At the start of the year, you would have been lucky to have had any knowledge at all of Sheffield’s newest music festival, Shreddler. The one-day heavy music extravaganza is the brainchild of While She Sleeps frontman Loz Taylor and Christian Carlisle of BBC Introducing and Kerrang Radio, who have teamed up to bring us the best up-and-coming Metal and heavy music that our shores have to offer. It was one of the hottest days of the year so far and a perfect one to take in all of the noisy delights alongside an ice-cold beverage at the Peddler market.
Shreddler
Peddler Warehouse, Sheffield – 12 April 2025
Words And Photography: Matt Pratt
INDEVTH
Kicking off Shreddler Festival 2025 were blistering talents INDEVTH. Upon arriving on stage and having absolutely no interest in easing the crowd into action, lead vocalist Sam Culverwell demanded that the crowd huddle in, ensuring this was going to be a sweaty, hardcore show from the off.
Unapologetic growls and chugging riffs are the name of the game with this powerful five-piece. This was a sound that even inspired a modest but impressive mosh pit from the early afternoon crowd. With their final song they gave the onlookers a final opportunity to show their energy and, as they departed, even had a call for “one more song” yelling out from a clearly impressed audience.
Patience
Next, we took a short trip to The Factory Floor, swapping out the guttural snarls of INDEVTH for the melodic sounds of Patience. The shaded bar made for a vital refuge as their lead vocal bravely stressed that we would make it through the challenging conditions in our dark Metal merchandise, radiating gothic struggle.
Sonically, the band exists in the same region as Sweet Pill and Winona Fighter, with their upbeat and chaotic melodies and pop-punk-esque vocals. Their accessible and gripping sound makes the young five-piece a hot prospect and one I expect will do extremely well in the modern scene.
Eville
Second on the main stage are Eville. The vibrant four-piece are exactly what you want for an early afternoon festival slot. Their punky vocals and electronically infused melodies had your feet twitching even if you were not familiar with their work.
Those eager feet were given plenty of opportunity to indulge in a bit of joyful bouncing as the band invited the room to jump with them on more than one occasion. Styled with defiance, Eville are a perfect fit in the alternative scene and are sure to continue rising through the ranks from here on out, with new admirers found here today.
Rosehill
The Factory Floor was then host to some local talent in Rosehill. The five-man band squeezed into the corner of the intimate venue and displayed all the trademarks of a gritty basement Hardcore band.
With the lead vocalist darting around the room, there would be dire consequences for remaining stationary. It was clear that the band were dead set on getting in amongst it and insisting they will be known.
Still In Love
Despite significant adversity in the last 24 hours, Still In Love maintained their place on our main stage today. They explained how their guitarist was rushed to hospital just yesterday so could not make the occasion.
Whilst I’m certain he will be absolutely devastated to have missed such a wonderful occasion, he can recover with pride that the rest of the band smashed it on their first visit to the steel city.
Still In Love, the five-piece who are a four-piece for the day, have built a lyrical identity around themes of addiction and recovery, relatable stories giving those in the darkest of places solace that they are not alone. Their set was passionate and fierce, leaving a lasting impression as they departed the stage.
Graywave
Staying put in the bustling warehouse, we have Graywave taking to the stand. Unlike the aggressive projects that had taken to the stage this far, Graywave took a much more contemplative approach with a haunting, grungey sound.
Thanks to a technical issue, there was not much time for chit-chat as the band rifled their way through the short set, delivering their full-bodied tunes and moody vocals. Their slower pace arrived at the perfect moment in the day, allowing us to catch our breath and sink into the expansive soundscape impressively created by just the four individuals on stage.
As a band that will only benefit from greater sound systems, I pray we are fortunate enough to see this band flourish so we can all lose ourselves for a few moments again.
Floodhounds
Floodhounds take to The Factory Floor with a mission today. Not only were they looking to win over the Metal crowd with their own sound, which was, by their own admission, not as heavy as the rest of the lineup.
They were also seeking supporters as they chase their dream of playing Download festival. The three piece have been shortlisted for The Deal, a Kerrang Radio competition in which the most popular band by vote will win a slot at the hulking celebration of heavy music this summer.
Their short set did not harm their chances, and despite not maintaining the vicious style of their fellow performers, they managed to amass and entertain a respectable following.
Rough Justice
Straight over to the main stage to catch Rough Justice. The Sheffield-based Hardcore ensemble was sure to be popular at their hometown festival and made their first gig of the year one to remember.
With the most lively crowd so far, having summoned a gaggle of two-steppers and moshers, the lead vocalist, James Tippett, even got dragged into the crowd for their last song.
The unruly nature of the crowd was not unwarranted as the local band whipped up a frenzy on stage with their honest offering of hardcore music. With passion and energy like this, Rough Justice seem well overdue for a full UK tour. When they decide to hit the UK stages next, make sure you keep an eye out for them bringing the riot to a town near you. 
