Friday 28 March 2014

Metal 2 The Masses 2014: Heat 2

My last review ended speaking about people outside a venue and not going in to watch the bands even though it’s free entry and if that’s bad enough they don’t even use the bar etc.
That may have upset a few people so I’m probably going to upset a few more with this review.

Metal 2 The Masses is another free event organised by The Ivy with Bloodstock Open Air and here is an exact copy of what I posted on the Facebook event page for all those attending.

"To all attending M2TM at The Ivy.
This is a great event where you get to vote for the best band of the evening.
Whilst many will be going to see their mates play and vote for them please take a moment to think.
Was another band that played better than your mates?
Whilst you would love to see your mates play Bloodstock was that other band better than your mates?
Think about the quality of the songs, the stage presence, crowd interaction.
You get the thing.
Basically, use your vote wisely.
Thanks for reading and let's get THE BEST OF THE BEST to Bloodstock."

 I think that was a very fair and honest comment with quite a lot of people clicking the ‘Like’ button.


What’s that got to do with people not watching bands? I hear you ask.


Here goes.


There were four bands playing tonight.


Whilst Pressurehead were playing I think there was about ten, maybe less, people watching. I took a quick look outside and there was more than ten people.

The same with Word Of Nod but this time a few more outside.

Near Ruin had a few more people watching them. I think they managed to get a few mates to come along which is great.

When Los Alcatraz played the majority of people that were outside were now inside watching them. This is great too that they brought a crowd with the but I refer you to my Facebook entry which is exactly what I am talking about.

If they had watched the other bands they may have discovered another band that took their breath away.

I know I did that night.

Rant over and if I haven’t upset you too much I’ll crack on with the review!



Pressurehead come from Gravesend and I’ve never heard of them before which is somewhat strange as I have been going to The Red Lion since 1985.
They start their set with a Pearl Jam sounding song which was really cool and clearly showed where their influences lie but this is M2TM and I’m looking for originality in M2TM.
They continue with some blinding songs, some did and some didn’t sound like Pearl Jam, and they certainly raised my eyebrows and got a smile from me especially seeing them enjoying themselves and having fun.
I especially like the fun filled “Living Dead Cock”. Cracking!
For the first band of the evening and being this good the other bands had better be bloody good if they’re going to get my vote.

Click Here For More Photos Of Pressurehead

Playing next is another band I’ve not heard of before.
Coming from the Kent / Sussex border it’s Word Of Nod.
It’s difficult to describe a genre for them if, in fact, they even have one.
Heavy Rock? Alternative Rock / Metal? Indie? Who knows?
But what I do know is that they were pretty damn fine and completely different from any other band I’ve seen enter M2TM before.
And What's not to like about a song called “Starving To Death In The Belly Of A Whale”?

Click Here For More Photos Of Word Of Nod

I saw Near Ruin quite some time ago in Chatham when I thought they were okay and got a thumb up from me.
Unfortunately tonight they don’t do much for me.
They don’t really appear to have progressed any since I last saw them. (See my comment about Vulgate in Heat 1.)
They brought their own light show which is something different and gets a bonus point from me but in general the songs lacked originality for a band that have their sights set for Bloodstock.
However I was impressed with the guitarist / keyboardist and the way he switches between them during songs.
A lot of people say that keyboards don’t belong in Metal but the way Near Ruin have added them I kinda like it.
A good show by Near Ruin but I’d like them to come up with something a little more original for next year if they enter.


Click Here For More Photos Of Near Ruin

The final band tonight is Los Alcatraz.
I’d heard of them but not seen them before.
Those that know me will know that I don’t like to judge a book by the cover but when Los Alcatraz took to the stage and their mates came to the front it became apparent to me that they were a hardcore band.
And those of you that know me will also know that I quite like hardcore and have done since the early days and I especially like local hardcore monsters Pay No Respect but there was something that I didn’t quite get about Los Alcatraz.
I don’t know what but I just can’t put my finger on it.
I know hardcore is a sub genre of Metal and a lot of people will say that if it wasn’t for hardcore there would be no thrash metal but M2TM does stand for Metal 2 The Masses, not Hardcore 2 The Masses and I really wanted to see a Metal band. Or at least Rock.
And I have to ask, “What’s with this two step thing?”


Click Here For More Photos Of Los Alcatraz

The winner of tonights heat was Word Of Nod. And deservedly so. They are different, whacky, and, well, bloody good.
And well done to Pressurehead for making the semi-final.
I couldn't have agreed more with the outcome.




Don't forget to check out and like my Facebook page and subscribe to my YouTube channel where you can see the videos of this gig.
Support your scene by going to local gigs and buying merch.
Remember, They're your bands.

