or dismay, as they charge through the UK on their self-titled tour of 2018 – joined by JUDAS and Dead! Playing a series of more ‘intimate’ shows, the now four piece band are back on the road for six dates throughout April, ready to rock out until they tear the whole room apart from Brighton to Glasgow.

Tonight is Mama Roux’s turn, as Birmingham hosts the penultimate gig before Mallory Knox close out their tour at the Bodega in Nottingham. JUDAS are first to kick in, and whilst I enjoy their typical indie rock style of stripped down, guitar riffs, and continuous drum set loops – that shifts attention onto the ‘tom toms’, bringing an elevated, pop element to their music – the harmonies are scathed by off-pitch, out of tune rhythms and a lackluster vocal range from lead singer, John Clancy.

JUDAS – supporting Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeThe man clearly appears to be trying his hardest, but rather than having his vocals crisply cut through thin air they crunch into the microphone and even become inaudible at times. Although JUDAS maintain a vivacious stage energy throughout their set and gain quite humbling crowd engagement, albeit with sadly off par vocal ranges that somewhat scorn their talents and on occasion left me to painfully cringe.

Bursting through the doors of the mainstream industry to alight the new age of rock and roll, Dead! dominate as the main support act – immediately blowing the roof clean off the Mama Roux’s. Bordering between alternative/punk rock, Dead! omit the typical nonchalant, wild and chaotic personality of 70’s rock in their performance. Whilst screeching guitar riffs burn through every strum of the finger, heavy kick drums create a low thumping rhythm to head bang to – alongside Alex Mountford’s enthralling vocals that cling to every corner of the room.

Dead! – supporting Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeDead! strategically play slower verses that intensely build into high energy, fast tempo choruses, with mosh pits opening up left, right and center. Pandering to the crowd with fan favorite songs (as Sam Matlock shreds his guitar solo to ‘Enough, Enough, Enough’ whilst balancing on Louis Matlock’s drum kit, in true rock and roll style) I feel that their set list underwhelms their talents. Their performance tonight is perhaps mellowed out for Mallory Knox’s crowd, but songs like ‘Off White Paint’ and ‘Enemy’ hold an evident absence during the show.

But now it’s time for the headline act, playing one of their first live shows since the departure of vocalist Mike Chapman in February this year. And there’s no messing about from tonight’s crowd, with fans practically diving onto the stage as Mallory Knox kick in with their new single, ‘Black Holes’. Bassist and now vocalist, Sam Douglas, captivates the room as he rushes onto the stage, blaring his gnawing bass riffs with every burning strum. Moving as one body, the room responds and elevates into chaos, as everyone jumps around and seemingly quite literally loses their minds.

Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

Bouncing around the room, Mallory Knox perpetuate boundless stage energy, with guitarist, Joe Savins, leaning into the crowd to sing along with fans. Radiating a humble nature, Douglas and the rest of the band thank everyone for coming out – with the now front man even delving into his personal life, to openly admit he is struggling but the fans are helping him through.

As off the wall moments of insanity among the audience sway through the show, including lots of crowd surfing and mosh pits, the momentum of the set moves like a rollercoaster. And whilst their track list tonight also features fan favorites, including some of their best hits such as ‘Beggars’ and ‘Better Off Without You’, upon reaching the forth song the show mellows out almost too drastically.

The pace set by their lively start takes a seriously low drop as Mallory Knox reach the middle of the set, picking up with a few newer tracks towards the end. But the ball begins to properly (rock and) roll again when they brake through with ‘Wake Up’, sending the Mama Roux’s back into uproar once more.Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Since the departure of Chapman, Mallory Knox appear to be shedding their 2013 alternative rock cage – one that has arguably overshadowed their sound for years – and are advancing into heavier rock, incorporating lower riffs and fast tempo beats. It does feel that Mallory Knox’s newer singles, ‘Livewire’ and ‘Black Holes’, gain popularity from the audience as they drive the band’s creative direction into new horizons, possibly paving an exciting future for the band’s sound.

It’s clearly been a tough time for Mallory Knox since the recent departure of their long-time vocalist, Mike Chapman. And whilst they power through their performance tonight, I’d argue that the band are still not fully rehearsed or together since this event. Moments of vulnerability, unknowingness, and confusion peak through their performance – as microphone stands fall over mid-song, off-time rhythms weave through their guitars, and Douglas’ voice strains itself to reach the capabilities that Chapman could.

Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeI respectably applaud Mallory Knox for continuing with this tour despite all odds, and there are clear moments were their talents shine through. But perhaps a more sensible response would have been to postpone the tour until the band were fully ready to perform without Chapman. In fact, their unsparing mistakes tonight only emphasise the absence of Chapman, leading some including myself to think ‘would this happen if Mikey were here?’

