The APF festival returns to a suitably damp Manchester for another full day of crushing UK heavy metal. The APF label is home to some of the best the UK has to offer, and the line-up today goes a long way to cementing that. Each of the bands here are different from the others but still remain within heavy metal.
Proceedings kick off not with a live band, but with the Spider Kitten listening party ahead of the release of their new album. God Don’t Sleep is out on October 2nd and I’ve got to say there is something inherently unsettling about an empty stage bathed in eerie green light while this frankly stunning LP plays out over the PA. The album itself is fantastic, and it’s a genuine shame the band couldn't be here to perform it live.
If this introduction is an eerie calm, what follows is the storm. The bands on today’s bill represent the incredible, multifaceted depth of the APF roster, proving that "heavy" is a spectrum, not a single note.
Praetorian just detonate, Tom is shirtless and instantly stomping out into the area in front of the stage. This is a band whose pure live sound and fury translates perfectly to the stage—it's dense, driven by low, guttural vocals, and frankly, more people should have been in the room to witness it. If you want a band to properly kick a festival into gear, it’s these guys. The vocalist commands the floor, making his own pit with zero fucks given.
Despite early delays forcing them to play longer, they remain tight, ferocious, and armed with a great sense of humour. No matter the time crunch, there is absolutely no let-up. They set an incredibly intense bar for whoever has to follow. I reviewed Pylon Cult and it was one of my albums of 2025 and seeing them up close is just something else. Unhinged, in the best way. And definitely speak to them about drum and bass.
Trevor’s Head are up next. The three-piece occupy a completely different sonic space. After a fairly tortured soundcheck, they kick off later then they would have hoped. To be fair, the audience is pretty forgiving, allowing them to delve into a more melodic brand of metal, ensuring that there is something more on the bill than just extreme metal.
Trevor’s Head are up next. The three-piece occupy a completely different sonic space. After a fairly tortured soundcheck, they kick off later then they would have hoped. To be fair, the audience is pretty forgiving, allowing them to delve into a more melodic brand of metal, ensuring that there is something more on the bill than just extreme metal.
They are a different beast altogether, leaning heavily into progressive areas rather than the visceral, blunt-force trauma of Praetorian. It’s a smart placement on the bill, offering the crowd a much-needed aural palate cleanser. More rock-adjacent than pure metal, they successfully rise above their early technical frustrations to deliver a stellar, engaging set which both they and us loved.
By this point, we are behind schedule and hunger is setting in. A quick changeover sandwich is ordered and consumed at speed before Nxmad take the stage. The four-piece show yet another facet of the APF label, one where there is a competent and comfortable stage presence where on the surface, their approach feels more streamlined and straightforward, but the end result is just as devastating as a mix of speed and energy bring the energy levels up in front of a floor that is slowly filling up now with bands and punters alike, and Nxmad are enthusiastically received.
By this point, we are behind schedule and hunger is setting in. A quick changeover sandwich is ordered and consumed at speed before Nxmad take the stage. The four-piece show yet another facet of the APF label, one where there is a competent and comfortable stage presence where on the surface, their approach feels more streamlined and straightforward, but the end result is just as devastating as a mix of speed and energy bring the energy levels up in front of a floor that is slowly filling up now with bands and punters alike, and Nxmad are enthusiastically received.
They trade in a more hardcore-adjacent sound with a heavy concentration on delivering hard-edged, massive riffs. With a frontman channelling a Randy Blythe-Esque energy, their set is all about the bottom end—which hits exactly where it should. To top it off, they walk away with the prize for the biggest breakdown of the day.
Tides Of Sulphur come armed for absolute war. Their isolated bass sound alone during soundcheck is enough to level buildings. Following a brief sample, they launch into a set that feels like the apocalypse sitting in your front room and asking you to put the kettle on. The sound is colossal, and the atmosphere shifts into much darker territory. Like Praetorian, there is an innate intensity here; it feels genuinely unhealthy when played slow, but once it picks up speed, it is horrific in the best way possible. It helps that they sport a flying V.
Tides Of Sulphur come armed for absolute war. Their isolated bass sound alone during soundcheck is enough to level buildings. Following a brief sample, they launch into a set that feels like the apocalypse sitting in your front room and asking you to put the kettle on. The sound is colossal, and the atmosphere shifts into much darker territory. Like Praetorian, there is an innate intensity here; it feels genuinely unhealthy when played slow, but once it picks up speed, it is horrific in the best way possible. It helps that they sport a flying V.
All of this is available from just their first song, which separates the audience like a scythe. If Trevor’s Head was a light cosmetic procedure and Nxmad was the setting of a bone, then Tides Of Sulphur are the pathologist cutting and carving. When they ask if the room wants a fast one, the answer is a resounding yes. That coruscating tone never wavers, and by the time they wrap up, it’s a mercy—collectively, the room is done.
That heavy tone of aggression carries directly into A Horse Called War. Once again, a magnificent, isolated bass whips through the setup so they can get going. They offer a different flavour of heavy—more mobile and hardcore-centric, drawing back inside the crowds who had left for the longest smoke history. It’s a sound capable of stripping the enamel from your teeth, led by a frontman Shane pouring every ounce of his soul into the performance. It’s difficult to adequately describe; it is undeniably heavy, but there’s something deeper at play as that weight is funnelled directly through the vocalist and unleashed onto the crowd.
