Sons and Lovers, Yasmin and Ellie Goulding at O2 Academy Birmingham 16/12/12

Sons and Lovers were the first band on stage and this was their first ever tour. Their lead singer was very energetic, and it didn't take long for the crowd to warm up to them. All of the members were very talented musicians, and they were an enjoyable and harmless band to watch perform. Their latest song, ‘Golden’, which they played live is available to download from their Facebook page. Sons and Lovers are a good opening act.

Next on stage was Yasmin, a DJ from London. She played many unique remixes, including songs originally by Ms Dynamite, Kelis and Ricky Martin. Yasmin’s remixes have an ambient and relaxed vibe, whilst still sounding new and exciting, and the crowd enjoyed listening to a powerful female DJ. Expect big things from her soon!

Ellie Goulding arrived on stage in black shorts and a black top to an adoring crowd of fans. She instantly impressed the crowd with her incredibly beautiful and powerful voice. Not only is she a great singer, but during the concert she also played percussion and an acoustic guitar. She played a strong setlist, with songs such as ‘Figure 8’, ‘Hanging On’ and ‘Joy’. Her band were also all very talented musicians and all of her songs sounded very unique and even better than on record. Ellie revealed her favourite song that she had written was ‘My Blood’, and she played it very passionately. For the encore she played her impressive cover of ‘Your Song’ by Elton John, before ending her set with her most famous song, ‘Starry Eyed’. Ellie Goulding is an amazing female artist, who unlike most in the pop music industry, is very talented and her voice doesn't need auto-tuning.

Check out Sons and Lovers here: http://www.facebook.com/sonsandlovers?group_id=0
Check out Yasmin here: http://www.facebook.com/YasminOnline?group_id=0
Check out Ellie Goulding here: http://www.facebook.com/elliegoulding?group_id=0

Papa Roach and Stone Sour at O2 Academy Brixton 10/12/12

Opening with ‘Still Swinin’’ from their latest album ‘The Connection’, Papa Roach instantly proved the crowd were in for an incredible night of live music. Jacoby Shaddix’s vocals were on top form, and he seemed genuinely excited to be on stage and perform for the first UK date of their December tour. They played a well-varied setlist, including ‘…To Be Loved’, ‘Getting Away With Murder’ and possibly their most famous song, ‘Scars’. Ending their set with the angry anthem ‘Last Resort’, they played a great set for fans both old and new. Papa Roach are a hugely underrated live band and put on a strong live show.

Stone Sour rocked the world in October with their new album ‘House of Gold and Bones – Part One’, and tonight in London they rocked the whole of the O2 Academy. Corey Taylor has an incredible stage presence; it’s almost impossible to take your eyes of him whilst he’s singing. With both strong screaming vocals and softer singing vocals, he’s the ultimate metal singer. Stone Sour opened their set with ‘Gone Sovereign’ and ‘Absolute Zero’, the first two songs from their latest album. Partway through their set Corey Taylor exclusively revealed that  the rumors were in fact true: Stone Sour are playing at Download Festival at Donington Park in 2013. Jim Root is an incredible guitarist and makes even the hardest of riffs look effortless. Stone Sour played a great setlist, packed full of both old and new songs, including ‘Orchids’, ‘Made of Scars’ and ‘Reborn’. ‘A Rumor of Skin’, one of their newer songs, is incredibly powerful to watch live and the crowd definitely enjoyed themselves, with moshpits filling the sold-out O2 Academy. For the encore Corey Taylor came on stage with an acoustic guitar and played songs such as ‘Bother’ and ‘Through Glass’, which was very moving. Stone Sour are amazing live, and their set at Download Festival is definitely not one to be missed!

Check out Papa Roach here: http://www.facebook.com/paparoach?fref=ts
Check out Stone Sour here: http://www.facebook.com/stonesour?fref=ts

Omnivium

Omnivium are an unsigned Melbourne metal band, formed in July 2012. They have three demo songs on their Facebook page, and they have a unique metal sound. ‘Demo Song 1’ has a very catchy riff, with some strong and fast drum beats. The guitaring is incredibly impressive, especially the solo in ‘Demo Song 2’. Although all three demo songs are without any vocals, they have recently acquired a new vocalist, Lewis Miller, and hopefully we’ll hear big things from them soon!

Check them out here: https://www.facebook.com/omnivium.metal/

TRC at The Joiners Southampton 2/12/12

TRC, also known as The Revolution Continues, are a huge part of the UK hardcore scene at the moment. Chris Robson has an incredible stage presence, and told the crowd “It’s about hard work, not hard music.” Playing songs such as ‘Go Hard or Go Home’ and ‘London’s Greatest Love Story’, they were well received by the audience, who responded with extreme hardcore dancing. ‘#TEAMUK’ was an instant crowd pleaser, along with ‘Temptation’. TRC said they’d be back in Southampton soon with a new album. If you’re a hardcore music fan, I’d definitely recommend that you see TRC at a date near you soon! 

Daniel P Carter, Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie at the NIA Birmingham 29/11/12

When Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson announced that they were touring together for the ‘Twins of Evil’ tour, fans around the world desperately tried to get tickets. With two of metal’s biggest icons, it was a tour not to be missed.

First up on stage was Daniel P Carter, the host of BBC Radio One’s Rock Show. He played an interesting DJ set, with bands such as Rammstein and Slipknot. Although he played a good mix of different genres, it was instantly apparent that most of the crowd did not enjoy some of the alternative sounding songs.

