Energetic hardcore courtesy of mouthy tykes from Watford.

A HARDCORE band from Watford? Think you’ve heard this one before?  Not according to Lower Than Atlantis. “I don’t think that we are anything like Gallows. They were just the first band from our area to break through.”

Acknowledging they are equally as mouthy as their geographical peers, vocalist/guitarist Michael Duce has an obvious retort, “everyone from round here is a c**t.”  The rest of the group; guitarist Benjamin Sansom, bassist Benjamin Jennings and drummer Joshua Pickett, seem spoken for then.

After playing shows with Horse The Band and Your Demise, the Watford boys see energy as their goal.  Lower Than Atlantis certainly has uncompromising views when it comes to performing. “We are something to look at. If you want to hear a band play perfectly, then go home and listen to a CD, if you want to see and experience something a little more special then come to a live show.”

The touring circuit is undoubtedly a gruelling schedule but the band is keen to point to a strong ethos of working hard.  What’s more they are philosophical when it comes to ‘success’.  Some nights people go nuts, other nights, “you drive miles and miles and no-one shows up.  It’s all part of the deal.  We know we are never going to be as big as Iron Maiden.”

Indeed Michael defines success as, “doing what I love, playing the music that we love and being comfortable to survive and live.  I want to be able to travel, play music and not worry about bills.”

Right now the quartet believes they are worthy of the crowds and the mosh-pits.  “From the moment we wake up to the moment we sleep, we work at making it and doing this well.”

FOR FANS OF:  The Bled, Gallows

HEAR:  Debut EP ‘Bretton’ is out now via Thirty Days Of Night.
MORE INFO?  Check out www.myspace.com/lowerthanatlantis

Loud, fast and with the obligatory crew of tattooed fat guys in baseball caps, Death by Stereo brought every hardcore convention in the book.

A sparse Underworld crowd slowly warmed to Leeds based Nanas Revenge. The group harked back to late ‘90s punk rock and the buzzsaw sound of so many Epitaph and Fat Wreck bands. Particularly reminiscent of Pennywise and long forgotten British band Gash, their familiar brand of poppy punk was melodic if un-affecting.

By the time Death by Stereo bounded on stage the crowd had grown in stature, if not in size. There was a small group of die-hard fans centre-stage intent on slam-dancing their way through the set, two of whom sported DBS tattoos. Whilst this did nothing to dispel the general rule of apathy for London crowds it did attest to the band’s relevance. They mean a great deal to a few.

In-keeping with their newly acquired veteran status Death by Stereo appeared road-hardened. From the charismatic quips of vocalist Efrem to an obvious gang mentality, the band had clearly both been there and done that before.

At times it felt like an assurance that hardcore music was still important. Efrem dutifully waded into the crowd and handed the mic to anyone that sang (or pretended to). It felt a little like an outreach project.

The band was clearly at a critical juncture of its career; unsigned and talking about releasing an album by themselves. This not only smelt of typical posturing; ‘we’ll do things on our own terms and it’ll be all the more righteous’, but of a band that were beginning to slip off the radar.

Most of these accusations melted away during the course of their typically bullish set. ‘Holding Sixty Dollars On A Burning Bridge’, with its glorious call and response showcased the band at their peak. Similarly ‘No Shirt, No Shoes, No Salvation’ with its gang backing vocals of “Die, Die!” marked another set highlight.

However the band was more than stereotyped hardcore shouting. British born Dan Palmer impressed with precise and elaborate solos that pitted the groups punk styling closer to metal.

Ignoring the churlish blast of ‘Emo Holocaust’, Death by Stereo endeared, and provided a reminder that hardcore veterans can be more than clichés; they can also shred.

Rating: 7/10

Italian noise merchants endorsed by Mike Patton stop-off in London.

Elephant Vs Leopard opened the proceedings with a sound described as being “like an elephant fighting a leopard”.  This was perhaps a far reaching metaphor, in reality they came across like Shellac doused with the loose aggression of NOmeansno.

Vocalist Spike cut a Henry Rollins-like figure.  Well built, covered in tattoos and dressed all in black he leant forward, launching himself into the songs.  Sweating profusely, his blokie demeanour and exaggerated physical gestures gave life to the performance.

