SEPTEMBER 21st 2025
BLEED FROM WITHIN

Review By: Dmitry Sukhinin
Photos By: Polina Kulikovskikh
Gallery: http://www.metaltitans.com/concertpics/bleed-from-within/

Everything in this world is temporary, and we have seen some recent downscaling of the announced concerts here in Oslo, - some bands that are well tested by time change the venue to a smaller one. Not every act holds their grounds and the genre mix in the listener’s ears is very different from what it was 25 years ago. 

Today is a test for metalcore in a land of viking folk and black metal. Will it pass? What is your guess? 

I am late for the show, and as I rush in, I only manage to catch a crazy brutal breakdown of the last song by Great American Ghost. I have been to Vulkan Arena before, but it has never been so difficult to move there - it is sold out, both the first floor and the gallery are stuffed with young faces. 

So there you get it, I have instantly answered my question. Aaaaaand it will be a very loud night. 

Meshuggah have surely changed the music world - starting from the music gear to giving birth to a new genre family tree. After the Burial are one of the progenies. I have known of them since around 2005 and have never imagined they will come here. 

It is the first song and we get a wall of death. No, I am serious, - it is a real wall of death. In Norway. 

After the Burial used to be a quintet, and ten years ago guitar player quit and then sadly died. The band now is a quartet, and I hear samples and some guitar parts are now a back track. The main guitar is muffled, but that is by design - it is an insane amount of compression and gain so that some strokes hork like a djent percussion.
 
I note the brilliant work of Dan Carle on drums (ghost notes!!!), the sound is very good, and Fred Durst twin Anthony Notarmaso is raising hell with his growls. 

As both Great American Ghost and After The Burial frontmen mention, hospitable Norway harassed the bands on the border, since some people who work at customs have not heard about merch, and also that merch sales in Norway brings tax to Norway. Shocking facts. But at least some limited amount of merch got through. 
 
Trent Hafdahl changes his 7-string guitar to a bright 8-string beast and the guitar is obviously of some much higher class - I clearly hear the difference. 

Crowdsurfing, and folk sing along. The crowdsurfing is new to Vulkan, the security have no idea what to do. 

After the Burial setlist is very rhythm-oriented and you, who love Meshuggah, need to check them out when they are around. 

It is After The Burial who got me to come to the gig, but Bleed From Within is headlining the day. While the crew arranges a very clean and accurate stage setting, the inter-set walk-in music is very loud and the metalcore people are singing along. Crowd singing is literally the worst experience anyone may have on a heavy metal gig. There is nothing worse than people singing Iron Maiden or Judas Priest. But somehow it is not the case with today's crowd: they do hit the notes of Serj Tankian and other big pop hits.

My first experience is outstanding vocals by Steven "Snev" Jones. Dead sharp and beautiful. 
Yes, this is the next new black of rock music - the demand is for sure here. Let’s see if it is for long, but I am hopeful. The sound is great and the band is very active going right, left, up and down. Stage presence and attitude is here!! And a circle pit is here too. Am I still in Norway? 

Bleed From Within are a very conventional metalcore act with some inspiration from Swedish melodic death metal (well, this is maybe just me). 

“Has anyone seen us at Tons of Rock?”, - the crowd erupts. Our biggest pop rock festival has done its mission. The fellows look extremely happy - shining! 

It is Scotland (which is also confirmed by the enhanced share of gingerness in the band), and Scott Kennedy who urges us by “ken ya help mi ta seng ze lereks?”. 

Very catchy, very groovy moments and quite a diverse set, and these fellows are bigger than the big players of the Swedish melodic death metal bands that were in this same place. 

So, let’s make this official. This kind melodic music with growls and breakdowns is the new black.