Wall, who share members with Desert Storm, are our next stop. Setting up with just a guitar and drums, this configuration brings a completely new dynamic to the afternoon. A wave of feedback gives way to a mighty tone that makes you pause and think, 'Oh, hang on a second.' What follows is a fleet-of-finger display married to a killer sonic profile. The first track is an instrumental blast, and the second is replete with jagged, complex lines. Realising that a full set of heavy instrumentals is about to hit me, it feels like the perfect time to sit, type, and rest my legs. Nothing against Wall, but the boss knows that I’m not that fond of instrumental metal.
Next up are Gandalf The Green, arriving with the kind of expansive introduction you would rightfully demand from any band carrying that name. It’s a spacey, echoey attack that effectively marks them out as different from everyone else on the bill. They bring a more restrained vibe at first, before dropping a riff set that trades typical, warm stoner fuzz for a rougher attack on the verge of decay. It feels intentionally roughened up—abrasive, even. Driven by full bass and slow, crashing cymbals, their doom/sludge trek arrives like thunder.
That heavy tone of aggression carries directly into A Horse Called War. Once again, a magnificent, isolated bass whips through the setup so they can get going. They offer a different flavour of heavy—more mobile and hardcore-centric, drawing back inside the crowds who had left for the longest smoke history. It’s a sound capable of stripping the enamel from your teeth, led by a frontman Shane pouring every ounce of his soul into the performance. It’s difficult to adequately describe; it is undeniably heavy, but there’s something deeper at play as that weight is funnelled directly through the vocalist and unleashed onto the crowd.
Wall, who share members with Desert Storm, are our next stop. Setting up with just a guitar and drums, this configuration brings a completely new dynamic to the afternoon. A wave of feedback gives way to a mighty tone that makes you pause and think, 'Oh, hang on a second.' What follows is a fleet-of-finger display married to a killer sonic profile. The first track is an instrumental blast, and the second is replete with jagged, complex lines. Realising that a full set of heavy instrumentals is about to hit me, it feels like the perfect time to sit, type, and rest my legs. Nothing against Wall, but the boss knows that I’m not that fond of instrumental metal.
Next up are Gandalf The Green, arriving with the kind of expansive introduction you would rightfully demand from any band carrying that name. It’s a spacey, echoey attack that effectively marks them out as different from everyone else on the bill. They bring a more restrained vibe at first, before dropping a riff set that trades typical, warm stoner fuzz for a rougher attack on the verge of decay. It feels intentionally roughened up—abrasive, even. Driven by full bass and slow, crashing cymbals, their doom/sludge trek arrives like thunder.
Heads are nodding now, not in fury, but in perfect sync with those leaden beats. The fact that this marks their first gig in two years—and that they successfully debuted a brand-new song to such a massive reception—is near-miraculous. The theme of the day remains "something different again," and Gandalf the Green seize the opportunity. Where others went fast, they slow things down, though they refuse to stay strictly in one lane, breaking out a fabulous lead section. Even if you aren't a massive fan of the style, you can't help but get swept along, especially in the closing moments of their set.
Finally, it’s time for headliners Desert Storm. By the time they set up and go, gig fatigue has fully set in. I appreciate that bowing out just a song or two into their set isn't exactly cricket, but I'd rather give an objective review than one compromised by exhaustion. Out of all the bands on display today, they are probably the most "traditional" in how they go to work. That doesn't stop it from being effective live, because good riffs never go out of fashion. It’s a mighty noise—crisp, clear, and boasting standout vocal harmonies. The crowd is highly receptive, heads are nodding, and it’s really all you can ask for at the tail-end of a solid day of extreme metal.
Ultimately, each band may share common DNA in that they play heavy music—and some share even more in their specific genre leanings—but every single act remains entirely unique to themselves. As a curated day of extreme music, APF 2026 has put an incredible breadth of talent on display.
The amount of words committed to each band here does not mean one is more worthwhile than another; it is simply that some provided more immediate fuel for the notebook, and naturally, my tastes lean toward certain styles more than others. It is a true testament to APF that they have built such a diverse roster of artists, all of whom turned up and dropped scorching sets. In turn, they've made a dismal, damp Saturday in September a whole lot brighter.
10/10
Finally, it’s time for headliners Desert Storm. By the time they set up and go, gig fatigue has fully set in. I appreciate that bowing out just a song or two into their set isn't exactly cricket, but I'd rather give an objective review than one compromised by exhaustion. Out of all the bands on display today, they are probably the most "traditional" in how they go to work. That doesn't stop it from being effective live, because good riffs never go out of fashion. It’s a mighty noise—crisp, clear, and boasting standout vocal harmonies. The crowd is highly receptive, heads are nodding, and it’s really all you can ask for at the tail-end of a solid day of extreme metal.
Ultimately, each band may share common DNA in that they play heavy music—and some share even more in their specific genre leanings—but every single act remains entirely unique to themselves. As a curated day of extreme music, APF 2026 has put an incredible breadth of talent on display.
The amount of words committed to each band here does not mean one is more worthwhile than another; it is simply that some provided more immediate fuel for the notebook, and naturally, my tastes lean toward certain styles more than others. It is a true testament to APF that they have built such a diverse roster of artists, all of whom turned up and dropped scorching sets. In turn, they've made a dismal, damp Saturday in September a whole lot brighter.
10/10
