Words That Burn // Haint // From Ruins // Live Review // Voodoo // Belfast
It’s been a minute since I’ve been back at the VOO and the DOO! The M2TM Final, I think, when IF IT Bleeds took the 2025 crown. Bloodstock has since come and gone, Pete Renshaw, the Leg-End himself, has amassed 50+ interviews for Rock ‘N’ Load over there, and we’re now back into the rhythm of the local scene as fall tours will start landing on local shores, and life will be good once again.
Tonight, however, is a local affair, two bands from North of the Border supporting their Southern counterparts, Words That Burn, a modern metal / Metalcore outfit who have been tearing it up over recent years and are back in the city to remind us that Southern Ireland should not be forgotten!
Up first, From Ruins, these lads are quality through and through. Every time I see them live, I am reminded just how good the local scene can be. These guys have a gnarly collection of tracks that melt the skin off your face, talk about the air moving in the room, as with modern music, modern metal, their tracks are multi-layered, sound as thick as Ron Jeremy’s schlong, and hit hard! As hard as it gets. They are a seriously tight band, everyone is on point, from David on Drums pummelling those skins like his life depends on it, he must be like a caged animal unleashed just before every gig, and it shows! The guitar work is killer, the bass thumping through your chest and the vocals cut through the mix like a hot knife through butter. A band hungry for recognition, they bust their balls to do it right live every time you see them, and it shows. Their work ethic can’t be faulted, and their drive cannot be stopped. Another killer set by the lads.
Next up, the lovely lads of Haint, one of Northern Ireland’s finest trios. Now, how do you define Haint? Answers on a postcard, please. Highly musically evolved would be an interpretation, rather than pigeon-holing them in one or another box; these cats deliver another level of musical intelligence on the local scene. An ever-changing sonic landscape that challenges you as the listener from the opening chord to the very last, you’ll get taken on a rollercoaster of musical emotions across a complex set that you can’t help but lose yourself in and appreciate.
They weave a dark sonic tapestry that won’t be for everyone, but you’ll sure as shit know those boys can play by the end of it. The very first time we caught these cats live was a good few years back in M2TM and everyone knew they were the real deal, a breath of fresh air on the local scene and they haven’t disappointed since, with new music on the horizon we wait with bated breath to see the next moves from this enigmatic band, it’s great to have them back on the live scene, they’ve been in a dark room tinkering with their latest offering so it’s a welcome sight to have them back in Voodoo doing what they do best.
https://www.facebook.com/Haint.UK
Headliners Words That Burn wrap up a killer night’s music, it’s been a while since I saw these cats live and seeet baby Jesus do they bring the energy! A Southern quartet, they hit that stage and own it from the first song till the last, more in sync with From Ruins sonically than the lads from Haint, but stage presence-wise, they are an entity all to themselves. Boundless energy, passion, all wrapped up in a tight technical band that delivers hard live. What’s not to love! Their guitar player is a beast live, covering every inch of the stage with his animalistic personality, big tunes, and big choruses that resonate from the off. They have a setlist that hits home hard, and the Belfast crowd, who I am sure mostly turned out for the local lads, are transfixed at what they see unfolding on stage. Years of graft, miles on the road have turned Words That Burn into a finely tuned machine that can deliver a blistering set on command.
I think its great to see that the local scene in Ireland is as strong as it is and possible has ever been, the three bands this evening show us that our future as a genre is rock solid even though the industry itself is busting the balls of every musician out there trying to make an honest living, hence why it’s important to get out and support your local artists whenever you can. Buy those tickets, buy that merch and make live music great again!
https://linktr.ee/wordsthatburn
Photography: Mark McGrogan
@flashartmark #flashartmark
