Fucked Up @ The Deaf Institute, Manchester, 20 Jan

Fucked Up have always had a formidable presence when taking to any stage. But in plugging in and stacking up layers of their trademark swirling buzzsaw guitars, the diverging creative paths taken on the latest album Dose Your Dreams are evident, with guitarist Mike Haliechuk taking lead vocals over the dance-influenced psychedelic rock (a combination not unfamiliar in these parts) of the title track. From the surging intro to Son the Father, the band’s charismatic talisman, Damian Abraham, has taken his place, and moves through the crowd to bark out the chorus standing on the bar, 'It's hard enough being born in the first place / Who would ever want to be born again?'

As huge as Abraham’s contribution to Fucked Up has been, it’s evident that recently he has been happy to take a step back from the band’s creative process, resulting in the most diverse set of their career, moving beyond the blueprint of bruising hardcore punk. Whether it’s the groovy, Springsteen-flavoured Normal People, to Love is an Island in the Sea, an almost-ballad sung by drummer Jonah Falco, this spirit of open collaboration is running deep, even with a local friend, named CJ, putting in a commendable turn on the mic before the encore.

But for all the new strings to Fucked Up’s bow, their real strength has always been in finding great depth and meaning in volume and passion; summoning an extraordinary emotional response from the crowd without ever straying into sentimentality or mawkishness. If not throwing themselves around the dance hall, the band’s enduring following shout along to furious and sprawling favourites Black Albino Bones and Baiting the Public – but no moreso than on ecstatic and driving selections from 2011’s David Comes To Life, with Queen of Hearts, Under My Nose and Turn the Season all carrying incredible momentum.

After guitarist Ben Cook fronts the sneering, industrial and heavy Mechanical Bull, the positive energy hits its peak with closer The Other Shoe – featuring outstanding drumming from Falco – as Abraham enters the audience to physically embrace and thank those for coming and still connecting with this music. Whatever the future holds, and whatever Abraham’s role is, for him Fucked Up still means a lot, and their magnitude remains undiminished.