Photos used with kind permission from Nathan Hammond Photography.







Tuesday 18 March 2014

The Ivy Presents - 8th March 2014. Infected Dead, Victim Identified, Cursed As Angels, Skarthia and Greg(o)rian

Tonight I was supposed to be in Birmingham at the very first British Brutality Festival where the mighty Victim Identified were to play their come back gig.
Unfortunately that got canceled due to reasons out of control of the organisers.
But never to fear, Victim Identified played the same night at their 'home venue' of The Ivy in Sheerness with a just as spectacular, if not better, line up.


Opening the evening was a band I've never heard of before called Greg(o)rian.
They play atmospheric blackened sludge doom post rock (I think) and they were absolutely amazing.
If you don't believe me just ask anyone else that was at the gig. I don't think there was anyone watching them that didn't have a smile on their face.
The awesomeness of sound they produce (a three piece) is somewhat incredible and one that I really like.
Lou from Infected Dead described them on stage as his 'new favourite thing'.
I really can't praise Greg(o)rian enough especially as they only had time to play one song that lasted about thirty minutes.
It is rare that a band you've never heard of before takes you by this much surprise and tonight Greg(o)rian have done that to me.
I'll stop now before I'm accused of blowing smoke up their arses!

Click Here For More Photos Of Greg(o)rian.
  
Next to play is another band I've never heard of before.
What? Me not hearing of two bands in the same evening? Unheard of!
They are Skarthia from North London and again I am overwhelmed by a band I'm seeing for the first time.
Their Facebook page describes them as Groove Metal with a mix of melodic riffs and death vocals.
I only have one thing to add to that... 'And then some'.
They are both brutal and beautiful to the ear for any discerning Metal fan.
But the winning factor for me as always was that you can see they love what they are doing and it shows in their stage presence.
Another band I look forward to seeing again some time.

Click Here For More Photos Of Skarthia.

Those who are regular readers of this page (I hope there are some) will know how much I like Cursed As Angels.
So them being on the bill tonight pleased me somewhat and their different style of music was a nice addition by The Ivy giving a break from the thrashier Metal or the calm before the storm if you like.
They played the same set as the previous week at The Red Lion which as I stated in that review was the perfect setlist as they are usually a headline act.
But again Cursed As Angels were cursed by equipment fucking up again and Mac's pedal or something not working properly so he couldn't be heard.
He was told of this after a couple of songs so turned his amp up a bit.
Holy shit!
I have never heard The Ivy so loud.
It was still clear enough not to distort which Anthony must be praised for but it did get a bit painful to be honest.
But, hey, we're Metal, right?
Another great performance by Cursed As Angels despite the hiccups and your's truly was invited to the front to receive a T-Shirt as a 'thankyou' for doing what I do.
That was a really nice gesture and I give a heart felt 'Thanks' back to you guys.

Click Here For More Photos Of Cursed As Angels.

After a four year hiatus, or whatever you call it, Victim Identified are back to show the world of Grind how it is done.
I first saw and recorded them at The Ivy about five years ago (according to my You Tube records) and they were kind enough to play my 40th Birthday Bash at The Beacon Court in Gillingham.
So to see Aaron and Ad back on stage at The Ivy blasting out all new material for an all new Victim Identified probably meant as much to me as it did to them.
Ad is an amazing guitarist however the volume of the guitar at the start was fairly quiet. Thankfully this was soon rectified and it started shredding like the old days.
And how the Hell does Aaron sing like that without barfing a lung or some other internal organ into the audience.
Grind may not be everyone's cup of tea and it isn't my favourite genre. But when it's two guys with a drum machine who clearly know their stuff you can only stand and watch in awe.
Victim Identified are back and are even more brutal than before.
You have been warned.

Clich Here For More Photos Of Victim Identified.

Ending tonights proceedings is Infected Dead.
They've come a long way since winning Metal 2 The Masses last year.
For those that don't know they changed their name from Neon Halo but hopefully the majority of you reading this will.
They have a new drummer in Martin Tang (Venomous Outrage) and have restructured the songs a little making them sound heavier than before.
This is the second time I've seen them in this guise and there is a vast difference between the beginning of February and now.
The transition and Martin finding his feet is going to take a little time but the progression is fast and furious just like their songs so all I'll say is go and watch them to see for yourself.
You won't be disappointed.
But what about tonight?
As always Lou Ede commands the stage and is a great front man and loves what he does. He is a very sick puppy and the titles of the songs a proof of that.
Penetration Trauma”, “Forensic Pornography” and my favourite title of all time thus far “She Was Dead When I Got There”.
A bloody awesome show from Infected Dead again.


