Propagandhi + Comeback Kid @ The Electric Ballroom Camden London (17/04/2013) Review

I'm back! Momentarily anyway. Before I start the review, I thought I'd apologise for my absence and lack of reviews. I know it's been a while since my last post, but unfortunately revision has had to take priority over my blog, so sadly I just didn't have time to review Dead Swans final show or Broadway Calls. But for anyone who was wondering, Dead Swans were epic! As were every other band on the bill, especially Gnarwolves (who also supported Broadway Calls) and Landscapes. Anyway, I have managed to spare a little time to review Propagandhi, so here goes!

To say I was excited for this gig was an understatement. It seems like a very rare occasion that Propagandhi venture over to our shores to grace us with their politically driven brand of hardcore punk, (so rare that this was in fact my first time seeing Propagandhi). This was one of the few opportunities to witness one of the most passionate and long-withstanding bands in the hardcore and punk, being one of only four UK dates across the whole tour. And if Propagandhi's live reputation and quality of music or rarity of a Propagandhi show isn't enough to give you goosebumps, the addition of Comeback Kid, Shai Hulud and War on Women to the bill certainly will be! For anyone who is still religiously attached to 'old' Propagandhi may be confused by the choice of bands, but with Propagandhi's continuing progression into a more hardcore and metal influenced sound in their 2012 album Failed States, they were a perfect choice. 

To start off my night of Hardcore were Shai Hulud. Frankly, I had only really listened to them as a lead up to the gig, but I was fully aware of their eminence in the Hardcore scene. Propagandhi weren't lying when they said it was going to be a full house. Despite Shai Hulud being only the second band on out of four, the room was already filling to the brim within a few songs of their set. This seemed to play to their advantage. It took a while for Shai Hulud to really step into their stride but halfway through their set they had managed to get everyone in the front involved; as the venue continued to fill, more and more people ventured to the front thanks to the vocalists stage presence and charisma and their infectious breakdowns. By the end of their set it felt as though they were worthy of being a sub-headline act. 

And now for the moment that a lot of people have been waiting for: Comeback Kid. Even though Comeback Kid are playing down the road in merely 5 days at Camden Underworld, they had certainly attracted a few of their own fans to this gig. Kicking off with G.M Vincent and I from their most recent album Symptoms and Cures it was understandable that this was going to be a stark contrast to their upcoming Underworld gig, in which they will be playing their first two albums with their original line-up. Having spoke to a few people that went to gig without having listened to Comeback Kid much beforehand, they without a doubt had won over plenty of new fans, though I can't imagine how many new fans there were to be had at this rammed out venue. Being at the front, I felt the full force of the crowd behind me, and it was forceful! There was hardly any space to escape the ever growing pit.

This was probably about my fifth or so time seeing Comeback Kid but this was definitely the best. They've always seemed completely at home and compelling on stage, but somehow, god knows how, tonight they had grown as a band since I last saw them. Andrew Neufeld entered the room as though he owned the place, and rightly so. Throwing his weight around the stage and projecting his booming voice filling the room, he possessed everyone's gaze. Musically, they were just has good as they have ever been, blasting through old classics like Talk is Cheap and of course you can't forget Wake the Dead, which I'm sure was played even faster than last time. Their set left me breathless and eager to see them again. After this show, they may find their Monday show at the Underworld selling out rather quick. 

I would say next is Propagandhi, but instead, the stage was graced by a couple of activist from the Sea Shepherds. For anyone who doesn't know who the Sea Shepherds are, they're a conservation organisation aimed at protecting the ocean's wildlife. To read more go to http://www.seashepherd.org/ I understand that Propagandhi are an incredibly outspoken, socially conscious and politically active band, and this is obviously an issue close to their hearts, as they're also all vegan and animal rights activists. I understand it's great to get an opportunity like this to talk to hundreds of like minded people to promote your cause and I respect Propagandhi for giving them this opportunity, but at the end of the day, I'm here for Propagandhi. Any expression of opinions or beliefs at gigs should be expressed through music.

Anyway, enough on expressing my opinion on preaching at gigs (though that may be slightly hypocritical!) After little delay, Propagandhi surprisingly open with Dear Coach's Corner instead of the expected Failed States opener Note to Self. But honestly, they could not have picked a better song to set the pace of this gig: really fucking fast. The chaotic intro to Dear Coach's Corner showcased Propagandhi's relatively new metal influenced riffs and incredible technical work from David Guillas. And then to follow on with Fuck The Border, which accelerates on from Dear Coach's Corner and is one and a half minutes of sheer relentless speed. During Fuck the Border it's Todd Kowalski's turn to stun us with his impeccable musicianship.

Shai Hulud praised Propagandhi during their set commenting on how they aren't associated with either the Hardcore or Punk scenes, and that they stand out from the crowd, doing 'their own thing'. Judging from tonight, I couldn't agree more. Just looking around at the crowd alone, it's a mix of punks, hardcore kids and metal kids and everything in between. Regardless of their eclectic fan base, there are few bands that have managed to make the seamless transition from punk to hardcore to a more 'metal' influenced sound that Propagandhi have. They're able to mix songs like Rattan Cane (which to me has a very Converge-esque feel to it in the intro) with punk songs such as Apparently I'm a PC Facist.

It's not just the musical diversity and evolution of Propagandhi that never ceases to amaze me, but it's also their musical dexterity. There is not a single weak link in the band, and they take full advantage of their prowess. Being the punk fan that I am, I have to say, not many of the bands that I see live are particularly 'skilled', but Propagandhi are an exception. Not only are they impressively faultless throughout their set but throughout their epic 21 long set, they grasped onto everyone's attention, refusing to let go or relent. 

Finch - What It Is To Burn 10th Anniversary Show @ O2 Academy Brixton (22/03/2013) Review

Few bands of the 'post-hardcore' genre can say that they have played a venue the size of Brixton, and hardly any of them can say that they can play a venue of this magnitude after only two full-lengths, a hiatus, a reformation and then a break-up and then another reformation! It's even more shocking that Finch's second album of the two hardly made a blip on the post-hardcore radar, and that still, after a whole decade since it's release, What It Is To Burn, is still causing as much of a stir now as it was the day it was released. Having sold out Shepherd's Bush Empire, the venue was quickly upgraded, and here we are, outside Brixton academy, waiting for quite possibly my one and only chance to see one of the biggest post-hardcore bands play one of the most critically acclaimed and loved, if not the most, albums of all time in it's entirety.

First band I caught of the night was Mallory Knox. They may have been musically relevant, being, as many other bands are out there, basically a product of the What It Is To Burn album, but it certainly didn't feel that way tonight. Mallory Knox are certainly making waves among the up and coming rock scene, having just released their debut album Signals earlier this year and making the festival run this summer with Hit The Deck, Slam Dunk and Reading and Leeds, but unfortunately they hardly got a response tonight. Having a band that is popular among mostly teenagers, with only one two month old album under their belts, supporting a veteran post-hardcore band that has been around for over a decade, whose fan base is between 20 and 30 years old, just didn't work. Despite this, I had to admire their enthusiasm on stage. Mikey Chapman's vocals were excellent and Lighthouse did manage to raise a few heads. Though their poppy infused post-hardcore just didn't ring with the crowd tonight.

And surprise, surprise the intro to New Beginnings echoes around the colossal Brixton Academy, and the hour long sing along ensues. Finch appeared to get off to a great start, with not a single person in the audience stood still, and not a single word was unsung. Of course with an album like What It Is To Burn, in which every single track is a stand alone anthem, the response is going to be epic. Nonetheless, about half way through, once the momentum of the anticipation of seeing Finch had died down, and of course once Letters To You had already been played, I started to notice that Finch didn't seem to share the same energy. I wasn't alone. The crowd started to lose energy and enthusiasm. Yes, they did say that apparently tonight was the best show they've ever played, but I highly doubt that! It was probably just a poor and desperate attempt at getting the crowd excited again. For the most part they seemed un-focused, impersonal and withdrawn. By the time that Ender came on, the crowd had fallen into a deep lull.

