LIVE REVIEW: Make Them Suffer, Resolve, Conjurer, If Not For Me, Manchester Academy 2, 10/05/2025
Photo Credit: Kane Hibberd
This night at the Academy 2 showcased a diverse range of metal, from the melodic metalcore of If Not For Me to the progressive weight of Conjurer, the technical and cinematic force of Resolve, and finally, the modern and dynamic headliners Make Them Suffer.
If Not For Me, a metalcore band all the way from Pennsylvania, are moving up in the ranks of the metalcore scene. Especially with the release of their album, Everything You Wanted, back in 2024. Their sound was reminiscent of the band Catch Your Breath in terms of seamlessly shifting from a melodic, emotionally charged sound to a more hard-hitting and technically sharp one.
It was their first time performing overseas in the UK. They began their set with the song Demons, which kicked off with the dominating sound of double-kick drums and melodic vocals from vocalist Patrick Glover, setting the tone with themes of catharsis and inner struggle. Particularly when singing the harsh lyrics of “I try to tear apart and fray the fabric of my mind,” before the raw and aggressive breakdown of the song. Paired with heavy and chugging guitar riffs and drumming, with the inclusion of synth-textured atmospheric tones.
Before their next song, No Thanks To You, Glover took the time to thank the audience for coming down early to see their set and said, “Some of you came to move, some of you came to dance, and some of you came to mosh. So let’s move“. With this command, the audience followed through and opened up a mosh pit. The song starts with an ambient and soft nature before crashing into the sharp edge of anger and frustration, and this back-and-forth continues throughout the song. Depicting low-tuned guitar sounds and relentless dominating drumming sounds.
Ending their set with the well-known song Feel Me Now, which took the band by storm within the metalcore scene. The emotionally charged song resonated with the audience as they sang along in unison. It is clear from their first performance here that they will be back to headline in no time.
The atmosphere and tone shifted during the night when the acclaimed progressive metal band Conjurer took to perform. As they bathed the stage with a dark and haunting atmosphere, paired with instrumental soundscapes that gripped and captivated the audience as they listened. Unlike the other acts on the bill, Conjurer stood out with their sonically dense, genre-defying performance. However, their set made for a refreshing perspective and a powerful contrast that elevated the night. Choke set the scene as being a vicious opener. Filling the stage with an overwhelming feeling of immediate rage, the instrumental tone started off slow and then, like a tectonic shift in rhythm, picked up a fast and thrilling pace. Showcasing harsh vocals from both Brady Deeprose and Dan Nightingale and paired with dissonant and drilling riffs.
The next song, Scorn, kept up this momentum alive by depicting sludgy and hefty grooves, with the addition of an underlying sense of doom-laden tension. A highlight of their set was the continued energy displayed by bassist Conor Marshall, who effectively utilised his long hair as a way to add an emotional element and capture the weight and presence of their music. Where the lighting built upon this brutal atmosphere by matching the intensity of the set.
Rot follows the set into a more eerie and despairing sensation for the crowd, with a dynamic structure in terms of sound. The dual visceral vocals from Deeprose and Nightingale stand out during the song, with the breakdowns creating a sense of ferocity and brutality. Conjurers’ performance ends with the feral track Retch, making for a disorienting, chaotic and explosive end. The band erupts on the stage with their final assault of drilling guitar riffs and pounding drum tones. Leaving the audience with a lasting sense of catharsis and anguish.
Resolve, a metalcore band from Lyon, France, enthralled the audience with their ferocious opener, Human. The track, which is also the title of their 2023 album, was a deep exploration of themes of sensitivity and self-awareness of the human condition, accompanied by cinematic and sci-fi atmospheric soundscapes with aggressive undertones. This instantly captured the audience’s interest and established the tone for the remainder of the evening.
