Post by markwj on Mar 27, 2008 17:49:58 GMT
Reth, D.H.I.B.A.C., After The Last Sky, Joe Pesci, The Day Man Lost
Mercury Flux, Preston
23/3/08
With the little choice that a crucifying divorce brings I discharged my easter bunny parental duties and looked for some other way of celebrating a good nailing. This was provided by a timely opportunity to visit Preston again for the first time since last year and my mate Neil’s “Metal wedding” reception, gatecrashed by all the Radio 1 DJ’s… Many a good time had up there previously, it is only about 1 ½ away, giving me plenty of time to find a car park right outside the venue and a multitude of local takeaways for some beer absorbents and a good chuckle about crying Scousers.
For all its relative scale to home Preston seems to go through similar cycles of venue openings and opportunities, with things on the up at the moment. I hadn’t been to this place before but it seemed a pretty good refurbishment, orientated to alternative music with a heavy jukebox and an upstairs live space. This was certainly quite rammed full in no time at all which was pleasing to see (even for the locals), as I’d been dubious if a wintry Sunday evening would being anyone out. Obviously part of the draw was a selection of good extreme bands that get about themselves and build a reputation through hard work gigging. I get about a bit myself too so had in fact seen 4 of the 5 in random locations already.
Local heroes The Day Man Lost I had seen before in Bolton, having acquired a bespoke singer since then when the drummer covered that base (though he still has plenty to scream too). Their blasting hardcore grind seemed to have increased in intensity and precision since then too, and 14 songs in 20 odd minutes were short and sharp assaults that were as perfectly succinct as necessary. Given that they are unashamedly old-timers (a 40th birthday balloon was attached to the bass) worthy of respect for maintaining that level of impact
Joe Pesci from the North East had delivered a pretty sloppy set when I had seen them in Leeds last year, by their own admission a lack of practice affecting them. Things were much better tonight, the drumming spectacularly fast, but there is still less to catch on to in the blurred riffing and monotone high pitch scream, sometimes off set by some more gruff stuff from a guitarist. They also demonstrate the importance of tight endings for this type of stuff as when they are not abrupt it’s very difficult for folks to tell if the song has finished or not!
Strangely, it was a previous Good Friday when I last saw Staffordshire’s After The Last Sky in Liverpool and they remained a striking proposition. Self described as crust blackcore there’s a fair element of progressive grind in there as well as their building structures of riffs gave them a more early Neurosis feel, much more variety in the vocal 0patterns as well. That said they could blast with the rest and some tracks demonstrated a raw relentlessness which certainly did fit in with black metal stylings. For their innovation I’d say they were my pick of the bunch tonight and look forward to their forthcoming album.
The nominal headliners, France’s d.h.i.b.a.c, had decided to save themselves a little time for heading straight off home after the show by going on penultimately. Definitely grind at the core there was a flavour of hardcore punk drifting through their set too, I was plenty impressed enough to get a 7” of theirs (managing to resist the porn on sale at other less reputable merchandise tables…). Plenty of backing vocal contributions to the furious songs, the bass players flying fingers also got my respect. I had the feeling they had a little entourage with them but they were definitely warmly received by the locals too, which must have been a pleasing reward for their long expedition to the grym north (west).
So, finally Reth who I’ve seen all over the place. They were a bit all over the shop at first tonight, technical difficulties really exacerbated when you are playing the kind of extremely technical grind that they do. Though I’m sure they would admit they were their own worst enemies when focus is blurred by the end of the night. As I’m sure the guitarist’s vision was when hit on the head by flailing bass. Still once they were back in action they built to a peak of a finish with churning wrenched riffs and pinched harmonics aplenty, yet another stunningly precise drumming performance. They are playing the Obscene Extreme Festival in the Czech Republic later this year if you want to catch them struggling against temptation there!
An excellent evening of bands going from strength to strength, in a place well worth a future visit.
Mercury Flux, Preston
23/3/08
With the little choice that a crucifying divorce brings I discharged my easter bunny parental duties and looked for some other way of celebrating a good nailing. This was provided by a timely opportunity to visit Preston again for the first time since last year and my mate Neil’s “Metal wedding” reception, gatecrashed by all the Radio 1 DJ’s… Many a good time had up there previously, it is only about 1 ½ away, giving me plenty of time to find a car park right outside the venue and a multitude of local takeaways for some beer absorbents and a good chuckle about crying Scousers.
For all its relative scale to home Preston seems to go through similar cycles of venue openings and opportunities, with things on the up at the moment. I hadn’t been to this place before but it seemed a pretty good refurbishment, orientated to alternative music with a heavy jukebox and an upstairs live space. This was certainly quite rammed full in no time at all which was pleasing to see (even for the locals), as I’d been dubious if a wintry Sunday evening would being anyone out. Obviously part of the draw was a selection of good extreme bands that get about themselves and build a reputation through hard work gigging. I get about a bit myself too so had in fact seen 4 of the 5 in random locations already.
Local heroes The Day Man Lost I had seen before in Bolton, having acquired a bespoke singer since then when the drummer covered that base (though he still has plenty to scream too). Their blasting hardcore grind seemed to have increased in intensity and precision since then too, and 14 songs in 20 odd minutes were short and sharp assaults that were as perfectly succinct as necessary. Given that they are unashamedly old-timers (a 40th birthday balloon was attached to the bass) worthy of respect for maintaining that level of impact
Joe Pesci from the North East had delivered a pretty sloppy set when I had seen them in Leeds last year, by their own admission a lack of practice affecting them. Things were much better tonight, the drumming spectacularly fast, but there is still less to catch on to in the blurred riffing and monotone high pitch scream, sometimes off set by some more gruff stuff from a guitarist. They also demonstrate the importance of tight endings for this type of stuff as when they are not abrupt it’s very difficult for folks to tell if the song has finished or not!
Strangely, it was a previous Good Friday when I last saw Staffordshire’s After The Last Sky in Liverpool and they remained a striking proposition. Self described as crust blackcore there’s a fair element of progressive grind in there as well as their building structures of riffs gave them a more early Neurosis feel, much more variety in the vocal 0patterns as well. That said they could blast with the rest and some tracks demonstrated a raw relentlessness which certainly did fit in with black metal stylings. For their innovation I’d say they were my pick of the bunch tonight and look forward to their forthcoming album.
The nominal headliners, France’s d.h.i.b.a.c, had decided to save themselves a little time for heading straight off home after the show by going on penultimately. Definitely grind at the core there was a flavour of hardcore punk drifting through their set too, I was plenty impressed enough to get a 7” of theirs (managing to resist the porn on sale at other less reputable merchandise tables…). Plenty of backing vocal contributions to the furious songs, the bass players flying fingers also got my respect. I had the feeling they had a little entourage with them but they were definitely warmly received by the locals too, which must have been a pleasing reward for their long expedition to the grym north (west).
So, finally Reth who I’ve seen all over the place. They were a bit all over the shop at first tonight, technical difficulties really exacerbated when you are playing the kind of extremely technical grind that they do. Though I’m sure they would admit they were their own worst enemies when focus is blurred by the end of the night. As I’m sure the guitarist’s vision was when hit on the head by flailing bass. Still once they were back in action they built to a peak of a finish with churning wrenched riffs and pinched harmonics aplenty, yet another stunningly precise drumming performance. They are playing the Obscene Extreme Festival in the Czech Republic later this year if you want to catch them struggling against temptation there!
An excellent evening of bands going from strength to strength, in a place well worth a future visit.