To make matters worse, when you didn't think the crowd could get any less bothered, they started playing songs that weren't on What It Is To Burn. I am aware that Finch simply cannot rely solely on What It Is To Burn to make up their set list, it simply would not be long enough, but honestly, they really could have done without playing old unheard tracks. It even would have been better if they had played Letters To You and second time acoustically, as opposed to playing anything else! Instead Nate played the little known Once Upon My Nightstand solo to a disappointed and confused crowd, made worse by the fact that his voice did seem a little out of tune. They didn't even play anything off Say Hello To Sunshine. And so it was left up to the crowd to get the momentum flowing again for the finale title track, What It Is To Burn. At least it ended on a high.

With a year like the last, with countless reunions and comebacks such as Refused, Alexisonfire and Hundred Reasons just to name a few, Finch just didn't live up. That being said, the sheer quality of What It Is To Burn and the fact that is easily one of my favourite albums of all time meant that this gig was saved for me, and probably for almost everyone else. Despite Finch's poor effort, it didn't mean that the crowd couldn't at least enjoy singing along and experiencing a moment of sheer nostalgia and getting a chance to pretend they were their 15 year old emo self again. It was great to start off with, but unfortunately Finch did suffer in the middle from lack of interest in older material, which resulted in a disappointingly mediocre gig.

Godard/Like Home Split Review (2013)

So today I'm trying out something new. Recently I've been sent a few emails from bands with links to their EPs and albums asking me to review them, so I thought why not? Might as well give a little something back to the punk and hardcore community and try and promote some of the smaller bands out there. So here we go!

The first EP I shall be reviewing by request is the new split EP by British melodic punk/hardcore bands Godard and Like Home. The first half was mastered by the legend Pete Maher who has also mastered material by Nine Inch Nails , U2 and Depeche Mode just to name a few. In contrast, Like Home's half was mastered and recorded in a bedroom!

Kicking off this EP is Godard with the first two tracks, Carolyn Burnham Club and Santa Maria. Carolyn Burnham Club creeps in gradually with soft plucking building up into a coarse vocal introduction, reminiscent of Daylight or Hindsights, alternating and pleading, leading into a classic fast-paced melodic hardcore track. It is a clear EP opener with its attention grabbing introduction and its upbeat mid-section. The plucked guitar theme heard in the introduction and the coarse lyrics 'Stay there one more night...' is repeated throughout the song reeling me in by the hook. All in all, a great start with an incredibly well structured song. Santa Maria is a much more catchy and bouncy indie influenced number that's sure to bring in the sing-alongs. Again, this song was well produced and overall well written, with crescendos, diminuendos, small vocal and and instrumental interludes, but I did feel that the main 'My knuckles are red' theme was a little repetitive.

The second half of the EP features Like Home, a slightly punkier band from Hampshire. Their first track, entitled Drown, is uncannily like Title Fight, everything from the drumming to the vocals. It did make the lyrics 'We all sound the same' slightly ironic. That being said, I adore Title Fight so Drown was definitely a winner with me. It had everything from the raspy gang-vocals, to the calm interlude in the middle with the distorted solo guitar. Ernest Grace displays more aggression, and is lyrically wrenched from the heart: 'I swallowed my pride but it crawled back out me'.  Though again, it's very similar to Title Fight!

Overall, this album was obviously incredibly well mastered, very professional and sounds great, despite half of it being recorded in a bedroom. Though if any bad comment could be made is that it may have been a tad repetitive and wouldn't have worked over a whole album and it's been done before by bands like Basement and Title Fight. But if you are a fan of Basement and Title Fight, you will DEFINITELY like this EP, and with Basement (sadly) gone, Godard look set to step in behind them at take the role as the new British melodic hardcore/punk band. I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot of them on the bill at future hardcore and punk shows.

(7/10)

If anyone fancies a listen themselves here is the link: http://dstmpromotions.bandcamp.com/album/godard-like-home-split

They've also released their split on cassette. 

Yellowcard @ The Peel Kingston 03/03/13 Review

Attending gigs at the Peel is always a weird experience, let alone to see a band with the level of presence as Yellowcard. For anyone who has never been to or heard of the Peel, it is a little gem of a venue in the heart of Kingston suburbia. Located amongst stripper bars, kebab shops and council estate, it is the most unassuming of pubs; little would you know that tonight, history was going to be made: Yellowcard's first (two!) ever Kingston show(s). Banquet Records, an independent record store based in Kingston, has long been hosting big bands at tiny venues, such as All Time Low and You Me At Six just to name a couple, so it's about time that Yellowcard grace the stage.

Before the immense Yellowcard take us on a trip down memory lane, it's up to the Swedish quintent Like Torches (formerly know as You Ate My Dog) to warm us up (not that we need it in this sweat box!). I was honestly completely unaware that any kind of pop-punk/post hardcore scene existed in Sweden, possibly out of ignorance, but before this mammoth tour, Like Torches were not much more than a blip on the UK 'alternative' radar. Their show, however, would suggest otherwise. Starting this tour right on the back of the release of their new album, Keep Your Head High, which was produced by Yellowcard members Ryan Mendez and Ryan Key, this was the perfect opportunity for Like Torches to break across the channel and into UK scene. They weren't afraid of the challenge and they came out on stage as though they themselves were headlining. Their set had everything from sing-alongs, lead by the wonderfully harmonic voices of Jonathan and Daniel Kärn, to fast-paced percussion, breakdowns and pits. There wasn't a single song in the set that wasn't anything less than infectious! Though the songs Wounds Like These and Made Of Glass.

After their set I bought the album from them, and I have been listening to it all day, so for anyone that likes their post-hardcore bouncy and with lots of hooks, I recommend picking up Like Torches-Keep You Head High.

Signed Like Torches Album

In the sold out 250 capacity room that feels much more like someone's basement or garage rather than a venue that is just about to host one of the biggest pop-punk bands of all time, the atmosphere is electric. There is already sweat dripping from the ceiling and walls from the matinee show that ended hardly an hour before this one started. Then Yellowcard enter the room and deafening screams and yells erupt out of the mouths of this packed out room.

Undoubtedly they were a little put off by the matinee show, which from the sounds of it didn't resemble the kind of no barriers punk show they were expecting, and they were not going to have another one like it. The moment they got on stage, they demanded a real punk show. No photos. No idle standing around. Everyone had to get involved. Without further ado, Yellowcard blared in with Southern Air openers The Awakening and Always Summer.

One danger with this tour was the fear that either it was going to be nothing more than a nostalgia trip, replaying Ocean Avenue start to finish and not moving forward musically, or that their new material was not going to have the same impact as their established classics and simply wouldn't live up to the name. I don't know what other shows were like, but this show certainly did not suffer from either. Yellowcard were not shy from playing their less heard new material as demonstrated with their opening tracks. Perhaps it was because it was such a small intense and intimate gig, and filled with the more committed fans that no song was unknown or got anything less than a full sing along. Despite this, it is undoubtable that Yellowcard are definitely back on form. If the pop-punk era was just as influential and popular as it was when Ocean Avenue was written, Southern Air would have been an album of classic pop-punk anthems. The Awakening is already one of my favourite ever Yellowcard songs, and it seemed like the rest of the crowd felt the same.