Next up were Black Carrot whose 2008 effort Drink The Black Forest was included in Artrocker’s top ten albums of the year.  Sadly it was difficult to see why they had attracted such praise.  Admittedly the band was incredibly nervous playing to a sizeable London crowd but their performance was an absolute mess.

The synth and effects pedals were barely audible and considering the number of instruments that were played, their arrangements sounded sparse.  Such meandering was garnished with strained vocals that purported to be experimental in the vain hope that no-one would realise how plain ordinary they were.  The lyrics “Why should we listen to this awful man” inspired more than one onlooker to mutter, “I don’t know.”

The audience had picked themselves up again by the time Zu strode on stage.  From an ominous stormy intro tape the band eventually emerged and ripped into their doomy instrumental post-rock.  Although best known for their association and collaboration with Faith No More’s Mike Patton, the band proved that they were still a might to be reckoned with minus his deranged screams and samples.

They came out like a steamroller and produced startlingly loud driven rock music.  Massimo Pupillo’s distorted bass more than compensated for the lack of a six-string guitar; the sound was so thick, varying and above all crushingly heavy.

Saxophonist Luca T Mai blew the thing like an alarm; he propelled the madness of it all as if bating the drums to spiral out of control.  Only with such accomplished musicians Zu were never likely to derail.

In fact their undoing was their relentlessness.  Whilst there was enough variance in the bass playing to keep things interesting, the volume and brutality began to overshadow the intricacy of the band.  By the end of the performance Zu had begun to drain where they had previously inspired.

Rating:  3/5

British trio find hope in Anthemic Rock.

The Xcerts might deal in melancholic tales of despair but they’re keen to stress they are not miserablists. From Aberdeen by way of Exeter, guitarist/vocalist Murray MacLeod, bassist Jordan Smith and drummer Tom Heron deal in big melodies and loud noises.

Whilst the band admits the song-writing period for new album ‘In The Cold Wind We Smile’ was a difficult time, Murray proclaims that, ‘Crisis is centred around hope.’

‘Some bad things happened to us while writing the album. Jordan lost his father, and I suffered terrible heartache. We realised we could write a depressing album, or one filled with hope. It’s about a tragic state of affairs, with a light at the end of the tunnel.’

The Xcerts focussed their efforts on trying to put a brave face on things.  ‘No-one wants to be the cold wind but you can be there smiling.’  Their tonic for heartbreak and tragedy?  Volume.

‘We are loud. Louder than expected. Painfully loud. We feel maybe like we are missing a second guitarist, like small-man syndrome, so we turn up extra loud. Horrid and beautiful noise inspires us.’

Considering their status as self-proclaimed noiseniks, it’s somewhat at odds that the band is obsessed with writing melodic pop songs.  ‘Classic pop song writing, that’s how we see it. We are not a fad band.’

The Xcerts however, are keen to stress that they aren’t a mainstream act, ‘musically, it was that idea of not rejecting rock music. We love toned-down American Indie music but we wanted to be loud and rock at the same time.’  An aspiration realised in the volume and sweat of the live arena.

Loud songs with a pop sensibility, it appears that the band have the best of both worlds.

FOR FANS OF:  Biffy Clyro, Jimmy Eat World
HEAR:  Debut album ‘In The Cold Wind We Smile’ out March 30th through Xtra Mile.
MORE INFO?  Check out www.myspace.com/thexcerts. The band is currently in the middle of a full UK tour.

Highly refined rock opera from one of the biggest bands in the world.

The Answer came on later than scheduled and was still playing to an empty arena. With severe delays on the Jubilee line most AC/DC fans were starting cab share schemes from various parts of Greenwich. What started off as a big opportunity for the Answer has been neutered by the London Underground.

Luckily for The Answer AC/DC has such a fanatical fan-base it seemed that most people had already caught the show on the Tuesday night. Their brand of energetic classic rock certainly went down smoothly with the DC fans that had made it inside, riff after riff The Answer delivered.

As the cavernous venue filled an assembled throng of metal-heads sporting leather and patches mixed with workers who’d come straight from the office. It was a diverse demographic united by flashing devil horns that greeted what might be the greatest opening to a concert ever conceived.

A cartoon sequence showing Angus and two buxom young ladies on a runaway train ended up going all ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ and a real train wreck burst through to the stage. This signalled the start of ‘Rock And Roll Train’ the only truly great moment of last year’s Black Ice release.