Despite Marilyn Manson previously having some negative reviews of his live shows, this tour proved that he is back and stronger than ever. Opening with ‘Hey, Cruel World…’, the first track from his latest album ‘Born Villain’, he instantly had the audience in the palm of his hand. With moshpits appearing everywhere, the crowd went wild. His setlist was incredible, a mixture of his best hits over the years, including ‘Disposable Teens’, ‘mOBSCENE' and ‘The Dope Show’. Marilyn Manson had a wide range of different costumes and props on stage, and he even made it ‘rain’ from the ceiling of the NIA. He also played his infamous covers of ‘Personal Jesus’ by Depeche Mode and ‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) by the Eurythmics. Marilyn Manson has an amazingly powerful voice, and backed up by his amazing band and incredible stage antics, he’s definitely underrated and if you haven’t seen him live already I would definitely recommend that you do!

Rob Zombie is an incredible artist, at both his music and his films, and tonight the two perfectly merged together, giving his fans an unforgettable show. He opened with ‘Jesus Frankenstein’, a powerful song from ‘Hellbilly Deluxe II’. Despite Rob Zombie explaining that his voice was a little worse-for-wear, he still put on an incredible show and his voice still remained enjoyable to listen to. He also played two White Zombie songs, ‘More Human Than Human’ and ‘Thunder Kiss ‘65’, which seemed to make the crowd extremely happy. As well as Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie had many props too, including a mars rover, huge bouncy balls and a massive screen behind him playing horror movie clips, both of his films and iconic horrors over the years. ‘Living Dead Girl’ was definitely a crowd favourite, along with ‘Mars Needs Women’ and ‘Sick Bubble-Gum’. Ginger Fish played an amazing drum solo, and John 5 also played an impressive guitar solo. They played a great cover of Alice Cooper’s ‘School’s Out’, before ending the show with probably Rob Zombie’s most famous song, ‘Dragula’.

The ‘Twins of Evil’ tour has an incredible line-up, and it’s definitely one of 2012’s hottest shows. If you want metal, mayhem and fun, then this show is definitely for you! 

This Means War – ‘Truckasaurus’ Single Review

This Means War are a five-piece metal band from Brighton. With an extremely catchy opening riff, the song is instantly impressive. With fast-paced guitaring and heavy vocals, This Means War prove that they are an exciting new addition to the metal scene. A strong bass line and breakdown suggests that they’d be a great band to see perform live. ‘Truckasaurus’ conjures up images of the giant mechanical truck dinosaur from ‘The Simpsons’, but it’s now also an insanely good metal song.

Check out This Means War on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thismeanswarband/

Fifth Day of Ice – ‘Blood Red Sunrise’ Single Review

Fifth Day of Ice are a five-piece metalcore band from Townsville. Their single, ‘Blood Red Sunrise’, starts with ambient guitaring, leading onto a heavy riff and impressive drumming. Their vocalist Brad has very powerful vocals, whether he’s screaming or singing. ‘Blood Red Sunrise’ has a fantastically brutal breakdown, and if you’re a fan of bands such as Parkway Drive and August Burns Red, I’d definitely recommend that you listen to them.

Check out the song here: http://www.reverbnation.com/fifthdayofice
Like Fifth Day of Ice on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fifth-Day-Of-Ice/

Klone, Trepalium and Gojira at Mo’ Club Southampton 15/11/12

The Mo’ Club is a small music venue in Southampton, which also serves as a roller-disco venue. With powerful lighting and good sound quality it’s a great place to see bands and enjoy live music.

Klone burst onto stage, full of energy and passion.  Formed in 1999 in France, they were a great start to an evening of live French metal music. Opening with ‘The Eye of Needle (Part 2)’ Klone were impressive from the start of their set due to their unique sound. Yann Linger has incredibly powerful vocals and also performed some entertaining dance moves on stage.  ‘All Seeing Eye’ seemed to be a crowd favourite, and it had a very powerful bass line. Klone’s new album, ‘The Dreamer’s Hideaway’ is out now.

Next on stage was Trepalium, another French metal band who formed in 2000. More in the death metal genre, they impressed the crowd with heavy riffs and breakdowns. Singer Cédric Punda has strikingly deep vocals and the crowd seemed to thoroughly enjoy their set. Ending their set with a song called ‘Usual Crap’, they proved they were a strong live band and all notable musicians. If you’re a fan of death metal, I’d definitely recommend them.

After two impressive support bands, the eagerly anticipated Gojira arrived on stage. After impressing both critics and fans with their fifth album ‘L’Enfant Sauvage’ in June, it was fairly obvious that their set tonight was going to be incredible. Opening with their latest single ‘Explosia’, the crowd instantly descended into a sea of headbanging and moshpits. Joe Duplantier is one of the best metal vocalists around today and he’s even better live than on record. It was guitarist Christain Andreu’s birthday so the crowd all sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to him, which was a great moment of the night. Gojira had a strong setlist of both old and new songs, and when they started playing ‘The Heaviest Matter of the Universe’ it was obvious it was a crowd-pleaser. Mario Duplantier played an impressive drum solo which wowed the audience. Ending their incredible set with ‘The Gift of Guilt’, Southampton definitely got an amazing night of French metal here at the Mo’ Club.

Check out Klone here:  http://www.facebook.com/KLONEBAND
Check out Trepalium here: http://www.facebook.com/TREPALIUMBAND
Check out Gojira here: http://www.facebook.com/GojiraMusic

Wake of Redemption ‘Earthshaker’ Album Review

Wake of Redemption are a progressive Christian metal band from North Carolina. Despite Christian metal not being as popular as the original genre, Wake of Redemption prove that you don’t have to blaspheme in metal songs to be successful.

The opening track, ‘Goliath’, instantly transports you into a world of progressive metal with melodic guitar and powerful screaming vocals. With obvious influences from Dream Theater and Opeth, Wake of Redemption are pleasant to listen to and very talented.

‘Break Free’ is a fast-paced song with impressive technical guitaring. The vocals are softer, showing the variation of the band and how they aren't a band where every song sounds the same; they’re more exciting and varied.

