The time has finally arrived for Welsh indie-punks Panic Shack to deliver their long awaiting debut album. The band have built a fierce reputation with their riotous live shows and that has left fans clamouring for a first full-length collection.
Those that have been waiting will thankfully be ecstatic with this self-titled offering which somehow manages to capture the energy of those live shows and put it in a nice little package.
That’s often a hard thing to achieve for bands but the fact that their live essence exudes from each of the eleven tracks is simply a testament to the quirky charisma possessed by the group.
You have to say though that the core component of the band, which is what truly elevates them both on stage and on record, is the fun that they are clearly having. These are songs capable of calling out societal and life problems ala their modern punk-aligned contemporaries, but they are designed to be enjoyed.
The likes of ‘Gok Won’, ‘Tit School’, ‘Pockets’ and album closer ‘Thelma & Louise’ are frankly infectious. So much so that the album should probably feature a warning sticker highlighting the likelihood of a serious need to break into a mosh.
The witty lyricism of their early singles is still front and centre and there are plenty of moments which will make you pop, make you smile and make you laugh. Equally the band haven’t been afraid to address both bigger issues and their own past criticisms.
As we said at the start, their live spirit oozes from these songs and more than anything that makes you want to hear these songs live! Sometimes that early hype can fail to build to anything, but on this debut album Panic Shack have smashed it out of the park!
The individual stories of how each band member came to form Calva Louise is remarkable and when combined their journey to this point is simply incredible. Never afraid to take huge risks, their gambles have all paid off with the release now of a gnarly new album of epic proportions.
‘Edge of the Abyss’ is their fourth album and sees the trio taking giant strides towards achieving their long-held goals of success. Having each moved across the world with hopes of making music, the fact that this record is the genre-defying earworm that it is should serve as vindication for their bravery and daring to believe in themselves.
This eleven track, forty minute collection is truly fascinating and will warrant multiple listens in order to experience every aspect. It would be easier to list the genre’s not covered here then the various influences that emerge during the record.
Whereas sometimes that means an album sounds disjointed and lacking direction, it works to the opposite effect on ‘Edge of the Abyss’. As vocalist Jess Allanic segues between English and Spanish lyrics, the sonic onslaught feeds the overarching eclecticism of the records identity.
With Allanic’s self-designed sci-fi world again providing the themes of the songs this album acts as a much needed escape from the real world. Indeed, from opener ‘Tunnel Vision’ to the fantastic finale of ‘Under The Skin’ this is Calva Louise operating on another level.
Isn’t it funny that particular years at festivals get remembered for certain things? There are years at festivals that are infamous for the weather, events revered for landmark performances, weekends fondly remembered for a special attraction, and of course those other oddities that make something memorable.
2000trees is now a staple of the festival calendar. The pilgrimage to Upcote Farm in Cheltenham has become a must for passionate fans and when something becomes routine, even a positive one like attending this great festival – our brains need something to help differentiate between each occasion.
Well, 2025 is going to be long engrained in the memories of attendees for a number of reasons which we will get into during this review. 2025 at 2000trees for now though can simply be summed up with three words – heat, Kneecap and wasps!
📸 Gareth Bull
Yes, in amongst the endless jokes from bands about counting the trees were quips of 2000 degrees and 2000 wasps. The intense and unrelenting heat has a massive effect on the weekend; it makes everything difficult and means many will have had to tailor their expectations of what they wanted to see across the weekend.
It would be easy to write an essay on the inferno that we all survived, but all we will say is that the wonderful 2000trees community deserve all the credit in the world for banding together to ensure that the festival was still a resounding success.
We came to see some bands though, so let’s get this thing started!
WEDNESDAY
The Wednesday at 2000trees is seriously special. A relatively small selection of early birds get to make the most of the beautiful Forest stage. This stunning setting always has a unique atmosphere, but the opening night party always hits differently.
📸 Jez Pennington
The first band on, just two hours after the gates open, are returning heroes Haggard Cat! The band have no problems in getting the crowd moving and the love they receive just goes to demonstrate the connection that this group of passionate fans build with those acts that impress at 2000trees.
Another fantastic example of this comes next as Blank Atlas hit the tiny Word stage near to the forest. Usually reserved for podcasts, comedians and kids activities, on Wednesday the Word stage alternates with the Forest Stage to give fans a relentless live music experience like only trees can. Having wowed crowds with an early morning set last year, Blank Atlas return to deliver another great slot this year.
