LIVE REVIEW – Death All Day III
Death All Day III
Rebellion, Manchester
31/01/2026
Live Review by Oli Gonzalez
Photos by Rob Lindesay (@rock.the.lens)
Finally, the end of January, the longest month of the year! All new years resolutions having failed miserably and with that sweet first pay day of the year comes with an all-day session of extreme metal! Rantallion Events provided a blend of fresh local talent, seasoned veterans from across the UK and even further, with the night to be headlined by underground punk-metal crossover legends Extinction Of Mankind.
“Why’s the venue closed?” I thought to myself as I arrived…only to find I was at the wrong venue and only had 25 minutes to get to the other side of the city to the CORRECT venue! Luckily, the very efficient and reliable tram service got me to good ol’ Rebellion and there was time to grab a pint and engage in the usual pre-gig chatter some friends before for the opening act!
Oakenthrone
Opening things up, Oakenthrone came with a somewhat strong reputation as a newcomer to the stacked UK black metal scene. Flirting between the boundaries of doom and atmospheric black metal, they played with a maturity way beyond what was allegedly only their third show! There was an icy atmosphere as cold as the late January chill, though the lack of interaction felt like a missed opportunity. Still, a respectable opener.
https://www.facebook.com/people/Oakenthrone/61579989876787
Smouldering Tomb
Next up, a new band for me and for the majority of the people in the room as this was their first show in Manchester. After a somewhat nervous start, the band visibly grew more confident and eased into the set. After all, they had every reason to be confident! They laid down a fierce blend of extreme metal reminiscent of Bolt Thrower, with more of the sludgy and pummelling riffs and sparingly used but devastating splatterings of the faster neck snapping thrash-inspired licks! The semi-circle of doom was filling nicely as the venue was packing out. Only 20 playing minutes seemed like a disservice to themselves but clearly left the crowd wanting more. Speaking to Marianne – who is a devastating vocalist it must be said – revealed that this was only their seventh show in total! A band with a bright future then, clearly.
https://www.instagram.com/smoulderingtombdeath
Skabs
From the sound check we knew the bass was going to cause a few ear drums to ring aggressively. This was the case when they started the show, after a delay and a subsequent shorter set as to not derail the show. They offered a welcome injection of energy, with a sludgy barrage of riffs and atmosphere that was certainly not for the faint of heart! We knew that the quality of the bands was heading in a positive upwards trajectory during their set. Just in time for the much larger crowd which was forming.
https://www.instagram.com/skabsmetalpunx
Yersin
Hailing from the North East and coming armed with big festival experience, and a reputation to match, Yersin represented one of those bands I had wanted to see for a while but just never had the chance to. Being a three piece – drums, vocals and only 1 guitar – made me question what kind of sound this reduced set up could produce. Though an 8 string was more than suitable to hold down low end and melody…well, this isn’t a melodic band. Not at all. This is hardcore sludge, with punishing neck snapping grooves and a grim outlook to match! Vocalist worked hard to engage the crowd and would eventually take matters into his own hands coming into the crowd.
https://www.facebook.com/yersinofficial
Vaticinal Rites
A young up and coming band from London way (though their vocalist is Manchester based). They offered a bruising and bludgeoning brand of death metal, with clear inspiration from the old school of the genre. Think Obituary, Cannibal Corpse. Though there was a modern twist with seasonings of hardcore. Vocalist Marcus put on one of the strongest performances of the day from behind the mic, sounding consistently fierce and never lacking volume. His skills as a front man were tested in engaging the aging crowd and inciting. Whilst they certainly were engaged and plenty of heads were banging along, a younger crowd would have turned the place into a warzone!
https://www.facebook.com/vaticinalrites
Putrid Offal
Hailing from France and bringing the international flavour as well as a veteran feel as clearly one of the older bands tonight. Taking to the stage in blood splattered white overalls, this portrayed images of either demented butchers or sadistic scientists. Depending on your view. Vocalist Franck, donning a more traditional black attire with blood covering his skull, was at the forefront of a blistering aggressive grind metal attack on Manchester this evening. His guttural vocal assault was supported exquisitely by the higher pitch savagery of bassist Fred’s backing vocals. No room for progressive movements or detailed patterns. Blink and you’d miss one of their intense hyperblasts of a song! The strongest of the day! Still no mosh pit though! Manchester, what’s going on?
https://www.facebook.com/putridoffal
Foetal Juice
Deep into the lineup now, local grind legends Foetal Juice took to the stage. If they couldn’t crack this crowd and initiate some movement, then frankly nobody could! Well it finally happened. All it took was some mild insults and adding fuel to the perpetual North-South rivalry by advising that their most recent show in Norwich had a better crowd! Hits like ‘Gluttony’ and ‘Manifestation Of Falsity’ are packed with slamming riffs from the seemingly never ending production line of Foetal Juice. They were also the reason so many decided to throw themselves into each other like human dodgems, whilst front man Dez kept the crowd entertained with his dry and blunt northern sense of humour. A friend commented on how they’re getting better and better each time he sees them. A potential Damnation Festival opener in the not too distant future?
https://www.facebook.com/FoetalJuice
Extinction Of Mankind
What happens when you mix punk and metal? You get Extinction Of Mankind! Think early Sepultura and Municipal Waste, with that crusty on-the-nose angst of punk, with the density and heaviness of metal. Led by the primitive and raging vocals of Ste, he roared with the rage of a man who’s seen the world go to sh!t and lets you know it. He was joined by Tortured Demon’s Jacob Parkinson in a passing on the torch moment to the newer generation. Though in between songs, he provided comic relief by reminding us of the irony of singing about smashing the system when he had two bad knees and a bad back, and his regret for drinking Stella all day! The older crowd was sadly thinning towards the end of their set, especially as some didn’t want to risk missing the last train home. Though those who had stuck around were treated to a stalwart of the underground scene.
https://www.facebook.com/p/Extinction-of-Mankind-100050179793003/
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Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Oli Gonzalez and Ever Metal. Photography the propert of Rob Lindesay (@rock.the.lens). 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.