It did take a while for Yellowcard to really get into the set, possibly because of the disappointment of the matinee show (sorry for anyone who was there!), but soon enough, it became apparent that this show was a different affair. There wasn't a single person who didn't have a massive grin on their face; very few people were shying away from getting messy in the pit and at the front. Yellowcard demanded a circle pit to involve at least 3 females, and believe me, it doesn't happen that often, but they managed to get almost a dozen girls involved. It was the most positive, uplifting, all inclusive and just generally best atmosphere I have experienced at a gig for a long time if not ever. As every band does, Yellowcard said that this was the best gig that they have played all tour, but for once I actually believed them.

Despite a couple of technical difficulties affecting Ryan Mendez, Yellowcard were spotless. Any band that can pull off playing an electric violin on stage at a tiny little raucous pop-punk show should get a lot of praise!  And Yellowcard didn't just pull it off, Sean Mackin was exceptional. You could see and feel from the floor how humid it was up on stage, and when Sean said his frets were melting, you couldn't be sure of whether he was joking.

Unfortunately, as the intro of Ocean Avenue, kicked in, we all knew that it was the end, the show was over. Truth be told, it has to be said that Yellowcard have aged since the days of Ocean Avenue, and they joked about how they can't handle these kinds of intense chaotic punk gigs, with no barrier, where people are free to jump on stage, any more. Though there was some truth behind this, it didn't stop Yellowcard from giving it their all and playing one hell of a brilliant gig.

YELLOWCARD FESTIVAL RUMOURS:
Yellowcard festival appearances were speculated about on the night. They admitted they really wanted to play Reading/Leeds but hadn't been asked yet.
Also, Yellowcard said that they have been confirmed to play another UK festival this summer but couldn't say which. Does anyone have any ideas? Slam Dunk, Download, Hevy....?

Rock Sound Impericon Exposure Tour @ O2 Academy Islington 23/02/2013 Review

It's six o'clock on a blisteringly cold Saturday evening, and the N1 shopping centre in Islington, normally frequented by Oasis and New Look regulars, is now packed with a hundred or so hardcore kids waiting outside in the biting wind to witness the mayhem that is the Rock Sound Impericon Exposure tour. Some might argue that this is just yet another corporate sponsored tour to add to the list, but from just looking at the line-up alone, it's obvious that this is not the case. Supporting both new and old, British and International talent, this tour is one of a kind. It's no wonder that this gig sold out even with Your Demise, who headlined this exact same tour last year, playing down the road. 

Even I hadn't anticipated the popularity of this tour, and also how intent people were on getting to the show early to see openers Landscapes. So to my dismay, after rushing out of the Emirates Stadium, scoffing down my Fish and Chips and turning up at the O2 at 6:20pm when Landscapes were due to start, I only managed to catch the very last song of their set. From what I could tell, the Landscapes set was probably quite disjointed due the sheer amount of people outside in the queue like me who were desperate to see them but only catching a mere fraction of their set. But not to worry! I only have to wait a month to see them at Dead Swans last ever show, so there will be a review eventually!

And so it was left to Stray From The Path to make up for my disappointing start to the gig, and they did not fuck about. If you had come to this gig, being unaware of any of the bands, you would have thought that this band could have been the headliners judging from the response of the crowd. The last time I saw them, was in support of Every Time I Die which was only 4 months ago, and I can say that Stray From The Path have come miles since then. Songs like Damien and Negative and Violent felt like hardcore classics and the pit was (I really hate this word but I really can't think of another word that does it justice!) brutal. Though they did suffer from poor sound as the classic Stray From The Path distortion and reverb just sounded like a broken mic.

Next up was British metalcore up and comers Bury Tomorrow. With their release of The Union of Crowns, which was arguably the best British metal(core) release of 2012, they again were definitely worthy of a headline shot. Though I was amazed that Bury Tomorrow seemed to get an ever shorter set that Stray From The Path, and probably only played about half a dozen songs. this might be part of the Rock Sound/Impericon deal or that the gig had to finish early due a club night, but with a band like Bury Tomorrow, they really deserve a much longer set that that. Nonetheless, even with their severely limited time slot, they managed to play some old favourites such as Waxed Wings and ended with the already classic Royal Blood. But they unfortunately still had to miss out some set regulars like You and I. I'm sure most people were in the same mind set as me when Bury Tomorrow left the stage, they NEED to do a headline tour soon. 

If Bury Tomorrow and Stray From The Path hadn't tired you out enough yet, there was still The Ghost Inside to finish you off. Undoubtedly, 2013 is going to be The Ghost Inside's year. A couple of years ago, it would have been unthinkable that they could have sold out a venue the size of O2 academy Islington and actually out-sold Your Demise. It feels like yesterday I saw them supporting Comeback Kid at ULU to a crowd that barely surpassed a couple of hundred. Today, The Ghost Inside rival the likes of Parkway Drive on stage. And with their new release Get What You Give, which saw them push the boundaries of hardcore and metalcore and develop their sound to incorporate clean vocals to create a more melodic sound. The Ghost Inside seem to have an unbeatable combination of breakdowns, gang-vocals, clean vocals, melody and emotion. 

Exploding onto the stage with Get What You Give opener This Is What I Know About Sacrifice sets the crowd off to a vicious start with an immediate breakdown, which TGI know how to do all to well. They were not going to give us any kind of breather or warm up as TGI sustain this anarchy with the second track off Get What You Give: Outlive. Instantly, O2 Academy was seen getting ripped apart from the inside by flailing wind-milling limbs. 

Despite the success of Get What You Give, the more established track from the TGI back catalogue were not neglected, notably Provoke and Faith and Forgiveness off their debut release commanded impressive pits and Unspoken and Chrono demanded throat-wrenching gang vocals. Nonetheless, it was still TGI's new releases that were the real highlights of the night, and foretell the inevitable success that they will achieve in hardcore. Closing with the, by now, most popular TGI track, Engine 45, saw by far the biggest pit and crowd sing-a-long of the night. Out of nowhere, Jonathan Vigil launched himself over the barrier and into the crowd along with his mic, ensuing sheer chaos. The mic is immediately lost among as it's grabbed and snatched by various anonymous hands, and before you know it, the gig is over before it's even 10 o'clock!

This is without a shadow of a doubt, the most enjoyable gig of 2013 so far with quite possibly an unbeatable line-up. That being said, every band on the line-up could have done with much more time. Either doors should have opened earlier to let people get in in time for Landscapes, or club nights should not be given priority over gigs! I'd rather the latter. 

Funeral For a Friend @ Relentless Garage London (18/02/2013) Review

Funeral For a Friend are one of those bands that most people at some point in their teenage years, probably during that regrettable emo phase, used be infatuated by, myself included. Fast forward to 2013, when emo is a dying culture, Funeral For a Friend are playing a sold out show at the Relentless Garage, which is a feat in itself. Though they aren't the same band that we listened to when we were fifteen. With the release of their new album Conduit, they have reinvented themselves, or more like returned to their roots with a much more hardcore influenced sound. How was this new (or old) sound going to go down with the crowd?

The opening act of the night was post-hardcore quintet I Divide. Despite being the opening act, having to deal with a mostly empty room with people straggling in through the entrance throughout their set, they were definitely the band which drew most attention to the crowd. They managed to get every single person at the front to sway their arms in unison. Mostly for an opening act, when the front man jumps down to the barrier, desperately trying to communicate with the audience, it's rather awkward, but for Tom Kavanagh, this was not the case, getting members of the audience to wail into the mic. However, at the end of the day, I Divide did sound like a band trying to reproduce the same kind of sound and success that bands like Sleeping With Sirens have achieved. However, they did it VERY well incorporating some insanely catchy vocals, stage presence and raw emotion. Even without having given them a proper listen beforehand, you couldn't help but get swept up in their addictive melodies. Judging from tonight, I Divide are definitely a band worth keeping an eye on.