2000trees are a rarity among bigger festivals in that appearances over consecutive years aren’t just accepted, they are expected! Wednesday is known for bringing favourites back and next is a group made of members of various trees favourites – Vower. They keep the evening building nicely, as do Buds. in the Word tent next.
📸 Gareth Bull
It’s clear that unpeople are heading for big things and they play the first of two sets this weekend next. They take the route of not repeating any songs across their two performances and this set takes the party theme to a new level with new songs punctuated by fun covers of ‘Fight for Your Right (To Party)’, ‘Hash Pipe’ and ‘Sugar’!
Other Half, Blood Command and Meryl Streek all keep the night flowing perfectly before Panic Shack provide an early highlight and Grove Street ramp up the intensity of the crowd.
We are then treated to a special throwback set from Kid Kapichi which is poignant with this being the last festival for the original line-up. The Meffs are their incendiary selves as they headline the Word tent and Forest stage headliners Hot Milk bring their fantastic new album, ‘Corporation P.O.P.’ to life with a fun set.
📸 Joe Singh
As the blazing sun finally disappears, the best bit of trees can commence – the after-hours activities. The silent disco at trees is legendary and a recent addition is a live band in the forest but played through the silent disco system. Listening to 2000trees royalty The Xcerts through our headset is a very different experience and the band make the most of the setting by delivering a crowd pleasing setlist.
📸 Gareth Bull
THURSDAY
A warm night sleep then finds us awaking to an even hotter Thursday and the first day proper of the festival. As we’ve touched on, if you are that way inclined then you can watch non-stop live music all day and we happen to be that way inclined. So, deep breath…
Hangovers be damned, first up in the NEU tent at 10:30am (yes it’s early but it’s far too hot to be in your own tent) are Terminals who like Blank Atlas before do a great job of engaging the morning zombies.
📸 Sophie Ditchfield
Meryl Streek follows his fantastic Word tent set with a bigger opening set on the main stage and Youth Killed It kill it with a great set over at the Axiom stage. It helps in this heat that four of the stages are tented, but Karen Dio attracts a relatively decent crowd for her bop of a set back at the main stage.
PAVÉ, HIMALAYAS and CHROMA all keep the pace going with more really fun performances. It’s already becoming clear that the standard of acts booked for trees again this year is high, and despite the hazardous conditions, each band is determined to grab their opportunity with both bands.
Indeed, across the weekend there aren’t many disappointing performances at all and that is a credit to the artists but also a testament to the regard this festival is held in. Bands want to do it justice but also know that a big performance here can elevate their career more than an early set at a bigger festival. At 2000trees they are playing to a smaller crowd of engaged fans and not a group of often disinterested attendees looking to kill time.
📸 Jez Pennington
The continued rise of unpeople began at 2000trees and it’s marvellous to see them really thriving. As such their appearance today on the main stage feels like a crowning moment for them and the reaction to the likes of ‘The Garden’ just convince you further that this bands trajectory will see them headline this festival within five years.
📸 Joe Singh
Dream Nails and SNAYX are next on our watchlist before we head into the Axiom to enjoy the return of another typical trees band – Puppy. Having been away for a while, the trio get a huge reception and the likes of ‘World Stands Still’ and ‘Entombed’ remind you how special the band are.
📸 Sophie Ditchfield
The Hunna make the most of their first trees appearance on the main stage and you can’t help to enjoy the infectious Hyphen in the NEU tent. BIG SPECIAL sound big and special on the main stage and Kid Kapichi smash out a second set of the weekend at the Axiom stage as we head into the first evening of the full festival.
This year features five acts billed as headliners and the first of those is up next on the main stage. PVRIS are out celebrating the anniversary of their incredible debut ‘White Noise’ and songs from that album feature prominently in what is a truly fantastic performance. Lynn Gunn is an absolute star and the singalongs that the band conjure in the most intense sunshine are refreshing as hell.
📸 Sophie Ditchfield
2000trees continues to grow year on year and that is demonstrated by Twin Atlantic returning to headline the Axiom having previously twice headlined the main stage. Clearly bands want to play trees and the festival have a great relationship with their regulars. The crowd loves every moment of another standard set from the fan favourites.
Kneecap were a controversial booking for the festival (if that even is possible), even prior to the media frenzy that has accompanied them in recent months. Although they’ve played before, musically they were an outside choice as a headliner.
