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

La Dispute + Title Fight @ Relentless Garage London 20/09/2012 review

Being the only UK show of this mammoth European tour, also featuring Into it. Over it. and, one of my favourite bands, Make Do and Mend, this show was bound to get a more than enthusiastic response, and it did just that and more.

First up was Into it. Over it (6/10) who I sadly missed most of due to the queue stretching several hundreds of metres down Holloway Road. Regardless, I was impressed. Having only listened to the album Proper, knowing relatively little about Into it. Over it and expecting to see a full band, I was surprised to see one man (Evan Thomas Weiss) accompanied by solely an acoustic guitar on his lap. It was a stark contrast from the fast-paced aggression of Title Fight that would take his place, and a welcome one at that. Though I did think there was a little too much talking in the set and Into it. Over it suffered from the fact that the queue was still sprawling outside meaning most people hadn't made it in yet and the set was broken up by streams of people still entering.

Next to take to the stage was Make Do and Mend (6/10). Unfortunately Make Do and Mend severely fell victim to the terrible sound at the Relentless Garage; firstly you could hardly make out James Carrolls vocals as the mic kept cutting out and even when the vocal troubles had been resolved the bands sound was terrible unbalanced with way to much drums and it was almost impossible to differentiate between the guitars. Though Make Do and Mend overcame this with their distinctively raw performance and the quality of their music, especially their new album, Everything You Ever Loved. Once the microphone issues were resolved, James Carrolls voice was close to perfect. However, when you're playing a show in which there are two headline acts, it's inevitable that your set is going to get cut pretty short. After only 6 songs, which is nowhere near enough time for Make Do and Mend to truly get comfortable on stage after their technical difficulties, their set was already over.

And now for the first of the two headliners Title Fight (7/10) who caught me completely off guard kicking off with Safe in Your Skin and immediately a surge of bodies come flying off the stage into the audience. This was Title Fight for the following 45 minutes: sheer aggression. Nonetheless, the technical difficulties suffered by Make Do and Mend still hadn't quite resolved themselves; much of the first few songs consisted of obscene amounts of re-verb and white noise. Once the technical difficulties had ceased, Title Fight's new album Floral Green was really put to show, as well as playing some old favourites such as Loud and Clear and Symmetry. You would have thought from the reaction of the crowd that they were the final band of night. Already by the end of the set, the walls and ceilings were dripping with steaming sweat, the room was echoing with screams and shouts and the stage and audience seemed one. Though the enthusiasm of the crowd did distort the performance a little. The constant stream of stage-divers did get in the way of the band, both visually and audibly but when Title Fight finished with 27 it was undeniable that their success has only just begun.

Finally for the band that everyone (well at least me!) had been waiting for: La Dispute (9/10). La Dispute had by far the best sound of the night allowing them to pull off tracks from their outstanding and poignant album Wildlife. Opening with the spine-tingling All Our Bruised Bodies, the audience could already tell that this was going to be an intense and stirring 45 minutes. After Title Fight, you may think that this would be the wind-down, but you would be very wrong. True, La Dispute weren't as 'fast-paced' as Title Fight, but they were emotionally exhausting. The whole crowd was transfixed on Jordan Dreyer's pleading haunting vocals in All Our Bruised Bodies and A Poem and hypnotized by serene guitar in Andria, but the highlight of the night was their finale: King Park. The whole song builds up to an epic and dark ending perfectly suited to end such a violent and consuming gig as the crowd screams word for word along: "Can I still get into heaven if I kill myself?". And it's all over. Finally I return to the relatively dull reality but still with La Dispute ringing in my ears and wanting more.

NOFX - 'Self Entitled' review (2012 - Fat Wreck Chords)

Rapidly approaching their 30 year anniversary (Yes, they have been together for almost 30 years! I'm just surprised they're all still alive), what do I really expect from NOFX's 12th full length? Surely it's all been done before. True, it has, but after 30 years experience blazing ahead of the pack in the world of punk rock,  they know a thing or two about writing insanely catchy riffs and both hilarious and thought-provoking political lyrics that still manage to keep all us punk fans hooked. Though after the release of their last album Coaster, a disappointingly mediocre album with few memorable songs, even their most avid fans were wondering whether NOFX are still the potent force in angry socially conscious punk rock that they used to be.

As soon you press play, one of those statement NOFX  guitar led intros sets off in 72 Hookers that immediately lets us know that NOFX have still got the ability to tie you up on their leash within the first few seconds of a song. 72 hookers may be one of their most 'politically incorrect' and 'risque' songs to date while Fat Mike claims blow jobs, sex and and hookers will stop war and violence. Then, like a blast in the face, the rapid energetic 1 and a half minute long religious commentary I Believe in Goddess whips through you with its recurrent yet catchy riff alternating between guitar and bass. These two songs are NOFX at their most controversial and creative.