This tour was definitely displaying modern pop-punk/melodic hardcore in its full force with up and coming bands Such Gold and Major League, the latter of which was my first full set of the night. Major League were always going to struggle tonight, this tour being their first ever time playing the UK, and also that the growing pop-punk scene, lead by bands like Such Gold and The Story So Far, doesn't really seem to ring with a lot of the audience tonight at FFAF. Though this didn't wear them down. In true pop-punk style, they came out up beat and bouncing, eager to play their new album Hard Feelings to some new ears. Technically, Major League were faultless. Their fast paced brand of pop-punk is just so insatiably uplifting that whether they liked it or not, the crowd found themselves happily bouncing away with them. Unfortunately, with the exception of the already fans and general fans of the melodic hardcore/pop-punk movement, I doubt Major League made many more.

And finally, half the reason I came to this gig: SUCH GOLD! For some reason it took me until the latter part of last year to discover and truly fall in love with them thanks to their incredible debut album Misadventures, and I've been waiting impatiently since then to see them. Finally I had my chance. Though unfortunately this wasn't quite the environment that I was hoping to see them in. There were only a handful of people in the crowd who seemed to know who they are despite being the largest of the three support acts. And Such Gold seemed to notice this fact too. The lack of enthusiasm from the crowd definitely seemed to affect the bands performance for the first part of their set, frequently making jokes about how tame the crowd were. Though this didn't stop the few who were just as excited as I was about such gold from two-stepping and screaming along to Storyteller and Two Year Plan.

Undoubtedly tonight was purely Funeral For a Friends night. As soon as Such Gold left the stage, people were already eagerly surging forward. As the intro to She Drove me to Daytime Television roared in, the crowd, old and young, male and female, metal or punk, erupted into a sea of unified bodies and voices. Expecting this gig to be primarily about the release of Conduit, I was surprised to hear a set which spanned their whole history as a band. But even after a whole decade of being a band, and after six studio releases funeral for a friend are still on top form. Its rare for a band to have so many songs which still prove crowd favourites, such as Juneau, history and roses for the dead, and with FFAFs return to their roots, they still manage to please the crowd.

The set list felt like it was telling the musical story and evolution of Funeral for a Friend as a band. The middle part of the set displayed funeral for a friends return to hardcore. Despite these songs not being as established as the rest, they made up for this in breakdowns which commanded pits that any hardcore band would be proud of. Its just not musically that funeral for a friend are being loyal to hardcore, its in ethics as well, quoting Toby Morse of H2O "passion before fashion" (though I think this reference was lost on much of the crowd). Furthermore, there was a certain feeling that the current government and socio-economic situation in the UK may be slightly responsible for the increased aggression in funeral for a friend, citing the Tory government of the 80s responsible for the unemployment and struggles of Wales. It makes FFAF all the more relevant even today. 

Not only are Funeral For a Friend musically on top form, beyond shadow of a doubt, tonight was the best performance I have ever seen from them. It honestly felt like they had rediscovered themselves as a band after the few lost years of Memory and Humanity. Despite having played to crowds and in venues much bigger than this, FFAF genuinely seemed humble to be at the Garage. The songs Juneau and History could have brought tears to Matthew's eyes as surely every single member in the audience wailed along to every single word in perfect harmony. And from his speech to introduce Juneau, it's apparent that these songs still 
mean just as much, if not more, now as they did when they were first written.

Dropkick Murphys @ HMV Forum (18/01/2013) Review

Happy New Year! It's been a while since my last post due to lack of gigs and releases over the Christmas period, but I'm back to reviewing starting with my first gig of 2013: Dropkick Murphys.

Dropkick Murphys have been the band at the forefront of Celtic Punk ever since the release of the song I'm shipping up to Boston' and it's feature on the the Academy Award winning film The Departed. It's surprising to think that Dropkick Murphys, even with a reputation to rival bands like Bad Religion and Pennywise, are a relatively new song. Yet songs such as evidently I'm shipping up to Boston and The State of Massachusetts have become more or less anthems, or literally so for sport teams in Boston. Few punk bands have seen as much success in the charts as Dropkick Murphys. Their most recent release, Signed and Sealed in Blood, which was a huge success in the US, peaking at number 9, didn't make much more than a ripple over here in the UK, most people seeming relatively unaware of its release. Nevertheless with two consecutive sold out shows at the Forum, it's evident that their solid reputation hasn't faltered.

My first full set of the night was courtesy of the Fat Mike discovery Teenage Bottlerocket. Having been a fan for a couple of years after hearing them for the first time on the Mike Davies Punk Rock Show, I was pretty excited to be seeing them for the first time. Though unfortunately they seemed to suffer from the effects on the so-called 'snowstorm'. As Dropkick Murphys said later in the night, despite the night being sold out, 500 people couldn't make it, and I'm sure that most of the people that did manage to make it were late and missed Teenage Bottlerocket. Playing to a half empty room, it's always going to be tough to put on a good performance and fill the gaps in the room. Teenage Bottlerocket were bursting with energy, both musically and physically. The set was a whirlwind of fast-paced skate punk tracks with a hint of pop-punk and a welcomed cover of the Ramones classic Blitzreig Bop. It featured some of my favourite tracks Skate or Die and Radio. However their music does lack variety and became repetitive and Teenage Bottlerocket didn't seem to be having their best night, often slipping up in timing. Despite this, it was still an enjoyable set.

And finally, the moment we've all been waiting for, the Boston Celtic Punk Legends, Dropkick Murphys! Opening with the more than appropriate The Boys are Back from their new album, it gave a clear indication as to what this show was about. It was about continuing their riotous past and showing us that their new material is just as anthemic as their old: Dropkick Murphys are back.

Sure enough, their new tracks are as anthemic as their old. The set was certainly not lacking in features from Signed and Sealed in Blood, including their first single release Rose Tattoo and Prisoner's Song. These tracks received as much of a reaction and as loud a sing along as well-established songs. One thing Dropkick Murphys do have is variety. They definitely exploited this, playing the more recognisable fast-paced Dropkick Murphys songs we all know and love like Shipping up to Boston, but also experimenting by playing a country version of a song. Surprisingly they failed to include The State of Massachusetts, which was a disappointment. Though I wasn't completely convinced they managed to pull it off, it certainly made their set interesting.

Regrettably, Dropkick Murphys severely suffered from technical difficulties. Being forced to stop halfway through their set in the middle of Jimmy Collins' wake for possibly 10 minutes, it certainly created a rift in their set, several members of the audience even seemed to leave. The crowd lost momentum and energy, and what was originally a wild pit of Irish dancing faded away during the break and took much of the remainder of the gig to build bag up again. Though by the time I'm Shipping up to Boston kicked in, the pit was in full swing again. Finishing the set with new classic End of The Night and TNT (the AC/DC cover) complete with a full on stage invasion, the set managed to end on a high and overcome the technical difficulties until they were nothing more than a distant memory.

Rancid and Cock Sparrer @ HMV Forum 14/12/2012 review

It has long been debated whether or not punk is well and truly dead (or dying!). For the most part, over the past decade or so, punk and rock bands have been shunned out of the mainstream culture of music and replaced. Nevertheless, two of the most influential bands in punk to this day, Rancid, celebrating their 20th anniversary, and Cock Sparrer, celebrating their 40th, still succeed in selling out three successive dates at the acclaimed HMV Forum, which has been one of the leading venues in London since it's days as the Kentish Town Forum. Granted, Rancid and Cock Sparrer haven't released much in the way of new material, if any at all, but these three shows are surely going to be nothing but unadulterated punk rock.

