KYRBGRINDER ON TOUR!!

Hard rockin' funky, riffy, metal grooves, a keen sense of melody and an engaging appeal is what you can expect from the London based trio that is KYRBGRINDER.

Fronted by four times drummer of the year Johanne James, who is no stranger to the limelight, having played a variety of stages from small venues to major festivals around the world, treading the boards with the likes of Dream Theater, Psychotic Waltz, Breed 77, Hawkwind and Pain of Salvation. Johanne will be well known to many as the 'engine room' of Threshold, who are considered one of the leading lights of the progressive metal scene.

Johanne formed KYRBGRINDER as a means of sharing his unique style of hard driving, infectious melodic rock that refuses to be pigeonholed, appealing to a wide spectrum of fans.

KYRBGRINDER are: Johanne James on drums and lead vocals, Tom Caris on guitar and Alberto 'Albi' Flaibani on bass.

Following the release of their debut album 'Defiance' on the legendary metal label Mausoleum Records they have subsequently gigged extensively building a hard-core fanbase and an awesome live reputation.

The new album 'Cold War Technology' is now out and recieving great reviews, Now's your chance to catch them live!

http://www.myspace.com/kyrbgrinder

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kyrbgrinder/278919146030

FROM GREAT HEIGHT, TACOMA NBD, KYRBGRINDER, EL SCHLONG, GRAVANZIA Live at the Gaff 29.11.09 (Gig Review)

FROM GREAT HEIGHT
TACOMA NARROWS BRIDGE DISASTER
KYRBGRINDER
EL SCHLONG
GRAVANZIA

The Gaff, Holloway Road 29.11.09

GRAVANZIA
This band really surprised me with their blend of Hawkwind/Stranglers/Joy Division and Pink Floyd, to hear this style played with such conviction was quite something!Great musicians and a good vocalist performing huge songs including a 10 minute finisher, it was very entertaining.

EL SCHLONG
Just cannot get enough of the New Zealand trio, they make such weird and wonderful music that seems to blend nursery rhyme lyrics with melodic harmony and death metal!You cant help but love it, and despite the fact that the band were still recovering from a night out they played a faultless set!!!

KYRBGRINDER
One of the most powerfull and entertaining rock trios in the uk, great songs with plenty of chances to singalong and one of the best drummers in the world centre stage with a mic strapped to his head.Some new songs from the fourthcoming album were unveiled tonight including one about stupid americans (Very good!!!!!).

TACOMA NARROWS BRIDGE DISASTER
Now this band were quite a revelation, an instrumental band, playing long progressive almost jazz tinged compositions, it was good stuff but i did kind of expect some vocals somewhere just to break it up a bit.

FROM GREAT HEIGHT
The farewell show for drummer Gary who is leaving because of work commitments.It was going to be an emotional and explosive show and it did not fail to live up to expectations.It is perhaps most noticable with Adams performance as to just how much the band have matured this year, his stage presence and vocal attack (yes attack!) are totally different from even a few months ago, the stage becomes his and he has a dark charisma that carrys it off to perfection.But let us not forget guitarist Mikey who stalks the stage weilding his guitar like a weapon and headbanging at every heavy powerchord, and his playing is amazing, paul of course on bass moves and smiles all the time whilst holding down some solid riffs.

I dont think i have ever seen gary so happy behind the kit, very relaxed, it is a shame he is going as he has helped shape the band over the last 2 years, but the band have Tim primed and ready to go.

The set included a great (but short) Pink Floyd cover with adam screaming his heart out and stomping the stage, masque wearing to great effect and possibley the greatest encore in the history of rock music ever, err well actually a quick rendition of a Barry Mannilow classic!!!

STU

GRAVANZIA
EL SCHLONG

KYRBGRINDER

TACOMA NARROWS BRIDGE DISASTER

FROM GREAT HEIGHT

KYRBGRINDER - DEFIANCE (Cd Review)

01.My Heart Bleeds
02.Defiance
03.The Guide
04.What About Me
05.Fall Away
06.Not In My Name
07.Wayside
08.I Wanna Kill
09.Monster
10.Swallowed My Life
11.Greatest Weapon


Johanne James (Drums/Vocals)
Ben Glover (Guitar)
Dave Lugay (Bass)
Dave Dart (Guitar : My Heart Bleeds)
Melodie Gonnard (Vocal : Greatest Weapon)

I Should start this review by stating that i have certain reservations about much of the lyrical content.The lyrics are quite brilliant, well thought out and in many cases thought provoking, however i do have a problem with what appears to be a quite dominate christian theme this is notable in songs like 'The Guide' sure it has the line "For vacuous religions violate my peace" but it also implies that christianity is the right way with the line "Im the one to guide you, the light beyond will set you free".
Now 'Not In My Name' has a good theme about the morons who fight wars in the name of religion,and rightly condemns it, yet how easy is it to forget the sickest song ever written 'Onward Christian Soldiers'.
There are other examples as well but i'll not continue the theme.
Many of the other songs seem to deal with personal pain, confusion and suffering from illness, all in all a much more intelligent approach than the ususal sex, drugs and rock n roll.

