Manchester was treated to an explosive night of Extreme Metal as the Death Dominion Tour rolled into the North West, bringing together a monster lineup of Deathcore and Death Metal heavyweights Carnifex, Suffocation and Despised Icon alongside local support from Only Pain.
Carnifex – Suffocation – Despised Icon – Only Pain
Manchester Academy – 5 November 2026
Words: Matty Hunter
Photography: thedailyddt at Vision Impact Photography
Presented by Impericon Festival, the 20-date European trek spans 10 countries across 23 days, running from Munich on 29 October through to Karlsruhe on 20 November, with the three headline acts rotating top billing each night. Manchester marked the seventh stop of the tour, and with such a stacked lineup arriving in a city with a strong appetite for Extreme Metal, anticipation was high.
Taking place on Bonfire Night, Manchester Academy 2 provided the perfect setting for an evening of explosive carnage. Having previously caught a few bands at the venue, I knew all too well what a fantastic modern space it is for live music.
While Dizzee Rascal was entertaining grime fans just down the road, Manchester’s Metal contingent had other plans, heading in the opposite direction for a night of riffs, breakdowns and Extreme brutality.
Only Pain
Opening proceedings on the night were local Deathcore outfit Only Pain, a relatively new name on the scene, having only formed in 2024. Having not previously listened to the band, I was particularly interested to see what they had to offer.
With doors opening at 6:30 pm, the evening got underway promptly at 7 pm, and despite being the first act on the bill, there was already very little room to move on the floor. A promising sign of what was to come on a truly monstrous evening of Extreme Metal.
Only Pain’s sound draws heavily from the more traditional end of Deathcore, combining crushing breakdowns, groove-laden riffs and an unmistakable nod towards the genre’s late-2000s and early-2010s heyday. There are clear similarities to Suicide Silence, particularly in the vocal department, and it is easy to see where those comparisons come from.
Frontman Jón Már Ásbjörnsson delivered an impressive performance, showcasing a vocal range that brought to mind some of the genre’s most recognisable voices, including the late Mitch Lucker. At certain points, I could also hear similarities in delivery to Decapitated’s current vocalist, Eemeli Bodde.
April saw the release of the band’s debut EP, Beneath Hell, a four-track offering featuring Bled Out, Victim Complex, Broken Bones and Don’t Let Them In, with fans treated to these tracks throughout the set.
More recently, they also made a guest appearance on Everything Decays’ September release, Requiem 2, contributing to the track Broken Vessels. Their live résumé is steadily growing, too, having previously shared bills with the likes of Pintglass, Beyond Extinction and Writhe.
Back to the performance itself, Ásbjörnsson wasted little time getting the crowd involved, encouraging an early two-step which was happily met by those already gathered on the floor. The pits were already open, with the band demonstrating a level of confidence and command.
Accompanied by fittingly murky lighting, punctuated by black-and-white strobe flashes, the sheer musical power coming from the stage was unmistakable.
Asbjörnsson maintained an animated presence throughout, regularly addressing the crowd and ensuring nobody would leave without remembering the band’s name. He also took a moment to commend the rest of the lineup and thank everyone who had made the effort to arrive early and catch their set.
One particularly enjoyable moment came when Ásbjörnsson asked the crowd if they loved Deathcore, before launching into a cover of Suicide Silence’s classic track Unanswered, which went down an absolute treat with the audience. With two songs still to come, Only Pain had already made a serious impression.
Bringing their half-hour performance to a close, Only Pain had proved themselves an excellent choice to open proceedings. I understand they even sold out of their merchandise on the night, which is thoroughly deserved and another indication of just how well received they were.
Every instrument packed a punch, while the band’s commanding stage presence and ability to get the crowd moving from the outset made for an impressive introduction. If this performance is anything to go by, Only Pain are certainly a name worth keeping an eye on.
Despised Icon
With the crowd warmed up by a selection of pop bangers on the pre-show tape, including Britney Spears’ …Baby One More Time and Backstreet Boys’ I Want It That Way, at 7:45 it was time for the first of the evening’s co-headliners.
The Canadian Deathcore pioneers Despised Icon wasted little time getting things moving. A brief introduction was all it took before the band launched into their set, immediately setting the tone for a ferocious performance.
Formed in Montreal, Quebec, in 2002, Despised Icon are rightly regarded as one of Deathcore’s pioneering forces. Now 24 years into their career, the six-piece have endured an interesting journey, announcing their split in 2010, reuniting for a series of shows in 2014 and eventually re-establishing themselves as a permanent outfit in 2016.
Impressively, the majority of the current lineup have been together since the band’s early years, giving them remarkable consistency across more than two decades.