Rancid Tour Poster

First up of the notorious headliners is the East End band Cock Sparrer, arguably the inventors of the punk sub-genre Oi!. While obviously drawing more in the way of veteran punk fans to the show, they made this show uniquely British with their own brand of punk working class punk anthems. Certainly, they did whip the crowd up into a chanting frenzy, especially with the famous Take 'em All, but they lack the diversity and musicianship of Rancid. The biggest reception they received was when they were joined on stage by Lars Frederikson. For me, even though they were technically co-headlining, they were just a warm up for the band I had come here to see. 

Cock Sparrer and Lars Frederikson

After about five years of waiting to see Rancid, Californian punk legends, I finally get the chance to witness my favourite ska-punk band in the world. The hardly recognisable Tim Armstrong, obscured behind a mass of facial hair, opens up with the gradual opening of the '94 classic Radio, and then arguably the best bassist in punk rock Matt Freeman well and truly gets the gig going and soon enough the whole audience is dancing, skanking, moshing and chanting 'Here we go, here we go...'.

As Rancid have hardly paid the UK a visit since the release of, in my opinion, their rather mediocre album Let the Dominoes Fall in 2009, it was unclear whether or not this was going to be the typical nostalgic anniversary show, or whether it would be further promoting their most recently release. Fortunately for me, it wasn't the latter! Most tracks off my favourite Rancid album, ...And Out Come the Wolves, must have featured in the setlist. Maxwell Murder, in it's one minute thirty of incredible bass solos and speed, hypnotised the audience as they either watched Matt Freeman in awe or struggled to keep up with his incredible speed and skill.

It was however noticeable that, even though they had no trouble in energising the audience, Rancid themselves were tiring. Lars sometimes fell behind the lyrics especially during Dead Bodies and the band as a whole did remain mostly static on stage. Nonetheless, this was completely unnoticeable during the highlight of the night for me Time Bomb. Being possibly the first punk song I ever truly loved, I couldn't help but get involved in the pit and I definitely wasn't alone! After Rancid finished with Ruby Soho the Forum was left with pools of sweat, beer, blood and mud and hundreds of smashed up plastic cups and a few phones that I'm sure their owners won't be seeing again!

Tim Armstrong

Despite the ages of both Rancid and Cock Sparrer, they are still just as popular and attracting yet more fans to see them live. True, punk may not have such a force in the commercial aspect of music any more  but that doesn't mean it is dead! Judging from tonight, and I'm sure the other two nights, it's still going...just. 

Alexisonfire Farewell Shows @ Brixton Academy 2-3/12/2012 review

This is without a doubt going to be the hardest review I'll ever write. Not only because reviewing two dates at once is certainly going to be a rather interesting task, but to remain critical about my favourite band in the world playing two final farewell shows, Alexisonfire, but also about The Ghost of a Thousand who are about my third favourite band and playing their last two shows EVER isn't going to be easy. On top of that, I was even lucky enough to get myself a Meet and Greet ticket and was actually able to talk to every member of Alexisonfire. So this review may turn out to be more an homage to Alexisonfire and The Ghost of a Thousand than anything. So here goes.

After a rather stressful day, there I was, outside Brixton Academy on a frosty Sunday night with a handful of other Alexisonfire fans anticipating to live out the moment they've all been waiting for, the chance to meet their favourite band in the world: their last ever chance to meet their favourite band in the world. The air was electric with excitement and nerves. Finally, after some delay, the big glass doors to Brixton Academy open and welcome us inside as we collect our limited edition posters, laminates and Crisis bonus tracks 7''. We're then lead through a small door at the back on the main entrance hall up a narrow staircase and into the dingy little VIP bar. And this was when it hit me, that after all this waiting, I'd finally get to meet Alexisonfire, and it would be the perfect way to send off a band that have forged your music taste to what it is today.

Subtly and quietly, without any announcement, Alexisonfire sneak in through the side door. It's only when Dallas Green stands in the middle of the bar and announces their arrival does the whole room fall silent in awe. And so the 'meet and greet' begins.

I was expecting Alexisonfire to be stood behind some barrier as we queue up and greet them one by one, getting our limited edition merchandise signed and photos taken and then hurriedly moving along, but this was not the case at all. Alexisonfire were dispersed throughout the bar giving us the opportunity to talk to each member of the band and ask them questions, it was much more personal than I was expecting. As it turns out, Alexisonfire must be some of the nicest men in music. Not only do Alexisonfire make some of the best post-hardcore out there and take time out of what I'm sure must be busy schedules do grace us with one last farewell tour, but they also take the chance to meet their fans which have been following and supporting them from the beginning, and they seemed genuinely happy to be doing so. It was certainly refreshing. 

Now I've spent enough time ranting about the Meet and Greet, thought I'd have a break and show some pretty pictures of the Meet and Greet bundle stuff and of Alexisonfire :D

Me and Chris Steele

Me and Wade MacNeil

Me and Dallas Green

Me and George Pettit and Jordan Hastings

Signed 7''

Meet and Greet Laminate

Meet and Greet Laminate

Limited Edition Poster signed by Dallas Green

And now for the reviews of the actual shows. It seems like not many people at the shows had any idea who The Ghost of a Thousand were, which was surprising since Alexisonfire and The Ghost of a Thousand had toured together before, so I did think it was a shame that their last ever shows were going to be to a crowd of strangers. However, TGOAT proved me wrong. Opening as always with Small Mercies as an introduction to their raucous live shows, the crowd did not know what to expect. And then Left For Dead kicked in. I always considered Left For Dead their most popular track, but at both shows it received a rather lukewarm response, it wasn't until Bright Lights followed that the show really got started. In both shows, Tom Lacey chose this song to get involved, and hence get the crowd involved. It didn't matter whether you knew who TGOAT were or not, it was impossible to ignore them and to not get swept up in their unique brand of Rock 'n' Roll infused Hardcore Punk. After Bright Lights, TGOAT had certainly grabbed the audience's attention and it remained that way for the rest of set.

One great thing about TGOAT, is that not a single member of the band is anything less than hyper. Even Jag Jago launched himself into the crowd at the end during Bored of Math and Andy Blyth's groovy Rock 'n' Roll riffs possessed the crowd's bodies forcing them to dance along. I always knew that this was going to be an Alexis show, not a TGOAT show, though I really would have like a longer set. That being said, having only released two albums, there wasn't too much left to add to the setlist (which I seem to remember remaining the same for both nights). 

I managed to beg stage crew for a setlist and pick for TGOAT's show (it's the Sunday night setlist, though they were the same for both nights).

And now for the moment we've all been waiting for: Alexisonfire for one (or two!) last time(s). I have never heard an audience cheer so loud at a gig just as the band come on stage. By playing what felt like an incredibly long introduction before they graced the stage, the atmosphere in this rammed out Brixton Academy was buzzing to say the least. How the barrier managed to withstand the sheer pressure of people scrambling towards the front, desperate to get as good a view of Alexis for one last final time, I have no idea.

Having been to both Brixton shows, I was expecting little change in the setlist, I thought I'd be able to predict the exact song coming on next. Normally Alexis open with Young Cardinals, but on the Sunday show, expecting to hear that pounding guitar and bass line of the intro to the Young Cardinals live version, instead my senses were shaken awake by Crisis. And so, evidently on the Monday, I was expecting Crisis, but Alexisonfire surprise me yet again by this time opening with Young Cardinals. Obviously, Alexisonfire are going to be keeping us on our toes on this tour! And so the riot begins.