The third song on the album, ‘Earthshaker’, has an amazing guitar solo – definitely enough to make any progressive metal fan air-guitar along. This is possibly the best song as it incorporates everything needed for a successful metal song: a good breakdown, heavy vocals and a strong drumbeat.

‘Mars’ is an infectiously catchy song, even just from hearing the first few seconds. Hard hitting riffs and varying vocals instantly capture your attention, making it an extremely effective song.

The fifth track, ‘Oh, Yeah!’, includes even more impressive solos, which are obviously a strong point of the band. Try and stop yourself singing along to this song: I dare you.

‘Fade Away’ is a fast-paced metal song which proves Wake of Redemption have mastered a variety of both fast and slow songs. The lyrics capture the band’s Christian influence: “God’s in my heart and he will stay.”

‘Risen’ is the seventh track on the album. The harmonic guitaring is remarkable and matches the impressive vocals perfectly.

The last song on the album is ‘Artorius Rex’. At over nine minutes long it’s the lengthiest track on the album, a popular trait of progressive songs. With interesting lyrics and vocals, it’s a great way to end a powerful album.

Check out the album for yourself here: http://wakeofredemption.bandcamp.com/

Torpor Review

Torpor are a sludge/post-metal band founded in early 2012. The dictionary definition of the band’s name means “A state of mental or physical inactivity or insensibility,” which possibly reflects their introspective view of the human condition and life.

The first track on their ‘SoundCloud’ account is ‘Bled Dry’, which starts with a guitar riff which displays their obvious influence from bands such as Will Haven and Crowbar. A mixture of harsh vocals and shouting also reinforce their post-metal genre. It is apparent from the first song that they are very talented and bring a fresh attitude to sludge metal.

‘Ashes’ is the second song, opening with a powerful drumbeat and slightly harmonic sounding guitar. Harsh vocals then break the tranquility as it descends into heavy sludge metal. With a powerful breakdown and a changing pace, ‘Ashes’ is enjoyable to listen to.

The third track, ‘Anchors’, is full of anger and distortion, making it diverse and distinctive. A mixture of brutal vocals mixed and down tuned guitars is what you will find in this five minute song.  

‘Blackened Lungs’ is the last song. The distorted guitars are incredibly impressive, and, as with the previous three songs, the vocals stay strong and make a huge impact on the listener. All in all, it was good to hear of fresh talent in the sludge metal genre. With a lot of character and a unique style, Torpor are an interesting band to listen to.

Listen to Torpor’s songs here: http://soundcloud.com/torpornoise

Green Day – ‘Stray Heart’ Single Review

Stray Heart’ is the latest single from Green Day’s upcoming album '¡Dos!’, which will be released on Monday 12^th November. Opening with a catchy bass line, it’s off to a good start for the American punk rock band. The chorus is ridiculously catchy; it’s definitely something that will stick in your head afterwards, whether you love it or hate it. ‘Stray Heart’ has a happy vibe about it and it’s enjoyable to listen to. However, it does sound slightly similar to their 2004 single ‘Letterbomb’. Maybe the full album will see the band going back to their roots? We’ll soon find out.

Listen to ‘Stray Heart’ here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrsmegFkwpk&feature=player_embedded

‘For The Hearts Still Beating’ by Harboured Album Review

The opening track, '16 Ways to Start a Fight’ begins with the line “I like these calm little moments before the storm. It reminds me of Beethoven,” from the 1994 film ‘Leon’. Harboured sure know how to make an entrance. With strong hardcore vocals and heavy riffs, they have a similar sound to bands such as Deez Nuts and Your Demise.

‘The Bold, the Brave, the Free’ has varying tones and a deep bass line, sounding extremely catchy and impressive for a band that only formed this year. It’s one of the best hardcore songs I've heard due to its striking breakdown and appealing chorus. If you only listen to one song by Harboured, I recommend this one.

The next song on the album is ‘Devastator’, which is two minutes and thirty-seven seconds of fast-paced guitaring and very heavy vocals. With yet another impressive breakdown, they've mastered the hardcore genre very well. 'Kids Who Play Contra’ is another short song, with yet another catchy riff. Despite being a short song, it leaves a strong impression and sounds great.

‘Kids Who Play Contra’ is another short song, with yet another catchy riff. Despite being a short song, it leaves a very strong impression.

The fifth track, ‘Better off Betrayed’ begins with an impressive technical guitar riff, leading into heavy vocals shouting “Get on your knees!” It’s almost impossible to stop yourself moshing away to this song, and the drumming is extremely notable. It would definitely be amazing to hear this song played live.
‘D.D.T’ is an extremely fast-paced thirty-six second song, full of energy and liveliness.
The final track on the album, ‘Hang Your Head’ is a strong ending to an impressive first album, with possibly the best breakdown on the album. Full of anger and emotion, making it very enjoyable for any hardcore fan to listen to.

Their album is free to download, and I strongly suggest that you check it out here: http://harbouredhc.bandcamp.com.

Exit Ten, Redlight King and Shinedown at the Southampton Guildhall 24/10/12

Exit Ten burst onto the stage, full of energy and life. They had a strong stage presence, with Ryan Redman’s crazy dancing instantly capturing the audience’s attention. His voice was incredible and matched the talents of his other band mates. Despite only playing four songs, their set was brilliant and gave the crowd just a hint of what Exit Ten are about. They’re definitely a band to look out for in the future.

Next on were Redlight King, an alternative rock band from Canada, who announced to the audience that it was their first ever show in England. The guitarists were amazingly talented and interesting to watch due to the varying tones and styles of music throughout their set. The set they played stood out well because their songs varied from rap rock to hard rock, with one song even sounding like it had reggae influences. They closed their set with ‘Bullet in my Hand’, and they were an interesting band to watch play.