Their distinctive dual-vocalist arrangement remains central to their identity, with Steve Marois and Alex Erian working brilliantly together. One particularly impressive aspect was the synchronisation between the pair, effortlessly switching between contrasting vocal approaches, from crushing lows to screaming highs. Their ability to complement one another was exceptional, while Alexandre Pelletier (Alex Grind) and his relentless drumming provided an equally powerful backbone.
Addressing the crowd after a couple of tracks, the band acknowledged their return to the UK, declaring that it had been two long years but that they were happy to be back touring the UK.
That enthusiasm was certainly reciprocated, with circle pits opening almost immediately and crowd surfers now bundling their way over the barrier. Across the set, the band demonstrated exactly why they remain such a respected name in the genre, with an absolutely ferocious performance.
A highlight period of the set came with back-to-back tracks from their latest release, last year’s JUNO award-winning album Shadow Work. Over my Dead Body was first, followed by The Apparition, with the latter showcasing Pelletier’s thunderous drumming well. The sheer power and precision behind every hit were something else.
There were occasional opportunities to catch your breath between songs, but those brief pauses never lasted long before the carnage resumed.
Reflecting on their lengthy career, the band looked back on 24 years together, recalling their first visit to the city with Job For A Cowboy in 2007 and said they were delighted to be back. They then asked who wanted some old-school material before taking the crowd back through their earlier catalogue. The early tracks hit hard, with the audience responding just as enthusiastically to the older favourites as the newer songs.
The pits were among the craziest I have ever witnessed at a show. With occasional glances behind, I saw bodies flying in every direction, arms flailing and circle pits in full swing.
Thankfully, I avoided most of the chaos up front at the barrier, although I overheard someone claiming to have witnessed somebody getting their tooth knocked out.
It is clear Despised Icon still have a hardcore fan base.
The band also took the opportunity to shout out their fellow acts on the bill, demonstrating the mutual respect between those involved. Particularly notable is their longstanding friendship with fellow co-headliners Carnifex, with the two bands having shared a bond for more than 20 years.
Bringing proceedings to a close with Purgatory, Despised Icon delivered a fitting finale to an outstanding 45-minute set. Spanning more than two decades, their set covered everything from early material to their latest release.
It was a top showing from a band who have more than earned their legendary status within Deathcore. What a performance, and there were still two killer sets left to come.
I also had the pleasure of meeting vocalist Alex Erian afterwards, who was a genuinely nice guy and appreciative of the support. We enjoyed a chat about the Deathcore scene.
Suffocation
The penultimate band of the evening was the legendary Suffocation, the act on the bill I had been most looking forward to seeing as a huge Death Metal fan.
Returning to the UK for the first time since March last year, the Long Island natives arrived in Manchester with almost four decades of Extreme Metal history behind them.
Formed in 1988, Suffocation helped establish the foundations of brutal and technical Death Metal, with their combination of intricate guitar work, relentless blast beats, guttural vocals and crushing breakdowns influencing countless bands across the Extreme Metal spectrum.
Taking to the stage at 8:50 pm, they wasted absolutely no time, launching straight into Thrones Of Blood. The crowd was now packed considerably closer to the stage, with barely room to move as the intensity immediately went up another level. Synchronised headbanging between the band and audience, filthy riffs, relentless blast beats and crowdsurfers appearing in abundance made for a tremendous spectacle.
This was Death Metal in its most uncompromising form, ferocious and utterly brutal. Bassist Derek Boyer was particularly noticeable, sporting a Cryptopsy None So Vile shirt, an excellent choice given readers will know they are my favourite Death Metal band. Watching him headbang effortlessly while delivering those enormous bass lines was a highlight in itself.
Behind the microphone, Ricky Myers has firmly established himself as the frontman of the band. I remember questioning who Suffocation would recruit to replace the unmistakable Frank Mullen when he stepped away from regular touring, but Myers has proved himself an excellent successor.
Myers also continues Mullen’s legacy by performing the famous suffo-chop. Meanwhile, his commanding physical presence, powerful guttural delivery and ability to control the audience have made him a great fit.
The addition of drummer John Longstreth has proved a positive one. He stepped in following Eric Morotti’s departure after ten years with the band earlier this year. Best known for his work with Origin, Longstreth’s technical ability was evident throughout, handling the relentless pace and intricate arrangements with apparent ease.
There was no shortage of technical brilliance throughout. The band sounded every bit as brutal live as they do on record, something that is no small achievement considering the complexity of their material. It was a relentless onslaught, and the rowdy crowd responded accordingly.
The classic track Pierced From Within prompted a huge cheer from the Manchester crowd, with Myers dedicating that song to the other bands on the bill, describing it as an honour to share the stage with them.
