Gig review: Band Quest Essex Metal Final @ Edge Bar - 31/05/10
The dust had barely settled from the monumental day of metal that was the Kent final before everything started again, but this time it was the turn of Essex. Romford has hardly held open its arms for Band Quest, with most local acts playing in London and others having to travel long distances to play. All of this was irrelevant though as the bands present had got to the final on merit and in difficult circumstances.
First up were MERCILESS FAIL (7.5) who have been something of a breath of fresh air in the competition. Their sound harks back to the early eighties when the likes of Venom were spreading their dark gospel across the heavy metal landscape, but with the contemporary crunch of Testament. Armed with a set of catchy and well constructed songs Merciless Fail impress today, 'Forged in black' being a particular highlight, complete with its gigantic and doom laden Sabbath-esque main riff.
Another band with both feet fully in the thrall of 80s metal is SNAKE EYES (7.5) who seemed to have saved their best form for the final. Paul Clarke's voice of the God's are as powerful as ever, hitting the top notes in style, while the lead guitar from Oz Marshall cuts through the early day atmosphere like a burning axe in a peasants straw hut. The skulls and swords add a visual aspect which many a band ignore in today’s climate. The choice of songs means the set is nicely balanced with 'Leather and metal' taking all that was good about early Judas Priest and ramming it down the throats of the sizeable crowd. Pain killers were definitely not needed.
In their heats IONISE (6) seemed to exert a kind of contagious vibe but today they seem a little flat, coming and going without much fuss. The same cannot be said for thrashy metalcore outfit ERADICATION (8.5), who blast a musical crater the size of a third world country into the Edge Bar. Bursting with energy the band covers every inch of the stage and the floor immediately in front of them. Every riff hits home like a mesmerising electric drill, leading to most of the venue shuffling forward to witness this outlet of aggression. The breakdowns erupt with a venom never seen in these parts before, with 'Rendered useless' showcasing the explosive talent in a perfect 4 and a bit minutes. The band may not be going to Bloodstock but from the all of the acts today future success quivers at the feet of Eradication, with or without a festival slot.
With guest bands performing upstairs there was a chance to break away from the competitive element of the day, with SILICONE BULLET (7.5) providing the first dose of sleazy riffs. The cock rock swagger was perfect medication from the heavier sounds emanating from the downstairs room. Front man Bobby Valentine lives for the stage and his Roth-esque movements add another dimension to a nicely received set of hard rocking tracks.
Back downstairs it was the turn of the first of the two London bands in the form of BRUTAI (8). Having virtually obliterated the competition in their heat and semi they were one of the favourites in the final and their melodic death metal at times threatened to make that Bloodstock dream a reality, although not with as much metallic might as previously. The souring 'Epiphany' cries out to be heard by a crowd of thousands though and is one of the highlights of the day.
It can never be easy to follow Brutai but SILAS (7.5) have something about them. The songs stick themselves inside the head, each intricate melody clinging to a brain cell, causing a musical surge to the brain. The mushy sound may have lessoned their impact today but the performance was enough to grab the unsigned slot at Bloodstock. Like Zocalo the day before this wasn't about today but some damn hard work from a fine band over the last 2-3 years.
The first of the winning semi final bands were black metallers THE FURIOUS HORDE (7.5). After various line-up changes they have been back to their best in this year’s competition and today impress the crowd with their dark musical offerings. Vocalist Ruptured Souls rasps every lyric in such a sinister way they are like the musical equivalent of following a knife-wielding mad man down a dark alleyway.
When a band slowly improves year on year it makes victory all the sweeter. Suffolk five-piece ECHOES FALL (8) are the perfect example of this and today they grab the Bloodstock Metal 2 The Masses slot with a set of highly energetic metalcore. Like Eradication the breakdowns on show here are like mini nuclear devices, splitting the crowd into a mass of crumpled bodies. All of this makes NEAR DEATH EXPERIMENT (7) sound a little tired. The set is delivered professionally with some nice melodic choruses but any energy left in the crowd has long been sucked from them by the explosive power of Echoes Fall.
With the competitive part of the day over it was up to a trio of guest bands to finish off the evening, starting with KILLING WITH STYLE (7.5) upstairs. The sleazy hard rock that was the main element of their sound when they played this venue earlier in the year has now been beefed up by a shot of punky freshness. This is mainly thanks to bassist Beka Pritchards taking over vocal duties, adding a NY Loose-esque rawness to proceedings. Their Lady Ga Ga cover goes down surprisingly well among the fast growing crowd of metal heads. Techno metallers SILENT DISCENT (7.5) have been quiet of late but their new members seemed to have settled quickly as they turn the main room into a late night rave, complete with pulsating dance beats and flashing lights. The band are not all about dance though and it's the influence of bands such as Soilwork which jump out from their musical din and grab the more metallic in the venue. Essex success story FOREVER NEVER (8) finish off the day the only way they now how. Having played the likes of Download already and having recently supported Fozzy the band know how to light up a crowd. They have no problems plucking songs from their 2 albums to do just that, sending everyone home happy in the process.
After the results are announced and fans of both Echoes Fall and Silas are running around excitedly thinking about seeing their favourite bands at Bloodstock the night draws to an end. Band Quest in Essex is finally over.
Review by Alan Hicks