Unfortunately I'm going to end this review on a sour note so I do apologise.
I wish some of the people who attend The Ivy and don't bother watching the bands, remaining outside would come in and watch them.
It's a free entry veune for the majority of gigs so there really is nothing to lose.
What makes it worse is they don't even use the bar.
For a venue such as The Ivy to continue putting on gigs, especially free entry ones, they rely on people using the bar. Even if it's a diet Coke it all helps to keeping a great venue going and not closing down as so many do nowadays and losing another place to go and watch your bands.
Thanks Anthony and the team at The Ivy for doing what you do.

Don't forget to check out and like my Facebook page and subscribe to my YouTube channel where you can see the videos of this gig.
Support your scene by going to local gigs and buying merch.
Remember, They're your bands.

Photos used with kind permission from Nathan Hammond Photography.


Wednesday 12 March 2014

Metal 2 The Masses 2014: Heat 1

It's that time of year again when there are lots of gigs in succession and lots of 'thankyous' to be said to my forever suffering partner for being so understanding of my mission to bring you the best coverage of local and further afield Metal bands.

I am, of course, talking about the annual Metal 2 The Masses competition. This year I'm able to make all except one of the heats and the semi final due to being out of town so I'm really looking forward to reviewing them and bringing you the videos so you can watch for yourself and see if you agree with the judges' decisions.

2014's South East Region is being held at The Ivy in Sheerness. This is the second year they've held the event.

Heat 1 is started off with a band called Abyss.
They play traditional Metal which is really nice to hear nowadays as it was not what I was expecting from a bunch of lads whose age group usually play Nu-Metal or screamy stuff.
They had a really solid sound with strong vocals and some cracking riffs and they certainly set the standard for the evening and, in fact, the competition.
They're song titles are fairly traditional too with the likes of “All Seeing Eye” and “Burn The Witch”.
But the top title which is not very traditional has to be “Trains”. Dedicated to how crap the public transport system is.
I really enjoyed watching Abyss and look forward to seeing them again.
Incidentally the vocalist also plays drums in Spyder Byte. So if you like Abyss, be sure to check them out too.

Abyss

I first saw Mantora at Herofest 2013 at The Red Lion in Gravesend where they impressed me somewhat.
It's hard to describe their sound other than old school Metal with extra riffage and harder vocals.
They are a band that certainly know their stuff and are a pleasure to watch with the vocalist moving back and forth at crowd level rather than on stage which adds to the crowd interaction.
Only a couple of issues, one is taking a bit too long between songs tuning. The other I'd like to hear a little more polished endings. Sort this guys and as far as competitions go you'll be well away.
Another enjoyable set and “Craving Conspiracy” is the nuts!


Vulgate played last years Metal 2 The Masses and reached the semi final. They hooked up with winners Neon Halo (now Infected Dead) and have played quite a few gigs in Kent earning a respectable following.
I've seen them a few times since last year and this year they have certainly upped the anti.
Some of their songs have been slightly restructured and they've thrown in a new one entitled “The One Who Knocks”.
They are a very solid sounding band now and their stage presence has evolved nicely making it a pleasure to watch them.

Hunter Killer are a new band to me and I was really looking forward to a headline act that would blast the other bands of the evening out of the water.
Unfortunately this was not to be the case.
Whilst being able to play, their inexperience showed and you could almost feel the nerves coming from the stage.
Still, they are the ones on the stage and not me so I will always praise that.
They play a five song set which included two covers which is fine with me in ordinary circumstances but not in the M2TM competition.
This is where I want to hear as much original material as I can in a set so maybe another year before entering would not have gone amiss although their enthusiasm shone through.
I know this sounds harsh guys but please keep at it and surprise me next time I see you.

Hunter Killer

With the bands finished it was time to wait for the winner of the heat.

Unsurprisingly it was Vulgate this evening.

A well deserved place in this years final for a band who have really shown commitment and effort over the last year to get there.

Well done lads.

As you're Death fans you'll appreciate this...

Perseverence Pays.


Don't forget to check out and like my Facebook page and subscribe to my YouTube channel where you can see the videos of this gig.

Support your scene by going to local gigs and buying merch.
Remember, They're your bands.

Thanks to my mate Debbie Davies for the photos on this blog.

Thursday 6 March 2014

The Earl Of Morley's Birthday Gig Review

What better way to celebrate your birthday than organising a gig at one of the best, no, the best, venue in the South East of England, no, in England, no, The World and inviting everyone along to have a bloody great time?

Of course I'm talking about The Red Lion in Gravesend and that's exactly what my buddy Liam, The Earl Of Morley did.

