By Heidi Hardman-Welsh
Skin Flowers
Liverpool band Skin Flowers blends gothic atmosphere with heavy, melodic metal, creating ballads that are dark and intense but also emotional, leaving listeners truly haunted.
Lead vocalist Adara Garner, 27, lifts the songs with powerful, soul-stirring vocals that rise and fall like a tide. Rhythm guitarist Pat Nicholls, 35, drives the sound with heavy riffs but leaves the perfect room for melody. Lead guitarist Luke Parkinson, 34, threads bright, intricate lines through the mix, while bassist Jada Metcalfe-Judge, 27, anchors it all with a deep, physical thrum.
Drummer Nathan Davies, 27, sums up the band’s sound simply: “moody, sexy, metal.” This combination of sonic intensity and theatrical flair makes Skin Flowers’ live shows as unforgettable as their recordings. They give off subtle Evanescence energy that is dramatic, haunting, and impossible to ignore.
Nathan approaches plays the drums in a way that pushes dynamics rather than sheer speed. “It’s about intensity,” he said. “If everything’s blasting all the time, it loses impact. You need those moments where it pulls back, so when it does hit hard, it really lands.”
Emotional Weight over Sheer Heaviness
The result is music that is heavy but cinematic, somewhere between the underground grit of UK metal and the sweeping drama of gothic rock.
The band’s 2023 track ‘Watch Me Break’ shows this clearly, with guitars layering over a pulsing rhythm and Adara’s vocals stretching from whispered tension to full-on catharsis.
They have seven songs on streaming, and their sound continues to evolve but always comes back to that same push and pull of darkness meeting melody.
“We all listen to heavy stuff,” Pat said, “but we also love music that has emotional weight. This band is about bringing those things together.” Jada added: “It’s not about being the heaviest band in the room. It’s about making people feel something.”
Liverpool’s Struggling Metal Scene
Despite Liverpool’s musical legacy, its metal scene is still finding its footing. Luke said: “There’s not really a core group of people that you can just say, ‘come to this gig’ to, and everyone would go”. Venues are limited, and original metal bands often struggle to find spaces to play.
They note that other genres tend to get more attention. Luke continued: “You always see that the indie or pop artists tend to be way more popular than the metal scene, purely because more people like that type of music.”
Pat added: “It’s a cycle of goodwill though, isn’t it? So, venues need to take more chances, but then again people need to show up when there’s the opportunity. Which again is difficult because it all comes down to money, unfortunately, for everyone.”
They are determined to help grow the scene, collaborating with other local artists and promoting shows, aiming to give Liverpool metal the recognition it deserves.
Beauty in the Dark
When asked what they want listeners to think about their music, Adara said: “That you can have metal that’s big and intense but still has beauty in it. That’s the space we’re trying to sit in.”
With Skin Flowers, that space is where the shadows and melodies overlap, like gothic grandeur with teeth. It may not be the fastest path to mainstream success, but it’s the sound that feels truest to them.
Listen to Skin Flowers on Spotify:
Absolence
Absolence, the Merseyside band that have weathered line-up changes, long hiatuses, and the challenges of an often-overlooked local scene, yet their passion remains unshakable.
The roots of Absolence stretch back to 2005, though the band fell quiet for several years before reforming with a fresh line-up in 2018.
”We were young, just doing whatever, not really having a purpose,” recalls founding member, drummer, and backing vocalist Mike Black, 40. “I had a kid, joined another band, and the scene wasn’t fun anymore. But eventually we came back together with new ideas and the right people.”
That new energy is clear. Bassist Chris Evans, 44, and guitarist Tom Gallagher, 28, joined through connections in Liverpool’s close-knit underground, and when Will Pascoe, 37, auditioned for vocalist that sealed the current line-up.
Mike said: “Will’s audition was far and above the best. That’s when we knew this version of the band could work.”
Frontman Will, who is originally from California, has made Liverpool his home for almost 15 years. “It was mainly to pursue music with my brother,” he said. “To be honest with you, it’s always been music.”
Metal, Metal, and More Metal
Musically, Absolence draw from a broad spectrum of influences, spanning everything from nu metal to deathcore’s heavier extremes.
They jokingly describe their sound as ‘sh*tty early 2000s metalcore,’ a label borrowed from a snarky YouTube comment that the band decided to own. “We like to take our music seriously, but not so much ourselves, which I think makes us stand out,” Mike said.
Absolence deliver the kind of heaviness that feels raw, urgent, and alive. Their sound grinds with a jagged edge and the vocals lunge between throat-shredding screams and strong guttural sound.
It’s music built to shake the room, to make the audience gasp at the drop, and to remind you that heavy music is meant to be felt in your bones.
Liverpool Scene’s Potential
Liverpool’s metal scene, they admit, is limited but full of potential. “I wouldn’t say there’s a massive one,” Mike said. “There’s been a fair bit of success in black and thrash metal, but not much for metalcore. For me, those aren’t gateway genres so it’s not an easy way to bring in new audiences. But we’re definitely trying.”
Absolence believe growing the local scene is about bands supporting each other. “You’ve got to be in there, talking to people, and share what you know,” said Mike. “A lot of bands are afraid to do that because they see it as competition, but you can really help each other. If bands build bridges, the scene thrives.”
Live, they pride themselves on atmosphere wherever they play. “The best thing is when the crowd reacts,” said Chris. “If a breakdown hits and the whole room gasps, you know you’ve done your job.”
Visuals are becoming as important as sound, with strobes and banners adding to the effect. “It’s like a cheat code,” Mike admitted. “Even if you’re an average band, if your lights are in sync, it takes you to the next level.”
But for Will, one moment with the band towers above the rest: “The most memorable moment so far for me has been when we played at Bloodstock, because I was a somebody back there.”
What’s next?
Looking ahead, new music is on the horizon. Mike said: “This year’s been rough with line-up changes, but 2026 will be about new songs and bigger gigs.”
Will added: “Music is as essential as breathing. It’s an escape, it’s creativity, it’s legacy. That’s what continues to drive us.”
Listen to Absolence on Spotify:
Heidi Hardman-Welsh 