Farewell and reunion shows are always a bit of a risky move. You have to be sure that every single member of the band is in it 100 percent, that the band remain as a unit, despite breaking up. I obviously don't know what exactly happened within Alexisonfire during the breakup, but I can say this, I honestly don't think I've seen the band so excited to be on stage. Even Dallas was jumping around! George Pettit captured the audience with his intense intimidating stare, while Chris Steele stunned us with his insane moves as he jives and flings himself all over the stage and the floor, he must be my favourite live bassist around!

Furthermore, as far as musicianship goes, they were spotless. As always, Dallas Green's voice was faultless and beautifully serene, as soon as he opened his mouth the audience went silent. He made songs like The Northern and No Transitory his own with his hypnotic angelic voice. The combination of Wade, George and Dallas on vocals was incredible, as every single one of them was on top form and effortlessly weaved in and out of each other.

However 23 songs is a long set! The crowd did have trouble keeping up. I even felt that across the two nights, people had tired out. I'm sure there were many people in the crowd like me who had gone to both sets and were still suffering from the Sunday night, so unfortunately there was a bit of a lull on the Monday night. That being said, it didn't withdraw from Alexisonfire's incredible performance and sure enough the crowd managed to gather up all the energy they had left for the encore as people piled over the barrier. Both nights ending with the classic Happiness by the Kilowatt, it was a perfect finale to a perfect career.

And it's over, Alexisonfire leave the stage to never return.

On a lighter note, George Pettit handed me the setlist and the end of Sunday's show, here it is:

Also thought I'd upload pics of my Alexis tattoos just for fun :)

Hundred Reasons @ The Coronet London 22/11/2012

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of their revolutionary album Ideas Above Our Station, Hundred Reasons return to London to grace the stage of the Coronet and play homage to their breakthrough album by playing it in it entirety. Due to the phenomenal rate at which tickets sold out to their show at the HMV Forum on the weekend, they announced an extra show, fortunately for those of us who weren't lucky enough to get a ticket first time round. Joined by Hell is For Heroes, playing their album The Neon Handshake and Cable, playing their first shows since 1999, this was certainly going to be a trip down the post-hardcore memory lane.

Before Hell is For Heroes (7/10) had even come on stage, the venue was already bursting at the seams. Arriving a little late at the venue, I was confused to be told by the security to go upstairs. After asking why, they said it was because I wouldn't be able to see a thing. I ignored this response and went straight downstairs to stalls and sure enough, the security guard was right. There was hardly any space left on the floor to even place my feet let alone see anything. Ashamedly I have to admit that before this gig I had only listened to Hell is For Heroes a couple of times, god knows how they didn't cross my path, but after this performance, I'm sure to be listening to them much more. Although I had an awful view of the stage, thanks to the sound at the Coronet, I still didn't feel as though I missed a thing. It's rare for every song on an album to be a live hit, but The Neon Handshake appeared to be an exception. Slow songs and heavy songs alike drew equal attention from the crowd such as Slow Song, which at the finale of this track managed to create the biggest pit of the set, and Out Of Sight. Overall, it was quite an enjoyable set, though not spectacular.

Fortunately, as everyone moved back to the bar during the break, I managed to squeeze into front row for Hundred Reasons (7/10). Expecting Hundred Reasons to come out blasting with I'll Find You, the first track off Ideas Above Our Station, I was surprised to say the least to hear instead Broken Hands. It became clear very quickly that this wasn't going to be your stereotypical Hundred Reasons set, it wasn't even going to be a stereotypical album show. The one Hundred Reasons set morphed into three completely different and contrasting sets. Firstly, was you could say the most classic of a Hundred Reasons set. Much of the set was compromised of old Hundred Reasons songs mostly from the album Kill Your Own, such as This Mess and The Perfect Gift. Even though for some people in the audience hoping for a set filled with newer songs from Quick the Word, Sharp the Action when not playing Ideas Above Our Station, I thought it fitted perfectly into the set. As they were celebrating their 10 year anniversary of an album, it made sense that this gig was going to feature plenty of nostalgia, especially since it's been 5 years since they have released an album. Once their initial 7 song set was over, Hundred Reasons confusingly left the stage leaving us wondering whether this was going to be the Ideas Above Our Station show that we were told. But, sure enough, after a brief but much needed break, they came on to perform arguably their best ever album. It was evident that the audience had come prepared as every member was singing along to every single word. Even though Hundred Reasons sure have aged a fair amount since the release of Ideas Above Our Station and perhaps lost some of their energy, they were still remarkably lively and seemed genuinely happy to be playing their debut album, the album which thrust Hundred Reasons into the limelight. The only problem with playing your best album in its entirety, it doesn't really leave you with many songs to play in the encore. And so the third set commenced: the encore. It was again a song weighted on older material, even featuring Remmus off EP2 and My Sympathy off Shatterproof is Not a Challenge, though finishing on a high with the well know Kill Your Own.

This show will certainly stand out for me with it's outstandingly refreshing yet nostalgic set. Though there did still seem to be something lacking, and it may have been that Hundred Reasons aren't as relevant as they were. Without a new release for 5 years, it forces people to wonder what was the real intention for these shows?  

Basement's last-ever show @ Camden Underworld 17/11/2012

The day we've been waiting for and dreading is finally and unfortunately here: the day which Basement will take to the stage for the very last time. It's our final chance to bear witness to that emo infused melodic hardcore which we have all grown to love so much over the past few years. It's always a sad day when a much loved band breaks up, but in this case, it was even more so than usual. It was just over a mere year ago that Basement played Hevy Festival, on the tiny Etnies stage to a remarkably modest sized crowd. Yet on 17th November 2012, we see Basement play a sell-out gig at the Underworld. It is astonishing to see how much Basement have grown in just a year, setting this gig up to be one hell of a send off. 

But first up is Brutality Will Prevail (6/10) with their own brand of grudge-y distorted hardcore. Despite their incredible album 'Scatter the Ashes' which was released last week, they don't quite accomplish that thick sound that they achieved on record, live and the tracks that demanded the most brutality were still from 'Root of All Evil' . At least the mic did seem to be turned up since Breaking Point, but Ajay Jones' vocals sounded comparatively weak to those on record. That being said, they did possibly attract the largest pit of the night. Personally, I have never been a big fan of straight edge hardcore shows filled with windmilling and those other 'hardcore moves' named in various hardcore parody videos; nevertheless, considering the time of day, I was impressed by the energy Brutality Will Prevail possessed and radiated around the room.

And then for the big surprise of the day: Daylight (7/10). Daylight, a slightly Title Fight reminiscent melodic hardcore band from the states, who are long time friends of Basement, were the special guests of the night. And special they were. Even though their presence at this gig was kept secret until the the doors were opened and the Daylight merch stand was revealed, the size of their crowd rivalled Basement's. Admittedly, I hadn't listened to them prior, but now they have now become my new favourite band and I'm sure I wasn't the only one. Unfortunately, they did suffer from some technical difficulties, which severely disadvantaged them and put a massive downer on what would surely have been a great performance, especially since neither vocalist was particularly skilled at talking to and interacting with the audience. Musically, they were fantastic and I'll definitely be buying a record, but I'm not too fussed about seeing them live again.

