Opening proceedings tonight were Phoenix, Arizona noise makers, INCITE. Their set was 45 minutes of brutal, modern thrash, heavily influenced by the likes of SEPULTURA and PANTERA. The Manchester crowd quickly warmed to the band, with the uninviting mosh pit taking form almost instantly. The pounding ‘Army of Darkness’ was a standout, as was the full-throttle set closer ‘Die With What You’ve Done’. INCITE are a good young band, with plenty of potential, and this tour will certainly win them no shortage of new admirers.

What can you say about Max Cavalera that hasn’t been said before? In extreme metal cricles, the guy is an absolute legend, and every year, he comes out, wearing metal on his sleeve, playing countless shows all over the world. Tonight, Cavalera was in typically fine form, bringing along his SOULFLY tribe to tear up a packed Manchester Academy 2. Set opener ‘Blood, Fire, War, Hate’ was like a call to arms, as Cavalera revelled in the electric atmosphere. The band was tight, and the sound was crisp and clear – all the right ingredients for a metal night to remember.

There’s still room for a few SEPULTURA classics in the set, and ‘Territory’ and ‘Refuse/Resist’ were amongst those that got aired tonight, alongside the essential ‘Roots Bloody Roots’. Still, SOULFLY’s better songs are just as good as ‘Frontlines’, ‘Seek ‘n’ Strike’ and ‘Back to the Primitive’, all rocked like hell. Any band that features Cavalera, is always going to put on a good live show, and tonight was no exception. SOULFLY came, and they well and truly conquered.

Ratings:

INCITE 4.0/5.0

SOULFLY 4.6/5.0

Review by James Allman

Photography (including setlists) by Alexander Shaw(click here)