Lake Malice, Rescue Rooms - 07.10.26
Relentless energy and hyperpop mayhem dominate Nottingham's Rescue Rooms.
Down in Front headed over to Nottingham’s Rescue Rooms for a night full of energy. Opening the night were Brighton-based alternative metal trio Eville. They exploded onto the stage adorned in nostalgic Twilight merch, with sparkly brass knuckles attached to Eva Sheldrake and Jude Richards’ microphones. The energy they brought was relentless, and they perfectly embodied the "Brat Metal" vibe they are known for. The band injects sugary-sweet Y2K aesthetics into filthy metalcore breakdowns, an absolute treat for anyone who hasn't seen them before.
Eville’s drummer, Milo Hemsley, blended hard drum and bass beats with heavy metalcore influences to back the electronic and nu metal-inspired instrumentals, creating songs you simply cannot stay still to. I am happy to attest to this: even though I originally planned to stick to the back of the room to review the show, I made it a total of four songs before throwing off my bag and glasses and jumping into the pit. Eville’s energy was so contagious, and their songs were so much fun, that being anywhere but the mosh pit would give anyone a bad case of FOMO.
Second on the bill were Berlin-based progressive metalcore band Chaosbay. The energy which Eville brought on was amplified as soon as Chaosbay jumped onto the stage, mixing their intricate guitar work with electrifying energy dripping out of every member of the band. Jan Listing’s powerful vocals were crystal clear among the heavy prog riffs which define the band’s sound. Alexander Langner’s lead guitar work mixes perfectly with Matthias Heising’s bass, creating a complex experience with their down-tuned riffs mixing with uplifting guitar melodies. Their sound is held together by drummer Patrick Bernath’s viscous drum beats.
Not only are Chaosbay incredibly talented musicians, with heavy riffs and a powerful rhythm section, but their vibes on stage are also immaculate. They are not afraid to laugh with the crowd and had everyone chuckling at their antics in between songs.
Finally, we had Brighton-based alternative metal duo Lake Malice, as they took the stage to hyperpop-inspired electronic beats; their presence hypnotised the crowd. The band brought an almost cinematic vibe to the stage. With the crowd sufficiently warmed up and excited by the opening acts, vocalist Alice Guala commanded the stage with her presence. Switching between ethereal clean vocals and shredding dirty vocals which sound like they came from the depths of hell, she provided beautiful contrast that complemented guitarist Blake Cornwall’s instrumentals perfectly. Even though she was feeling a bit under the weather, her vocals remained powerful as she chugged honey straight from the bottle in between songs.
One of the highlights of the set was Alice dedicating the track "Main Character Energy" (M.C.E.) to famously hated online misogynist Andrew Tate, just as the track exploded through the speakers. Lake Malice were joined on stage by Eva and Jude from Eville, and for the second time that evening, I simply could not resist jumping into the pit. Lake Malice delivered a masterclass in live performance that evening, and the lineup was absolutely unforgettable.
Every band on the lineup this evening left us feeling electrified. Even though they all have completely different sounds and different vibes on stage, they worked together like an extremely well oiled machine. With bands like this leading the charge of alternative music, the scene is in great hands.
Review by Alex Velikova