When first announced some speculated online how many (or few to be precise) would watch them. Well now they are the most infamous band at the festival and the field is packed! Easily one of the biggest crowds the festival has seen, there is a real party atmosphere amongst attendees.
The set itself feels more like a celebration of cause as much as a rousing endorsement of their musical output. It however will go down as one of those ‘I was there’ moments for 2000trees.
📸 Joe Singh
It’s then time to hit the full multi-stage, multi-channel silent disco again and take in another live disco set, this time from the ever-charming Dream State.
FRIDAY
Friday feels hotter still and you can certainly see the crowds really beginning to flag. Each band however still get their own personal group of fun starters and somehow the 2000trees atmosphere never wanes despite the challenging environment we are in.
Failstate and Mallavora get the early slots today and again are both able to make the most of them. EVER, Eville and Oversize follow for us and we again find ourselves locked into a cycle of mightily impressive bands one after the other.
The good times vibes are essential to 2000trees and Press Club, Youth Fountain and BLACKGOLD keep them coming as we make our way through our third day in heaven (but with the climate of hell).
📸 Gareth Bull
We then make our way to the forest and another special feature of 2000trees. You can often catch bigger artists doing intimate things in the woods and this year we have the privilege of trees icon Frank Turner playing his album, ‘Love, Ire & Song’ acoustically in full.
📸 Jez Pennington
Trash Boat, VENUS GRRRLS, FIDLAR and Benefits get things a lot noisier again next and all four are again in top form. As are Coheed and Cambria who attract a huge crowd to the co-headline performance. Always a bit of a marmite band, the crowd at trees welcomes them with open arms and the band get to see for themselves why this event is so special.
We’ve had a few returns and reformations at 2000trees this year, but it’s the appearance of Frank Turner led Million Dead that has garnered the most excitement. They don’t disappoint and their five-piece version sounds absolutely huge headlining the Axiom today.
📸 Joe Singh
The last band on the main stage today are Taking Back Sunday and whilst a fun time is had, poor sound mix, an uninspired setlist and a lack of real energy mean that they are perhaps the first band to not truly hit the spot this weekend.
📸 Gareth Bull
Thankfully that feeling doesn’t last long because next we head into the campsites, which at 2000trees are another unique feature. Whilst the partiers will rave in the silent disco, others will find themselves at the tiny busking stages. We head to Camp Turner to catch a special unplugged performance from Cyan Kicks which is simply stunning. The beautiful set being the best way to finish the penultimate day of this special festival.
SATURDAY
With the sun still showing zero sign of giving in, the final day of 2000trees is here and Saturday begins with a really fun run of Honey Buzz, Gen and the Degenerates, Love Rarely and The Molotovs. These acts ensure that despite surreal levels of lethargy kicking in the crowd is still given a rousing slap across the face!
📸 Joe Singh
Perhaps though a bucket of water over the head would work better today and Bad Sign, Catbite and Daytime TV are on hand to deliver that with more enjoyable performances. Love Is Noise sadly experiences catastrophic technical problems next however and cuts his set short.
Split Chain, Employed To Serve, Anxious and Soapbox are all on hand afterwards however to reinvigorate us as we head into the final straight of the weekend. Cyan Kicks then plug themselves in and deliver another real highlight of the festival in the forest. Magical!
📸 Jez Pennington
The set of the weekend however belongs to the incredible VUKOVI who absolutely own the main stage and elicit frenzied scenes that belie the overpowering temperatures.
Making no reference to the footwear needed by vocalist Janine due to the lava like feel of the stage floor, the charm and charisma that she possesses should see VUKOVI able to headline this event in the future. Each track sounds massive today and if the weekend had ended here, it would’ve been very fitting.
📸 Carla Mundy
It doesn’t end here however, and we still have time to squeeze in performances from La Dispute, letlive., SPRINTS and final main stage headliner Alexisonfire. Underground favourites, returning icons, new heroes and a band made to headline trees – just a perfect reflection of what this festival is all about.
📸 Jez Pennington
Throughout this review we’ve used the word special an awful lot to describe 2000trees and that’s because no other word does it justice. The event feels like less of a typical festival and more of a family gathering. As it continues to grow however, the event will face some dilemmas because if it grows too big it will lose the very thing that makes it so special.
Thus far, despite the growth the organisers have managed to do that. They can’t do anything about the weather or the damn wasps, but they may have some online criticism coming their way this year for car park exiting and VIP overcrowding.