As soon as the lights dimmed the crowd expected Shinedown to appear on stage, however, instead ’99 Problems’ by Jay Z starting playing, leaving the crowd anxiously anticipating Shinedown’s arrival. When they eventually arrived, they caused absolute chaos by opening with ‘Sound of Madness’, an obvious crowd-pleaser. Brent Smith is one of the best lead singers in the rock scene at the moment, his voice is astounding and he has an amazing stage presence. ‘If Only You Knew’ is a beautiful ballad which left the crowd in awe. Brent Smith said “Rock and roll is more than a genre, it’s a way of life,” leading to many cheers from the crowd. Shinedown’s rendition of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Simple Man’ sounded incredible. Ending their set with ‘Bully’, Shinedown definitely rocked the Guildhall. Shinedown are the whole package: a band of talented musicians who are amazing live. Go see Shinedown if you haven’t already; you won’t regret it!

All Time Low - ‘For Baltimore’ Single Review

Opening with slow and mellow guitar tones then progressing into pop-punk, All Time Low have released a great single which sounds like a mixture of the best parts of their old and newer albums. ‘For Baltimore’ is a harmlessly happy song and Alex Gaskarth’s voice has improved a great deal.  With a ridiculously catchy chorus and lyrics, ‘For Baltimore’ proves All Time Low are definitely back and on top form!

Bullet For My Valentine – ‘Temper Temper’ Review

Starting off with a strong guitar riff, it sounds like Bullet are back and better than ever. However, after the great intro, the rest of the song doesn’t live up to expectations. With predictable lyrics in the chorus, the song sounds like it should be angry, but it actually only sounds slightly displeased. It sounds almost identical to every song off their previous album ‘Fever’. A mediocre song, from a band that should have blown us all away with their new material.   

Go Primitive, Evarose, With One Last Breath and Yashin at Vault 7/7/12

Go Primitive are an alternative rock band formed in Rugby in 2009. Since then they have played many gigs in the surrounding area, forming a huge local fan base. With catchy riffs and a great lead singer they’re always enjoyable to watch live and this concert was no exception. All in all they are a strong live band and I’d recommend any rock fans to download their music and see them live.

Next on stage were Evarose, an all-female rock band from Banbury. They were listed in Kerrang! magazine’s ’20 New Bands You Need To Hear for 2012’, and they’ve been very successful. Dannika Webber’s vocals are versatile and astounding, perfectly matching the guitar riffs and drum beats. Evarose are a great live band, and proof that females can rock just as hard as men!

With One Last Breath are a metal band from York, inspired by The Devil Wears Prada and We Came As Romans. Full of heavy riffs and screaming, they really rocked the Rugby crowd. Despite having lots of screaming vocals, they also had some beautiful harmonies and amazing breakdowns. They’re going from strength to strength, and they’re definitely a band to look out for.

Last but not least, Yashin appeared on stage. The Scottish post-hardcore band have toured with many famous bands, such as Papa Roach and Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, even playing at Download Festival, SlamDunk and Pukkelpop. Vocalists Harry Radford and Kevin Miles entertained the crowd with both powerful screaming vocals and amazing singing vocals. Their performance of their latest single ‘Make It Out Alive’ was amazing and definitely a crowd-pleaser. Yashin have become extremely popular in the past couple of years, and they’ll definitely continue going from strength to strength in the future. One of the best bands to play at the Vault so far!

Black Sabbath at Download Festival 10/6/12

Closing Download Festival on Sunday night was none other than the legendary Black Sabbath. Formed in 1969 and still going strong, Black Sabbath have inspired many of the bands who played throughout the weekend at Download Festival and also many more in the rock and metal scene. Opening with ‘Black Sabbath’, Ozzy Osbourne instantly proved he was back right where he belonged, performing to thousands of eager fans. They played classic songs such as ‘The Wizard’, ‘War Pigs’ and ‘Sweet Leaf’, which were amazing to see performed live. ‘Iron Man’ was definitely an instant crowd-pleaser. Tony Iommi, the only continual member of Black Sabbath, is an amazing guitarist and inspirational for performing despite his illness. Ending with ‘Paranoid’ and many fireworks, it was the perfect ending to Download Festival 2012. All I can say is bring on next year!

Soundgarden at Download Festival 10/6/12

Since forming in 1984, Soundgarden have been impressing rock fans with their incredible live performances and songs. Opening their Download Festival set with ‘Spoonman’, they instantly had the crowd hooked with their amazing guitar riffs and Chris Cornell’s powerful voice. They played many of their hits, such as ‘Let Me Drown’, ‘Fell on Black Days’ and ‘My Wave’. Their performance of their most famous song, ‘Black Hole Sun’ was astounding and proved why they’ve been so successful over the years. They ended their set with ‘Beyond the Wheel’ from their 1988 debut album ‘Ultramega OK’. They gave a great performance, and I couldn’t thinkof a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than watching Soundgarden perform to thousands at Donington Park.

Refused at Download Festival 10/6/12

After the exciting news that Refused were reforming earlier this year, it was incredible to finally watch them play on the Sunday at Download Festival. The Swedish hardcore punk band opened with ‘Worms of the Senses / Faculties of the Skull’, instantly proving that they were back and even better than ever. Their performance of ‘Rather Be Dead’ was amazing and still full of the teenage angst they were famous for back in the nineties. Dennis Lyxzén is one of the best lead vocalists around: his voice is amazing, he moves around the stage with so much energy and he’s incredibly grateful to the fans for staying by them throughout the years. Ending their set with the incredible song ‘New Noise’, they showed both fans and critics that they definitely still had their talent. They were one of the best bands to perform throughout the weekend, and they definitely should have had a much bigger crowd. Every hardcore and punk fan should definitely see Refused at least once in their lifetime, they’re inspirational and one of the best bands you will ever see.

