That’s more like it. October is brimming with gigs ranging from thrash metal to death metal and old-school prog, with only one annoying clash. Get ready to ROCK!
Electric Bristol, Oct 6
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One of the most intriguing, exciting and innovative progressive death metal bands around, Denver’s Blood Incantation offer a psychedelic take on the genre that’s been refined over four albums, culminating in 2024’s outstanding Absolute Elsewhere, which featured a guest appearance by Tangerine Dream’s Thorsten Quaeschning. And, yes, the album is named in honour of the obscure 1970s prog band featuring a young Bill Bruford. As lead singer and guitarist Paul Riedl has observed: “Absolute Elsewhere is our most potent audial extract/musical trip yet; like the soundtrack to a Herzog-style sci-fi epic about the history of/battle for human consciousness itself, via a ’70s prog album played by a ’90s death metal band from the future.” Against strong competition, this could prove to be the gig of the month.
Testament/Obituary/Destruction/Nervosa
Bristol Beacon, Oct 7
After least year’s Cannibal Corpse Show passed off without incident, the Beacon is once again dipping its toes into the extreme metal waters with this show headlined by Bay Area titans Testament. These veterans were formed way back in 1983 under the name Legacy and have long been considered eligible for admission to thrash metal’s top rank alongside Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax and Megadeth. Lead guitarist Alex Skolnick is certainly one of the genre’s most talented musicians. Their 14th studio album, Para Bellum, is out this month. Last seem in Bristol at SWX last December, when they said they’d be back soon, death metal pioneers Obituary make good on that promise with the main support slot. Don’t expect them to be allowed to leave without playing Slowly We Rot. Also on the bill are German thrashers Destruction and all-female Brazilian-Greek thrashers Nervosa, who replace the previously advertised Goatwhore.
Cube Microplex, Oct 10
Gong frontman Kavus Torabi and former snooker champ-turned-prog-evangelist Steve Davis (on modular synthesizer) return to town with Michael J. York, formerly of Coil, after supporting Steve Hillage at the Academy back in 2023.
O2 Academy, Oct 14
It’s perhaps worth bearing in mind that Glenn Hughes is 74 years old. Not only would you love to take a gander at the portrait in his attic, but he’s also one of just a handful of, ahem, mature rockers whose voice seems completely unaffected by the passage of time. David Coverdale, Glenn’s old mucker in Deep Purple, is reduced to a rasp these days and even the Golden Godlike Robert Plant now rearranges Zeppelin material to suit his more restricted range. But Glenn is right up there with Paul Rodgers and the late Ronnie James Dio (who was on top form until the end), despite punishing himself with cocaine and Mars bar addiction (no, really) back in the 1980s. Little wonder the KLF dubbed him The Voice of Rock and recruited him to sing on America: What Time is Love? His new album, Chosen, is out now on Frontiers.
Electric Bristol, Oct 15
Brighten your October with a dose of northern gothic misery metal. Yes, those Halifax glumsters are back in town for the first time since they played the Marble Factory back in February 2022. Mind you, the fact that many of the bands influenced by these pioneers are now conspicuously more commercially successful is enough to make anyone rather glum. Now signed to Nuclear Blast, who’ve just released their 17th studio album, Ascension, they’re also notable for having particularly poor luck with drummers. Indeed, they’re now up to their seventh tub-thumper. There have been no other changes to the ranks, with Nick Holmes still on vocals and Gregor Mackintosh on lead guitar.
Exchange, Oct 20
Brazilian thrash/death metallers founded by guitarist Jairo ‘Tormentor’ Guedz, who was in an early incarnation of Sepultura. Indeed the band take their name from a song on Sepultura’s debut album, on which he played, which gives you a pretty good idea of where they’re coming from.
The Crane, Oct 21
Better known to his mum and the taxman as Gautier Serre, French musician Igorrr is one of those crossover artists whose oeuvre incorporates everything from black metal to trip-hop, baroque classical music and, probably, the kitchen sink. His eponymous band – famously named after his pet gerbil – plays mostly to adventurous metal audiences. Their fifth album, Amen, is out this month on Metal Blade.
O2 Academy, Oct 23
Impressive, popular Finnish power metallers fronted by Noora Louhimo, who last played Bristol almost exactly a year ago. Their latest album is Steelbound (Nuclear Blast). “If you’re looking for a band that sounds like Bonnie Tyler fronting Dragonforce and feels like a power metal take on Eye Of The Tiger, Battle Beast [have] you covered,” enthused Metal Hammer. Support tonight comes from Dominum and Majestica.
O2 Academy, Oct 24
Last seem locally playing Bristol Sounds rock day in 2024, the veteran Somerset rockers return for an (almost) hometown show to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of their Replenish album, which reached number nine in the UK charts and was one of Kerreng!‘s albums of the year. Support tonight comes from similarly gnarly veterans Kerbdog.
Exchange, Oct 28
Bristol-based ‘blackened doom’ band, who we last caught supporting Crypta at this very venue. They demonstrated a sense of ambition that transcends genre boundaries, so it’ll be interesting to see how they’ve progressed.
Bristol Beacon, Oct 29
Prog god Rick makes a swift-ish return to the Beacon following his appearance at January’s Slapstick Festival. This time he and his excellent English Rock Ensemble will be performing the Six Wives Of Henry VIII and The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table albums in their entirety. Woo-hoo! Shames this show clashes with . . .
Exchange, Oct 29
Welcome return if the proggy Icelandic rockers whose sixth studio album, Portals, features a guest appearance by Opeth’s Mikael Åkerfeldt.
Main pic: Battle Beast at the Marble Factory last October by Mike Evams
COMING SOON
Here’s our essential diary of upcoming gigs that should be of interest to anyone of a rockin’ disposition.
Castle Rat, Lost Horizons, Nov 5
Amenra, Fleece, Nov 5
Focus, Fleece, Nov 6
Francis Rossi, Bath Forum, Nov 7
Lord of the Lost, The Crane, Nov 7
The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Fleece, Nov 12
Saxon/Dirkschneider, Bristol Beacon, Nov 13
Orbit Culture, Electric Bristol, Nov 15
Conan, Thekla, Nov 21
Svalbard, Exchange, Nov 22
Jared James Nichols, Thekla, Dec 1
Steeleye Span, St. George’s, Dec 2
Katatonia, Electric Bristol, Dec 8
Orange Goblin, Electric Bristol, Dec 14
Clutch, Bristol Beacon, Dec 15
Fury, Exchange, Dec 18
Evil Scarecrow, Thekla, Dec 19
Epica/Amaranthe/Charlotte Wessels, Bristol Beacon, Jan 20
Pentagram, Thekla, Feb 2
Avatar/Alien Weapnry, O2 Academy, Feb 18
Smith/Kotzen, O2 Academy, Feb 20
10cc, Bristol Beacon, March 24
Full Ov Hell, Fleece, April 7
Blackbraid, Fleece, April 9
Yes, Bristol Beacon, April 30
Love with Johnny Echols, Fleece, April 30
Jethro Tull, Bristol Beacon, May 10
Steve Hackett, Bristol Beacon, Oct 7