Review by Gary Spiller for MPM
A good friend of mine, in the music industry, once said, with wise insight, to me that you only get one shot at a debut show so it’s worth giving it absolutely everything. He’s totally correct and this evening in the heart of Bristol we have not one but two Stateside bands making their UK debut and not only lifting the roof but also bringing the metaphorical house down too. Two outfits, who have surfed into town atop a justified wave of hype, which are both on the cusp of something huge. Two outfits who, via individual organic evolutions, have reached a point in their careers where a sudden elevation into stratospheric realms appears deservedly inevitable.
Tonight’s gig was, towards the end of last year, a late addition to the tour when it was apparent something special was occurring. Venues being upgraded and selling out, not just across the opening week in the UK but throughout the following fortnight’s jaunt across mainland Europe. Whilst remarkable upon any level putting these achievements into complete context makes it all the more incredible. Factor in that this is the just the second European tour for headliners Sleep Theory – following 2024’s dates opening for Falling In Reverse – and the first time that the special guests The Pretty Wild have played outside of North America and a clear conclusion can be simply drawn.
Large queues outside the O2 prior to doors exude a tangible expectation and well before The Pretty Wild take to the stage the venue is utterly rammed such is the clamour. Having gone viral on TikTok with an infectious “mosh-cough” immediately prior to a monster breakdown in October ’24 single ‘sLeepwALkeR’ you could be forgiven for thinking that this outfit is an overnight sensation.
Sure, the band, fronted by vocalist sisters Jules and Jyl Wylde, have landed with one almighty thump of late but as Jules commented in a recent interview with Revolver Mag “No one is truly an overnight success.” Make no bones about it this pair have ‘done the grind’ that has led up to their initial raucous breakout. Innumerable four-hour cover sets in Las Vegas casinos, opening slots right across the board, thousands of miles all the while enhancing a spiritual connection that only siblings can possess. What we witness tonight is a performance so tight and chockful of precision; one full of honesty and complete understanding between two vocalists that appear to know what one another is thinking before those thoughts have even actually materialized.
Right on the hour of eight so the lights darken and the band assemble in the Cimmerian shadows. Keys chime hauntingly as a metallic ‘lullaby’ tempestuously rages. Sauron is unleashed as The Pretty Wild sets about owning the stage with the set-opening thunderclap of ‘PARADOX’. Melding the sensibilities of metalcore with crossovers into pop-infusions ensures a diversity of fanbase and as such a titling in the ‘baddiecore’ sub-genre. With the chaos inflicted by the likes of Infected Rain the venomous ‘OMENS’ sees the Academy seething as boiling point nears.
With volcanic breakdowns ‘bLAcK oPs (m@nia)’ – one of a trio of tracks released on 27 October ’24 – sees the sisters’ vocals entwine with an enlightened “Ah fuck it, I’ll do it myself” before the lava emits forth in the breakdown. Cutting ties with toxic bonds the empowering ‘button eyes’ gets the O2 crowd right onside with its heavy as heck throughput combined with a saccharine sweetness enthralling. The tubthumping tidal wive of ‘living ded’ distributes touches of Linkin Park; the hushed tones “In death we” sends lightning shivers across ethereal planes.
A magmatic wrecking ball the title track of their debut album ‘zero.point.genesis’ – released as a single to coincide with tonight’s UK debut – continues to ramp up the pressures. Energies that ensure the inevitable eruption within the regal powerage of ‘INFRARED’ leaves scars of the forceful impact. The earthquaking 40-minute set is rounded off by the other singles released at the end of October ’24. Tremor induced avalanche ‘vessüL (SiNGULAR!TY)’ is followed by the apocalyptical hurricane kinetics of signature track ‘sLeepwALkeR’. Indelibly The Pretty Wild have left their fiery impression upon Bristol in a hugely impressive fashion.
Certain quarters of social media, nowadays, seem crucial in a band’s development. Like their special guests, tonight’s headliners Sleep Theory alsohave their own positive tale to tell. Frontman Cullen Moore, a US Army veteran, relates midset “Three years ago we released a 17 second TikTok video. How we didn’t know that it would change our lives!” That video contained an excerpt from the beautiful turmoil of ‘Another Way’ which then became their debut single reaching an incredible half a million views in just 36 hours.