Reflecting on tonight’s show, Mallory Knox are clearly trying as best as they can to make ends meet; plunging into a year-long hiatus would realistically have only tarnished their popularity and most likely upset fans, so the band have pushed through despite their recent loss – one that has clearly impacted their live performances.

And whilst they may still be finding their footing as a four piece, shreds of their former glory did flutter through their set, especially with Douglas’ heightened confidence when performing new tracks. I feel that with time this band will be back on their feet again.

 

 

 

Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

For more on Mallory Knox, visit www.malloryknox.com

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Dead! – supporting Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

Dead! – supporting Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Dead! – supporting Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Dead! – supporting Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

For more Dead!, visit www.theinternetisdead.co.uk

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JUDAS – supporting Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

JUDAS – supporting Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe JUDAS – supporting Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe JUDAS – supporting Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

For more on JUDAS, visit www.wearejudas.com

For more from Kilimanjaro Live, including further event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.kilimanjarolive.co.uk

For more on Mama Roux’s, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.facebook.com/mamarouxs

THE GALLERY: Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

 

 

 

Words by Yasmine Summan / Pic by Phil Drury

Florida’s heavy metal band, Trivium, set Birmingham a blaze this week as they storm through the UK on their The Sin and The Sentence World Tour 2018 – bringing city fans extreme head banging, searing guitar riffs, intense breakdowns, and a varied set list of their best hits since they first formed in 1999.

Power Trip – supporting Trivium @ 02 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil DruryFans flocked to the O2 Academy Birmingham in the thousands, hounding the merch tables and practically clinging onto the barrier with faces from all generations wavering through the crowd. I could feel the waves of nostalgia and excitement flooding through the room as fans joyfully ran in, decked out in ancient Trivium memorabilia unseen for years.

Opening the night, UK death metal band, Venom Prison, stormed onto the stage with a high energy performance and excessive head banging from vocalist, Larissa Stupar – who’s impressive screams filled the room and left everyone stunned.Power Trip – supporting Trivium @ 02 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Power Trip followed with their unique sound that revives the best elements of 80’s thrash metal, but takes aspects of modern metal to create a unique flare to their music. Their intensely high tempo, fast paced rhythm and scorching guitar solos had energy buzzing through the air; the whole band emanated great stage presence, with guitarist, Blake Ibanez, leaning into the crowd to sing along with the fans.

Code Orange stood out for their insane, off the wall performance that sky rocketed the energy levels in the room. Before their set had even begun the band’s guitarist, Dominic Landolina, ran off the stage and jumped into the crowd, gathering excitement amongst fans.

Code Orange – supporting Trivium @ 02 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil DruryWhilst I enjoyed the diverse range of support acts, the drastically varying subgenres didn’t fairly compliment their collective talents. Hardcore is often more aggressive whilst metal is more melodic, which garner completely different audiences. Whilst the majority of the crowd was lively, this did result in some disinterested faces across the room and I think better consideration could have been put into the arrangement of the line-up.

As the lights dimmed and fans eagerly waited, I was unsure of what would entail for the atmosphere in the O2 Academy after the mixed reactions for the previous acts. However, I can assure you that as Trivium’s lead vocalist, Matt Heafy, swarmed onto the stage and the thudding of Alex Bent’s drums began to charge through the room, all hell truly did break loose. Trivium kicked in with their latest track, ‘The Sin and The Sentence’, causing crowd surfers to flood through the barriers, with mosh pits circulating around the room as an intoxicating rush of adrenaline dazed the crowd.Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Their performance was practically unscathed, it felt so well-rehearsed and strategically thought out. From the layout of the stage that matched their latest album cover, to the lights syncing to the beat of the drums and every single riff tearing its way through the room without a single distorted note in sight, I was beyond overwhelmed with the outstanding performance – especially at Heafy’s guitar riffs that were so crisp they could cut through thin air.

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil DruryTrivium play on the traditional styles of heavy metal music, which was translated great through their older hits like ‘Throes of Perdition’ and ‘Becoming the Dragon’ with highly amplified extended guitar solos and emphatic drum beats, similar to heavy metal bands like Iron Maiden and Pantera. Although arguably, I do think the lack of their works from popular albums such as Shogun and The Crusade was underwhelming, seeing as these tried and tested tracks translate well with the fans when performed live.

The band moved as one body and fed from each other’s energy. It was clear to see the devoted passion for their work thriving through each member; at times you could even see bassist, Paolo Gregoletto, rapidly strumming with sweat soaking his face, as if he was pouring his soul into every strum.Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury Even between songs the band’s genuine nature transpired, as they constantly thanked the crowd and shared moments of their last time in the UK with Heafy saying he feels that “the UK basically adopted us” because of how frequently they visit.

