Reviews

The St Margaret's Lodge Corbiere Suite always strikes me as an odd venue for heavy music. Looking more like a hotel dining room than a venue (for obvious reasons) the light pink décor and seaside scene artwork don't really scream rock 'n' roll.

Tonight's bands however did a good job of making the audience forget that by hammering us with an all out barrage of noise.

The Vietnameasles.

First on the stage were The Vietnameasles and I think its safe to say they are probably at once both one of the funniest and one of the most offensive bands on the local circuit. While this may sound like a criticism in this case it is not as it fits their freak-hardcore sound perfectly.

Rocketing through a set of 15 songs in about 25 to 30 minutes their hardcore and metal (but definitely not metalcore) hybrid style seemed to confound a good number of the younger members of the crowd who kept a safe distance from the stage. While a few formed a brief if vital pit in the centre of the room.

Not ones to be disillusioned by the lack of audience reaction the band carried on regardless and did their best to offend as many people as possible, and with song titles like 'Beat Down Syndrome' (say it out loud) and 'Emma is a S**t' it's not hard to see how. All that along with a constant barrage of good natured insults for the evenings headliners, Spat.

Musically the band sounded great with Taz's ever intense drumming pinning down the visceral and above all noisy (in a good way) attack of the guitar and the bass, they suffered slightly throughout with some sound problems that were to plague every band, but this didn't stop them putting a great show, even if it sadly confounded many in attendance.

Clinton of Perpetual of the Blinding.

Next up on stage were Perpetual of the Blinding, looking like the proto-typical metalcore band they did little to dispel that through their music. At points their music seemed to be getting through to some of the more enthusiastic members of the crowd who got a good pit going for several songs, although it totally failed to inspire me.

It always seems there is a fine line in this style of music between an outpouring of raw emotion and just a lot of shouting, and sadly tonight Perpetual of the Blinding fell on the latter side of the equation and seemed to be screaming and shouting without actually having any feeling behind it.

Mosh.

Saying that the bands playing was great and they have the potential to become a crushing extreme metal force, however tonight this didn't seem to be the case.

Next up on stage were extreme metal band Ferox. This three piece blasted the living hell out of anyone in their path with their mix of death and thrash metal and got the nights most vigorous pit going until the singer's microphone was sent flying from the stage and the assembled audience were scared off, much to the chagrin of the band who continued to try and encourage some action on the floor.

Ferox.

When the lightest band you can compare them too are early Metallica and Slayer, you know its going to be heavy and Ferox proved that a three piece band can be more than capable of kicking up a storm. With blast beat drumming and truly thumping basslines accompanying frantic riffing and soloing and guttural roaring vocals Ferox proved they are indeed a force to be reckoned with on the local metal scene, no matter what the current trends and fashions may say.

Last, and by no means least, up were old school punk purveyors Spat (largely accompanied by two thirds of the Vietnameasles). Not fitting in entirely well with the rest of the evenings entertainment Spat didn't really seem too dissuaded as in a blur of leather, spikes and Mohawks they kicked seven shades out of the assembled throng with their upbeat street punk.

Taking notes from British punks such as The Exploited and the Anti-Nowhere League (along with a small nod to NY 'Bruddas' The Ramones) their performance was as vital as ever. Taking in pretty much everything from invasions to stage diving they got the pit really moving and proved themselves the islands premier true punk offering.

Lee of Spat.

Even more confident in their performance than when I last saw them Spat continue to grow, and through their shambolic stage presence dual front men Jack and Lee emit a sense of raw punk energy unlike many operating on any circuit, let alone the local one.

Overall in the evening's battle between metal and punk, the spiky shamble of the Vietnameasles and Spat seemed to come out on top. However while Perpetual of the Blinding were slightly disappointing, they showed promise and Ferox proved themselves the undisputed unexpected pleasure (if pleasure be the right word for thrash) of the night.