Playing was Monumentomb (Their first ever gig), Cursed As Angels, Wretched Soul and Abandon The Faith.

I recently reviewed the Monumentomb EP “Ritual Exhumation” and couldn't praise it highly enough for both the quality of the songs and recording for a debut EP so now it was time to see if they can bring that monstrous sound to the stage.
And they most certainly did.
The sound was as immense as I'd hoped for but, then, sound maestro Vic Wintergreen was at the helm.
They played the EP back to back which suited me just fine with a sweet little surprise for my favourite track “Perpetual Execution Torment” when they were joined on stage by none other than Wretched Soul's Chris Simmons to carry out the vocal duty.
There was, unfortunately, a few technical issues, which were very quickly resolved so I won't mark them down on that front as it was their first gig.
As I said in my EP review, if you like traditional Death Metal then Monumentomb are a band that you really don't want to miss out on.
A great debut show and I must say, I really can't wait to see them again.

View more Monumentomb photos by clicking here!

I've said before how much I like Cursed As Angels and tonight was no exception.
They are usually a headline act at The Red Lion so tonight they played a shorter set of seven songs but they are seven carefully chosen songs which made it great nonetheless.
A new drummer (or rather loaned for a year from Warhorse) makes a huge difference. Dan Cole is an awesome drummer, don't get me wrong, but Richard Still has a classic drummer ego which raises the feel good factor to another level.
Paul McIntosh had a huge problem with his guitar which I'm not quite sure what it was but ended with him making an emergency repair and kneeling on the stage whilst playing.
As always Cursed As Angels were impressive to watch and listen to. Just a shame about the guitar problem.
But Paul Mac played the last song in his boxers – So they're forgiven.

View more Cursed As Angels photos by clicking here!

I've seen Wretched Soul numerous times and they always deliver the goods with tonight being no exception.
And we're treated to a six song set instead of the usual five.
A quick line check and they're off.
Starting with “Where Shadows Ride” and “Summon The Hunter” the openers for their awesome debut album “Veronica” one can only stand in awe at the ferociousness they slay upon you.
They, of course, play “Veronica” which I reckon is a classic song and the meaning behind it somewhat scarey. Do your homework if you don't know already.
And what's a Wretched Soul gig without “Dash To Destruction”? Three words. That's all there is to the singalong. So shout it back when commanded to.
Chris Simmons is such an amazing vocalist who still sends shivers down my spine. His mix of guttural Death Metal growls and high end screams just improve every time I see them making my poor spine feel more and more twisted. A bit like Wretched Soul, really.
And with The Clifford Brothers slogging it out on guitar and drums and bassist Luke Mayell swinging his head and windmilling as though it'll land in the crowd any minute this finely tuned machine should be on everyones playlist.

View more Wretched Soul photos by clicking here!

Abandon The Faith played this gig as a reunion show for a good friend and ex band member, Liam's birthday.
They were everything I remember.
Very Heavy. Very Loud. Very Death. And A Lot Of Fun.
When I say Fun I mean that they really enjoy themselves on stage. Lots of smiles. Lots of making fun of each other. And Mike Crampton the keyboardist jumping about like who knows what and generally having a good time.
They play all their old songs from “Bloodtised” and “The Onslaught” right through to “Sede Vacante” with a nice little cover of Napalm Death's “You Suffer”, played twice in case you missed it the first time and an absolutely magnificent version of “Holy Diver” with Chris Simmons taking to the stage once again making my spine even worse than it was before.
Abandon The Faith played a really good, long set. They may not be everyones cup of tea but if you like Death / Black Metal then be sure to check them out.
During the gig I heard rumblings that they are going ahead with a reformation after this gig which can only be a good thing.
Let The Onslaught start again.
Nice one Liam.

View More Abandon The Faith Photos by clicking here!

Don't forget to check out and like my Facebook page and subscribe to my YouTube channel where you can see the videos of this gig.
Support your scene by going to local gigs and buying merch.
Remember, They're your bands.

Photos used with kind permission from Nathan Hammond Photography.

Wednesday 5 March 2014

When Luke met Howard

At a Death Angel gig last year I was standing in the bar area at The Underworld in Camden with my good friend and Wretched Soul bass player Luke Mayell, his girlfriend Claire and one of my oldest mates Craig.

The Camden Underworld


I was approached and greeted by another old friend of mine named Howard.

I did the obligatory introductions, with Craig knowing Howard of old too.

Luke commented on the tshirt Howard was wearing - an Acid Reign "Obnoxious" one.

Here's a link to the Acid Reign Facebook Page!

 Howard replied, "Thanks!"

