Metal goes Mental
Lazarus Syndrome – Sclavinia – Pandemik – Ensorrowed
– Reaper & Gates of Purgatory
The Zanzibar
12.4.13
Metal has certainly gone
Mental tonight going from 4 bands to 6! From experi-Mental band Gates of
Purgatory to melodic Lazarus Syndrome
right the way through with plenty in between from Death Metallers Sclavinia, demented Regressive death
metal from Pandemik – Thrashy
Metalcore from Ensorrowed and Thrash
devils Reaper!
Gates of
Purgatory – Wirral
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/GatesOfPurgatory
Genre:
Experimental Metal
Gates of Purgatory or GOP as they
are known are probably still at school judging by their fresh faces but that
matters little as they got underway with their experimental style of metal.
Last time I saw
Josh the bands main vocalist (as they have two) perform with Gates of Purgatory he had just joined the
band a week before the gig and so sat out after singing a couple of tracks
whilst Wesley took over the abrasive vocals and drummer Luke had broken his
wrist but still managed to do a good set despite this.
Josh and Wesley
This time
everything was a lot smoother - not a broken wrist in sight and Josh had
certainly settled into his new role. They
all looked pretty confident on stage and there seemed no sign of nerves
considering their young ages and singing some experimental metal is quite
unique in its own way.
Aaron and Josh
Chop Suey was
quite a mix of gritty vocals and melodic tuned guitar that really could be described as a chop suey mix,
but have to admire these young guys for getting up there and giving it their
all and warming up the crowd – it does take nerves of steel to get up there and
play so hat’s off to them all.
My favourite
track from the band must be “Nom Eye” with its catchy melodic riffs that you
just cannot ignore and a clear favourite with the guys to play on stage as
Aaron R mentioned to me after the set.
Josh and Wesley
Good seeing the
band’s family and friends supporting them on their journey, but still a lot of room
for improvement – I wonder where they will be in five-year’s time?
7/10
Set List:
Open your eyes
Chop Suey
Nothing Matters Now
Tyranny of a Brick Wall
Yndig Tortur
Nom Eye
Members:
Josh - Vocals
Wesley - Guitar/Vocals
Luke - Drums
Aaron F - Bass
Aaron R - Guitar
Reaper –
Liverpool
Links:
Genre: Thrash
Founded 2011 and
left the crowd open mouthed with good reason. Their old school thrash is just
so easy to get into and what’s more they look the part.
Daniel, Pete and Ant
Daniel the
bands guitarist/vocalist has such an expressive face when he sings and Ant the long
blond spiral haired blue eyed guitarist if not already, will soon be a hit with
female thrash fans everywhere!
Daniel
Ant
Pete the band’s
petite drummer smashed out some really awesome drumming and really got into the
mood whilst Titch – so called because he is literally a giant stood way above
the others just got on and did the job the no nonsense thrash metal way!
Reaper quite literally have the music and the
looks to make it all the way gaining good rep wherever they play and are down
to earth with it – a total winning combination as well as a solid unit.
Pete, Ant and Titch
It was a shame
that they were not allowed to do another track as they really worked everyone
up into a good sweat – especially in pit, but Daniel said to me after the set “We
were told we could have a couple of extra songs, and we were going to do “Reign
in Blood” however it did not happen and the band had to finish, to a bemused
audience – that track would have really driven the moshers into a frenzy
without a doubt!
Ant
Reaper have a fantastic grip on how to mould
and work tracks and of course produce a serious “thrashiness” without becoming repetitive
adding their own twist to the proceedings and are simply solid, possessing all
the elements of a top notch band who offer a concrete performance time after
time.
Long live
thrash – Long live Reaper!
10/10
Set List:
Into the Pit – Testament
World at Redemption
Wartorn
Checkmate New Track
Sixth Circle of Hell
Hangar 18 - Megadeth
Members:
Daniel Moran - Rhythm Guitar/Vocals
Anthony Dalton - Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals
Peter Cattle - Drums
Matthew “Titch” Pruden - Bass
Ensorrowed – St
Helens
Links:
Genre: Metalcore/Thrash
Another good
set from Ensorrowed. Everywhere I go
I seem to meet up with the guys from the band and what a journey they have
travelled since first seeing them live some two maybe three years ago now.
John the bands
always smiling Bassist with his lovable St-Helens accent said to me before the
set “People expect Ensorrowed, to be
miserable, but we are anything but that!” and I have to agree, what you get
with Ensorrowed is extreme metal
exertion with plenty of smiles along the way as they simply adore what they do –
and it shows!
John moving so fast he is a blur!
The countless
emotions one goes through when seeing Ensorrowed
range from extreme excitement to utter brutal let your hair down anger that
just rips through the soul as soon as Lee’s voice comes into contact with the
microphone and this is just a glimpse of what Ensorrowed are capable of.
Lee
I know that
behind these angelic faces lies a sheer brooding that simply explodes on stage
they have come a long way in such a relatively short space of time and gained a
lot of fans as well as admirers along the way.
CJ
CJ in more mellow pose!
Their support
for other bands is heart-warming and for me always good to see them play live.
They truly have kept up their heaviness and developed in sound whilst exerting
a lot of energy – superb performance!
10/10
Set List:
Instigation
Retribution
Everfading
The Rebirth of Liberation
Inscribed Destiny
Testify
Members:
Danny Kelly - Drums
John Roughley - Bass
Conor CJ Whitfield - Guitar
Lee Soady -Vocals
Sclavinia – Liverpool
Links:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/SCLAVINIA
Genre: Death/Black Metal
Sclavinia once a Polish band now a quarter English stormed through their set like an express train destroying everything in their path and good to know that Sclavinia have kept up the extreme brutal heaviness and taken things up to the next level since becoming a foursome!
