Live Review: Slammer MCR 2025 (Saturday)!

An annual event showcasing Underground Metal from around the United Kingdom with twenty bands shoehorned into the iconic venue that is Manchester Rebellion over two days of Metal madness, Slammer has long been exactly the kind of event that everyone should be attending. After all, why else would we be driving North with My Latest Failure guitarist Chris Underhill? Several hours of Lionheart, Deez Nuts and Kublai Khan related Hardcore shenanigans later and it’s time for a beer, some food at funky sports pub with American eats Bunny Jackson’s and of course wall to wall riffs!

Opening this years event are Setrakain [7/10] who offer up dirge laden riffs with an aesthetic that is reminiscent of “The Root Of Man” era Anti-Clone with the quirky glow of Stanley Kubrick’s Clockwork Orange. They have a solid weight to their dirge laden sound with a good combination of melodic clean and growled harsh vocals with their May released single “Crushed By Guilt” a powerful addition to their set. Driving rhythms are at the forefront of their delivery however they seem a little nervous so there is no doubt that the experience will serve them well. By contrast North Wales based Extreme Metal five piece DXRK Winter [7/10] sound seriously impressive with their Cradle Of Filth like styling, their vocalists vicious bark reminiscent of a werewolf. They manage to split the crowd and get a wall of death as they hammer out cuts like “Battleground” as they bring some serious riffage. One of their guitarists has just recovered from knee surgery which might explain why they come across as being a little awkward in their stage presence, their vocalist perhaps trying a little too hard to make up for his lack of movement. Midlands Melodic Death Metal outfit Under Blackened Skies [9/10] are far more at ease on stage and with their wealth of experience it seems almost criminal that they’re playing this early. They absolutely crush, engaging the crowd and getting horns up as they blitz through their set of razor sharp material, “Hollow Tyrant” being just one of many masterclasses. Does Dan Carter still count as being a new addition to their line up? Either way, he’s a big part of a rhythm section that delivers a serious pounding.

Death Thrash crew Hellbearer [9/10] bring Righteous Indignation to Manchester Rebellion with new material designed from the ground up to work the crowd into a frenzy. Their sophomore album “Darker Fates” was released the day before this afternoon’s performance, so technically its an album release show as well as a home town throw down and we know it because they leave everything on the stage. To be precise that would be the blood, the sweat and the beers as their high octane rhythmic assault and dark sense of humour command the attention of the mosh pit. Due to a stage configuration issue Sandbags At Dawn [7/10] have t-shirts on that read their band name in reverse but make light of it with an energetic performance. Somewhere between Nirvana and the Stoner Metal of Queens Of The Stone Age, the sound of the three piece is an interesting one with their bassist being the life and soul of the party. His movement is all part of the show and that gives it another dimension with “Throwing Knives” a highlight. Veterans Spreading the Disease [8/10] hammer home a set front loaded with Groove laden bass and pummeling percussion with a rhythm section as potent as any you’ll witness. They bring to the King’s table a pair of cuts from a forthcoming EP in “Fissure” and “Warblade” that really impress as they run the gauntlet between Groove Metal and Thrash like it’s a high steaks poker game.

If there is one band here to party its Dwingle [8/10] who, as if its some kind of in joke take to the stage in matching purple silk shirts and sunglasses which gives makes their set feel like an audition for the next Magic Mike movie. It comes as no surprise when mid way through the set the shirts come off and the six packs come out with “Three Is A Crowd” and a beefed up funk fueled cover of “I Ain’t That Superstitious” by Howlin’ Wolf bringing the curtain down. For those not in the know, Slammer is an event put on by 4GEN7 (Agent) [8/10] who are a Nu-Metal hybrid style band with influences from the likes of One Minute Silence on cuts like “Suffer” with “Rise/Fall” and “One Bad Day” all very solid indeed. There is an honesty and a grit that comes across in their performance and if the truth be told, they have some thought provoking lyrical narratives in there too. After witnessing them at Oxfords finest Metal Weekender Rabidfest a few years back its safe to say Leeds Rap-Metal act Pulverise [9/10] are something of a guilty pleasure. Their bombastic bass, dirty riffs and full fat, high caffeine energy mean they’re able to set the place alight with the smallest of sparks. Cuts like “Slam Time” and “Bitchin’” get a mosh pit going while being catchier than an STD, the only surprise tonight being the absence of their Cypress Hill medley.

Headliners and self confessed Northern Dirt Bags Waterlines [10/10] are a known entity after we witnessed them destroy the Sophie Lancaster stage at Bloodstock Open Air Festival this summer. In the confines of Manchester Rebellion they turn up the intensity and get everyone jumping from the very first note, their daisy chain gang move one of the most unique pieces of audience participation on the live circuit. Their light show is huge and blinding as DJent fueled riffs slam against EDM, vocalist Benji Mars encouraging the crowd to get involved throughout. “Brace” absolutely slaps, Ultra Beat mash up “Pretty Green Eyes // Elysium” is soaked in nostalgia and an instant sing-a-long and if those aren’t enough there is always the powerhouse that is “Sinister“. Make no mistake, Waterlines are party animals at the height of their game and witnessing them is about as much fun as you can have without losing a limb. If there is one band in the United Kingdom Underground Metal scene who are ready to make the step up to the big leagues then its this quartet, they have the audience eating out of the palm of their collective hands by the end. Passion, power, energy, catharsis and fun, Waterlines quite literally have it all.