Live Review: Reading Rising 2025 (Sunday)!

Day two of this years expanded format for Reading Rising gets underway at the sensible time of 15:00, allowing some of those who had a little too much fun last night with American Metalcore heroes Still Remains some extra time in bed. Don’t be fooled however, there are still 10 bands to shoehorn in before the curfew at 22:00 so it is still going to be a wild ride, all made possible because of the use of a pair of stages and just 5 precious minutes between bands.

An up and coming band who will no doubt be on bigger stages than this before too long are Within Reach [7/10] who cut the metaphorical red tape with a collection of Metalcore anthems that blend clean and unclean vocals, heavy riffs and the odd bit of synth for good measure. They’ve got a new single in “Drip Fed” which they save for the final onslaught, getting plenty of movement for it despite it being Sunday. Hangover? Hair of the dog mate! Newbury Pop Punks Foundation Island [7/10] then give us the gift of a collection of uplifting American accented sing-a-long anthems that are warm and infectious. New song “For Your Eyes Only” is a nice addition to their set, getting hands waving back at the band from the growing audience. A three piece of vocals, drums and bass with guitars a backing track, they might be in their own words a newbie band but they sound very polished with a clear vision of what they want to be. A cover of You Said No” by Busted feels like a guilty pleasure as does “Water Colour Heart” and at this rate we expect to see them on the cover of Kerrang! Magazine before too long.

Over on the Down For Life Music stage Death Metal act Perpetual Paradox [9/10] are a demonic wake up call with crushing groove orientated riffs, vicious vocals and a blinding light show, very much the storm after the calm. The mixture of death growls, shrill passages and aching cleans makes for a nice combination, the bands full throttle assault on the senses taken from their album “Deathwish“. “Ash And Blood” is a pile-driver of a cut for which we’re joined by Dan Tape from Politically charged Reading Punks Tape It Shut and gets the first circle pit of the day, the band eager to impress. Brighton Rockers Wrex [8/10] maybe a duo officially but are a five piece live, crossing many borders and boundaries with their cryptic writings. Shades of Punk, Nu-Metal and Pop are all in the mix and with their live energy electrifying they prove that variety can indeed by the spice of life if done in the right way. 2022 single “Paradise” is their biggest anthem with last years “This Hell Goes A Long Way Down” a fine offering but the surprise is the one minute and eleven seconds that is “111” is an anthem for the Neuro divergent, an ode to ADHD. That finds guitarist George Donoghue in the pit, screaming back at vocalist Mae Seaton who in turn is screaming back at him.

The almighty horror folk metal band that are Forlorn [10/10] are both an enthralling and captivating live band with Megan Jenkins brutal roars and soaring cleans over powerful Blackened DJent grooves offering catharsis in intoxicating fashion. Pulverizing rhythms and sinister synths give their sound depth and texture as they build a sense of unease with their dark melodies before tearing through them with savage aggressive outbursts. Underneath the weight of their bone crushing sound there are nuances in cinematic touches with that push the boundaries of their sound to new extremes with the use of samples helps create a real sense of tension. “Aether” is a stunning debut album and live they manage to squeeze another five percent more energy from the songs, Jenkins having a theatrical stage presence while the other members of the band wrap around her like a cloak with the intensity of their performances. On this evidence alone it shouldn’t be long before they’re playing shows across Scandinavia. Energetic Alternative Rockers All Ears Avow [7/10] released debut album “Horrors” in October and so devote their set to that with its pop hooks and alternative riffs fueling songs about anxiety, self empowerment and the pressures of modern life. All three singles from the album “Dark Skies“, “A Night Like This” and “Bird on a Wire” shine a little brighter in the live arena, the band sounding tighter than they did at Reading Rising two years ago.

Nu-Metalcore aggressors Overthrown [10/10] combine Deathcore grooves, staccato riff breaks and incendiary energy with the occasional clean vocal from their bass player. Tracks like “Desolation” don’t have any cleans and hit like a blunt force trauma, the band getting a circle pit on command while being bathed in blue and green flashing lights. Later in the set they introduce some DJent to the mix, all their songs being urgent enough to generate violent turbulence in the mosh pit. Who says you can’t have a wall of death that bursts into two stepping action? Overthrown manage to pull that off with consummate ease! Brutal and fun they bring out the heavy artillery later on, hitting up with wave after wave of broken chords, each one of which hits with the force of a slap in the American championships. Somewhere between Anarchist Punk, Rock and Metal Hawxx [7/10] are all about liberating the animals, freeing Palestine and helping the LGBTQ community in a totally anti establishment fashion. Songs like “Resistance Is Justified” and “Death Of Silence” bleed through the bandages, the songs as much about substance as style and having integrated some interesting ethnic sounds they win over a crowd who see them in a different light post set. A little unpredictable and volatile live they’re not afraid of a politically charged or socially aware speech between songs either and that gives the moshers a chance to catch their breath.

Despite vocalist Benji Mars having a case of laryngitis, self described Northern Dirtbags Waterlines [10/10] have traveled South to headline the Down For Life Music stage and have brought with them reinforcements. A pair of guests provide assistance from the side of the stage with the clean vocals so Mars doesn’t have to force it too much and while he claims they’re going to sound shit at the start of the set, tonight is far from it. Instead they bring their trademark high energy EDM Metal party and get everyone off the floor from the first second. Their light show may not be as blinding as the last time we witnessed them but their anthems are all just potent, “Set The Pace” and “Sinister” both particularly good tonight. While he should be saving his voice between songs Mars instead encourages the crowd to get involved and Ultra Beat combination one two punch “Pretty Green Eyes // Elysium” is soaked in nostalgia and an instant sing-a-long. The infamous daisy chain gain dance move always steals the show and Simon Davies from Mercury’s Well and Dan Tape from Tape It Shut both partake. A force of nature, the four piece command not one but two walls of death with some crazy mosh pit action in between, “Brace” arguably not just the song of the set but the song of the night. Is it too early to chant “one more song!“?

Tonight’s headliners are the fierce, full fat, high caffeine, all attitude Punk Rock outfit Millie Manders and the Shutup [9/10] a band who draw you in with their addictive energy and crunchy guitars and leave you questioning what you just witnessed. As a vocalist Manders pokes fun with her lyrics and isn’t afraid to question things that just aren’t right, making everything she says entirely relatable in the best possible way. She also knows how to work a crowd, warming them up with “Windows” before “Rebound” gets a call and response interaction with the audience. Their tech then sprays bubbles over the crowd during “R.I.P.” a sharp rendition of a song about the end of a relationship and being happy about it. So… what’s the strangest cover song that this band could choose to play? How about “Breakstuff” by Limp Bizkit? After “Angry Side” that’s exactly what they pull out the magicians hat and for a second everyone freezes before rushing to the pit, the song a Nu-Metal anthem that is very much lyrically something that suits the band down to the ground. The set finishes with three more home runs, the final being their biggest hit to date in “Your Story“. It’s safe to say that Reading Rising has been a triumph in this two day format, the festival offering something for everyone and somehow managing to get everything to flow nicely. So who’s coming out next year?