Metallica at Download Festival 9/6/12

To celebrate the 21^st anniversary of the release of ‘The Black Album’, Metallica headlined Download Festival on the Saturday night. They opened with ‘Hit the Lights’, and it was amazing to see Metallica rocking Donington Park once again. They played the whole of ‘The Black Album’ – in reverse order. This means they played many incredible Metallica hits, such as ‘The God That Failed’, ‘Nothing Else Matters’ and ‘The Unforgiven’, to name a few. Halfway through ‘Enter Sandman’ James Hetfield started a sing-along with the crowd: “Donington! Metallica! Together at last, like a family. Metallica’s family! Right here, right now. I can hear you, can you hear me?” Some fans have dubbed this immature and childish, others loved it. Ending with ‘Seek and Destroy’, Metallica played yet another amazing set, full of great metal music and fireworks. Love them or hate them, there’s no denying that Metallica are one of the greatest metal bands and always put on an incredible show.

Killswitch Engage at Download Festival 9/6/12

Earlier this year many fans of Killswitch Engage were shocked when Howard Jones left the band, and to replace him they got none other than their original lead vocalist, Jesse Leach. Opening with ‘Fixation on the Darkness’, Jesse instantly proved that he was back and better than ever. His harsh vocals are amazing and it felt like he had never left the band. Their performance of ‘The End of Heartache’ was flawless and filled with emotion. Ending with their cover of Dio’s ‘Holy Diver’ it was an incredible comeback show for both Jesse and Killswitch Engage.

Corey Taylor at Download Festival 9/6/12

Corey Taylor is an amazingly versatile musician; famous for screaming in Slipknot, singing in Stone Sour, and more recently in the past year, playing intimate acoustic solo shows. Opening with ‘Bother’, originally a Stone Sour song, he amazed the crowd with his beautiful voice and guitar skills. He played an acoustic version of Slipknot’s ‘Spit It Out’, which actually sounded great, and instead of asking people to sit on the ground then jump up, as he does when he plays the song with Slipknot, he asked everyone to hop on one leg, causing great amusement to the crowd. He debuted a song from the new Stone Sour album, saying it was the first time it had been played live, which was called ‘Taciturn’ and proved Stone Sour are going to be back and better than ever. After playing songs by his two bands, he proceeded to play covers of his favourite songs, including a flawless version of Pink Floyd’s ‘Comfortably Numb’. Lzzy Hale of Halestorm joined Corey on stage for a mind-blowing performance of AC/DC’s ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’. Lzzy’s voice was raw and powerful, matching Corey’s perfectly. Ending with ‘Outsider’ by The Ramones, Corey Taylor proved in this amazing but short set what an incredible musician he is, and how we should definitely keep a look out for many more exciting things to come.

Tenacious D at Download Festival 9/6/12

Six years after Tenacious D’s ‘The Pick of Destiny’ was released, they’re finally back with ‘Rize of the Fenix’, and funnier than ever. Despite being seen as a comical band, Jack Black and Kyle Gass are talented musicians who know exactly how to entertain an audience. Opening with the title track from their debut album, they instantly had the crowd hooked. The latest songs were received well, but it was obvious from the crowd’s reaction that the old songs will always remain their favourites. Their performance of ‘Beelzeboss’ was incredible; they pretended their guitarist was possessed by the devil and it was an amazing moment to see. I’d recommend seeing Tenacious D to any rock fan, even if it would just be to see ‘Tribute’ live!

Steel Panther at Download Festival 9/6/12

Love them or hate them, Steel Panther were definitely one of the most amusing acts at Download Festival 2012. The mixture of parody and glam metal made them amusing to watch, but not only that, they’re also actually really good musicians. Michael Starr knew exactly how to make the crowd laugh and sing along with him and he also encouraged a lot of female nudity, probably setting a record for the amount of women to flash during a set… ever. They played old classics such as ‘Asian Hooker’ and ‘Community Property’, and also songs from their latest album ‘Balls Out’ such as the subtlety named ‘Just Like Tiger Woods’ and ‘Tomorrow Night’. Partway through their set, they introduced Corey Taylor onto the stage, who featured in three songs from Steel Panther’s 2009 album ‘Feel The Steel’. It was an unforgettable set, and I’d highly recommend anyone looking for a hilarious live band to see Steel Panther, you won’t regret it!

Lower Than Atlantis at Download Festival 9/6/12

Formed in 2007, British rock band Lower Than Atlantis have gone from strength to strength with every album they’ve released. They mostly played songs from their 2011 release ‘World Record’, opening their set with ‘Motor(way) of Life’. However, they also played  new songs such as ‘Love Someone Else’ and ‘If The World Was To End’. Mike Duce is an amazing lead singer with an incredible voice which is full of emotion. For such a great live band they definitely didn’t have a big enough audience, and hopefully if they play again they’ll have a much larger crowd.

The Prodigy at Download Festival 8/6/12

The Prodigy are one of the most renowned electronic music bands around, and their headline slot at Download Festival definitely proved why.  They opened with ‘World’s On Fire’, instantly sending the crowd wild and setting the tone for the rest of the evening. Their set list contained many classic hits, such as ‘Firestarter’ and ‘Breathe’, but they also played songs from their 2009 album ‘Invaders Must Die’. Maxim Reality knew exactly how to hype the crowd up and seemed genuinely at home on stage. The mixture of flashing lights and electronic music transformed Donington Park into a rave for a couple of hours, and it was truly incredible to watch them do what they do best, perform to thousands. The Prodigy proved Download Festival isn’t exclusive to metal and rock, it’s a celebration of amazing live music.

