[LIVE REVIEW] LORNA SHORE, WHITECHAPEL, SHADOW OF INTENT & HUMANITY'S LAST BREATH - O2 VICTORIA WAREHOUSE, MANCHESTER. 10/02/2026

Opening up the night, Swedish heavy titans Humanity's Last Breath. 

Humanity's Last Breath included some well known fan favourites in their set such as 'GodHood', 'Tide' and concluding with hard-hitting track 'Glutton'. Musically, the band proved once again why they’re considered one of the acts actively pushing the genre forward. from the precision in their playing to the sheer creativity in their arrangements—showed a group unafraid to evolve, experiment, and set the bar high for the opening act of tonight's show. 

Although the band are known for their enigmatic performances and professional smoke machine enthusiasts, I can't help but feel that this time maybe it was taken a bit too far. From a distance and probably around 10 rows back from the stage it was really hard to make out what was actually happening on stage and I feel this slightly left me disappointed with the visual aspect of the show, personally. 

This being said, Humanity’s Last Breath are rapidly becoming an a kind of force can't be ignored and taking the metal scene by storm. I'd first heard of these guys last year and got to witness them previously at Ghostfest where they’d stirred up a noticeable buzz throughout the crowd and hype before the event. They’re a band whose attention to detail shines through in every performance. They’re the kind of band you owe it to yourself to see live if the opportunity comes around and experience at least once live if you're a fan of the deathcore / black metal hybrid sound.

Stepping up after delivering such an impressive performance Shadow Of Intent take to the stage. With a brutal approach to Symphonic deathcore, Shadow Of Intent are a band that you could say take the stage with 'intent'. I know, that's a bad pun. It made me laugh. 

At this point in the show the audience are showing a high level of energy and cups of water were flying everywhere. Shadow of Intent packed their set with absolute bangers, including 'Flying the Black Flag', 'Infinity of Horrors', and 'Feeding the Meatgrinder'. The performance leaned heavily into material from their newly released album Imperium Delirium, giving the crowd a powerful taste of their latest directive that the band has taken.

Ben Duerr’s vocal range is consistently jaw‑dropping, and a force you can’t help but admire every time these guys step onto the stage.

Closing their set with one of my favorite songs 'The Heretic Prevails' the crowd at this point were eating out the palm of their hands, moving chaotically whilst from where I was viewing giving such energy it was almost infectious not to want to join in.  Shadow Of Intent's set was tight, polished and a clear display of how devastatingly heavy this band can be. Be it the precision of the drumming, the intricately detailed guitar work, or the sheer ferocity of the vocals.

When speaking to a few members of the audience after the set, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. People were still buzzing about what they’d just witnessed, and one person mentioned how they’d never seen Shadow Of Intent before but were now walking away with a new potential favourite band. That kind of reaction—the immediate conversion, the excitement that is left buzzing with people who attended the show says everything about the impression they left. Some support bands simply warm up a room, but Shadow Of Intent bring full main‑stage energy to every performance, the kind of presence and professionalism that makes you forget they’re not even the headliner.

At this point in the evening it's time for a pint of the finest tapwater from O2 Victoria Warehouse and probably with my age, time to get out the ibuprofen ready to power on for the final two bands of the evening. First of the remaining bands to take to the stage, Whitechapel. 

Whilst moving through a wide span of their discography—bringing both older staples and newer material to the stage—it became an audible feast for everyone in the room. Their set included the likes of opening track 'Prisoner 666' followed on by 'A Visceral Reach' and 'The Somatic Defilement' - there was definitely something on their set list for every era of Whitechapel fan. One thing I noticed, while we’re on the topic of fans from every era, was just how many younger audience members were singing (singing phrased lightly...) along to Whitechapel’s set. It’s brilliant to see their music resonating with a whole new generation.

During Whitechapel’s set, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Phil wasn’t fully enjoying himself. Now any Whitechapel fan will be there now talking to themselves saying "well haven't you seen this interviews and when he's spoken about performing and music?" and yes... I know he’s spoken in interviews about slipping into a certain persona and mindset to perform the way he does, and I’m not taking anything away from that — his presence on stage is absolutely mesmerising. But something about his body language made me feel a bit sad for him. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but it was that instinctive moment where you just want to give someone a big hug.

It’s fair to say that some people in the room tonight were here for Whitechapel alone given the calibre of their visual production and the sheer, titanic weight of their performance, it’s easy to understand why. Whitechapel are a band with deep roots in shaping the deathcore genre, and closing their phenomenal set with 'This Is Exile felt' like the perfect, nostalgia‑charged full stop to an already explosive set and so far knockout to end an already massive show. 

Sat waiting for the changeover, I finally took notice of what was going on — staff darting around, stripping Whitechapel’s setup and prepping for Lorna Shore. It really hit me how little recognition these guys get for everything they do to keep the evening running smoothly. If any loaders or stage crew happen to read this, just know — hats off to you. 

During the set we got bombarded with pyro, stunning  lighting, and some seriously loud bangs… and not just courtesy of Will Ramos. There were genuine explosions in the mix.

Whilst on stage Will Ramos, frontman, declared that they had been advised not to ask for any 'walls of death' or 'circle pits' throughout their performance however in good humor 'advised' the crowd that they should enjoy the show in anyway they feel fit... I see you Will, I see what you did there I mean - if you're not directly asking for them and the crowd do it on their own, no fault there, right? RIGHT?! 

The set featured tracks from 'I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me' such as the iconic 'Glenwood', 'Unbreakable' and 'In Darkness' alongside some of their older discography with a treat to the audience with a run through of parts 1 to 3 of the 'Pain Remains' trilogy which was not on my bingo cards for this show and a pleasant surprise. 

I do have to give some praise for Will's tenacity during his set, the bold frontman got a bit to close to one of the pyros and seemingly burnt his arm but carried on as if nothing had even happened. If this is not a sign of professionalism and being in it for the fans, I don't know what is. Whilst we at Get Heavy did not manage to record this incident, a fair few videos online since have gained traction across platforms like Instagram and TikTok. 

Lorna Shore delivered a phenomenal performance that hit every mark of what a great show should be. The theatrics were on point, the huge LED screen elevated the atmosphere (although to be noted may have been used just for the 'sake of it' in other bands performances with a generic rain drop styled light show in full swing), and the band played with absolute precision. The crowd fed off every moment—what a night.

Overall the whole night radiated high energy, great music, and a lineup that complemented each other flawlessly. Each band brought something a little different to the stage which made it work so well. As mentioned in the begining if you're a fan of a deathcore this is a show that you should have grabbed tickets for instantly and I'll say this for future endeavors from all the bands on this line up - if you get the chance, it's highly recommended to do so.

Was this venue the right choice for the lineup? I’d say so. Each band had plenty of room to go all‑out with their theatrics—trinkets, gadgets, pyro, and whatever those loud bangs were that kept making me jump.

It’s been a day or so since the concert concluded, and social media is still buzzing. Feedback from the show has been praising every band on the bill, yet Lorna Shore remain the standout everyone can’t stop talking about. When a show is still being talked about days later, you know it was something that just hit on another level.

If you’d like to find out more about any of the bands playing tonight, just tap the links below.

Humanity's Last Breath

Shadow Of Intent

Whitechapel 

Lorna Shore

Photography by Laura Jane Photography on behalf of Get Heavy UK. Images are not to be redistributed, reproduced, or used elsewhere without prior permission.