UPCOMING GIG's

Welcome to the updated and improved layout for Stu's Reviews.

NEWS:
The UK's answer to Nightwish, ACHILLA have just put up new recordings on their myspace as a taster to the upcoming self produced debut album.

SOLSIKK have now completed their debut album as well and have new songs to hear on their Myspace as well as some new promo pictures.

GENERATION GRAVEYARD have some demos on Myspace, one of which features me on backing vocals!!!!

FROM GREAT HEIGHT have put up their first recordings with new drummer Tim on their myspace and website, review of this new ep will be coming soon.

NEMHAIN have announced another european tour where chaos will no doubt ensue and numerous personal injurys :) for this September.

CATFIGHT have now become two bands, Samara decided to rename the old band as KAIN and pursue the original intention to have Catfight as an all girl band.

This is a stunning line up for an all dayer :

CLOVEN HOOF - http://www.myspace.com/clovenhoofofficial

Virus - http://www.myspace.com/virusthrash

Generation Graveyard - http://www.myspace.com/generationgraveyard

Ghost Train - http://www.myspace.com/therealghosttrain

9 Blind - http://www.myspace.com/9blind

Kyrbgrinder - http://www.myspace.com/kyrbgrinder

To Kill A Rose - http://www.myspace.com/tokillarose

*BAND TBC*

Sarajevo - http://www.myspace.com/sarajevotheband

Black Water - http://www.myspace.com/blackwaterbandleeds

Tickets are £8 advance from the bands, or £10 on the door.

You can now buy tickets from the following link (registration required)http://www.whatnext.org.uk/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=50&category_id=11&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

If you book 36 hours before the show tickets will be on the door for you.

Cradle of Filth (Yness) will be had when Nemhain join Sarah for a couple of gigs!!!!

CAVALAR, VIRUS, FERAL, XENOCHORD Live At The Gaff 13.12.09 (Gig Review)

CAVALAR
VIRUS
FERAL
XENOCHORD

The Gaff, Holloway 13.12.09

XENOCHORD
Hells teeth!
Stunninng death metal with a progresssive edge, a perfect match of agression and
melody, truley awesome power is displayed on songs like 'Sunday Morning' and 'Absinthe'
and one of the coolest bass lines ever on 'delirium'.

FERAL
Playing one of their most relaxed and fun sets i have seen sometime, the melodic
thrashers and really coming into their own now, great songs flow with catchy riffs and
outstanding vocals.

VIRUS
Exactley one year ago the reborn Thrash legends Virus took to the stage at the rock
attic in streatham a little nervous and a handfull of old songs.So for their first anniversary they once more take the stage, this time full of confidence and armed with some new songs.

In many ways this is a different band, now the musicianship has found its level of
professionlism, they looked comfortable on the stage and put on their best performance
to date.
Whilst the old songs like 'Testify To Me' and 'Lunacy' remain crowd favourites and
classics of the genre it is the new songs such as 'Skulls Of My Enemies' which have
their attention now and the ones which define the band as a major force on the current
scene.

CAVALAR
When vocalist Luca takes to the stage he always manages to turn the room into a
stadium, its maybe a little difficult to explain but he is just such a fantastic
frontman (without a doubt the best frontman in rock full stop!) he gives this larger
than life performance.
Backed by the powerhouse drumming of Arn, fantastic bass playing from Max and jaw dropping guitaring from Dan, cavalar remain the best in their field.

I would like to add a personal note here and thank every member of each band for
playing this gig as part of my sons birthday celebrations, thank you guys it meant a
lot to me!!

STU

XENOCHORD

FERAL

VIRUS

CAVALAR

DECEMBER GIG FLYERS

VIRUS, METAL MESSIAH, JUGGERNORT, FERAL Live at the Unicorn 28.11.09 (Gig Review)

VIRUS
METAL MESSIAH
JUGGERNORT
FERAL

The Unicorn, Holloway 28.11.09

FERAL
Melodic and polished thrash that has now levelled out so that each performance remains at the same high standard.As ever it is the song 'Twisted Sinister Smile' that emerges as outstanding, the swearing during 'weapon X' still raises a (twisted) smile and the inclusion of lady gaga lyrics in 'Truth Is Lies' still gets confused looks from the audience.

JUGGERNORT
By definition a juggernort in english terms refers to examples of unstoppable, crushing forces, that definition also sums the band up perfectly.The wall of sound they create is breathtaking, just take the heaviest moments of Devildriver and Hatebreed and stand the fuck back!
Superb drumming backs the dual guitar attack and bass riffage with screaming/shouty vocals equalled out with some nice melodic backing from one of the guitarists.

METAL MESSIAH
One time heroes of the second uk thrash wave from years gone by, tonight making their London return after some 19 years.
They are good, in fact i would say they are better now, the fire and energy is still there but with added maturity that somehow gives it all a new lease of life.

VIRUS
Tonight i have to say was not the best i have seen from Virus, first of all the sound problems thanks to a pretty useless soundman, but mainly due to the audience themselves.For the first few songs the floor was packed, but as the moshpits broke out and started to get out of hand, one girl sent flying and just left on the floor, peoples drinks sent flying without so much as a "sorry", the audience started to leave, by the end of their set you could count maybe 9 people left!
Now that must have been demoralising for the band and it started to effect their performance as im sure they must have been wondering what the hell was going on.

It was a good set, personal highlight was the slightly chaotic, almost Motorhead like, rendition of an old song 'No Return', i think the low point of the set was 'Raped By Mutants', now i know what the song is about but the word rape is offensive, but within context its acceptable, however when a friend of the band came onstage in a mask and hoodie i think it sent out the wrong message.

STU
FERAL
JUGGERNORT

METAL MESSIAH

VIRUS

SEPTEMBER GIG FLYERS

Right straight after this gig go to the scala and you will catch mallory knox,nemhain,generation graveyard and feral.

INFESTATION, VIRUS, DAMNAS, KEMAKIL Live At The Gaff 11.07.09 (Gig Review)

INFESTATION
VIRUS
DAMNAS
KEMAKIL

The Gaff, Holloway Road 11.07.09

KEMAKIL
Old school thrash metal delivered a very high volume.Whilst there was nothing wrong with their music or their musicianship the band seemed a little quiet almost nervous, they went down really well but need to put it over with more confidence.

DAMNAS
Tight, professional and well executed high adrenaline thrash.They blew the venue up!Massive riffs and screaming vocals were the order here, an absolute pleasure to watch, really top quality performance.

VIRUS
They are really moving forward with an onstage presence that demands attention, which they get with large amounts of front row headbanging, a couple of mosh pits and evreybody singing along to both old and new songs.Coke is now clearly at home on stage and stomps around like a man possessed (Though sometimes his enthusiam gets the better of him and he occasional misses the micraphone when singing).All in all a great set that left the crowd wanting more.

INFESTATION
This was to be guitarist Matt's last show, but instead of playing he stood up to share vocal duties with Dave, making this a unique live performance which delivered on every level.Scathing guitar riffs and joined by screaming death metal vocals and high speed drumming held together with solid bass lines.They topped off the perfect metal night perfectly.

STU

KEMAKIL

DAMNAS

VIRUS

INFESTATION

JULY GIG FLYERS