Photograph by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by L.S. Media. March 12th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating ****

Heavy Metal might not get the press coverage in Liverpool that is reserved for the excellent talent that gets covered and lauded over throughout the city but if any band that ventures west of Manchester gets as well received as Rise to Remain at the o2 Academy then not only will they have done well, they could consider themselves to have a future in the business.

For surely as Rise to Remain managed to make something of a rather excellent night at the venue, there are groups who also could play here with no difficulty at all, even it meant downscaling and playing an intimate venue.

Rise to Remain may have only one album under their belt but the powerful and soul grabbing attention that they play their music live is as every bit as excellent as the sound they have created in the studio.

Fronted by the genuine talent of Austin Dickinson, Rise to Remain came on stage after the epic feel of having four support bands on stage and produced a night that was as loud as you could possibly wish for and songs that if your head wasn’t banging in time by the end of it, then it’s possible you wandered into the wrong building and there is no hope for as you wondered why the room was bouncing harder than normal. At one point the crowd who had come to see the Jayhawks at the same venue had to listen to the sound of thundering drums and guitars that screamed in a way not heard for years in Liverpool.

There is a reason why Rise to Remain are that good, forget the family connections, forget their age and never think it’s just pure dumb luck. This is group that rocks; that is as hardcore as Sabbat were in their prime, as excellent as early Megadeth but with the personality of likeable guys who just happen to like it loud and indulge in it till the audience moshes as hard as they play.

Rise to Remain played every track from City of Vultures and a few extras which delighted the crowd immensely. Stunning musicianship all round and a chance to finally see the band that could be the group to take the genre forward in the next few years.

Ian D. Hall