Chuggaboom, Karma’s Puppet, Unknown Refuge & 40,000 Leagues
Chuggaboom, Karma’s Puppet, Unknown Refuge & 40,000 Leagues
The Swan With Two Necks, Macclesfield
Date: 02/12/2023
Review by Rob Sutton
It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to do a live review but with the news that The Swan With Two Necks is changing owners and thus meaning the chance of live gigs being at this venue going forward are slim, I had to get down. That being said, this is the most ambitious line up Macclesfield have seen with the mighty Chuggaboom headlining and being supported by a host of local acts.
First up is a band I’m very familiar with, 40,000 Leagues. Each time these guys have smashed their set and tonight begins with a frankly epic intro, which builds the suspense perfectly for their set. The guitar work is frankly stunning! The riffs and solos really hit hard, but for me the melodies are what set 40k apart from the norm. Couple that with some incredible clean vocals, the notes they hit are mental, adding an almost Power Metal element to an otherwise metalcore-ish set. To add to the clean vocals, the harsh vocals have really improved from last time, the mid-range is brilliant and the addition of the low range is on point. The frontman’s charisma on stage is exactly what I’ve come to expect: phenomenal. This truly does pump the crowd for the rest of the night. This is a belter of a set and once again 40,000 Leagues have blown me away! They are stupidly good and probably the best opening band I have seen all year!
https://www.facebook.com/40kLeagues
I’ve heard a lot about Unknown Refuge but never actually watched them live, so let’s see what the hype is about. Once again the guitar melodies are frankly stunning and the rocky feel to them really strikes a chord with the crowd. There is a good amount of crowd interaction, but they ended up talking over each other, which ends up sounding a little messy. The cover was a nice addition, but on a night like tonight, I would have much preferred a set made up of originals, however it did get the crowd singing along. I have to say Unknown Refuge are good, and does a fantastic job of keeping the energy up.
https://www.facebook.com/UnknownRefuge
Another band which I have reviewed on a number of occasions is Karma’s Puppet and this being their home town show definitely heightens expectations. Their intro, whilst good, didn’t flow into the first song as well as I feel it could have, with their being a pause slightly longer than needed Saying that, the other interludes worked brilliantly and flowed so much better. Yet again the vocals are on point and the drums are pounding! I wish I could hear the guitars a little more as they are a little lost in the live mix. Saying that. KP do what they always do, get the crowd moving, get everyone in a good mood and lay waste to everything in their path. I love Karma’s Puppet, but this wasn’t quite their best set in terms of sound. Still bloody good!
https://www.facebook.com/karmaspuppet
There has been a lot of hype around tonight’s headliners Chuggaboom, and they start off in fine fashion with a cracking intro. Their set proceeds with a fantastic mix of Metalcore with a nice sprinkling of electronics over the top. The backing tracks really do make these guys stand out and with the bouncy, Nu-Metal style breakdowns whip the crowd into a frenzy, plenty of jumping about, pitting and singing along. Vocally Chuggaboom are impressive, the cleans are on point hitting every note as well as being crystal clear in the mix not to mention the growls, the range is simply stunning with everything from mid range to gutturals and even a few pig squeals for good measure. A particular high point for me was their rendition of Barbie Girl. I don’t think I have ever seen so many metalheads sing along to a mainstream song in my life! This really was an outstanding set and the perfect way to close not only the evening but gigs at The Swan as a whole.
https://www.facebook.com/ChuggaBoomBand
A massive shout out to Black Rose Promotions for putting this gig together as it really was an incredible night. The night may have been bittersweet knowing that I may never go to a gig here again but it was the perfect way to close this chapter in Macclesfield.
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Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Rob Sutton and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