Finally, last but certainly not least was Basement (8/10). Never in my life have I ever heard so many people sing and scream so loud and so enthusiastically so many lyrics at a gig. Erupting with the momentous trio of Whole, Covet and Fading, the crowd is immediately launched into an hour of emotionally wrenching melodic hardcore by the catchy riff blasting out of the amps at the beginning of Whole which is oh-so distinctive of Basement, and then the grunge-y and haunting vocals of Covet: 'When I'm with you, I don't want to be with you'. Though Fading was the stand out track of this trio, as we are reminded of that hardcore sound that made Basement who they are today. Though with such an incredible run of songs, it was hard for Basement to maintain the momentum, especially since with such early doors, half the audience already seemed to be tiring. Despite this, the lull didn't last long as songs such as Spoiled and old favourite Ellipses drew the crowd back in the Basement rapture. The set was a perfect combination of new and old, slow and fast and soft and heavy. It gave us both the chance to reminisce about the old times and bathe in the glory of the new and more mature Basement established in Colourmeinkindness. Unfortunately, the gig came to an end way too soon, ending with a trio, rivalling the opening, consisting of the gentle and sombre Comfort, the uplifting and culminating Wish and finally ending with Crickets Throw Their Voice which invited the inevitable stage-invasion as everyone wanted to get one last piece of Basement and cement this day in history.

There was definitely a potent sense of desperation and despair among us as we were very much aware that this was the end, this was it, we had to give it our all. Even though much of their set was solemn and bleak, much like Colourmeinkindness, ending the gig on a high with the upbeat Crickets Throw Their Voice left the audience with a smile on their face as we all knew that Basement ended their short-lived career the best they could: with a fantastic album followed by a sell-out show at the legendary Underworld.

R.I.P Basement. You will be missed.

Gallows @ Camden Underworld London 19/10/2012 review

After the much anticipated release of their self-titled album, the first to feature Wade MacNeil as their new vocalist, it's safe to say that everyone was both curious and excited to see how it would stand up against Grey Britain and Orchestra Of The Wolves which had triumphed in the world of hardcore punk and had both gained Gallows a massive following but also secured them a live reputation almost impossible to knock down. Would Wade MacNeil fill the massive gaping hole left by the compelling and destructive Frank Carter?

Unfortunately I missed almost all of Brotherhood of the Lake so first band of the night for me was the epic and savage Feed The Rhino (10/10). In just the first song of their set, we got a bitter and potent taste of the raw aggression that was to come, seeing a man being carried out of the moshpit after a mere half minute with his foot dangling by a thread. You might think that this would deter people from the moshpit, but you'd be wrong. The mass of people swarming the front of stage and hurling their bodies around the pit only increased as Feed The Rhino dragged them by hair and limb into their bloodthirsty frenzy of a show. Every single member has presence rivaling the frontman's Lee Tobin. There isn't a single moment of the show where Feed The Rhino are anything less than breathtaking. I've seen Feed The Rhino several times over the last couple of years, including at XOYO where they supported Gallows on their first ever show with Wade MacNeil, yet still they manage to surprise me and keep me on my toes at every single gig. Taking advantage of the lack of barrier, Lee Tobin demands the crowd to open up to make way for him to make the line between stage and floor vanish. Lee Tobin has always been a brilliant frontman, but this was his best show I've ever seen as he commands and hypnotises the audience. And then it's time for the finale of Feed The Rhino's set, which has now become a classic for me in live shows. The band throw themselves into the crowd instruments still in hand as the venue rings with distortion, reverb and white noise and are then left in the silence to wonder exactly had just happened. I'm sure that Feed The Rhino had gained quite a few fans that night.

And now for the moment we've all been waiting for: Gallows (10/10). Surprisingly Gallows start their set with an old song Misery which has been the classic opener since it's birth. Though it was insanely effective as it showed us that just because Frank Carter isn't singing it anymore doesn't mean its lost its power and brute, as Wade MacNeil bellows out "Fuck!" that signature Gallows aggression has not been lost. In fact, if anything they are even more dynamic and domineering. Frank Carter used to command most of the spotlight with his argumentative and forceful demeanor, taking it away from the other members. However, this time it was not the case. Stuart Gili-Ross hasn't looked as though he hasn't enjoyed himself at a show that much in a long time! He seemed to be spending more time on top of the crowd than on stage, and Steph Carter was grinning almost the whole set. Gallows have been reborn except with what feels like more passion and also more contentment. Songs of their new album command as much attention and ecstasy from the crowd as any of their older material, if not more. The wails and roars of the crowd reverberate through Underworld as Outsider Art possesses the crowd with its' captivating chorus, "Our lives, they collide!", and Cross of Lorraine propels the crowd into a horde of moshing and headbanging. The end of Cross of Lorraine, with is pounding drums, drove to crowd to the brink of insanity to be left with white noise and the inevitable wait for the encore. And sure enough, the intro of Victim Culture was faintly heard beneath the bellows of the crowd, and Wade MacNeil comes on to howl "In Us, We Trust!". But of course, it was finisher Orchestra of the Wolves that, as always, was the highlight of show. Bodies were launching onto the stage and thrown off as quickly as they appeared. The crowd was one unified frantic heap of bodies struggling to stand as they were taken aback by the force that was Gallows.

I admit, it's pretty hard for me to be impartial when it comes to Feed The Rhino and Gallows, two of my favourite live bands in the world, though now that the number of times I've seen Gallows is well into double digits, I can say that Gallows have not lost any of the reputation that must be so hard to uphold. If anything, they have gone back to their roots; playing small shows to avid punk fans. Their dynamic has changed completely though, they are no longer a one man show. Every member of the band has their own spotlight, and their better for that. There could not have been a better choice in vocalist than Wade MacNeil, who now must be one of the most loved people in punk as the crowd consistently chant his name. It's safe to say that Gallows are here to stay and are yet again ready to take over the world of punk for the second time.

Check out my review of Gallows' self-titled review here : http://josiehasahardcorepunkblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/gallows-gallows-review-2012-venn-records.html

Impericon Never Say Die! Tour @ Electric Ballroom London 18/10/2012 review

Seeing as I've been to the Impericon Never Say Die! Tour for the last couple of years, I decided that with a free evening, I had no good reason to give it a miss even with it's remarkably poor line-up relative to previous years, which featured bands such as Parkway Drive and Suicide Silence. Nevertheless, I gave it a go; I was up for a night of guilty pleasure in the form of mosh pits, breakdowns and metalcore with a touch of emo.

 

I arrived just in time to catch most of For the Fallen Dreams' (5/10) set. Having not listened to any of their new material from Wasted Youth, I was interested to see how they stood up against it's predecessor Back Burner. Unfortunately, I don't think it did. Songs like Deep Down Inside, stood out much more and whipped the audience into a metalcore sing-a-long. Despite a less than enthusiastic crowd, For the Fallen Dreams were on top form. Dylan Ritcher's voice was impeccable, altering between scorching bellows and pitch perfect singing while there was hardly a single duff note from any member; they were a unified force of sheer brute. Nevertheless, even with Dylan leaping into the barrier desperately trying to engage the crowd, they didn't quite manage step it up to the next level. 

For the Fallen Dreams were simply prepping the stage for Stick To Your Guns (6/10) to precede with ripping it apart. They were the first act of the night that I felt really gripped the crowd. Where The Hope Division and Comes From The Heart provided the catchy gang vocals, Diamond brought the ferocious breakdowns. Amber hurled the audience out of their lull to make way for a relentless set. Stick To Your Guns certainly don't lack in aggression or opinion, however they may have a little too much. I did feel that often their music got lost beneath Jesse Barnett's preaching. As much as I do love Stick To You Guns, they aren't much more than your generic hardcore band struggling to pull much more out of the hat than breakdowns and gang vocals. 