Bloodlust is created for an instant explosion of intricate guitar riffs, fast-paced drums and raw emotion. Vocalist Anthony Diliberto’s performance is nothing short of thrilling, with his continued ability to command the stage with his vocals and presence, especially during the song’s crushing breakdown.
The band took things back in time with the song Of Silk and Straw, which made for an orchestral and dramatic tone which showcased a flair of poetically filled lyrics, including “Man is a wolf to man/You can’t run, you can’t hide/For the reaper picks no side“. During the set, Diliberto demanded that he wanted to see twenty crowd surfers and that relentless energy continued with a circle pit.
This made perfect timing for when Resolve performed newer songs, like Molotov, which was full of anthemic rebellion and high energy. Emerald Skies makes for a catchy, rhythmic and infectious chorus that is always a hit with the crowd as they passionately sing in time with Diliberto. Smile switches the set up by being made for a bittersweet and uplifting tone that had an underlining sense of heaviness due to themes of going through times of darkness and to keep pushing through with the idea of holding onto hope.
The band concluded their set with the climactic closer Older Days, a nostalgic song that reflects on letting go and personal growth. It makes for a song that perfectly balances the sense of catharsis with melancholy. Containing elements of reverb tones mixed with layers of ambient synth tones, paired with vocals that deliver a sensory experience for the audience.
Each time Resolve performs on stage, their live shows only grow more refined and impressive. They’ve consistently proven that they’re not just a solid band on record but a truly commanding presence live. Their ability to deliver tight, emotionally charged sets has made it clear that they’re more than capable of headlining again and ready to step onto even bigger stages. As with every show, they cement themselves as one of the most exciting live acts in the metalcore genre and watching them perform is a joy and pleasure. They are a band that you must experience live.
Make Them Suffer, an Australian metalcore band, took the stage next, bringing the intensity with their dynamic, explosive set and captivating enthusiasm. The band started their set with the song Epitaph, which makes for an epic opener and sets an emotional and heavy tone. Bones elevates this even more by unleashing powerful and punchy guitar riffs, paring with vocalist Sean Harmanis’ guttural screams and “bleghs”. The set then takes a ballad and emotional shift with Ether, where Alex Reade’s clean, dreamy and melodic vocals shine through. Giving the audience a moment of a brief pause as the piano-driven sound of the song breaks up the heaviness of the previous tracks.
Then Mana God dramatically sweeps in and takes the audience off their feet, creating a destructive atmosphere. Where crowd surfer starts making their way to the front of the stage, and circle pits start to form. As they felt and reciprocated the energy that the band were giving off as they performed on the stage. Ghost Of Me is a well-known song of theirs, which is also a hit in a live setting. Is filled with dark theatrics of chugging and drilling guitar riffs and big anthemic choruses. It also makes for a track where Harmanis’ and Reade’s vocals work well together, as it switches between aggressive and clean vocal abilities. Giving the performance an extra sense of dynamic range and driving rhythm when it comes to the sound.
Make Them Suffer then switches the set up with songs like Oscillator, which showcases their more modern and newer sound. As it is groove-laden and contains syncopated and heavy riffs, creating a sense of sharp and unpredictable energy that keeps the audience engaged as they watch the performance. During Erase Me made for a poignant moment for Harmanis as he became emotional as the song went on, showing that the song meant a lot to him. It made for a commendable moment for him to show this vulnerability openly to the crowd.
The band ended the night with the encore Widower, which is a song that takes the audience back to their older routes of being influenced by symphonic deathcore. The song contains slow and mournful tones, filling the venue with emotional gravity and nostalgic brutality.
Leaving the crowd both reflective and exhilarated by what they’ve just witnessed, Make Them Suffer, like Resolve, masterfully balance full-throttle breakdowns with melodic soundscapes. It’s this contrast that creates such a compelling live experience and one that draws loyal fans back time and again while pulling in newcomers eager to ride the rollercoaster of emotion and sound the band delivers with effortless intensity.
Written By: Zena Morris
