It’s a chilly Tuesday evening, not far off Halloween. The full moon is lighting the way along Oxford Road to Manchester’s Academy 3. Heading up the well-trodden stairs to the top floor, the venue is already surprisingly busy for an autumnal weekday, a sign of what lies in wait.
Hailing from Prague, Abbie Falls is first to take to the stage and they waste no time in unleashing their wrath of brutality. Managing to get the pit up and running from their opening track, blistering offerings including Mayday and Parasite are among the band’s ferocious setlist, as well as the latest single release Violence. The energy in this intimate setting is infectious, a theme that continues throughout the night.
Slovenia’s Within Destruction return to Academy 3 for the second time this year having previously supported Born Of Osiris back in January. The trio knows how to deliver an epic performance, balancing tracks from their deathcore roots with more recent anime-themed tracks from their 2025 full length, ANIMETAL. The interplay between guitarist Howard Fang’s charismatic clean vocals and the impressive range of screams from Rok Rupnik elevates the sonic effect. Amid the high-octane chaos, a brief moment of calm arrives against the backdrop of Skyrim’s iconic serene soundtrack. It’s not long before Within Destruction return to the crushing depths. The set ends with a circle pit and sees Rupnik diving into—or, rather, onto—the crowd for the final lines.
From the off, The Browning’s Jonny McBee demands high energy. A powerful combination of immersive stage lighting, enveloping electronics and thundering metal makes it impossible not to let your hair down. The setlist brings a dynamic array of tracks from across their discography, from old favourites Bloodlust to their cover of Eiffel 65’s Blue (Da Ba Dee), with Moon McBee of The Defect joining for Omni and the newest single Obsolete. Delete. Repeat.. With a truly electric atmosphere, each song hits with an epic impact; the quality of The Browning’s performance never falters, nor does the audience who don’t stop headbanging throughout the entire show. It feels like a therapy session and cardio workout all in one.
Words by Holly Royle