Having not really listened to much of blessthefall (9/10) prior to the gig and this being the first time I've ever seen them (yes, I was one of those people that was supposed to jump up to the front and give Beau Bokan a high five, but like that was going to happen!) I wasn't to sure what to expect. To be honest, my expectations were pretty low. Nonetheless, I was pleasantly surprised. They were easily the stand out band of the night for me. Where Stick To Your Guns didn't quite grab the attention of the slightly younger contingent of the crowd, blessthefall didn't skip anyone out on their invasion of stage and venue. They sound considerably heavier than they do on record. The pit could hardly contain itself as it bounced off the walls and security certainly had their work cut out as made sure by the countless crowd surfers. I was even impressed by their technical skills on stage, in particular Eric Lambert on guitar. His intricate riffs were spotless even on such a chaotic stage. All in all, I have learnt to never judge a band before I see them live.

Unfortunately (maybe because most the their fans were watching Terror down the road) the venue felt considerably emptier for We Came As Romans (8/10). The first time I went to the Impericon Never Say Die! Tour, We Came As Romans were just the opening band, and now they are headlining the whole Europe wide tour. It could be an explanation as to why the venue was empty or maybe it just goes to show how far they have come in the past couple of years mostly thanks to their brilliant album To Plant A Seed. Granted, it did take a while for them to hit their stride, but once they had, it sure was something to bare witness to. Less people in the venue simply meant more space to dance and form one hell of a moshpit. Their timing was off a bit at times, but they still had immense ability to command to crowd with every single note, every single beat of every single song.

You can't argue that in comparison to previous years, the line-up was incredibly weak, though having said that, blessthefall and We Came As Romans still showed that they were worthy of taking to a stage as legendary and massive as the Electric Ballroom. Nevertheless, I did feel as though the line-up could have done with a different headliner to end such a mammoth line-up. 

Yay! Pick!

Basement - 'colourmeinkindness' review (2012 - Run For Cover Records)

It's unusual for a band to call it a day when their success is only about to sky-rocket. Over the past couple of years, many bands have sadly broken up though normally while they were on the descend, so to hear that Basement were wishing us a farewell was a massive surprise and was to my great despair. After the release of their standout debut album I Wish I Could Stay Here, it was almost inevitable that soon enough Basement would become essential listening for any melodic hardcore fan. Unfortunately, colourmeinkindness will have to be our goodbye.

Basement were always going to have a tough job with producing their final album, an album which would be the album that everyone would remember most clearly and associate most with them. They had to encompass both their raw hardcore style and their soulful sound which became distinctive in Basement's I Wish I Could Stay Here, and they did just that.

colourmeinkindness gracefully takes you on a trip down memory lane, beautifully tying in elements from 90's emo as well as grunge influences, without losing sense of who they are. Whole seamlessly flows on from  I Wish I Could Stay Here, reminding us of their phenomenal debut and their gruff yet thick melodic style. Covet is profoundly contrasting in its melancholy and soothing spellbinding vocals. Then Basement masterfully switches back to the more punk driven Spoiled.

colourmeinkindness is not just simply a timeline of both Basement's short-lived, yet brilliant life, and of the progression of emo into melodic hardcore; it's also a deeply personal and touching album. Breathe for me is  a stepping stone in the album, a sort of mark of change for Basement as well. You feel as though you are peering deep into the heart of Basement as a band, not just lyrically but musically as well. Yes, I Wish I Could Stay Here, did feature some tracks of the more sorrowful disposition such as Ellipses, but Breathe is bursting with emotion. It's an outstandingly pensive and passionate track. You can hear Andrew Fisher's voice almost cracking with desperation over the held back gentle bass as it masterfully changes mood and pace.

Basement then gradually wind down ready to send the final goodbyes. Even though  the album is decreasing in pace, it is only intensifying in emotion towards its finale. The short Comfort is stunning and mournful yet subtle in its peacefulness which culminates into the climax, the epilogue, the conclusion to the album and of Basement's career, Wish which retreats to an ominous and eerie bridge to erupt into the sounds of crashing drums and guitars to end it all.

And so it is, Basement's last ever album. colourmeinkindness is beautifully balanced between both the heartbreak of the farewell but also of the celebration of an illustrious career that was all too short-lived. And come Saturday 17th November, I'm sure they'll go out with a bang as well as a few tears as Basement play colourmeinkindness for the first and last time.

And here it is, my first ever perfect rating!

Overall rating: 10/10

You can listen to the album now on http://www.rocksound.tv/features/article/basement1
or download from http://runforcoverrecords.bandcamp.com/album/colourmeinkindness for only $5.

Album comes out 22nd October.

I will be reviewing their last ever show on the 17th November (which just so happens to be my birthday!) at Camden Underworld. 

Converge - 'All We Love We Leave Behind' Review (2012 - Epitaph Records)

The incredibly influential and distinctively chaotic Converge have been busy over the last couple of decades making themselves a household name among any metal or hardcore fan without failing to produce an album bursting with creativity and pure brutality. They consistently push the boundaries of heavy music with their ludicrously intricate riffs, their incessantly varying time signatures and rhythms and their ferocity. Already with several critically acclaimed albums under their belt, including Jane Doe which propelled Converge into the metalcore limelight, how could Converge possibly exceed themselves and withhold their reputation as one of the most exciting bands to date? The answer is All We Love We Leave Behind.

Aimless Arrow launches All We Love We Leave Behind into its path of destruction which ensues for a merciless 38 minutes. It allows us no time to prepare for the chaos that is Converge with Ballou's elaborate guitar blaring out of the speakers. However in Aimless Arrow a side of Converge that we don't see too often is laid bare to witness in Bannon's noticeably clean vocals relative to preceding albums. 

As brutal as Aimless Arrow was, it was simply a warm up for Trespasses, a blitz of deranged percussion which more or less dominates the track as the guitar and bass accompany aimlessly weaving in and out of each other. The chaos is no where near over as Tender Abuse offers more of the same brute. Though don't get me wrong, the two tracks are vastly different. Where Trespasses is a ruthless assault of your ear drums, Tender Abuse becomes a dark demented march pounding through the anarchic discordance.  

Sadness Comes Home leaps from an intensely thick guitar riff and steady controlling percussion which pulsates right through your heart, to a showcase of the immense ability of the guitarist Ballou. The bass on Empty on the Inside shakes your bones to the very core as the march-like drums gradually build up alongside the haunting vocals into Sparrow's Fall which takes the baton of savageness and continues onward down the path of destruction. Vicious Muse starts off with an almost 'Gallows'-esque percussion intro displaying their versatility as both essentially metal and hardcore. 

Nevertheless, the album doesn't solely consist of fast-paced displays of musical brilliance and aggression. The somber Coral Blue is a much calmer track featuring a beautifully elegant guitar solo and deep, growling vocals. Then Precipice, a short purely instrumental track acting as a kind of prelude to the title track All We  Love We Leave Behind, is hypnotizing in its bareness and its barely audible yet eerie piano part. The main theme of Precipice is maintained in All We Love We Leave Behind. The moment the relative tranquility of Precipice effortlessly transforms into the turbulent violence of All We Love We Leave Behind is without a doubt my favourite moment of the whole album. 

An album that displays so much sheer brilliance from all members of the band as well as many many striking moments is very hard to review; there is too much to mention. Converge may be made up of some of the best and most innovative musicians in the genre today. Nonetheless, it's not perfect. 17 tracks is a bit much for an album as blisteringly heavy as this that by the end I found myself a bit lost in all the complex guitar riffs and hammering percussion. More tracks along the lines of Precipice or Coral Blue would have made the album more balanced. Naturally, this album is not easy listening. It leaves you exhausted and dazed by the end of it struggling to make sense of what you just heard. It goes without saying that this All We Love We Leave Behind won't be to everyone's taste, but then again that has never been Converge's aim. I would strongly recommend this as essential listening for any metal or hardcore fan, or anything in between, but prepare to brace yourself!

Overall rating: 8/10