Infected Rain + Butcher Babies + Black Spikes @ Concorde 2, Brighton – 2 April 2026
Before we get into the music, a quick rant. How many times have we heard metal fans complain that bands only play London and never venture out to the regions? Well, Infected Rain, Butcher Babies and Black Spikes did exactly that. And yet, the turnout was poor. So maybe think twice before moaning when bands skip your town.
Rant over.
Those inside Concorde 2 on Thursday night witnessed a quite stupendous evening of heavy metal from three very different and highly entertaining bands. Those who showed up, myself included, were not disappointed.
The Mutation Phase tour rolls in as a double-header, with Infected Rain and Butcher Babies both delivering hour-long sets, while Lithuanian openers Black Spikes get 40 minutes to make their mark.
Infected Rain
As tour headliners, Infected Rain come out swinging, unleashing fury and intensity from the off. Following Butcher Babies, they had to bring it — and they absolutely did.
Frontwoman Lena Scissorhands is mesmerising, working every inch of the stage. The room feels like it’s dripping with sweat such is the sheer effort and intensity. She shifts effortlessly from haunting softness to full-throttle, banshee-like screams, completely commanding the crowd.
The band deliver crunching, visceral metal but aren’t afraid to pull things back, showing real depth. Tracks from 2024’s Time, including The Answer Is You and Dying Light, hit hard and slot seamlessly into the set.
The Realm of Chaos brings Heidi Shepherd back on stage for a full-force collision of energy, as the combined firepower rips through the venue. Across the night, three female-fronted bands prove beyond doubt that they are not just part of metal’s future — they’re reshaping it.
With Judgemental Trap closing the set, it ends almost too suddenly. One minute it’s total sonic chaos, the next the stage is empty. Gone. You’re already waiting for the next time.
Butcher Babies
Since the departure of Carla Harvey, Butcher Babies now stand fronted solely by Heidi Shepherd — and she more than rises to the challenge.
Channeling the spirit of Wendy O. Williams of Plasmatics, the band carry that fearless, take-no-prisoners attitude and crank it up even further. The aesthetic may have changed, but the aggression hasn’t gone anywhere.
From the moment they hit the stage, it’s clear they’re here to throw down the gauntlet. The energy between the co-headliners pushes both bands harder, feeding off each other’s intensity.
Heidi Shepherd is relentless — a force of nature both on stage and in the pit, where she dives into the crowd to whip up circle pits and total chaos.
Opening with tracks from 2023’s ’Til The World’s Blind, including Backstreets of Tennessee and Red Thunder, they barely pause for breath. Monsters Ball rolls things back before the set dives headfirst into pure, unfiltered metal mayhem.
Beaver Cage and It’s Killing Time Baby ignite the room, with pits erupting — helped, perhaps, by the extra space. Heidi controls it all, directing the crowd with absolute authority.
Spittin’ Teef ramps things up further before a final encore of Magnolia Boulevard, where everything explodes into one last shared moment of chaos between band and audience.
Black Spikes
For many in the room, Black Spikes were an unknown quantity — but they quickly made an impression.
The Lithuanian band bring a more experimental edge to the night, blending progressive metal with striking visuals. With a masked guitarist, vocalist Agnieska Vrubliauskiene and bassist Simona Karinauskaite, they deliver something genuinely different.
Their sound moves between harsh, abrasive passages and more melodic, controlled moments, showing real musicality. Onstage dancers, covered in body paint and bandage-style outfits, add a surreal, artistic layer that sets them apart.
It’s heavy, but it’s also thoughtful — and it grabs your attention.
They more than earned their place on this bill, and it would be no surprise to see them return on a much bigger stage.
WORDS: ADRIAN STONLEY PHOTOS: ROBERT SUTTON