Tropic Gold
Following some brutal fundamental Hardcore, a shift over to the more experimental side of the rock scene was welcome, with Metalcore trio Tropic Gold.
Just over a month ago, the band took the next step in their musical journey, dropping the new EP Sick To Death Of Everything, and will be heading to London for a sold-out headline show to celebrate.
The Shreddler stage was the perfect testing ground for their new material, with a diverse crowd digesting their equally diverse brand of Metal. The fresh electronically padded output gathered curiosity and teased the senses with the prospect of what unexpected twist was to come yet.
The Black Heart are in for a treat with these guys and I will be keeping an eye on where they go from here.
Asleep At The Helm
Asleep At The Helm were up next on the second stage. The band garnered curiosity from the off, with both guitarists arriving masked, one with a Kabuto-style face covering and the other with more of a cyberpunk skull look.
The masks did not take long to come off as the quartet ploughed into their roaring Metalcore to windmilling fans in the claustrophobic room. The sweaty intimacy was the perfect environment for the belligerent collective, exuding moments of doom with melodic interludes. 
Rxptrs
Shortly following on The Shreddler Factory Floor were Rxptrs. It was immediately evident what sort of attitude Rxptrs would bring as the band skipped to the performance area to the sound of Donna Summer and Kygo’s 1979 hit Hot Stuff, which had been altered to include the band’s name.
The band sported a sound that I was yet to hear today, a much more traditional Metal sound with vocals that would not feel out of place in a playlist with Iron Maiden or Gun N’ Roses.
Rxptrs were having as much fun performing as the crowd were watching. They even convinced a fan to wear Regina, a rubber unicorn mask, for an entire song, which must have been unbearable considering the heat.
Rxptrs were an excellent way for me to wrap up my day at The Factory Floor with an excellent display of diversity and promise in the future of Metal.
Lake Malice
Lake Malice would not get boring if you watched them a thousand times. The swiftly rising trio seem to be playing everywhere and anywhere at the moment and are impossible to ignore.
Channelling a fusion of heavy rock along with the zap of brooding electronics, the band follows in the footsteps of phenomenally successful genre contrarians such as Enter Shikari and Bring Me The Horizon. Their on-stage energy is as engaging as their sound.
Guitarist Blake Cornwall seldom stops spinning or leaping off ledges, and vocalist Alice Guala leads the efforts with grace at her calmest and brutality at her most vicious.
The Shreddler energy didn’t stop at the barriers either, with Harrison diving into the middle of a circle pit to close one of their late songs. My expectations are firmly set that Lake Malice will be headlining festivals such as Shreddler and beyond before long, their trajectory is sharp and still climbing.
Delilah Bon
Delilah Bon needs no introduction because she can doubtlessly speak loudly for herself. The powerfully assertive artist has not just built a career to share her art with the world but to influence significant change.
She does this, not just by politely educating, but by forcing uncomfortable conversations and eliciting emotional reactions to justify her points and channel outrage where it is long overdue. 
Before the show even began you could see the stage littered with placards. These were the sort you might see at a protest, sharing slogans of support for the LGBTQIA+ community and women across the world, an all too familiar point of protest given the current worldwide climate.
The performance seemed almost contradictory in its nature, with incredibly sensitive and serious topics being delivered through the guise of our scintillating singer with all the charm and confidence of an experienced pro.
It was not lost that we were listening to boisterous activism focusing on the worst that humanity has to offer. But it was impossible to remove our attention from the gravitational pull of Delilah Bon’s phenomenal performing ability. 
I can’t imagine what it must be like as a woman to assert challenges to the aggressors of society so publically, undoubtedly resulting in a barrage of unacceptable noise being thrown back at her.
Despite the unpleasant and likely dangerous pedestal she has placed herself upon, she handles the responsibility with grace and downright pride as she inspires a whole new cohort of compassionate humans to fight back against those who are so determined to enforce misery and abuse.
Shreddler – The Atmosphere Was An Absolute Joy
There is plenty at risk when setting up a new festival. You never truly know how you are going to be received or whether word will sufficiently spread, especially given less than six months of marketing time.
The atmosphere was an absolute joy. I cannot recall one negative incident all day with the crowd showing precisely why Metal fans have the best etiquette in music. The venues were nicely packed out with local beer and street food flowing. 
The quality of the music on display was unsurprisingly top-notch, having been delicately hand-picked by our phenomenally informed hosts. The broad span of styles within the overarching Heavy Metal genre meant there was plenty for all to sink their teeth into at Shreddler and an excellent platform for some of the exciting young talents to make a name for themselves.
Without knowing the full breakdown of the financial success of the day, it is hard to say whether Shreddler will become a mainstay of the Sheffield music scene, returning year after year. What is without doubt, is the positive impact it has left on all the delighted festival goers present today.
Today was a joyous celebration of the Heavy Metal music scene and a safe space for the community that supports it. I am sure all in attendance will join me in praying for a return of this wonderful Shreddler experience in the spring of 2026.