Short bursts of surreal moments are what truly captivated the O2 Academy Birmingham crowd and brought the room together. It was humbling to see fans completely in awe with their eyes glued to the stage, or even to see someone coming out of a mosh pit completely covered in blood but with a huge grin plastered across their face as they sang along to every word.

Trivium are stretching their adventures across the UK and will be visiting Manchester and London before finalising their The Sin and The Sentence Tour for 2018. But as for their stop at the O2 Academy Birmingham, it brought a nostalgic pang of happiness to see fans, families and friends all enjoying themselves.

 

 

 

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

For more on Trivium, visit www.trivium.org

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Power Trip – supporting Trivium @ 02 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Power Trip – supporting Trivium @ 02 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Power Trip – supporting Trivium @ 02 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Power Trip – supporting Trivium @ 02 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Power Trip – supporting Trivium @ 02 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Power Trip – supporting Trivium @ 02 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Power Trip – supporting Trivium @ 02 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Power Trip – supporting Trivium @ 02 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Power Trip – supporting Trivium @ 02 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

For more on Power Trip, visit www.powertripsl.bandcamp.com

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Code Orange – supporting Trivium @ 02 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Code Orange – supporting Trivium @ 02 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Code Orange - supporting Trivium @ O2 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Code Orange – supporting Trivium @ 02 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

Code Orange – supporting Trivium @ 02 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury Code Orange – supporting Trivium @ 02 Academy 17.04.18 / Phil Drury

For more on Code Orange, visit www.codeorangetoth.com

For more on Venom Prison, visit www.venomprison.com

For more from Live Nation UK, including further event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.livenation.co.uk

For more on O2 Academy Birmingham, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academybirmingham

 

BPREVIEW: Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18

BPREVIEW: Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18

Words by Eleanor Sutcliffe

Mallory Knox will be performing an intimate show in Mama Roux’s on Tuesday 24th April as part of their spring UK tour, with support from Dead! and JUDAS.

Doors open at Mama Roux’s from 7:30pm, with tickets priced from £20 (plus booking fee) – as presented by Kilimanjaro Live. For online ticket sales click here. To visit the gig’s Facebook Event page, click here.

Following main stage performances at the Reading and Leeds Festivals, and the independent release of their latest track ‘Black Holes’, Mallory Knox are proving themselves a force to be reckoned with.

BPREVIEW: Mallory Knox @ Mama Roux’s 24.04.18Building up their fan base since the release of their debut UK album, Signals, back in 2013, the band have slowly but surely climbed their way to the top of the UK alternative rock scene. Just under a year later and the release of their sophomore album, Asymmetry, landed them at No16 in the UK Album Charts and secured them a host of performances with bands such as Pierce the Veil and Sleeping with Sirens – as well as an independent UK tour that saw them sell out London’s Electric Ballroom two nights in a row.

This continued to peak when Mallory Knox were announced for both the Slam Dunk Festival and the iconic Vans Warped Tour –with the band’s last studio album, Wired, released in March 2017 and reaching both No1 on the UK Rock & Metal Album Charts and No18 on the UK Album Charts.

Committed to carving out their own niche in the UK music scene, Mallory Knox have spent years developing their sound – just listen to the differences between tracks such as ‘Oceans’ and ‘Sugar’ if you don’t believe me. And boy, has it paid off. Their commitment to experimentation without straying too far from the path has resulted in the band becoming a favourite with rock and metal fans across the UK.

Although this time, it could be slightly different. The seemingly sudden departure of Mikey Chapman has lost Mallory Knox their unique vocals. Although from what we’ve heard of ‘Black Holes’, Mallory Knox’s co-vocalist and bass player Sam Douglas seems more than ready to take the reins.

Playing it safe with a string of intimate shows across the UK this spring, coming to Mama Roux’s in Birmingham on Tuesday 24th April, it’s just exciting to see what Mallory Knox have in store for us next.

‘Black Holes’ – Mallory Knox 

On Tuesday 24th April, Mallory Knox play at Mama Roux’s with support from Dead! and JUDAS – as presented by Kilimanjaro Live. For online ticket sales click here. To visit the gig’s Facebook Event page, click here.

For more on Mallory Knox, visit www.malloryknox.com

For more Dead!, visit www.theinternetisdead.co.uk

For more on JUDAS, visit www.wearejudas.com

For more from Kilimanjaro Live, including further event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.kilimanjarolive.co.uk

For more on Mama Roux’s, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.facebook.com/mamarouxs