EVOLVE/ COP UK/ EDENS CURSE – MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3 22/11/2016
24th November 2016We made our way down to Manchester Academy 3 for a fabulous event with 3 terrific bands on the bill tonight Evolve, COP UK and Edens Curse.
First Up were Evolve who might be a new name to some are a fabulous progressive metal quintet from Montreux, Switzerland.
Last year this band went to new heights when they won the well-known ‘Dennis Wards’ Rock & Metal song writing competition.
This talented band incorporates lots of amplified guitar, aggressive bass and thunderous drums into their set.
If you are a fan of Dream Theater or Rush then you will like this band, as these influences seep through their music with deep vocals and intricate guitar playing this band is a must see for all prog metal fans!
Next up are COP UK, knowing these guys yet never actually getting to see them play is a weird one for me, always getting side tracked with interviews or covering other bands, tonight i wasn’t going to miss their set.
These guys have just released their latest album ‘No Place For Heaven’, and have extensive touring experience which has payed off with them, earning them a contract being signed to UDR Records, home to the likes of Saxon, Europe and Motorhead.
Well what else can i say but wow, they totally blew me away, no wonder they have such a great following, their stage presence is illuminating, their songs catchy and upbeat which get you in the party mood.
Vocals coming from Dale Radcliffe take me back to the days of a younger Vince Neil, with songs like ‘Love is to Die For’ and ‘Catch me if you Can’, very harmony filled with lots of juicy guitar riffs.
COP UK finish the night with a cover of all time classic ‘Separate Ways’ by Journey which gets everyone singing along.
Their performance tonight has been absolutely captivating, its difficult to fault such an excellent performance which is so well polished.
https://www.facebook.com/COPUK/
Our headliners for tonight are the incredible Edens Curse who have made a fabulous return to the UK, making a huge splash touring their 5th Studio album Cardinal released with AFM Records.
The band is joined by new members John Clelland on drums and Christian Pulkkinen on keyboard.
Vocalist Nikola Mijic does a great job of keeping the crowd engaged, and shows supreme ability within his vocals as he powerfully shows a diverse range hitting deep low notes to high with no hindrance.
Crowds chant along with the very balladesque ‘Find My Way’ which is a very beautifully mastered song, its more than a song it’s a wonderfully wrote work of art, maybe one of their best songs to date. This was probably the highlight of the night for me, a song i enjoyed greatly.
Songs progress nicely, transforming throughout the night, as Nikola is joined on stage by Vicky Johnston of ‘Winter in Eden’ for their song ‘Unconditional’, giving the band that extra wow factor as she elegantly caresses your ears with her angelic tones.
With powerful rhythm and scores of talent between the band they end the night on ‘Angels and Demons’, with rich vocals and technical guitar work the band creates a marvelous melody which makes you want to hit the repeat button and replay the night over.
I urge anyone who hasn’t seen the band before to go out and see them you will not be disappointed. https://www.facebook.com/edenscurseofficial/
