French metalcore band Novelists were back in Manchester as part of their current EU / UK tour. It’s been a while since they were last in Manchester, where they played the main stage at RADAR Festival in 2025. I’ve only ever seen Novelists either supporting or on a festival line up so how does their own headline show hold up?
First on tonight is fellow French band TSS (short for The Sunday Sadness). Taking to the stage in leather and backed by strobes their entrance gives a good idea of what’s to be expected. Musically there’s a whole lot going on here as the band seem to blend a whole mixture of genres together ranging from industrial metal to pop, blending it all together to create their own sound. The band features dual vocalists who both deliver strong vocal performances. This was my first time hearing and seeing the band, whilst it wasn’t really for me I can see the appeal and they definitely put on an entertaining performance.
Next up is German band Vianova. This band is currently gaining a lot of attention within the metal scene so it’s great to get a chance to see if their ambitious sound pulls off live. When talking about their sound, it’s hard to really put them in a box. It takes inspiration from a whole bunch of different genres, blending metal, jazz, funk and even gospel together in a way that really shouldn’t work, but somehow it does. It works well, too, especially in a live environment where typically experimental bands can sometimes fall short. Taking to the stage with an air of confidence, the band deliver an exciting and energetic set which really gets the crowd moving.
Finally we have Novelists. Back in 2023 when Camille Contreras joined the band, people were a little uncertain of how this would change the bands sound but if anything its allowed them to really carve their own path and find their sound. Last year the band released CODA and tonight’s show is in support of that, being popular enough to even upgrade the venue. Kicking the set off with All For Nothing, the band waste no time in showing what they’re about with Camille taking centre stage before being joined by the rest of the band when the first chorus kicks in. What’s interesting is that, where most bands put their old material behind them with a new singer, Novelists continue to play their older songs, with Heretic proving to be a popular hit early on in the set.
Once again, Camille’s voice is on form tonight. It’s powerful and uplifting when it needs to be, and filled with emotion at other times, but her screaming abilities are also strong, going between styles with ease. I’m a fan of the latest album, but I personally feel the band shine best when performing live. There’s always a look of enjoyment on all the members faces, and both Florestan and Pierre get their moments to show the true range of their guitar playing skills with some impressive solos, which at times push the bands sound towards a more tech-metal sound. One song that really stood out in the set was In Heaven, which Camille explains was written following the death of her grandmother, once again showcasing Camille’s vocal range.
All in all, the band’s performance was great, and having just played some of their biggest headline shows on some significantly bigger stages than that of Club Academy, it was great to see that they treated the show no differently. If you can get down to one of their shows or catch them at a festival I recommend doing so as they are definitely worth your time and I personally look forward to seeing what the band do next.
Words and photos by Will Robinson
