The O2 Academy Islington hosted a throwback of thunderous proportions as (həd)p.e., Spineshank, and Drowning Pool brought nu-metal nostalgia to a sold-out London crowd. For many, it was a return to bands they grew up with, but there was a real mix of generations. Among the crowd, we could notice a mother-daughter duo holding a sign that read “My Mom Loves Spineshank,” a moment that perfectly captured the evening’s blend of old and new.
(həd)p.e.
(həd)p.e. opened the night with bass-heavy grooves (to what I felt was the loudest the venue had for a bass so far) and a mix of punk, hip hop, and metal that hit harder live than on record. Jared Gomes had the crowd moving within minutes, calling for circle pits during the second track while the floor was still filling. Songs like the awaited “Renegade”, the classic “Killing Time”, and the crowd interaction with “Raise Hell” stood out, and while some choruses got a bit lost in the volume, the set never lost momentum. They were the right band to break the ice and set the tone.
Spineshank
Spineshank followed with a blast of energy. Due to travel issues, frontman Jonny Santos almost missed the tour, due to some passport issues, which ofc had to be mentioned with some light political banter. But that clearly didn’t stop them, as there was insane energy on the stage, and once the band hit tracks like “Negative Space”, “Transparent”, and “New Disease,” the floor became a nonstop wave of movement, and we could notice the crowd surfers coming more and more often. Sound mixing was muddy at times, burying their industrial elements, but that was not enough to warrant a stop. The band looked and sounded hungry, not like a group returning after a long break but one ready to stay.
Drowning Pool
Drowning Pool closed the night with a full-throttle set that pulled from across their discography. Ryan McCombs delivered with gritty, pinpoint vocals, while C.J. Pierce tore through riffs like a machine. From “Sinner” to “Step Up” and “Tear Away,” the room was locked in. The cover of “Rebel Yell” caught some off guard but landed well, and the only real hiccup came with a five-minute technical delay that cut “Sermon” from the set. It all built up to “Bodies,” and when that first riff hit, the place exploded. Jonny Santos returned to join the band for the final chorus, giving fans a crossover moment they won’t forget. No crowd rules stood a chance at that point — the floor was chaos.