Chase and Status at Download Festival 8/6/12

As soon as Chase and Status were announced for Download Festival many people were sceptical, saying drum and bass artists shouldn’t be performing at a rock festival. However, after their incredible live performance, Chase and Status definitely changed many people’s minds. The atmosphere was amazing, and it was almost impossible to stand still during their set. Opening with the classic song ‘Smash TV’, they instantly blew the crowd away with heavy beats and dubstep. ‘No Problem’ was another crowd-pleaser, with extremely catchy lyrics and a strong musical vibe. Ending with ‘Fool Yourself’, they proved their definitely is a place for drum and bass at Donington Park. 

Machine Head at Download Festival 8/6/12

Machine Head are one of the most prolific metal bands, constantly wowing crowds around the world with their work and live shows. Opening with ‘I Am Hell (Sonata In C#)’, the mosh pits and circle pits were almost instant, proving they have an amazingly strong fan base. Robb Flynn owns the stage with his presence, making him one of the most idolised men in modern metal. The atmosphere was incredible, the whole crowd absolutely loved their performance, especially when Machine Head played ‘Imperium’. The heavy riffs, strong vocals and insane drumming; Machine Head have it all, and from seeing them live it’s easy to see why they’re so highly regarded in the metal community. 

Billy Talent at Download Festival 8/6/12

Opening with ‘Devil in a Midnight Mass’, Billy Talent proved within seconds they were going to give an incredible live performance. Benjamin Kowalewicz is the ultimate front man: he has amazing vocals, a lot of energy and is a definite crowd pleaser. They played old favourites such as ‘Rusted From The Rain’ and ‘Fallen Leaves’, but also a new song called ‘Viking Death Match’, proving they are definitely here to stay. They even invited Cancer Bats on stage to perform a song as their set was moved which was an incredible surprise, with Cancer Bats blowing everyone away with ‘Hail Destroyer’. Ending their astounding set with ‘Red Flag’, they were definitely one of the best bands of the weekend, good choice Andy Copping! 

NOFX at Download Festival 8/6/12

NOFX are a punk rock band from San Francisco who are very upbeat and enjoyable to listen to. They seemed completely at ease on stage, laughing and making jokes whilst playing. Playing their most popular songs, such as ‘Franco Un-American’ and ‘Bob’, they had the crowd smiling and singing along. NOFX were a great choice of band to play, and proof that not all rock music has to sound the same. Variation is one of the best things about the rock genre, and NOFX are definitely a unique band and fascinating to watch live. 

Fear Factory at Download Festival 8/6/12

Cancer Bats were supposed to be the first band on stage at Download Festival, however, due to the appalling weather conditions the gates were opened late and their set was moved back, making Fear Factory the first band to grace the stage. Despite the weather, thousands of people stood in the rain and mud to watch the industrial band Fear Factory. Opening with ‘Shock’, they proved they have incredible guitars who have strong riffs to headbang along to. Burton C. Bell was very energetic front man and his screams very low pitched. The crowd seemed to enjoy ‘Linchpin’ the best, due to its almost dance-like rhythm and techno beats. All in all, they were a good opening band for the Donington rock and metal festival. 

Modestep and Lostprophets at the O2 Academy Birmingham 23/4/12

Four-piece bass orientated London band Modestep were first on stage. They played a variety of dubstep and pop for the crowd to dance to, and despite probably not being most people’s ideal support band for Lostprophets, they definitely got the crowd excited and moving around. Modestep proved they were very talent and definitely opened the crowd’s eyes to a new genre of music. They played their most recognised song, ‘Sunlight’, which went down extremely well. Despite dubstep being underrated by most people, they put on a great show and had a strong singer.

Opening with the anthem ‘Bring Em Down’ from their latest album ‘Weapons’, Lostprophets instantly proved they were back to dominate the stage; back for good. Ian Watkins has an amazing voice, which sounds even better live than recorded and he was full of energy. They had a strong setlist, full of old classics such as ‘A Town Called Hypocrisy’ and ‘Last Summer’, but also playing new songs such as ‘Another Shot’ and ‘We Bring An Arsenal’, keeping both old and new fans happy. Lostprophets keep going from strength to strength, and their live shows are truly incredible.

Morningstar, Eva Rose and Fearless Vampire Killers at Vault Rugby 21/4/12

Morningstar are an unsigned hard rock band from Rugby with an amazing female lead vocalist, Beth Tysall. They used many varying tempos, making each song sound unique and keeping the audience fully engaged. Another strong live band from Rugby with great potential.

The all female band Evarose were next on stage, bursting with energy and catchy riffs to instantly capture the audience. The fusion of rock and pop was enjoyable to listen to and they definitely gained many new fans tonight.

Fearless Vampire Killers were the headline act this evening and they definitely put on a great show. Describing themselves as ‘death pop’, their upbeat melodies and harmonies kept the whole of the Vault moving throughout their set. They even played a cover of ‘Club Tropicana’, making the evening a lot different from the usual metal concerts hosted at the Vault. They proved they were very talented and this definitely won’t be the last you’ll hear of them, it’s only the beginning.

Angelbomb, Divine Solace and Tear of Eden at Vault Rugby 14/4/12

Angelbomb, a mixture of punk and industrial music, were first on stage. They were extremely different from the metal bands that are usually perform at the Vault, but they received a good reaction from the crowd and had some strong songs.

Progressive metal band Divine Solace were next on stage. The guitarists were incredible and very impressive, keeping the audience engaged throughout their whole set. They played ‘Beyond The Stars’, an extremely impressive song which proved their lead singer, Ben Hughes, has an amazing vocal range.

Tear of Eden were last on stage, playing their first show in Rugby for six months. Lead singer Kevin Ashburn is an extremely energetic vocalist, with strong vocals to match. One of the songs they played was called ‘The Captive’, about being inside your head for too long. They have a new four track EP coming soon, and I highly recommend that you check it out if you like melodic metal.