So I decided to add a little more to the introductions by saying to Luke that Howard was the Acid Reign singer.


Image lifted from All About The Rock. Be sure to check them out.


You could have knocked Luke over with a feather in the few seconds that followed whilst that statement sunk into him, and his face was an absolute picture.



Luke was influenced in his youth by early UK thrash bands with Acid Reign being one of his favourites but he never had the chance to see them play live.

I hope this introduction has remedied this.

And that both he and Howard like this blog!

Monday 24 February 2014

Monumentomb: "Ritual Exhumation" EP Review

Wow!

Can I just leave it at that?

Unfortunately not.

I got an invite to like Monumentomb on Facebook a while back.
And being as they're Metal it's rude not to, isn't it?

The Facebook page reads

Forged from fire, death and alcohol in May 2013. Hailing from Maidstone in Kent.”
And

“Being huge fans of Old-School British and Scandinavian Death Metal such as Grave, Dismember, early Entombed, Carnage, Unleashed, Bolt Thrower and Carcass. This defines the modern take with an Old-School formula.”

What's not to like?

So the wait began to hear them...

Finally it was announced that their EP “Ritual Exhumation” was available to download on Bandcamp for £3.00 which is a bloody bargain for what you are about to hear!

Consisting of Byron Braidwood (B. Iron) - Lead guitars/Vocals, Alex Brown - Lead guitars and Lee Charlton - Drums “Ritual Exhumation” is one of the best first releases I've heard in a very long time.

A bell ringing chanting intro that we all love on classic Death Metal records leads into the title track with pure ferocity and a statement which clearly says, “We're here. Listen to us.”

The EP continues in this vein with “In The Crypt Devoured” and “Perennial Interment” with no let up whatsoever in the quality of the songs with only a slight break in “Perpetual Execution Torment” where you are treated some backing vocals making it possibly my favourite track on the album.

But then the bombastic intro of the final track “Citadel Of The Living Dead” hits you taking the EP to the final level of execution.

Monumentomb is a huge name and they certainly have a huge sound.

All I need now is to see them do this live and I'll be a very happy man.

Is that allowed in Death Metal? You bet it is!



Additional Info:
The drums were recorded at Emeline Studios in Whitstable, and the rest was recorded at 'The Mix Cave' in Gillingham.
All recorded and engineered by Graham Waller and produced by Graham and Byron. Byron Played bass on the recording due to having no permanent member at the time.
They have recently recruited someone who will be formally announced soon after their first promo photo shoot and he will be playing live with them.


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As always, please support your local scene. Attend gigs, buy merch. They are YOUR bands.

Tuesday 18 February 2014

Gig Review: Callous, Infected Dead, Vulgate, Hours To Destroy. The Lady Luck, Canterbury. 4th February 2013

I did not have time to do a review of this gig myself so I have asked GIGgle Pics if I could pinch theirs and add a few of my videos of the gig so many thanks to them for allowing this.
The gig was reviewed by George Panchenko.

Hours To Destroy
Many times I have secretly wanted quite strongly to review this band’s performances because of their immense live improvement. First time I saw them was also at the Luck but nearly 2 years ago, supporting Silas. This particular time I think they had sound issues but their performance made it sound like some demon had for some reason confiscated their instruments from them for a while and just handed them back to them. Plus, I really didn’t understand the style they were going for.
The second time I saw them, I still didn’t understand what type of music they were attempting to play, but I say hand-on-heart they did it significantly better! This was at the Blind Dog (which is no longer called the Blind Dog) at a gig they themselves organised. They played with immense passion, and you could easily tell they were putting proper effort into everything. Special hails to frontman Richi Lewis on that night, who was going noticeably red in the face from ripping his throat out! I really thought he failed the first time but on that night he nailed all sorts of vocal styles and sounded absolutely brilliant! Thanks to this, all their radically different musical influences and all their weird effects came through and made them sound tight, heavy yet unique.
At this particular Luck gig, it sounded like for some reason the sound wasn’t doing them any favours but they were good. The band played rather well, their abilities coming through rather nicely. I did get the impression that they might have not practiced too recently because of minor timekeeping issues, but the synth effects and the vocals were sufficiently colourful, although nowhere near as powerful as they were at the Blind Dog show. Mind you, the crowd weren’t exactly co-operating, which is something opening acts have to put up with all the time I guess.
The long and the short of this is that while I don’t directly “get” (not saying that’s necessary) HTD’s music and am normally not massively into that kind of style, I respect them because I can tell they are passionate and they have the ability to deliver a powerful performance, and they don’t want to be put in a box style-wise. They combine many influences. Occasionally it’s a case of good ingredients being put together wrong but I admire their dedication and I hope all goes well for them.

