Celebrating the 25th anniversary of their iconic album – The Sickness - Chicago rock band Disturbed rolled into the AO Arena in Manchester for a sold-out gig that cemented their status as one of the best metal acts to derive from the genre.

Before the band arrived on stage, support act and US thrash metal pioneers Megadeth took the Manchester audience by the scruff of the neck for an hour of menacing and magical guitar-riff-bound songs. Lead singer and guitarist Dave Mustaine was a man of few words; however, his snarling trademark vocals led one thrash-bound number into the other. The only disturbance during their performance was the irksome tendency to depart from the stage for a few minutes after almost every song, breaking the continuity and atmosphere.

With the band announcing earlier this year that their forthcoming album will be their last, there was an air of emotion in the air; however, Peace Sells, accompanied by their mascot Vic Rattlehead, posed the question, 'Why are the band bidding their farewells when they are still on a roll?'

Few bands in the rock and metal arena have such a distinctive sound as Disturbed: the unmistakable vocals of Dave Draiman, accompanied by the chunking bass grooves and staccato rhythm of their tracks, have made the band stand out from their peers.

Wheeled on stage in a straight jacket and tied to a backboard, as entrances go, Draiman made sure that the fans were going to experience a night to remember – and along with the rest of the band, they never disappointed.

The songs Down with the Sickness and The Game showcased why Disturbed has become an influential act. A cover of Tears for Fears’ Shout highlighted Disturbed’s influences too, before the theatrics kicked back into place with Draiman being strapped to an electric chair and electrocuted in a moment where the shock of rock music and live performance married perfectly.

Of course this was never going to be the end, as after a twenty-minute break Draiman and the rest of Disturbed were back on stage for a greatest hits set, including an emotive acoustic version of The Sound of Silence, where the group made the Simon and Garfunkel song their own. As the song built up into a swirling crescendo, the contrast between now and the last ninety minutes was stark on a night that had been a celebration of Disturbed’s ongoing importance and influence in metal.