We don’t cover enough live metal at Overtone, so when we cover any it’s hard not to fall in love with it. This show was no exception, as we had three incredible thrash/death/deathcore bands roll through Derby’s legendary Vic inn for very much a night to remember! And somehow, I’d not seen any of them live before, so I was excited to head down!

First up were the local(ish) aggressive thrash upcomers from Staffordshire, King Abyss. I’ve been a fan of them for a good while now, so when I saw them announced for the show I was pumped. They didn’t disappoint in the slightest, either! Being a surprisingly perfect blend of Megadeth, Death and Raging Speedhorn, they more than packed a punch, and their talent is off the charts. Dom is an underrated vocalist and frontman, showcasing not only some incredible screams, but more energy in their short set than I think I may have had in my entire life. And some of Sam’s leads and solos blew me away; another criminally underrated musician that needs to be recognised more. And the band very much played their hits too, all my very favourites from their album. They even teased new music, which I am already buzzing for. What an incredible way to open the show!

Next up were the band I was least familiar with, 1000 Scars. However, they were fucking awesome, and have a new fan in me, for sure! Firstly, they didn’t have a bassist, which was fucking wild, especially when the singular guitar filled out the sound enough that it didn’t even feel like it was missing. The band also had a slight hardcore/crossover thrash edge to the general death metal sound they had, which I also found fascinating and enjoyed a lot. The band were slightly less energetic than Abyss, but still had a great stage presence and felt very together and professional. The band have clearly been doing this a while as it felt like watching a well oiled machine, and an angry one at that! I loved their sound and have listened to them a fair bit since coming away from the gig. Another great band!

Then, after a brief changeover, the mighty Once Awake took to the stage. Hailing from all the way, way North (Norway, to be precise), this was one of the stops on their UK tour, and by the sound of it it’s been one hell of a tour, so far! They immediately had a more epic feel to them, having backing tracks to add layers, extra strings and synths etc. And yet, all of that, and still no bassist in sight. However, again, the band sounded awesome and full, the two guitarists working over time and sounding incredible together. And they all put on a hell of a show, all having plenty of charisma and stage presence, despite the slightly lacking crowd. And, as for the setlist, it was awesome. I’ve recently gotten into the band from their new album, and we had a healthy dose of that alongside the hits from their previous few. It was the perfect melodeath setlist, honestly, and they had the crowd in the palm of their hand throughout their entire set. The band are destined for big things, and the fact that they are able to tour different countries really proves that they have what it takes to make it massive. I cannot recommend them enough, one of my favourite live sets of the year so far!

So there you have it, folks. Three incredible bands at a great small, local venue, and it was even free entry! I cannot recommend any of the bands enough, either on track or live. If you are at all into metal, these are all must listens, all for different reasons and sounds, too! Even though it wasn’t exactly a packed house, every band put their all into the show, and I had a great night. If they play local to you any time soon, be there!