LIVE REVIEW & GALLERY: Raging Speedhorn @ Corporation, Sheffield

Support from Death & Taxes and Kill the Lights

23rd March 2025

You can always be assured a metal gig is a prime place to play “spot the girlie” in amongst a sea of burly blokes. I can’t understand why the genre is so male-heavy. Sure, it’s brutal, but it’s a great way to let off some steam: the churning basslines, lyrics snarled through gritted teeth, raucous adrenaline-filled rooms. What’s not to love? As someone whose vinyl collection spans Napalm Death to Sabrina Carpenter, I think my fellow womanhood needs to broaden their horizons and show the blokes how it’s done.

First up were Death and Taxes, who are believed to be a Sheffield-based band. They took to the stage like a fireball of grit and fury. A heavy, pounding bassline, chunky, droning and thick, carried a commanding presence. Thunderous drums crashed and roared alongside epic, elaborate, fuzzed-out guitars, providing the perfect canvas for venom-infused vocals to hiss and growl their way over the top. There was a balance to the harshness, with a blues-inspired groove and psychedelic swirl running through the sludgy, swampy stoner rock drawl. These lads are clearly great at what they do, although at times the backing vocals felt a little off-kilter, which I quite liked. It brought a realness and charm to their sound. They’re assured but not cocky, and their sound definitely left an impression on me. I’m keen to hear more.

What I didn’t like, however, was the fact that almost all the crowd squashed themselves around the bar like pigs in a pen, while the entire main floor was left empty. How disheartening must that have been for the band? Come on, people. Try harder.

Things shifted stylistically with the next act. Kill the Lights, a modern metalcore band featuring former members of Bullet For My Valentine, Throw The Fight, Still Remains, and Threat Signal, brought a very different energy. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure how they’d fit into this line-up. Their sound is much more “mainstream metal” and a lot more polished than Death and Taxes or Raging Speedhorn. But while the main floor was still left largely empty, which infuriated me, there were a good few people singing along or proudly sporting their Kill the Lights tees.

This multi-continental band, spanning Wales and the USA, took to the stage with real presence. You could tell they’ve been in the game a long time. Melodic hooks were everywhere, with slick riffs and technical finesse layered beneath passionate, emotionally charged vocals. The contrast between James Clarke’s soaring, melodic cleans and bassist Jay James’ snarling unclean vocals added real depth and impact. That dual vocal dynamic worked brilliantly live, giving the songs weight and texture. You could see James meant every word. He felt every piece of pain, which to me is a core quality of metalcore. It’s not just about the sweeping riffs or the powerful drumming. It’s the sense the vocalist is opening their heart to the audience, laying themselves bare.

I can’t say I was familiar with Kill the Lights beyond a few songs prior to the gig, but they wowed me. Yes, it was more polished and overtly emotional than the other two bands, but it fit perfectly into the line-up. It balanced the grit with something heavy yet personal. They brought punchy breakdowns and soaring choruses, blending heaviness with melody in a way that hit hard but still felt accessible.

The band were missing second guitarist Jordan Whelan, but that didn’t stop them making a huge noise and owning the stage. Grand, soaring, intense but never overwhelming, it was hard not to get caught up in their powerful performance. And for a bit of fun, Jay brought loads of personality, pulling faces and playing up to the crowd like a proper rockstar. There was a great warmth to the band too, a sincerity and authenticity that made them instantly likeable. I loved them.

And then, finally: RAGING FUCKING SPEEDHORN.

Now, my love for Speedhorn hasn’t always been. I had an ex who absolutely loved them and would drag me to gigs where I’d stand at the back wishing I was anywhere but there. I hadn’t listened to them in years until we got a news piece about their new album Night Wolf, and I was drawn to give them another go. It was a proper WTF moment. Why have I shunned them all these years? They’re right up my street.

Their dynamic blend of swampy sludge and hardcore punk bedlam, the mix of droning stoner basslines and eruptive, frantic riffs… maybe my taste has diversified (it has, I know it has), or maybe I just didn’t like them because my ex did. I was juvenile and rarely liked bands I was recommended. Either way, Speedhorn are definitely on my airwaves now. The new album is epic, and their live show, while not quite as brutal as I anticipated, was amazing.

What I love about Speedhorn is the dual vocalist contrast. Frank comes across as arrogant, swearing at the crowd and looking down like he’s the king of the stage. Dan, on the other hand, comes across as an absolute sweetheart. (Can I call metalheads sweethearts? Probably not, haha.) Despite the ferocity in his vocals, he brings a likeable warmth. This interplay, like good cop and bad cop, really owns the stage and brings a lot of fun.

Their sound is brutal. It crashes like waves of noise. The drums thrash and rage, the bass is thick and purposeful, while the guitars veer from complex rhythms to steady, almost repetitive mid-tempo grooves, creating a dense, powerful wall of sound. The harshness of both vocalists spitting their words, often in unison, adds to the intensity. Their sound is deliberately unpolished, giving it a rugged feel that comes through on their recordings but is even more striking live. There’s a raw energy you can almost feel between your teeth.

The crowd finally livened up for Speedhorn, erupting into a carnage-fuelled rage and igniting the small main floor in Corporation’s smallest room. It was a manic crash of ageing blokes reliving their youth, flailing about like they were still in their twenties. Although wild, there was definitely a subduedness I wasn’t expecting. Maybe due to age and the fear of pulling a muscle, or maybe because it was a Sunday night. Having observed Speedhorn pits from afar in the past, the carnage I experienced here was definitely a bit muted compared to what I was expecting.

The set featured a great, career-spanning mix. Opener ‘Every Night’s Alright for Fighting’ got the crowd battle-ready. ‘Hard to Kill’, from their 2020 album of the same name, is an absolute anthem of defiance. ‘Fuck the Voodoo Man’ from 2002’s We Will Be Dead Tomorrow erupted the room. Lead single from Night Wolf, also called ‘Night Wolf’, went down a storm. Every song brought its own energy. Even the ones I wasn’t completely familiar with filled my ears with rebellion-fuelled joy.

After almost three decades in the industry and countless line-up changes, Speedhorn proved they’ve still got it. Nothing has diluted their brutality. Nothing has changed the sense of camaraderie. This is honest, authentic metal. It’s not trying to be anything. But in doing that, it becomes everything.

I absolutely fucking love this band, and I’m pissed off with myself for shunning them for at least a decade since I first heard them. You bring yourself. Raging Speedhorn brings the BRING THE NOISE and THE CARNAGE.