Naming your latest tour after a song by Judas Priest (All Guns Blazing) is really raising the bar, but with confidence at an all-time high, Wailing Banshee have pulled it off again in this wonderful chapter of a young group hitting new heights. The turnout may have been low, but that didn’t faze the local speed metal band, showing why the old-school side of the genre can’t die.

Wailing Banshee have been one of the most notable groups in the NWOTHM revival, in which bands keep the classic essence of metal but modernise it without sounding like a cheap replica of the past. Sonically, the drums are slightly softened with less thud, while the guitar tones are thinner. Production-wise, it comes across as something made with today’s technology, but you can still hear those vintage shades.

White Lightning didn’t need to strike twice to assert their dominance, determined to draw in as many fans as possible. With amps cranked up to destroy people’s hearing, it was no-holds-barred as the Liverpool group took us back to the 80s, where noise limits were disregarded and denim and leather were what made you the cool kid.

Josh Mackey’s outfit and swagger completely stole the spotlight, and there was no way a photographer could miss him. The all-too-familiar aesthetics and charisma of a speed/heavy metal singer from the old days had respawned into 2026, triggering mass nostalgia all around. In many cases where an opening band would struggle to keep morale high, he did an excellent job of getting people engaged. Vocally, he delivered with excellent conviction. His Michael Starr-style vocals fit his persona like a glove. The classic high-pitched yelps and rough, belted textures were the ultimate throwback to older fans’ youth, where one could imagine themselves slamming the stage and singing until their voices were lost without a smartphone in sight.

Louis Crank’s straightforward, jump-along grooves on drums were on point, with beats feeling very much like the 80s. It was a straightforward pace that immediately set off air guitar mode, including the way the kick and snare were tuned to further emphasise how far these guys were willing to travel back in time. Guitarist Luke Proffitt, just like the other members, was determined not to be in the present. Rocking a Dave Mustaine haircut and abusing his guitar like a punching bag, he gave us a lovely bombardment of glam riffs and solos that were met with grins of approval all around. If you wanted a lesson on how to make a lasting impression and ensure that fans will follow you on your next tour when opening for a different group, take some notes, because this was one hell of a way to announce themselves.

Rattlesnakes followed shortly as the last support act, and if they were to match any of the engagement of White Lightning, they seriously needed to pull a rabbit out of the hat. While their performance was solid, the crowd was somewhat tame, possibly due to the low turnout, and that unfortunately didn’t do their set justice. Having seen them with Tailgunner at Rebellion back in 2024, a setting like that is much more fitting for a band like them. Regardless, that didn’t deter them from giving their all.

Rowena Neale is ridiculously talented and owns the stage with an authority that no one can take away from her. For someone aged 23, she’s learned from the best when it comes to building a presence that makes fans remember you well and is light years ahead of what most youngsters would be trying out at this stage of their careers. When it comes to her musical abilities, it gets even better. Her shrieky vocals, reminiscent of Laura Guldemond of Burning Witches, have a perfect balance of power and grit, which is another of the endless trademarks all groups were ticking off that night. While she may have been the centre of it attemtion, let’s not ignore the other members because they also excelled when it mattered. Josh Brown and George Charleston were on cloud nine throughout, with calm and composed playing, whether it be contagious power chords or lengthy solos.

Wailing Banshee wrapped up the evening, and with the extra pressure on them to excel in their hometown, they confidently brushed that aside and guaranteed that old-school metal can’t be wiped out. From supporting highly respectable groups such as Tailgunner, Absolva and Fury, it’s been a remarkable journey for the Manchester-based band, who have now been given a chance to shine as headliners. While they may not have any albums under their belt yet, it’s only a matter of time before a hell of a debut hits our streaming platforms knowing what they’re capable of.

Dani Bentham’s piercing vocals were very much a nod to the legends of the 80s, not to mention what sounded like a cheeky touch of Patti Smith during the higher-pitched, thin textures. Not only was she musically spotless, but her charisma took over nicely. There was always a smile on her face and she never stood still, either headbanging or engaging with fans, making sure no one was discouraged by the low turnout.

Harry Darbyshire and Ali McKenzie’s bond on guitars is like that of brothers in arms. Their understanding of each other whenever it’s time for one of them to showcase what they can do is Swiss clock-like precision. Exchanging solos like Iron Maiden’s Adrian Smith, Janick Gers and Dave Murray, it was NWOBHM all of a sudden rising from the dead as if it had never faded away. Sean Murphy’s drumming passed every test of professionalism, with signature beats and fills that defined speed metal back in its heyday. His warm body language throughout the set and ability to carry the band without a single blip are signs of a truly accomplished musician dedicated to going that extra mile.

If you wanted to live inside the ancient spirit of metal, then you got exactly what you wished for, and young bands like these are exactly why we keep coming back to retracing the roots of such a vast genre. Regardless of how full the room was, all groups played brilliantly and have a bright future ahead of them. As for headliners Wailing Banshee, having already appeared at major festivals like Bloodstock, the writing is on the wall for even bigger things to come.