Ever since the band’s singles have been knocking on doors of various US charts with a couple topping the Mainstream Rock charts and their debut album ‘Afterglow’, upon release at the end of last May, just missing out on the top hundred of the US Billboard 200. With North of 2.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify this is an album that sports some impressive figures. In much less than a year each track is into at least 7-figure listening totals with the album tracks overall topping over 230 million listens.
Having toured with not only Falling In Reverse but also Shinedown and Beartooth Moore and his charges have skyrocketed over the last couple of years. Strongly mooted as one of the hot prospects in metal they won the award for Best International Breakthrough Artist at the ninth Heavy Music Awards last October. Such is the depth and strength of belief in what this talented quadrumvirate can accomplish.
Sharply taking to the boards at nine Sleep Theory tear into the pulsating tsunamic energies of ‘Fallout’ and across the next eighty minutes they cram in a monstrous 19 numbers which includes the entirety of ‘Afterglow’, some select cuts off their ‘Paper Hearts’ EP and a handful of covers that pays a nod towards some of their more unlikely inspirations. Bending genres and melding RnB sentiments in a metalliferous arena Sleep Theory are readymade for the 21st century.
Moore’s soulful vocals amidst the whirlpool generated by the ranks about him within ‘Enough’ could calm a storm, sparkling and communicating, embracing you and holding your heart simultaneously. The anthemic roar of ‘Parasite’ is chockful of searing guitaring courtesy of six-string wielding Daniel Pruitt whilst conflagrant sparks fly in ‘Hourglass’. The clocks are held with the Bristol audience captivated under the cogent incantation.
Moore, incredulous, is beside himself exclaiming “Oh my goodness!” at the phenomenal reception they’re receiving. “They’ve told me to tell you not to crowd surf, but they didn’t say not to jump!” the affable frontman continues. The rain pours for ‘Just A Mistake’ as the O2 responds to his request. Soulful on occasion the fuse wire of the semi-balladic ‘Gone or Staying’ runs out and the resulting detonation sees an upwards surge. There’s a latter-day RnB at the core with a doffing of cap towards Boys II Men.
Aptly it’s followed by a metalled-up cover of NSYNC’s ‘Bye Bye Bye’; the band demonstrate their undoubted craft whilst the crowd sings along. Guilty pleasures anyone? The vocals of bassist Paolo Vergera, a quietly spoken talent of his own, entwine joyously with Moore’s as the frontman demonstrates he’s got the ‘moves’ too. The compelling dispatch of ‘Afterglow’ is about as honest and open as one can get, a stellar starburst from upon high.
The heartfelt outpourings of the slickly smooth ‘Gravity’ follow; “Fellas if you’re here with a gal you better hold her tight” instructs Moore. With dystopian urges the screens, in a Fallout styled manner, instruct “Please stand by” prior to storming the ramparts with the energetic ‘III’. The darkened stirrings of ‘Paralyzed’ satisfies with its catchy bounce with Moore seemingly keen to make friends with everyone crammed into the Academy. “Woah, woah! We sold the place out baby!” he exclaims in genuine disbelief.
Vergera is introduced and Moore relates the story of how they met at a party and the young bassist grabbed a guitar to play Paramore’s ‘My Heart’. The baton is handed over to the bassist for the track and its gentle starry night embrace, captivation complete. With a touch of Seal in his voice Moore leads the way in the soothing of ‘It’s Over’; it’s arena-ready with three-way harmonies to die for along the frontline.
Dipping into the song that began it all for the band ‘Another Way’ engages as the flow continues unstoppable. The most grandiose of theatres echo to the call of the glorious ‘Words Are Worthless’ prior to a tasty curveball in the form of Taylor Swift’s 2023 smash ‘Cruel Summer’.
Saving the big hitters for the final swings Sleep Theory take the roof off with the upbeat celebrations of ‘Stuck In My Head’ that rolls into the meteoritic ‘Numb’; the latter a kaleidoscopic rollercoasting that wins the ‘Catchy as F**k’ award on the evening. “We ain’t got no encore!” declares Moore as he introduces the set-closing V12 powered frenzy of ‘Static’. Seems like the ego-stroking of the encore is being eschewed more and more.
What a night the Academy capacity crowd has borne witness to; it’s so exceedingly rare to witness not one but two UK debuts go down so very well. Two outfits with less than a decade, in their current incarnations, between them and a singular album apiece have just given a meaningful insight into where the future of metal lies. Watch both these bands as they tear up the likes of Download, Graspop, Impericon and Vainstream festivals this summer. Larger stages and arenas wait for both outfits.
Photography by Kelly Spiller for MPM
