FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, SYLOSIS, DARKEST HOUR AND HERIOT – 26TH NOVEMBER 2024: 02 RITZ MANCHESTER

Firstly, before I even say anything let me just point out what a fucking line up, right?

Fit For An Autopsy and Sylosis co-headlining with support from Darkest Hour and Heriot. WHAT A LINE UP! Decent venue also has been chosen for this line up with this going ahead at the 02 Ritz in Manchester. I love ritz for a venue, it’s the right medium between an intimate venue and something that you aren’t upclose and personal with your mates back hair. I mean some might say “Hey but that’s what gigs are about… the sweat, the closeness of the crowds and feeling pressure on your lower back as people push forward”. Mates, let me tell you this when you’re in your 30’s as much as you WISH you wanted this feeling to be the peak gig feat of strength but alas it’s not the one.

First supporting act for the evening was Heriot and let me tell you – they were amazing. I was lucky enough to throw some praise over to an unsuspecting Debbie Gough (Sorry if I caught you off guard there and was speaking extremely loud with ear plugs in) after the set side stage and she was lovely! Their set was a perfect warm up to the evening to come. The set was tight and I’d almost say flawless in terms of execution. The crowd was invested in the energy put out by the band and returned it ten fold with the night time ninja’s coming out so early in the evening. Heriot are a british metal core band although do combine elements of multiple metal genres, one could almost describe this as genrefluid. One thing I did notice which is more in humor was the amount of water bottles on stage during their performance – Heriot honestly deserve a sponsorship from a water distributor. Liquid death should be all over these guys like a rash. Keep hydrated kings and queens! Drink your water – no seriously… go get a drink.

Following on from Heriot’s amazing set for the evening was Darkest Hour. Darkest Hour are one of them bands that I’ve wanted to check out for a while but never got round too (I’m really disappointed in myself that I hadn’t before now) and they were phenomenal. A spoiler for the rest of my review all the bands on this line up were fucking amazing and it’s going to be seeming like this review is just like “oh yeah, they were good, they were amazing”, sorry but it is true – it was a good line up but please, carry on reading as you’ll get to read more of my waffle on why these bands were so fucking great. Anyway… back round to Darkest Hour. Darkest Hour are an american metal band that fuse melodic death metal with elements of metal core and were formed in 1995.

Even though the band have had a fair few member changes through the years they continue to go strong to this day. Their performance was fecking great, I found myself “wooping” at the end of each song including when I was in the ‘photo pit’. If I could have shown admiration for this band, I would have done. In addition an extra highlight for this for me was the fact that clear as day on display that Hello Kitty T-shirt – amazing attire choice and I for one am living for this!

 

On some of the other line ups for this tour it’s been noted that both Fit For An Autopsy and Sylosis have rotated closing the show for Manchester’s show the line up concluded with Sylosis then Fit For An Autopsy closing the night.

I’m going to be straight up honest, Sylosis are a band that have resonated with me from my teenage years. I remember seeing them in 2007 at Hull Metal fest for the first time.. 2007 and (even though the line up has changed vastly since then) they absolutely blew me away that day, so it was good to actually see these again more ‘recently’. You could feel the shift in energy in the venue when they took to stage it went from a strong buzz to an intense energy throughout. Sylosis were technically precise and delivered a powerful performance most bands these days skip the guitar solos and go for the hard and fast beat downs but these guys have mastered the inclusiveness of it all.

Concluding the evening was Fit For An Autopsy, hailing from Jersey city and formed in 2008. It’s been great to see a line up for the evening that has consisted of bands that were formed so long ago but continue to go from strength to strength and bring with them a vast discography of both classic material and new releases. Fit For An Autopsy recently released their new album “The Nothing That Is” album and it was great to get to see some of these tracks live (If you haven’t checked our review on “The Nothing That Is” click >> HERE <<).

 

Fit for An Autopsy are clear high bar for the level of intensity, brutality and criteria that all deathcore should meet. They were absolutely outstanding and with this being the first time seeing them I felt a wholesomeness in comparison to when I saw The Black Dahlia Murder a few years back, it was definitely on the same caliber as that. I was in awe and enjoyed their performance. Upon the end of their performance I did feel bad for them as they were heckled by the remainder crowd requesting another song however when they said “no” they got a swift booing – It may have been in loving “let down” boo but felt that it was such a shame for the guys!

All in all, the gig was spectacular and definitely one of the best ones to the end of the year that I’ve attended. If you get the opportunity to I would recommend buying tickets and attend. Tickets available >> HERE << and remaining dates below:

 

FOR ANYTHING HERIOT VISIT >> HERE <<

FOR ANYTHING DARKEST HOUR VISIT >> HERE <<

FOR ANYTHING SYLOSIS VISIT >> HERE <<

FOR ANYTHING FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY VISIT >> HERE <<

For more photography from the evening visit my INSTAGRAM >> HERE <<

 

GIG RECOMMENDATION : TIPS – EAR PLUGS

I do have to add to this too although not specifically related to this event, during this gig I tried out some new ear plugs (A friend gifted me a pair to try) and they have honestly been the best pair of ear plugs I’ve used at a gig. With the titans that played tonight doing their thing, ear protection was definitely needed. Highly recommend these >> Afflatus Ear Plugs << cheap and cheerful and protected my ears from the carnage from the evening.