Confession, Miss May I, The Ghost Inside and Parkway Drive at the HMV Institute Birmingham 8/4/12

Confession are an Australian hardcore metal band; a good choice for a support band for Parkway Drive. Confession arrived on stage to the ‘A Team’ theme song, a surprising yet original entrance for a metal band. They played a new song called ‘Heartless’ which started off slowly, then progressed into a fast song with brutal sounding vocals. They were received well by the audience, especially when they played a cover of ‘Break Stuff’ by Limp Bizkit. They ended with ‘Long Way Home’, a song about travelling and playing shows.

Miss May I had many moshpits before they even arrived on stage, proving how strong their fan base is. Levi Benton proved himself to be an extremely energetic front man who is very talented. They played a good mix of old and new songs, dedicating ‘Forgive and Forget’ for their fans who had seen them before.

The Ghost Inside exploded onto the stage, filling the HMV Institute with brutal hardcore riffs. Jonathan Vigil has an incredible vocal range and was extremely impressive. They played a strong set and closed it with the incredibly catchy song ‘Unspoken’.

After three strong support bands, Parkway Drive took centre stage. Parkway Drive are renowned for their incredible live shows, and it’s safe to say that they definitely delivered. Opening with ‘Unrest’, they managed to make the whole crowd move; it’s almost impossible to stand still whilst watching Parkway Drive live. Winston McCall sounded truly grateful to every fan there and he gave an impressive performance. Ending with the melodic song ‘Carrion’, they proved that Easter Sunday is a perfect day for hardcore metal.

Full Metal Racket 16 – HurtSeason, Burials and Chronographs at Vault, Rugby 6/4/12

The first band on stage were HurtSeason, a four-piece metal band from the Midlands. They were a heavy band, with obvious influences from bands such as Lamb of God, creating a strong heavy vibe, which continued and intensified throughout the night. The strong screaming vocals from Tom Scott were enjoyable to listen to, and his singing was equally as impressive. With great guitar solos and catchy riffs, they were a great opening band and further proof that the Midlands have some amazing talent on the metal scene.

Burials exploded onto the stage with the confidence to knock any hardcore band of its feet. The melodic breakdowns of their songs were remarkable, emphasised by the lead singer’s variable vocal style. Their energetic performance was exciting to watch, and the use of samples in their songs emphasised this as no song sounded the same. The variation in songs were enjoyable to listen to, and Burials are definitely a band to watch out for in the not-too-distant future.

The final band on was Chronographs, and this was their last date on their UK tour with Burials. Jon Sinfield’s heavy vocals were extremely impressive, and the amazing audience reception proved how much of a great live band they are. ‘Dutch Courage’ was an instant crowd-pleaser; the strong beat and heavy riffs created a huge mosh-pit, and it was almost impossible not to move along to the music. Chronographs also seemed like genuinely funny guys, they joked that their drummer was really Harry Styles from One Direction. Judging by the songs heard during their performance, their new album 'Nausea' will definitely be an amazing metal album. All in all, it was another amazing night for metal fans at the Vault in Rugby.

The Dead Presleys, NeonFly and The Morning After at Vault, Rugby 18/3/12

The Dead Presleys are a band from Rugby who have only been around since 2011, but they are already known for being a fun and exciting live band. The fast punk riffs and loud vocals were enjoyable to listen to, and all of the members seemed to be having a great time, just like the crowd. ‘Run Away Baby’ was brilliantly performed and their raw talent is obvious to anyone who has the pleasure to watch them live. The Dead Presleys are frequent performers at The Vault, but hopefully they will be playing a venue near you soon. 

London band NeonFly were next on stage, and they definitely did not disappoint anyone’s expectations. Their lead singer, Willy Norton was very enthusiastic about his performance and his vocals matched this. NeonFly’s harmonic influences create a very unique-sounding metal band, and the fast-paced riffs match this perfectly. Their bassist, Paul Miller, is very talented and his fast playing-style is very impressive. NeonFly’s incredible live performance proved that metal can still be unique and exciting, and that metal will never truly die. Their album, ‘Outshine The Sun’ is a very exceptional album, which will hopefully get them far in the music scene. 

As soon as The Morning After arrived on stage, it was immediately apparent that they had glam metal influences and that they were going to really rock Rugby. The lead singer, Sam Ryder, has an incredibly melodic voice, which appeals to not only those who love metal, but also those who like the lighter side of rock. He managed to engage the crowd with the performance, even getting a member of the audience to hold his guitar for him. Every song sounded different, adding to their unique style and everyone in the crowd were moving along to the music. The catchy chorus of ‘America’ was an instant crowd-pleaser; ‘I couldn’t forget you if I tried’ was an appropriate lyric, as they are an incredible live band who gave an unforgettable performance. The Morning After have raised the standard of the bands who perform at The Vault, helping to put Rugby on the scene for amazing live music. And I was definitely still singing the songs the morning after seeing them!

Thank you

I would just like to take this post to thank every one of you who read my blog and check out my reviews. It means the world to me that people enjoy reading my work and what I have to say. It would be amazing if you could also like my Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/GigReviewsByJulia and suggest it to your friends. Thanks once again, and hopefully I should be going to a lot more concerts soon, so I can write a lot more reviews!

Far East Movement and LMFAO 09/03/2012

Some may see Far East Movement as a ‘one hit wonder’ band after their explosive 2010 hit ‘Like a G6’. However, they took this evening to prove they are a lot more than a forgettable hip hop band; they are a enthusiastic and talented band who really know how to engage with a crowd. Of course, when they played ‘Like a G6’ it got the most reception from the audience, however, they played a wide range of songs which all sounded unique and they even premiered a song from their new album, ‘Dirty Bass’. Their talented DJ played songs, which ensured that the crowd were able to dance and have a good time, and each rapper sounded unique. If you want to see a hip hop band which do not sound the same as the other mainstream artists, then definitely go and see ‘Far East Movement’.

