Mick Birchall Reviews

Well, it’s been over two months since I’ve been to a gig, so I felt it was about time I got back to my spiritual home of Manchester. I think I’ve been to the Manchester Academy so much in my years, I should be paying for rent. I feel like I’ve spent more time here than in most jobs I’ve had. This evening took me to the downstairs Club Academy . A great small club venue that gives artists space to breathe and the crowd more than enough room to sprawl out. I would usually describe the atmosphere as loose and carefree. Though this night there was an element of anticipation in the air for what was to come. Three great bands were about to take to the stage and you could tell that the crowd were more than ready. Headlining this evening were returning titans of the rock world, coming from the great nation of Sweden, H.E.A.T . It’s been a long time coming and Manchester was ready for their return to the city. That’s not all, you got a real bang for your money this evening, with two great suppo...

Well, it’s been a few years since I’ve talked about The Night Flight Orchestra on this blog. In all honesty, it’s been a few years since I paid attention. However, I got this album fly past my desk and I knew I had to listen to it. I’m so glad I did, as this one is an absolute certified banger of an album. Give Us The Moon is an exciting record that glistens with punchy production and sharp songwriting. It’s one of those albums that I’d feel comfortable recommending to anyone who even has a passing interest in music. It’s an album that will grab the attention of any listener, from your hardcore audiophiles to the casual, whose only experience with music is what goes on the car radio. This album will captivate you as instantly as it did for me. All of this is from a group of talented, versatile musicians who understand that the point of music is to invigorate the soul. Led by the charismatic vocalist, Björn Strid (most notably from the band Soilwork ), The Night Flight Orchestra has...

Certain musicians will go down in history as the greatest of all time. Every generation has its superstars. Then you have some that will cross the generational divide. I think Mark Tremonti is one of those stars for sure. Tremonti is one of my music icons. I grew up listening to both Creed and Alter Bridge as a teenager while learning to play the guitar, he was one of the artists that I tried to emulate and learn their songs, to middling success. Also, over the last decade, for those who don’t know, he’s had another project on the go. The aptly named solo project Tremonti . It's a metal-focused project that allows the guitarist to let loose and also is the lead vocalist. This new record, The End Will Show Us How , is the sixth release from this project and is a journey into new styles and lyrical themes. I have to say, I find Tremonti, as a band, explosive and versatile. The way they craft metal-anthem after metal-anthem is inspiring. Their previous album, Marching In Time , wa...

The seriously cool thing about running this blog is that I check out some absolute belting records. We’re only a week into 2025, and I might have just found one of the year's best metal records. You know you’ve found a good record when it just speaks to you on a primal level. Sometimes a band doesn’t need fancy gimmicks or over-the-top theatrics. The Halo Effect has already made quite the name for themselves in the last few years. Not just because they’re industry veterans, but because you can still hear that hunger, that strive to be better and to give their fans something fresh and interesting with each release. Their first album Days of The Lost from 2022 was a good initiation to this new sound. This new record March Of The Unheard is a complete refinement of that style and is a much-needed forward progression. I don’t know about you but when I hear the term melodic death metal, it’s a bit of a weird term. It doesn’t feel like a needed distinction. Where do you draw the line? ...