Gig review: Band Quest Kent Metal Heat 7 @ Red Lion - 19/03/10
Sizen (7/10) split opened tonight's competition with their polished set of Southern-Metal. The gritty bass, foot-stamping rhythms and bellowing vocals all mixed together like a good whiskey. The bluesy solos oozed with powerful melodies, adding a whole new level to the songs. The confident frontman marked his territory, striding about and hopping from the drum platform. A measly turnout meant that only a few dedicated fans really moved, but Sizen proved tonight that they can really perform, they just need a full house to play to.
A Chaos Within (6), came up second, sporting chequered shirts and fringes. "Maybe they'll be a little punky", I thought, but I was proved very wrong, when they let rip with some screamo" metal. With some simple but effective song-writing, they performed some unique tunes to the still rather small crowd, the singer leaping about and screaming into his microphone. What let them down, sadly, were their vocals. The lead vocals were retched out as though the frontman was trying to regurgitate a half-digested chicken, whereas the clean chorus vocals (supplied by the guitarist) sounded almost bored. While ACW haven't been the strongest act tonight, they show promise in their songwriting. Perhaps we will see the band return stronger sometime in the future.
Just before Cursed As Angels (8) make their entrance, a swarm of fans fill the room, leaving this last band with the only decent turnout. Fists pumped, cheers closed every song and Cursed As Angels deserved it, the singer and axemen getting right to the edge of the stage and leaning over the crowd as they played. While it's not overly technical metal, these guys are going for clarity, the riffs doing their job and every note of the solos ringing clear. While Devildriver is one obvious influence, they are going for something more accessible, the choruses far more singable,the versatile vocalist switched between screaming and singing in the same breath. Cursed As Angels stole the show tonight, but had the crowd been there for Sizen, maybe there would have been a greater battle between them.
Review by Adam Evans