 
Hours To Destroy
"Yet We All Dissolve"


Vulgate
I’d heard many great things about this band, and they were very fun indeed! They are evidently influenced by things like Cynic but they are definitely more Thrash than Death (which was what I expected) with a good coating of Municipal Waste jokeyness going on. Actually, I don’t quite get Municipal Waste either but good mosh pits, including a wheelchair crowd surf at BOA 2013. Anyway…
These chaps were quite consistent and enjoyable, with good flow of music. No clear end point or start point of songs, good technique but sometimes confusing, and I needed to finish eating, so would have felt rude leaving halfway through a song aha. Maybe I’m turning British?
These chaps are a good heavy metal band who know how to entertain you, throwing in “gay intros” as the frontman put it, and they use a headless guitar! Ooh! And the other guitarist was wearing a Star Wars t-shirt. What the f*** is there to complain about?!

 Vulgate
"Rape Of A Nation"


Infected Dead
Yes, stop being confused, this is indeed Neon Halo's new name. This was the band I was mainly here for. It was indeed their first show with the new moniker. I heard that they were slightly nervous prior to this one! This is NeonHalo but with slight line-up changes. They particularly lucked out on the new man they have behind the kit. Master Drummer Martin Tang from Venomous Outrage. Probably the most talented man of the entire night. Mind you, Neonh… Err, Infected Dead also have a fretless bass. How the Hell do you even play those things?!
I know than this band are known for their pits and I had a strong moshing / general head transcspinning itch which was more than satisfied! People went flying around all over the place just as I expected. Better even! Unfortunately there was a certain chap who might have been on something, who was just annoying everyone and dragging anyone and everyone into the pit, but that made decision-making easy. We eventually moshed into him mostly. Beer and cider (or in my case, water) went flying everywhere, the band blasted out their death/grind and were obviously having fun. Vocals insane yet varied nicely between low growls and spews. Fretless bass man filled me with awe and jealousy. He also had a Cynic shirt. I wonder if Obscura played any part in the influence too hehehe.
Martin f****** Tang obliterated the night. Nailing every single beat of songs he didn’t even write at terrifying speeds! He really is like a machine. Evident influence from George Kollias himself. Although, he looked remarkably calm and almost expressionless while drumming. Not sure if he’s like Terminator or Hannibal Lecter, but I’m sure his heart rate was lower than most drummers if they were in his seat! In fact, before the show, I was impressed to find out he was drumming for Infected Dead and expressed how much I was looking forward to the show and his machine-like drumming, to which he replied “I’ll try to make sure it’s not a Windows-based machine that blue-screens every song” d’aww.
Now that I think about it, despite being sober and despite this being the band I was there for, I really struggle to comment on the playing since the whole time I was moshing, being moshed or windmill-headbanging as fast as possible. I know they were great though, since I got 3 moderate injuries and did not notice any until after. It was only when I went to tie my hair back in the bathroom mirror I noticed my elbow area was covered in blood!

 Infected Dead
"She Was Dead When I Got There"
Callous
As everyone already knows, Callous’ set was cut ridiculously short. Quite unfortunate since they were playing last replacing Transcending The Flesh, who lost their frontman and therefore had to pull out. I mean I don’t think he’s dead but it sounded like he quit. Transcending the Flesh are Death with deathcore influences so they would have fitted slightly better.
Callous are melodic metal and I saw them at RockSoc at the Attic on campus many years ago too. I’d say they’re quite good if you’re into Killswitch Engage or Trivium type of things. They should play with Seven Deadly oh wait they have…
Callous are a very enthusiastic band, and I remember quite enjoying them when I last saw them a couple of years ago, but I think they suffered that night due to obvious timing issues, plus the fact that their style didn’t directly fit the theme of the night, especially after all the Mayhem that Infected Dead caused. Again, the crowd weren’t exactly co-operating either.
Callous aren’t a bad booking, but they weren’t quite right for this night, not sure if it was their choice or not but I feel quite sorry for them considering everything that went wrong for them on the night.
Well, some reviews have to end on a downer?


Callous
"Dry Earth"


Callous
"As Martyr's May"

There you go!

Once again I can't thank GIGgle Pics enough for allowing this.
For their review page please click HERE.

Don't forget to like my Facebook Page and my subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

As always, please support your local scene. Attend gigs, buy merch. They are YOUR bands.

