EVILE's triumphant return to Manchester is something that is not only anticipated, but in this particular case, eagerly awaited. This is a show that has been two years in the making, and as a result, expectations are high. Tonight certainly doesn't disappoint, as Huddersfield's finest return to the opposite side of the Pennines with a new, impressive line up and an impressive bunch of support acts.

HELL TO PAY open the show, and manage to get those who've made their way down early suitably pumped for the rest of the evening with their brand of catchy Hard Rock. Even though they stand out significantly from the other bands on the bill, they manage to make a mark early on in the evening and get the crowd moving. This is likely one of their last live shows ever, and if it is indeed their swansong, they've bowed out in style.
 

The night wouldn't be made without another classic Thrash act being on the bill. AGGRESSIVE PERFECTOR put on a great show, and really set the bar to a height that only the headliners really exceed. They stand out from the other opening acts like a sore thumb, in the best of ways; their stage show is energetic, intense and powerful, and their classic Thrash stylings go down really well with the crowd. If the preceding band hadn't warmed up the crowd, then these guys certainly will have done the trick.
 

ONE MACHINE do a really good job of setting the crowd up for EVILE. They sound tight, despite being plagued with technical issues initially, and their razor sharp performance and powerful command of then stage belies the pedigree within their ranks. These guys are a well oiled machine, and they've got their form down to a fine art. By the time they've left the stage, they've managed to practically whipped the crowd into a frenzy. The stage has been suitably set for the main attraction.

Setlist:
1. Forewarning
2. TDOL
3. Final Cull
4. Screaming
5. Summoning
6. New Motive Power
 

Finally, it is time for EVILE to hit the stage. With the crowds response, and indeed their confident stage presence, it's hard to believe they've been away for as long as they have. The material from "Skull" works really well alongside their established classics like "Infected Nation" and the closing track on the set, "Thrasher". Piers in particular plays excellently, proving without a shadow of a doubt that he is more than capable of filling the place within the band that he has assumed. I feel that this set could have benefited from having one or two more of the older tracks in it, but this point is rendered essentially pointless when you consider that their stage show is almost flawless tonight.

Setlist:
1. Underworld
2. Words of the Dead
3. Enter the Grave
4. What You Become
5. Tomb
6. Outsider
7. New Truths, Old Lies
8. Skull
9. Head of the Demon
10. The Naked Sun
11. Infected Nation
12. Cult
13. Thrasher

This was a great show, and was definitely worth the two year wait. I feel that if this show had occurred a couple of years ago, when "Skull" was still a relatively new record, it could have gone down very differently. If the band had initially done a tour playing almost nothing but material from a recently released record, before anyone had had the chance to digest and appreciate it, it's likely that fans could have walked away disappointed. Luckily, this was not the case, and the band we're treated to onstage tonight seems tight, powerful and reinvigorated. One thing is certain, however; EVILE are back with a vengeance, and ready to take the world by storm once again.