LIVE REVIEW: Boundaries, Varials, Dagger Threat, No Face No Case, Manchester Rebellion, 11/04/2025
Photo Credit: Sarah Holick
On this Friday night, Rebellion exploded with aggression and ruthlessness, fuelled by the sheer force from the hardcore bands of No Face No Case, Dagger Threat, Varials, and headliners Boundaries. Each band carved out their own corner of hardcore chaos, leaving no soul untouched and no limb unmoved.
Up first was No Face No Case, who are a five-piece hardcore and nu-beatdown band from Prague, Czech Republic. From the moment they started playing, people were instantly two-stepping along to the pounding drums, like a command. With hip-hop interludes that woven into their set and acting as breathers between the brutal breakdowns. During the set, vocalist Matyáš Jakeš exclaimed, “Want to see more violence? Brutal bangers for you!” A promise on which they delivered. Their sound felt unique and completely outside both, especially with how they incorporated dubstep and techno soundscapes into the band’s breakdowns. From the audience’s point of view, you would think it was a risk, blending those genres with hardcore, but in fact it paid off and worked well together, feeling genuinely fresh. When the final song on the setlist struck, the pit erupted into full-blown chaos, and the crowd went insane when the last breakdown hit.
Next up was Dagger Threat, a hardcore band hailing from Germany, where as a band, they brought a relentless, sharp-edged sound that cut through the venue like daggers. They started off their set with the track Crooked Mirror, which set the tone of creating crushing riffs and grabbing the audience with its heavy, hostile and cathartic tone. With vocalist Tim Rogler screaming, “Punch your friends in the face!” mid-set. The song Cut the Cord evoked the sounds of striking drums and searing guitar riffs, which were paired with harsh vocals from Rogler. Their pummelling breakdowns were aggressive and unapologetically heavy, igniting mosh pits that kept reforming with each new drop. Dagger Threat ended their set with the cover of Slipknot’s song Surfacing, which made for a nu-metal anthem depicting rage and rebellion. Their style evoked shades of Korn, but if Korn was reimagined as a pure hardcore force. Taking inspiration from 00’s nu-metal wave and hardcore bands from the likes of Korn, Slipknot and Hatebreed.
Warming up for the headliners Boundaries, the American hardcore band Varials took to the stage, bringing an entirely different weight to the night. The band set the tone early by walking out to patriotic music that quickly paved the way to dissonant riffs and gut-punching heaviness. Their setlist was comprised mostly of their older material, which meant a descent into darker, more emotionally intense themes. The set started with the song .50, where it felt like an audible gut punch, with every chord soaked in anguish, every breakdown dragging the crowd into the abyss. It was the perfect warm-up to get the crowd ready for later as the crowd fell immediately into chaos. The Cycle Of Violence: Chapter 1 continued this unrelenting energy, forming a mosh pit with the track’s visceral breakdowns and fast, cathartic tone. Empire Of Dirt showcased gnarly and low guitar riffs with themes of hopelessness, despair and fury. Ending on the brutal closer Colder Brother, which brought sonic heaviness, where Varials did not hold back and ended on a fierce note. Marking their presence as being the hardest-hitting opener of the night.
Finally, it was time for Boundaries, a hardcore band from Connecticut, and they wasted no time igniting the venue. Boundaries opened their set with the song Turning Hate Into Rage, which filled Rebellion with raw ferocity and animosity. Especially with the lyrics “This world is evil and I am the Devil,” creating a declaration of emotional war with the audience as they listened. Both Scars On A Soul and Darkness Shared paved the way for being emotionally driven and depicted themes of introspection and pain. Darkness Shared pounded with repetition and anguish, pared with piercing and drilling guitar soundscapes, deepening the weighty atmosphere. While “Realize and Rebuild” brought an unexpected but powerful twist, slam poetry during the song’s chorus, symbolising transformation through suffering.
During the performance, vocalist Matthew McDougal commanded the crowd by exclaiming, “Get your ass in the mosh pit and make this look like a mad house.” Someone in the crowd obliged by finding a bin and launching it into the high-intensity mosh pit, sparking utter carnage. The band themselves even admitted, “This is one of the best shows for the band, period.” Reminiscent of Malevolence’s grit but standing firmly on their own, Boundaries closed the night that dragged the crowd through every scar, every scream, and every stomp in the pit with the song Easily Erased. A final reckoning and release of everything left unsaid.
Overall, it was not just a show, but an intense and electrifying experience disguised as a concert. The event featured No Face No Case’s genre-bending chaos, Dagger Threat’s cut-throat precision, Varials’ dark and intense set, and Boundaries’ emotional demolition, all contributing to a raw, unpredictable, and powerful hardcore experience.