Sunday 16 February 2014

In My Car: Merciless Terror

I'd never heard of Merciless Terror until I was on my way to the Hell Inside Festival in Wurzburg, Germany in October 2012.
I was making my way to the departure gate at Gatwick Airport and saw a group of lads that were Metal. 
I approached them and asked if they were going to Hell Inside.
The response I got was not one I would ever have expected, "No, we're going to Japan to play a festival. We have to go to Germany and get a connecting flight."
Needless to say the conversation from then on was somewhat of a success.
I mean, come on, a Metal band, me, and, well...
Coming from Nottingham, I asked if they knew a good friend of mine, Mick Devlin.
"Who doesn't?" Was the response, stating what a great guy he is.
I can only agree with that statement.

Well, I got in touch with them upon my return from Hell Inside and finally upheld my promise that I would get round to seeing them play sometime when I made a trip from North Yorkshire to Nottingham to see them supporting the mighty Warlord UK at The Old Sal on the 25th May 2013 with my Best Bud Phil Smith.
Needless to say we met up with the aforementioned Mr Devlin and his wife Keri and some of their friends and had a blast!
Also playing this gig was Wretched Soul and Masochist.

The sound wasn't brilliant that night resulting in both Merciless Terror and Warlord UK asking me to take down the videos from my You Tube channel so, unfortunately, there is no footage 'out there' of these two immense bands giving it their all in such a small and intimate venue.
Wretched Soul's set and three from Masochist are there if you want to go a looking for them!


Merciless Terror released their album "Vile Extinction" on the 7th October 2013.
I've been listening to it in my car for quite some time now and all I can say is, "WOW!"
It's a fair length at about 35 minutes with some cracking, perhaps innovative, intros and endings to the songs which is what a lot of bands lack nowadays.
The titles are, however, what you'd expect from a Death Metal band.
I don't wish for that to sound detrimental in any way whatsoever as Death Metal is my thing.
So bring on "Baptized In Blood" and "Imminent Death", and while there are some noticeable influences this should not deter you from the overall originality of this album.
It is extreme, yes, but there are a few surprises that are well placed in the album giving you the minute break that is often required on an album instead of being relentless throughout.
(I hope it's not just an age thing!)
If you haven't got this album yet do yourself, and Merciless Terror, a favour and get yourself a copy.
All I can say is you will not regret the purchase.
Hopefully this can persuade you!


Friday 17 January 2014

In My Car!

I thought as a, hopefully, regular blog I'd say a little something about what I've been listening to in my car to and from work for a set of shifts.

This is the most time I get to listen to music as I have two kids which, as any parent will tell you (or ought to), take precedent over everything.

I'll try to make it as interesting as possible so don't worry, it won't be “This week I've been listening to (insert here) and it is really good!”

I'll be looking at doing a little review of what I've been listening to with a personal twist to it, even if it is twenty years old.

After all, that's less than half my age!





Wednesday 8 January 2014

Cursed As Angels - "And As The Orchestra Plays" Album Release Gig and Review

Foreword:
I sent this review to a magazine in Germany and it got rejected due to Cursed As Angels not playing the material they are after. So I have decided to post it on here. Heavy Metal covers a plethora of genres and I am not prejudiced against them!

Saturday October 5th 2013
Cursed As Angels
Album Release Gig
The Red Lion, Gravesend
Support: Silas, Unforeseen Prophecy, Darkeye

The Red Lion, Gravesend


Part 1 - The Interview

The evening started early as I arrived during sound check and knew immediately I was in for a very loud evening at The Lion.
But then that's nothing new for this world famous venue stuck in the middle of a, now demolished, industrial site with new build homes and an Ikea being erected.
This place has truly stood the tests of time with the Landlord, Terry, being there for some thirty years now. He is a true lover of live music which makes it such a pleasure to have been going there for almost as long and see bands come and go and come back again.

After the sound check I managed to grab Stephen Jeffery and Paul McIntosh, the guitarists, from Cursed As Angels for a quick chat.
I asked them how they felt about finally getting the album out.
“Feeling good!” Was the response from both, smiling and stating they are relieved and happy it is finally out.
And it's easy to understand why.
“It's been a long struggle,” says Steve while they both go on to explain why there has been a five year gap between their last album and their new offering to the Metal World, titled 'And As The Orchestra Plays'.
Following the release of the last album in 2008 there were several line up changes which ended up with the band splitting up.
Some members continued as Above Ceres (some of their songs are included on this album) and eventually reformed as Cursed As Angels with Owen (Omen to his friends) returning to make the line up complete.
Then Steve decided to cut the top off one of his fingers on his fretting hand which caused inevitable delays while this was sorted.
Still, the final product is here with us now.
Are they happy with it?
“Yes,” they agree.
“The production is so much better than the last album. There's been a big learning curve since then,” says Paul with Steve interjecting, “We managed to get all the effects this time which makes a huge difference.”