Though unfortunately this brilliant spell fails to last throughout the whole album. After a while their staple fast-paced punk becomes slightly repetitive and dull and doesn't quite manage to break away as a stand out punk album. She Didn't Lose Her Baby followed mostly the same drum sequence and chord pattern for most of the song with the exception of an admittedly impressive yet brief guitar solo. Even the lyrics were slightly un-inventive, which is rare for NOFX, and even a little too serious. Secret Society largely resembled an intro and I spent most of the song waiting for it to build up into something more.

It's not until Cell Out do I feel that NOFX make an impression again with their distinctive riff that's slightly reminiscent of retro gaming. Regrettably, even within the song, NOFX dip in and out of excellence and simply sheer mediocrity. Down With the Ship could easily be mistaken for one of the other fast paced songs in this album, it just fails to stand out.

Though the album does pick up again with My Sycophant Others does manage to break out of the repetitiveness of the album with a punchy verse and mid-song spoken section. The follow up to We've Got Two Jealous Agains, I've Got One Jealous Again, Again demonstrates a side of NOFX which we see very rarely. It's a much slower, sentimental and sorrowful song but the album really should have ended here. Xmas has been X'ed broke up and destroyed the natural calm of the preceding track, even though it is one of the better tracks on the album.

All in all, this album still clearly follows that signature chaotic, controversial NOFX formula that we all love, but it fails to do anything different or produce any tracks that you will go back to and press repeat for over and over again. NOFX certainly haven't lost their lyrical prowess but they may have lost a bit of that originality that excited punk fans all over in Wolves in Wolves' Clothing and The War on Errorism. Self-Entitled haven't ruined NOFX's reputation as a must-listen-to band for any punk fan, but this album can regrettably be largely ignored.

Overall Rating: 6/10

Gallows - 'Gallows' review (2012 - Venn Records)

Before 2012, Gallows were the quintessential modern British punk band and their frontman Frank Carter was the loud-mouthed, scrawny, offensive driving force. In live shows, he was a punching flurry of limbs; in songs, he was controversial bringing lyrics such as "I don't want you passing out, I want you sucking my dick" into the violent mix. Then Wade MacNeil shows up, with his Canadian heritage, already carrying the worldwide success of post-hardcore band Alexisonfire securely under his belt, to stir up the Gallows formula.

Even though Lags' songwriting skills are immense, I still had doubts as to whether this band would come out of this decisive line-up change remaining as a vital part of the modern punk scene. But these doubts have been put to bed. Principally, before listening to 'Gallows' you must bear in mind that Wade MacNeil is not Frank Carter, and he is no way trying to be a replacement. This new Gallows are not the same Gallows following 'Grey Britain'. In fact, they may be better, more mature and more relevant.

Instantly, Gallows grab us by the throat and demand our attention with Victim Culture: "Do you think they're out to get you?". Without a doubt, Gallows are still out to get us. The opener culminates into an aggressive whirlwind of a track setting the tone for the rest of the album: "There's no way out. There's no escape from the vicious circle we embrace." For the next half an hour, that unquestionably is the case as they tighten their grip with Everybody Loves You (When You're Dead) and then with Last June (the first single from the album) and its bold bass line and thumping drums to kick off this anthem to a signature Steph Carter solo. Outsider Art may be my favourite off the album as this the first time Wade's vocals are really explored and exploited. This track simply would not have worked with Frank; it needed Wade's trademark gruffness to give Outsider Art its haunting feel. Just as we feel like we have been giving a little bit of a breather with Outsider Art, Vapid Adolescent Blues then drags us into a hypothetical circle pit. It represents more of a Trash Talk track as opposed to Gallows.

Gallows also haven't lost their political, hard-hitting, controversial lyrics as Austere demonstrates. The difference is that as 'Grey Britain' was a commentary on mostly Britain, 'Gallows' is applicable everywhere, everywhere where there's violence, dictatorship or extremism. Cult of Mary asserts that Gallows are still not afraid to raise a few eyebrows with divisive lyrics "Cult of Mary, crucified Christ. Pagan blood for the religious Reich".

After an exhausting half an hour of some of the most angry and ferocious punk, the finale to this epic whirlwind, Cross of Lorraine, still won't let you go. It climaxes to a massive ending where you can't but help get up to the pounding drums which keeps on propelling you further into this captivating album until it all fades into a blur of ringing white noise.

'Gallows' is sure to maintain Gallows' reputation as one of the best modern punk bands, if not bring them yet more fame from across the Atlantic. Where 'Orchestra of the Wolves' and 'Grey Britain' were angry, violent records, 'Gallows' is also haunting and dark. Maybe it's because Frank Carter held the other members back creativity or maybe it's because they have all matured and learnt from experience, but every single member is on the top of their game writing some of the best riffs and lyrics yet over the most explosive drumming yet. Any fan of punk, hardcore or just decent music should give 'Gallows' a listen. in a year or so it will undoubtedly become the guide to brilliant aggressive music.

Overall Rating: 9/10