Ward XVI & Uridium Bring Shock Rock & Old-School Metal to The Brickmakers, Norwich

October 30, 2025 rocknews

25 October 2025

The Brickmakers is fast becoming a favourite venue. It’s intimate and friendly and the sound is superb.

Tonight it was host to an eclectic mix of rock from 4 bands.

Unfortunately I had to arrive midway through the evening and so missed out on Ctoan and Pulverise. I did have the pleasure, though, of witnessing the self-proclaimed old school metal of Uridium.

Uridium

Vocalist Cameron, dressed in a black leather coat and with his face pained white and black, beckoned the crowd in from the bar as ‘The Eve of War’ from ‘War of the Worlds’ blasted from the PA. They quickly tore into opener ‘No Way Out’ and they held everyone’s attention throughout their set. They are indeed “old school” and I could definitely hear influences from NWOBHM through to 80’s and 90’s thrash. They looked great and sounded even better. Their twin guitar harmonies were brilliantly played as the rhythm was held down by crunching bass and drums. Bassist Slug also had his face painted and looked like a cross between King Diamond and Gene Simmons. ‘Reflections of Insanity’ saw some fabulous soloing, including impressive sweep picking from guitarist Gary. They went down a storm with the Norwich audience.

Ward XiV

Whoever designs the merchandise for this horror-inspired vaudeville collective is a genius. Never before have I seen insane asylum – type boiler suits with “certified inmate” emblazoned across the back, but it all added to the atmosphere and immersive experience of what their live show had in store. The nurse I spotted in the audience when I arrived (Nurse Betty) was an integral part of what was to come, and you really did feel as though the experience stared the minute you walked through the door.

The stage was set with a jail cell and other props as Ward XiV took to the stage to tell the third part of the story of Psychoberrie, the demented serial killer whose saga has run through three albums. Tonight they played – and played out – the final act through songs from latest album ‘ID3NTITY’.

Despite drummer Bam Bam being sick and not able to perform, the show went on with recorded drum tracks, and what a show it was. I didn’t know where to point my camera as there was so much happening on the stage, from guitarist Doktor Von Stottenstein being restrained in shackles to Psychoberrie herself sawing the head from a victim and appearing on stage wearing the face and hair of the decapitated woman. At one point she came through the audience and climbed on the Brickmakers bar, strutting along its length before sauntering back to the stage.

If this all sounds a bit ‘Alice Cooper’, it was, but there was so much storytelling and theatre mixed with great songs and superb musicianship that it was fresh, unique and mesmerising.

Second vocalist and actor Rico Rameres added death metal growls one minute and beautiful rich baritone harmonies the next and bassist Wolfy Huntsman was rock solid, locking in with those drum tracks from the absent Bam Bam.

But what about the songs? Well, they were fabulous. From opener ‘Regeneration’, through ‘Macabre’ and ‘I Spit on Your Grave’ to ‘Amoeba of Madness’ and ‘We Are Legion’, the band were tight and showed their versatility. It’s hard to put Ward XiV into one musical box – yes they are a rock band, but there were elements of oompah, music hall, Zappa-esque vocals and pure metal.

What an experience.

There’s just a few dates left on this short tour, so do yourselves a favour and join the inmates!