Specter and Neton
Each track was as brutal as you would expect them to be and sung with a passion and loathing. Each string, and each beat was wrapped in utter extremity and played with sheer abandon.
Obviously it is a little biased being more Polish based but Handlanger is picking up the language really well although not enough yet to sing in Polish although I recon another year with these guys and it will be hard to tell there is an Englishman in the band but he introduced Bazyliszek with ease so he is getting there”
Handlanger
Handlanger mentioned to me after the set that they were going to drop Master Twardowski as it was now a very old track and would be replaced by Husarian Demons which is a more modern track although I have to say Master Twardowski is just as brutal and memorable as Husarian Demons but the change will no doubt give the band a boost in the right direction.
Neton
Handlanger aka Dave ex-Horrorcaused vocalist announced “The last track is called Devils Parade, and if you don’t like it you can go fuck yourself! Sums it up really as there is a no nonsense streak in Sclavinia they just want to get on and carve up the set with no frills and carve it up they did make no mistake!
10/10
Set List:
Grab the sword,
Master Twardowski,
Bazyliszek,
Carnal (Vader cover),
Devil's Parade
Members:
Handlanger (Vocals)
Volf War Hammer (Bass)
Specter (Guitar Vocals)
Neton (Drums and Percussion)
Pandemik –
Liverpool
Links:
Genre: Death
Metal
If you like
your music in regressed form then you will love Pandemik. These five guys
know just how to get crowd participation and they don’t have to try too hard
either!
Their songs are
excruciatingly brutal but in between Marc the bands vocalist extraordinaire
banters with the crowd and band members engaging in some of the funniest shit I
have ever heard.
Chris and Mike
Marc went that
one stage further as a member of the audience mentioned his starry colourful socks
and it happened at the most opportune moment to introduce Necrofeet – winner!
From start to
finish Pandemik enthrall a captive
audience drawing into their world of extreme metal and they do it in style.
Chris, Marc, Alan and Lee
Finger of
Justice had the crowd pointing their digits to a frenzy of metal madness whilst
Marc and his band of reprobates went wild under the gaze of the Zanzi lights
and was superb to witness.
Marc pointing the finger of justice!
Satan Helps me
Kill has such a great catchy chorus and looking around me I could see everyone
feeding off the vibes the track gave out, harsh, ferocious with that tongue in
cheek feel.
Marc proving he is worth it!
Surprisingly
enough the band did not play Fritzl Giggles last night one of their new
creations which was a shame however I could hardly be disappointed with what
they did play – Pandemik Never
disappoint that is guaranteed and Today I think there will be a lot of whiplash
injuries courtesy of five guys who have created the new genre Regressed Metal!
10/10
Set List:
OCD
Necrofeet
Born for the Dead
Finger of Justice
Satan helps me kill
Iron Devils
Members:
Marc 'Moses' M - Vocals
Chris 'Slag' H - Lead Guitar/Vocals
Lee 'L-Train' J - Rhythm Guitar
Mike 'Dr. Beat' H - Drums
Alan 'Anal' N - Bass/Vocals
Lazarus Syndrome – Liverpool
Links:
Genre: Melodic
Metal
And who could
not love Lazarus Syndrome? Their brutal melodic song constructions just
take your breath away with superb vocals and mesmerising guitar riffs. They just stand out from the crowd.
Jamie and Matt
Their more
mellow moments have the crowd slowing moving their head in hypnotic sync appreciation
with the finely tuned riffs and by design gives you a nice warm and melancholy
feeling and then it twists into a complexity of harsh brutalness that just
sweeps you into oblivion and once that happens the neck breaking onslaught
begins.
Pete and Mike
Pete the bands
vocalist who indeed does not just growl but sings a fine note (check out A Path
less Traveled if you don’t believe me) explained when introducing Parasite
that it was for Maggie Thatcher – a nice befitting tribute to someone who
indeed was just that a complete Parasite!
Pete and Mike
Requiem was
dedicated to Ian (Cuzzy) Laver as he loves that track and went even more
ballistic than he normally does. His
wind milling was so intense I was shivering as the cold air from all the hair
activity hit me like being in the milk aisle at Tesco’s!
My special Cuzzy Ian
I was sad that
the band did not play A Path less Traveled as that is one outstanding track for
me, although I love Lazarus Syndrome so
picking out just one favourite is difficult but that track is just mesmerizingly
awesome. Maybe they will play it next time – here’s hoping! Brilliant set!
10/10
Set List:
Age of Darkness
Born Again
Indifference
Parasite
Clarity
Requiem
Members:
Peter Ford - Vocals
Matt Gregson - Drums
Jamie Hall - Guitars
Mike Hollows – Guitars
Tom Parker – Bass
****Special thanks to the awesome
Mike Hardy for getting another great
gig together. Tony and Paul for looking after us all. Olya for a great sound. Pat for calling into the Zanzi after
slaving over a hot mixing desk at the studio. Ian Cuzzy Laver for just being awesome, Jake for being a good sport and joining in the fun, Matty Hughes from Gods of War, Caz Jones for being a right laugh, Joseph Speak for supporting the
event, and seeing Rich on his way to
work at The Swan. A big thanks also to the bands who gave a great night’s
entertainment Gates of Purgatory,
Reaper, Ensorrowed, Sclavinia, Pandemik and Lazarus Syndrome truly great night see you all again soon!