Now to the music itself, listed on the cd as file under "Heavy Metal", well dont file under "Classic Rock" for thats where this belongs.
The quality of musicianship here is first class and given the fact that it is driven By Johanne who is perhaps better known to many of you as the drummer from prog rockers Threshold, though you would have heard him on countless other songs from some surprising artists over the years as he is also a top session drummer as well.

His rhythms bind the songs whilst his vocals cut through the mix to soothe the ears even when the song itself is aggressive.'My Heart Bleeds' is a slow moody rocker that has a great powerchord holding the song together and some great soloing from Dave, the same is true of 'What About Me', 'Monster (With a touch of black sabbath doom influence) and 'Greatest Weapon'.'Fall Away' is the heaviest track on the album, with the drums and bass thumping through the speakers (Well mine were at the volume i was playing it at), its a real headbanging classic!

Since this album was released Ben has been replaced by Aaron Waddingham and Dave by Alberto Flaibani, this line up is about to undertake new recordings and a mjor tour is in the pipeline.
The band are awesome live!

Rating 8/10

For fans Of : Living Colour, P.O.D, Skunk Anansie, Bloodgood, Whitecross.

STU

MAN OF KIN, KYRBGRINDER, FERAL, LAND OF KANE Live At The Underworld 30.07.09 (Gig Review)

MAN OF KIN
KYRBGRINDER
FERAL
LAND OF KANE

Underworld, Camden 30.07.09

LAND OF KANE
The band features Aaron from Kyrbgrinder on lead guitar, they realy warmed up the audience and threw everything into their set.With a really good vocalist who reminded me of Paul DiAnno and Dave Wyndorf, as well as a solid rhythm section, all helped push their take on traditional heavy metal well above the average and worth checking out again.

FERAL
Bassist james quit the band the night before, should have been a disaster right?What happend was nothing short of brilliant, Man Of Kin's bassist Carl learned their set in a couple of hours and was note perfect, in fact his style of playing gave the songs a new edge that may have surprised everyone including the band.They played a short set but it was one of the most intense performances of their career to date, not one fuck up from any of them.

KYRBGRINDER
If its entertaiment and pure professionalisim wrapped up with top rate musicians and perfect melodic hard rock songs you want, then you need look no further than Kyrbgrinder.
Its a crime that so many shitty emo/alt bands get the publicity in the press when real talent such as this is ignored.
Every songs kicks and the audience loved every second, a stage invasion from the other bands for a mass headbanging session rounded off a stunning set.

MAN OF KIN
A year ago you would have said "Who?" tonight you would would have said "Wow".Their performances are always full of energy but tonight they excelled and proved to be a world class act that deserves major label attention now.From the opening drum beats to the final guitar chord they slayed a packed underworld, their groove/thrash metal turning normal headbangers into slam dancing crazies, add to that 2 circle pits and moshing you would think Devildriver were playing.
Vocalist Jaz introduced another new song to the set and put some real singing into the mix of his ususal screams and growls.
Having completed their set they were called back for an encore and finished off the crowd and venue with their metal medley.

STU

LAND OF KANE


FERAL

KYRBGRINDER

MAN OF KIN

A Couple more gig flyers for July

KYRBGRINDER, EL SCHLONG, DUSTEROID Live At The Gaff 09.07.09 (Gig Review)

KYRBGRINDER
EL SCHLONG
DUSTEROID

The Gaff, Holloway Road 09.07.09

DUSTEROID
Classic stoner influenced hard rock like Blue Cheer jamming with Ten Years After with a touch of Cathedral thrown in!They may be a side project band from the bassist of Blood Island Raiders but they are a force in their own right.They played a huge set full of massive riffs, pounding drums and some serious basswork.

EL SCHLONG
You cant quite put your finger on this band, its like death metal and jazz rock blended with humour.All put together by three very talented musicians, they create a great sound and have amazing stage presence.They entertain on a major scale and are a band to watch and enjoy.

KYRBGRINDER
And talking of entertaining, wow, with the drummer taking centre front stage and doubling up as vocalist they too score big on the visual element.But it is true showmanship and really outstanding musicanship that they score top marks, vocalist/Drummer Johanne is amazing his vocals echo Seal back in the days when he was considered rock and former Journey singer Gregg Rolie, whilst his drumming (and stick twirling skills) leave his contemporaries wimpering in a darkend corner.
Add to this solid bass work and some great guitar solos, you have a perfect blend of melodic hard rock, that leaves me to wonder why this band are still unsigned.
It goes without saying that they brought the house down!

STU

DUSTEROID

EL SCHLONG

KYRBGRINDER