📸 Jez Pennington
That said though, the things that they got right this weekend far outweighed any issues. Every festival has issues, it’s how they are dealt with that demonstrates the passion of the organisers and you can be sure that 2000trees will ensure that concerns are listened to. Credit must also be given to the organisers for sticking by their guns and allowing artistic integrity to remain intact.
Despite the wasps, the controversy, the extreme heat and any minor gripes 2000trees 2025 is another resounding success. The bands, the atmosphere, the food, the drink, the party, the side quests, just everything about this festival is special and we can’t wait for 2026!
Last year BIG SPECIAL, the Black Country duo of Joe Hicklin and Callum Moloney, arrived in style with an incredible opening offering. Their debut album, ‘POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES’, rightly earned high praise from fans and critics alike – including us!
With tour dates and festival appearances still in the diary, not many were expecting a follow-up any time soon. But this week the band surprised everyone when they simply dropped their sophomore collection without any of the now standardised build-up! A brave move indeed, but hey, if Taylor Swift can do it then why not?
That new album, ‘NATIONAL AVERAGE.’ picks up where its predecessor left off with that ominous soulful punk sound accompanying the scathing poetry of opening track ‘THE MESS.’.
The following twelve tracks all follow that same pathway and are driven by the direct social commentary of the lyrics and that sonic rumble that gained the duo their plaudits in the first place.
The fact that this album follows so closely musically to their debut album is probably to be expected given the quick turnaround. Even then though you can sense elements of evolution in the sound of this album. Some though may argue not enough, but ultimately these songs will do a great job expanding their repertoire for those upcoming shows and at this point of their career that’s actually the most important thing.
Further growth can and will likely come in the future, but for now let’s all just enjoy another heavy dose of the frank BIG SPECIAL fever dream. ‘NATIONAL AVERAGE.’ after all will only solidify their place in the busy landscape of the industry.
The genesis of Hot Milk from noisy upstarts to new hopes and now into genuine contenders has been interesting to follow.
Co-ringleaders Han Mee and Jim Shaw have quickly built up an already substantial back catalogue. Their three EP’s and debut album all showcased a desire aesthetically to establish a clear identity for the band. Something that fans could tie themselves to and truly invest in.
At the same time though you couldn’t help but feel that the band were searching for their own musical identity. An incredible range of styles and influences are presented over those initial releases and that has perhaps made the band hard for industry bods to pigeonhole as they love to do.
On their new sophomore album, ‘Corporation P.O.P’, however it finally feels like Hot Milk have found their sound. Those influences and more can still be picked out from the mechanics of the songs but the overarching sonic vibe feels their most coherent and complete yet.
Considering there are a decent fourteen tracks here, it’s a huge compliment that each one feels like it belongs. The length of the album doesn’t take away the raw spirit that the band possess and the time listening just floats past.
The themes of the album centre on the state of the world with a particular love for Manchester shining through. Lyrically the duo are happy to shoot from the hip and the band certainly wear their hearts on their sleeves on ‘Corporation P.O.P’.
Hot Milk have been on a journey of self-discovery and an evolution of their artistry. That all sounds little too fancy though, so let’s just say that this is a properly good album from a band living up to their early potential.
MALEVOLENCE – Where Only The Truth Is Spoken – ALBUM REVIEW
Nobody can accuse rising Sheffield noisemakers Malevolence of being a flash in the pan, overnight success. The group have been slugging away for well over a decade now and have earned their stripes.
But something magical has been happening in recent times and they are on the cusp of very big things indeed. There secret set at Download was one of the most talked about sets of the weekend and they have their biggest headline shows coming up.
They just have the small matter of a new album to navigate before then. These things can be make or break when it comes to momentum, just ask a plethora of previous big metal hopes. So, can ‘Where Only The Truth Is Spoken’ live up to the hype?
Quick and easy review this one, because spoiler alert – it undeniably can. The album is certain to push for the top spot on any metal album of the year lists and is quality from front to back.
Is there anything truly groundbreaking on this album? No. But that’s what makes it so special. At a time when every heavy act is trying to follow in the footsteps of certain contemporaries, Malevolence have shown that there is also strength in sticking to what you’re already good at.
There is a more classic metal influence on show compared to the increasingly generic modern metal sound. The hardcore sway over that sound increases the adrenaline and ensures that these songs are going to go off when played live.
There’s not much else to say really… just go and listen to this for yourself and metallers rejoice because your new obsession can absolutely live up to the hype!
