Live Review: Asleep At The Helm - Corporation, Sheffield
16th January 2026
Support: Dusthouse, Reckoner, Our North, Sacravia
Words & Photos: Martin Hingley
2026 kicks off with a bang as Novacaine Festival promoters bring a high-octane line-up headlined by Asleep At The Helm to Sheffield’s Corporation.
As punters enter the venue, Sacravia get proceedings underway, bringing their Christian metalcore stylings to the north. Formed only a few months ago at Bath University, these guys have just a handful of shows under their belts. That doesn’t stop them from putting on a solid set, made up of impressive Nightwish-style vocals mixed with nu-metal-esque basslines. For a band with so little live experience, there’s clear potential here, and it’s easy to see them carving out a deserved place on the UK metal scene.
Up next are Our North, fresh off their Novocaine Festival performance in late 2025. I always look forward to seeing these guys on a line-up card, knowing I’m in for a great set and tonight is no exception. Transcending the rap/rock divide, vocalists Dan and Sam excel in collaborating to create a sound that feels both original and relatable. Add in backing-track beats and commanding guitar riffs, and it’s easy to see why the band earns so much respect on the Sheffield music scene. Despite stage space being at a premium for the six-piece, they use it effectively, with all members switching positions to grab their moment in the limelight. As their set closes, the evening’s first pit arrives, with Dan jumping into the crowd to join it during the band’s final song, a fitting end to the 30-minute set.
The pits continue to grow as Reckoner take to the stage, bathed in their trademark blue lighting. Having set Novocaine Festival alight the last time I saw them, I was hoping for more of the same tonight. From the first note, the stage comes alive with an energy that sends the room into a headbanging frenzy as the pits keep rolling. The East Midlands rockers bring an arsenal loaded with growling vocals, hard-hitting breakdowns, and more energy than anyone knows what to do with. Reckoner truly set the venue alight, and I hope to see them working their way up the UK metal ladder in the not-too-distant future.
Dusthouse are a band I’ve seen appear on many local listings, but until tonight I’d never had the chance to catch them live. They bring their synth-infused metalcore sound to life, wasting no time in getting the crowd moving. As Dominic Whillians tears around the stage, shredding pounding riffs, the crowd moshes hard to Ethan McCarthy’s slick vocals. The next 30 minutes fly by as Dusthouse tear up the stage and cause chaos with their high-octane set. They put on a show for sure, and I’m already hoping to see them again, ideally on a larger stage that they certainly deserve.
Formed in 2018, tonight’s headliners Asleep At The Helm enter the stage and waste no time in tearing up Corporation with seriously heavy beats, riffs, and breakdowns. They come fast and relentlessly heavy, with vocals that only intensify the experience and help create the biggest pits of the evening. As the band rip through tracks like Photosynthetic, Bloodline, and Wilted Bloom, it’s clear they’re keen to showcase their latest EP, Ornate Resentment, which they eventually perform in full. Blending heavy and melodic elements, Asleep At The Helm keep the crowd fully engaged on a cold January evening. While a longer headline slot would have been welcome — 30 minutes doesn’t quite feel enough — they keep things short but sweet, delivering a fantastically enthusiastic set packed with brutal riffs, supremely heavy vocals, and a whole lot of fun.
The Novacaine Festival booking agents once again prove themselves to be a brilliant showcase of emerging and established metal acts, highlighting the strength and diversity of the UK scene. I am very excited to see who the festival books for this year’s festival and hope it keeps growing from strength to strength.
Photo credits: Martin Hingley
