Gig review: Cutting Edge Showcase @ Underworld, Camden - 21/01/10
After the astounding success of last years initial Cutting Edge showcase there was much anticipation for the second. The likes of Alestorm, Silent Descent and O.M.T brought the house down back in September, but now it was the turn of IGNOMINIOUS INCARCERATION, DENOUNCE, SNAKEBITE, REASONABLE DOUBT and INTO EXILE.
INTO EXILE (6.5/10) seemed to emerge from knowhere in 2009. This didn't prevent them blasting their way to both the Band Quest and TotalRock M2TM finals, earning themselves the 'best new band' title. Tonight they opened up proceedings with a typical bout of ferociousness, the Underworld sound system making each riff hit harder than ever before. The vocals sound as if they get heavier everytime they play, which helps give weight to the impressive twin guitar attack. A rusty looseness holds the songs back a little but the head banging crowd don't seem to give a damn.
Next up were REASONABLE DOUBT (7) who were as usual impressively tight. The fact they are considered to be the 'most improved band' after impressing in last years Band Quest competition is of no surprise, and tonight they go one step further again. They sound massive with every note of their set maximised to its full potential, hitting the crowd for six. No wonder they are supporting MALEFICE in a few months.
One of the reasons SNAKEBITE (7.5) steamrollered most of their opposition in last years Band Quest was charismatic frontman Jason Smith's ability to control any crowd put in front of him. It was no different on this night as the entire Underworld split into two for one of the biggest walls of death seen in North London in recent years. As always the PANTERA influences shine through in this groove metal orientated set, with the crowd lapping up every note. Wacken won't know what's hit them!
You get the feeling with DENOUNCE (7.5) that they could play an entire set upside down and backwards and still sound as tight and professional as they always do. 'Solace' is the best track of the night, combining lethal doses of heaviness and melody. Their thrash/death metal approach is one of unrelenting intensity which can leave the uninitiated gasping for breath.
IGNOMINIOUS INCARCERATION (7.5) from Earache records sign the night off with a nice slab of melodic death metal. As proved on their album 'Of Winter Born' their material is slick, heavy and sometimes crushingly good. Andy Wardle's vocals sound big enough to lift the entire crowd and shake them until nothing is left. Sounding bigger and bolder than what had gone before IGNOMINIOUS INCARCERATION bring the second Cutting Edge showcase night to an end.
This showcase may have ended but Band Quest 2010 is only about to begin.
Review by Alan Hicks
Dead At The Controls review: Cutting Edge Showcase @ Underworld
Howdy!
A night of metal mayhem launched BANDQUEST 2010 at the Camden Underworld last night, and yours truly was there to soak up the heavy sounds and crazy antics.
Headlined by Earache-signed metallers 'Ignominious Incarceration', the show had been postponed 2 weeks ago due to the snow, and luckily all the bands could make this rescheduled date.
Kicking off proceedings were 'Into Exile'. They started off with a small but enthusiastic crowd, which expanded as their set tore on. There was certainly a lot of headbanging and moshing, driven by the pounding rhythms of drummer Steve and the brutal riffs of guitarists Dan and man-mountain Nik, who whipped up a storm with his fretboard antics.
This was melodic yet savage metal, vocalist Darren's voice going from throat-ripping screams to Barney Greenway death grunts, but there was still room for tunes amongst the chaos, particularly some sweet guitar harmonies. They even managed to fit in some Lamb of God / Meshuggah-style groove, and played a new song 'Inficted' which went down a storm with the gathering crowd.
The final song of the set, at Darren's request, was a call to mosh. After his requests for more moshing weren't heeded, he flung himself into the crowd, which whipped them into a frenzy. As the final notes rang out he screamed "Raise your fucking hands!", and they fucking did. (8/10)
I'm ashamed to say that I missed the following band, Reasonable Doubt, as I got chatting to an old work friend at the bar, but I was back on the case for third band on the bill, 'Snakebite'.
Winners of the 2009 Bandquest Metal division, they made many new fans at Bloodstock, and are due to play Wacken this year, so are clearly a band to watch out for. They do owe a lot to Pantera as far as their style goes, but hey, I certainly didn't mind. The words 'power-groove' spring to mind, and they sure know how to control an audience. At one point they split the audience down the middle for a 'wall of death' and by the flick of a riff unleashed moshpit hell. I was mightily impressed, but one thing nags me about them and all the other bands on the bill - where's the 'GREAT' song(s) to take them onto greater things? Maybe in the world of metal that doesn't matter any more, or am I missing something? It didn't do Metallica any harm, or indeed Pantera themselves. Anyway, I reckon once them do write the songs their skills deserve they can become stars. (8/10)
'Denounce' were next, and my God do they punish you! If you're into brutal death metal, look no further, these guys have unbelievable skill, not one of them is a weak link. For me, personally, I'm not a big fan of one-note screamed vocals, which slightly put me off overall, but you can see (and hear) why they're signed and playing events such as this. The awesome rhythms and riffs were executed with such precision that they were breathtaking, but my only concern was that they weren't varied enough - the songs seemed to blend into one, though I'm sure that's what you want when you come to see a band of this genre. (7.5/10)
Due to trains, buses and what-not I only got to see the first 3 songs of 'Ignominious Incarceration', so I can't really give a fair review of their whole set. Like 'Denounce' they were exceptionally skilled and excited the crowd with accomplished technical death metal, which left me slightly cold - I'm obviously 'over' such generes of metal, though try telling me that 10 years ago, I'd have said "no freakin' way!". Anyway, to be fair, they were at least worth (7.5/10) from what I did see!
Overall it was a successful night, and hopefully some more exposure and interest for all these bands and the Bandquest 2010 - they certainly deserve it.
Review by AJ (www.deadatthecontrols.com/)