Part 2 - The Gig

The first band on is Darkeye.
I've not seen them before but the bassist is Jeff Barber who also plays in Khthon. And if Jeff is on the stage you know it's going to be HEAVY!
And heavy it is indeed.
A five track set which delivers nicely with some nice time changes and the occasional blow to the chest.
One thing I've always liked about seeing bands play is when they are having fun, don't take things too seriously and interact with the crowd.
With Darkeye you get all of this.
“This next one is called 'Portent'. It's about poor tents.”
Classic!
And it'll be interesting to see if Moth Man becomes a theme for Dead Eye as Pig Boy did for Violation Complex.
Did I mention there's ex members of The Complex in them?
I certainly look forward to seeing Darkeye again.

www.facebook.com/Darkeyeband
Darkeye


Next up is Unforeseen Prophecy.
I'm a big fan of UP and have seen them many times where the set has been pretty damned amazing.
Unfortunately this was not to be one of those times.
Whilst they gave it their all, the sound was pretty awful and the vocals were barely audible which is a real shame because when they have the right sound they are awesome but this is, after all, a review of the night in question.
This is their new guitarist Aaron Jones' second (I think) gig with them. He appears a little cautious in his playing at present but I'm sure this will pass in time when he settles in a bit more.
I can't honestly say much more about UP tonight which is a shame. Although they did play 'Placebo Effect' which is a brand new song and a few favourites such as 'Oblivion' (“That's the slowest you'll hear from us!”), 'Silent Voice' and 'Fractured'.

Unforeseen Prophecy

Silas take to the stage and everyone seems to be outside smoking or in the adjacent bar nattering.
Once it's realised they are playing the hall soon fills up and Silas do what they do best... ROCK LIKE HELL!
They play all the tracks off their self released 'World Of Colour' EP.
It's so clear to see that Silas love doing what they do and why they do it.
Not only do they rock. They groove, they funk, they jazz and rock some more mixing all the elements to give a sound that is somewhat unique and hard to place into a genre, which suits me just fine, but if I have to I'd say Classic Alternative Rock.

Silas

When I first saw Cursed As Angels – before they split up - I didn't think they were much to write home about. Whether it was just me being more of a Death Metal fan or the sound or the end of a very long day I'll never know but you can rest assured that I have completely changed my mind now!
Since getting back together they have done nothing but impress me and tonight is no exception.
The stage presence of all the band is one of sheer enjoyment to be playing to a crowd that clearly like what they are doing.
One thing that I always like to see is a band enjoying themselves on stage. This is always a winner for me so take heed if I'm reviewing your show!
As this is the album release party for CAA they play the album in its entirety. This has proved risky business for bigger bands when they first release an album but not for CAA.
They take it in their stride and take no prisoners.
The sound is finally sorted for the night which pleases me and they steam through the set with Owen up to his usual antics!
He has a fantastic voice which compliments the style they play.
The guitarists work together perfectly, Stephen Jeffery's crowd interaction is immense (jumping in and playing and posing for photo opportunities is awesome!) and the bass and drums are heavy as fuck!
I really enjoyed CAA this evening and I hope this album gets noticed somewhere and the next one gets wider distribution.






Cursed As Angels
All in all a great night with only a few minor issues with the sound earlier on. I look forward to seeing all the bands again in the very near future.


Part 3 - The Album Review

The first thing about reviewing an album is to recognise the song content along with the music. 
There's no point in having a really great sounding metal song then finding out the lyrics are about fluffy bunnies! 
It's just not metal. 

So I asked the band for a précis of the lyrical content to help me with this review. No point in bullshitting that I figured it out myself eh?!

An instrumental intro 'Above Ceres' leads into 'Control', a song about autism and the everyday struggle and differences of being autistic. 

It fires off the album nicely and it continues to knock out great song after great song with varying content dealing with things such as depression ('The Absence Of Light'), how shit humans are towards each other ('For Destruction'), Vampires ('Becoming') and being at a funeral and realising that it is really the end ('And As The Orchestra Plays').

I'm not the type of person that strips down and analyses every song when I do a review of an album as I don't see the point.

All in all this is a very solid sounding metal album with only one criticism. The volume could have a been set a hell of a lot louder.

That's to say when listening to it on the same volume settings as other recent albums I needed to turn the volume up.

A lot!

I'm also not the type of person to give a mark out of whatever for an album.

I can only recommend or not that an album is worth your purchase and this is one that I strongly recommend.

Official Cursed As Angels Site for Downloading Album etc.

As usual the whole gig can be found on my YouTube page and for more Heavy Metal shenanigans check out my Facebook page!