LMFAO. Despite the band name looking like teenage internet slang, they are one of the most exciting live bands around at the moment. Coming on stage to a group of backing dancers, inflatable bottles of alcohol, inflatable palm trees and zebras, it was apparent that LMFAO were going to be far from boring! Redfoo (“with the ass ‘fro, yeah!”) came on stage apologising about SkyBlu’s absence from the show and burst into their latest single and album title track, ‘Sorry For Party Rocking’. For each song Redfoo and his backing dancers changed into different outfits with the song names on, and for ‘Put That A$$ To Work’ the dancers wore small leotards. The atmosphere was incredible; hundreds of people dancing away to the incredible songs being played. Each song sounded as clear as it does recorded, and Redfoo was an incredibly entertaining front man for the evening. The thrusting and gyrating for ‘I Am Not A Whore’ was extremely entertaining, and the cartoon characters on the screen were more than insightful of the party lifestyle LMFAO like to live.  ‘Sexy and I Know It’ was a memorable song to see live: all of the dancers and Redfoo were in Speedos, and seeing hundreds of people doing the ‘wiggle’ was amazing. LMFAO are a fun filled live band with many props and gimmicks, and they lived up to the expectations of them being an entertaining, light-hearted and fun-filled band.

Uneven Structure, Blood Command, Long Distance Calling and Protest The Hero 03/03/2012

Uneven Structure are a progressive metal band, with a slight Djent sound, from France. Their lead singer, Matthieu Romarin, has a strong voice, which filled up the O2 Academy well. Due to the variation of singing and screaming the band were able to appeal to most of the audience, including those who like the heavier side of metal.

The next band that appeared on stage defied the crowd’s expectations; a petite blonde girl who came on stage and started screaming. However, she had truly unique vocals; despite screaming, she managed to maintain her high-pitched vocals, which contrasted nicely with the low backing vocals from the males in the band. Blood Command had a distinct hardcore punk-rock sound, which was extremely refreshing to listen to in an age of ‘wannabe Paramore’ female-fronted bands.

After hearing that the next band on were instrumental I was slightly dubious about what they would sound like live and how the crowd would react. However, I should not have worried as Long Distance Calling were extremely talent and the crowd were fixated with them. All of the members were extremely talented musicians and every song sounded unique and the breakdowns were incredible. After watching them perform they have completely changed my view on instrumental music and many others’ in the room too.

Anyone who knows of Protest The Hero understand that they are extremely inimitable and quirky, with last night being no exception as they came onstage to a song from ‘The Lion King’. They opened with ‘Sex Tapes’ and the moshpits started instantly; the atmosphere was incredible. After playing ‘Termites’ Rody Walker said “That song has the word ‘rattletrap’ in it, want to know where I heard that for the first time? Hannah Montana. There’s a long and complicated reason as to why I was watching that show…” Rody proved he was a carefree born-entertainer with a great sense of humour, and throughout the night he was incredible at engaging with the audience. The bands’ energy was contagious and all of the crowd were moving and singing all of the words back at Rody. The riffs sounded perfect and the drumbeat was strong, matching with Rody’s exceptional vocal range. ‘Hair-Trigger’ seemed to be the most popular song and it was incredible to see such an exciting band live.

The Xcerts, I Am the Avalanche and Brand New 15/02/2012

Scottish band ‘The Xcerts’ were the first band on stage; young, exciting and extremely enjoyable to listen to. Despite not being remarkably well known, they provided an entertaining set with catchy riffs and powerful lyrics. ‘Slackerpop’, a song which has recently been featured on ‘Kerrang!’, is an enthusiastic rock anthem which really got the crowd moving. Finishing with the fast-paced ‘Hurt With Me’, the ‘The Xcerts’ used tonight to prove how talented they are, and hopefully we will be hearing a lot more from them in the near future.

Brooklyn boys ‘I Am the Avalanche’ exploded onto the stage with ‘Holy Fuck’; a wise move, as the amount of ‘Woahs!’ enabled the entire crowd to join in, whether they had heard of the band before or not. The lead singer, Vinnie Caruana, seemed truly astounded by how much the crowd were enjoying themselves and extremely grateful for the support, which is humbling to see from a recent band nowadays. The fast riffs and melodic singing in 'The Gravedigger's Argument' was astounding to listen to, and the swift changes in the pace of the song highlighted how exciting they are to watch live. 


The style of music Brand New perform is incredible; it ranges from melodic hardcore, to rock, to alternative. Despite being hard to define, they are a powerful and enticing live band; pure emotion oozes out of every lyric that escapes Jesse Lacey’s mouth. ‘Millstone’ had the crowd stood in amazement, yet the sound of everyone singing along was deafening. Jesse opened up for ‘Sic Transit Gloria.. Glory Fades’ by saying “This song is the best song we’ve ever wrote,” which was definitely apparent from the jumping which occurred as soon as the song started. ‘Seventy Times 7’ was an instant crowd pleaser; the lyrics are extremely strong and angry. A softer approach was met for the melodic ‘Mixtape’ and ‘Jesus’, with many lighters in the air and lots of swaying. Jesse is an incredible front man; not just due to his voice, but also how down-to-earth he is. He even had a rant about the different between American and English crisps, which was absolutely hilarious. After an impressive hour and a half set, ‘Brand New’ closed with ‘You Won’t Know’, the riff haunting everyone in the crowd. All in all, it was a fantastic night for rock/alternative music, filled with powerful lead singers and catchy riffs.