Live Review: Raging Speedhorn - O2 Institute, Birmingham
Support: Kill The Lights, Fangs Out
22nd March 2025
Words: Cat Finch
Photos: Tim Finch
It’s a busy night for live music in the West Midlands, both Bloodywod and and Phil Campbell and The Bastard Sons are playing sold out shows (review for which are incoming), but our focus for the evening is with six lads from Corby who are nearing the end of their ‘Night Wolf’ UK tour.
Opening the evening, local band Fangs Out came out swinging delivering an gritty performance that set the bar high for the night. The band wasted no time in attempting to warm up the crowd, frontman Mikey White immediately jumps the barrier and spends the whole set singing from the crowd. The raw energy was immediate, with searing riffs and pummelling drums shaking the venue to life.
The band’s command of the stage was undeniable as they launched into ‘Gory’ and ‘Video Nasties’. By the time ‘Sabbath Town’ closed the set, it was clear Fangs Out had left a lasting impression. A tribute to their Birmingham roots, the track carried a weight of pride and power, wrapping up their performance with a fittingly thunderous finale.
Kill the Lights took the stage as the second band of the evening, bringing a powerful blend of melody and aggression that instantly captivated the crowd. From the moment they launched into ‘Shed My Skin’, their mix of soaring choruses and punishing riffs had the audience hooked. Frontman James Clark commands attention as he seamlessly switched between melodic vocals and gut-wrenching screams, all aided by guest vocalist of the evening Chris Clancy from Mutiny Within.
‘Hear You Scream’ followed, a track tailor-made for a live setting, with its anthemic refrains echoing throughout the venue. The pit came alive for ‘Die Alone’, the breakdown hit hard, sending a surge of energy through the crowd.
‘The Enemy’ and ‘Plagues’ maintained the intensity, each track delivering crushing riffs and powerful vocal lines, whilst the set closed with ‘The Faceless’, a fitting finale that encapsulated everything Kill the Lights does best.
And finally the time has come for headliners Raging Speedhorn, the most unpredictable, yet greatest British band of our generation. From the opening notes of ‘Every Night’s Alright for Fighting’, the band set a relentless pace, delivering their signature brand of sludge-infused hardcore with unrelenting intensity.
‘Iron Cobra’ and ‘Superscud” followed, each track pounding through the venue like a sledgehammer and the pit opening up like an Speedhorn pit of old. The twin-vocal attack of Dan Cook and Frank Regan adds a raw, visceral energy that had the crowd feeding off every growl and scream. As always Franks humour had the crowd in stitches; “I see you’ve not emptied your bins you trampy bastards” hitting hard in Birmingham right now.
The evening was a mix of new and old, with latest album ‘Night Wolf’ featuring heavily, ‘Blood Red Sky’ standing out with its awesome riff crushing riffs and breakneck speed. The anthemic ‘Fuck the Voodooman’ followed whipping the crowd into a frenzy, with its thick, sludgy riffs and relentless drumming.
The final stretch saw old school original ‘Thumper’ followed by latest album title track ’Night Wolf’ ignite chaos in the pit, before Frank declares “It’s ok, we’ve got one more, it’s a motherfucker”. Closing with ‘Knives and Faces’ was a thunderous ending to an already unrelenting set. Well played lads, well played.
Photo Credits: Tim Finch Photography
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