The set was also a reminder of the remarkable consistency of Suffocation’s catalogue, with the quality of their material remaining exceptionally high throughout their career.
Having performed more than 2,000 shows throughout their career, this is a band that knows exactly how to deliver, and there was little evidence of any slowing down.
Bringing proceedings to a close with Infecting The Crypts, Suffocation delivered a fitting finale to a set that had lasted just over 50 minutes. Ten songs, barely a moment to catch your breath and an audience that had been thoroughly put through its paces.
Having followed the band for many years, finally getting the opportunity to catch them on this UK return was everything I had hoped for. They were every bit as devastating as I had imagined, with the combination of veteran musicianship, a superb current lineup and an absolutely relentless set. Suffocation absolutely killed it.
Before heading off, I also had the pleasure of spending some time chatting with bassist Derek Boyer. We spoke about the band and what goes into putting their live show together, before he took a genuine interest in hearing about MetalTalk.
He couldn’t have been more generous with his time, coming across as an incredibly humble and personable individual.
Carnifex
Carnifex brought the show to a close with a blistering headline performance, taking to the stage just after 10 pm to chants of their name from an audience that remained lively despite the late hour and having already endured three brutal sets.
It was the first time the Californian Deathcore veterans had returned to England since March 2024, and they certainly made up for the wait.
Formed in Southern California in 2005, Carnifex are one of the established names from the first wave of American Deathcore, having spent more than two decades refining a sound that combines Death Metal brutality, blackened atmospheres and crushing breakdowns.
Despite a temporary hiatus between 2012 and 2013, the band have maintained a remarkably consistent lineup, with two founding members still at the helm and two further members having been part of the group since 2007. This longstanding chemistry was evident onstage, with the five-piece operating as a particularly tight-knit unit.
Frontman Scott Ian Lewis was a commanding presence throughout, demonstrating an excellent understanding of how to command an audience. Introducing each song before launching into it, he had the Manchester crowd firmly in the palm of his hand, while his bandmates churned out riffs and drum patterns at a relentless pace.
Watching the guitarists windmill their way through the set was admirable in itself, their necks seemingly taking just as much punishment as the audience below. A filthy good show from a band who clearly know exactly how to work a crowd.
The setlist offered a fantastic balance of established favourites and newer material, with tracks from across their extensive catalogue seamlessly woven together. Slit Wrist Savior and Lie To My Face landed well early on, and the crowd responded enthusiastically throughout, with a sea of devil horns visible across the floor and the unmistakable spirit of Metal filling the venue.
There was a brief interruption before Hell Chose Me, as the band halted the performance following an incident in the crowd. Once everything had been addressed, the band resumed, and that track proved one of the evening’s standout moments. The audience shouted along to the chorus with genuine passion
Having already witnessed Despised Icon and Suffocation deliver an exceptional performance earlier in the evening, there were a few conversations around me questioning whether anybody could top it.
Carnifex certainly provided serious competition, and this was quickly becoming a very close contest for the best performance of what had been an insane night.
The energy reached another level during Hatred and Slaughter, with Lewis instructing the entire audience to jump. They duly obliged, moving in unison as the floor shook beneath the collective weight of the crowd.
The band continued to deliver at full throttle, balancing the sheer aggression of their material with the atmospheric and melodic elements that have become such an identifiable part of their sound.
Before introducing Roses & Rotten Corpses, Lewis announced that it was a special night, with the band’s new album due to arrive at midnight. More than Misery, their tenth studio record, was released on 6 November, the day after this Manchester performance.
Having signed to Sumerian Records in May following more than a decade with Nuclear Blast, the album represents an important new chapter for the band. Having since given it a few listens, I can say it is a superb, dark release and well worth checking out.
With fan favourite Drown Me in Blood bringing proceedings to a close, Carnifex wrapped up a hugely impressive 45-minute headline performance to huge applause.
It was a fitting conclusion to a monster night of Deathcore and Death Metal in Manchester, with three heavyweight international acts delivering performances that each had a strong case for being the highlight.
Carnifex blew me away. A blistering performance from a band who remain at the top of their game.
Despite the dark and punishing nature of heavy music, the people behind it are more often than not truly great individuals. That was certainly evident after the show, when I was fortunate enough to meet drummer Shawn Cameron, who kindly handed me a drumstick and spent some time chatting.
Scott Ian Lewis was equally approachable, taking the time to chat and show his appreciation for the support. It is one of the things I have always appreciated about the Metal scene. Behind some of the most brutal music imaginable are genuinely down-to-earth people. My conversations with musicians on the night reinforced that.
Some evening!