What followed was an absolutely textbook performance. AC/DC were never likely to produce any surprises, indeed the only risk they took turned out to be their only error. The band included a few too many from their last release; a charge that can be made of nearly every legendary touring band. For many ‘Black Ice’ and ‘War Machine’ signalled the chance to nip to the bar.

By the time the band ripped into another classic the crowd were rushing back to their seats. The set had been honed and choreographed to perfection; undeniably it was a sight to behold. Angus and Brian Johnston worked the crowd while the rhythm section stayed tight centre stage, the walkway was utilised during every song and Angus broke into his duck-walk at every opportunity.

The O2 crowd were treated to all of their signature props, from the inflatable woman for ‘Whole Lotta Rosie’ to the giant bell for ‘Hell’s Bells’ and best of all the cannons during ‘For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)’. At one point we saw Angus solo from a rotating extendible platform in the centre of the arena.

Smiles abound, a majority of the audience testify that the show was the greatest they have ever seen, for AC/DC it was absolutely routine.

Rating: 9/10

I can’t think of any better way to get to know a person than by snooping through their record collection. The records I put forward here are not a list of my personal favourites but rather represent my musical lineage.  These are the records that have shaped me and my musical tastes, they are ordered autobiographically. My name is Andrew and I’m very pleased to meet you.

Kylie Minogue – Enjoy Yourself (1989)
Jason Donovan – Ten Good Reasons (1989)
These were my first two records. Admittedly they have little bearing on my current musical taste, aside from still being a sucker for a catchy pop-song.

Eric Clapton – Journeyman (1989)
The soundtrack to my dad’s Ford Capri, I once bemused holiday makers at an American theme park by belting out a chorus of ‘Bad Love’.

Michael Jackson – Dangerous (1991)
The name that was on everyone’s lips, Michael Jackson was the biggest star of my childhood (aside from Leyton Orient midfield maestro Ian Bogie).

Oasis – (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? (1995)
The first rock act that I discovered for myself; it wasn’t difficult, ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ was absolutely everywhere.

Def Leppard – Vault: Greatest Hits (1995)
A tape that struggled in the Capri’s stereo, ‘Love and Hate Collide’ will always be that bit slower for me.

Blink 182 – Enema of the State (1999)
A record that came passed down through friend’s older brothers. This was the album that turned me on to pop-punk, a genre at its peak throughout my adolescence.

Iron Maiden – Brave New World (2000)
My first live concert was Iron Maiden supported by Slayer and Entombed and this was the album Maiden was supporting.

Limp Bizkit – Chocolate Starfish and the Hotdog Flavored Water (2000)
The first band that I went to see with my friends, Limp Bizkit was top of the singles charts and I turned up in the ubiquitous red Yankees hat.

AC/DC – Who Made Who (1986)
By now it was me recommending bands to my dad (he’d previously ignored DC). A friend had given me a copy of this compilation and they were the new car stereo revelation.

Black Flag – Damaged (1981)
For me the definitive article of punk rock, Damaged was the record that opened doors for me. Their signature four bars emblem is now tattooed on my ankle.

Jimmy Eat World – Clarity (1999)
Forever referenced by pop-punk bands Clarity led me to discover emo. Through Clarity I unearthed the likes of Texas is the Reason and Rites of Spring.

Captain Everything! – Learning To Play With… (2000)
It was a toss up between this and the first No Comply EP. This signifies a time of my life where I would make weekly trips to the Garage and the Underworld.

Bad Religion – The Process of Belief (2002)
This kick-started my adoration for the poppy So-Cal punk sound, during my late teens it was untouchable.

Against Me! – Reinventing Axl Rose (2002)
The record that turned me on to gruff punk and alt-country, so began my obsession with every band on the No Idea roster.

Sage Francis – Personal Journals (2002)
A totally shocking discovery, it was the record that opened up hip-hop for me. An avant-garde rapper that didn’t focus on ‘bitches and hoes’, Sage was the ‘emo’ rapper.

V/A – Three Chords and the Truth (2004)
A compilation that was to come free with an issue of my ‘zine, featuring what I believe is the first Enter Shikari release.

The Mountain Goats – Tallahassee (2002)
This was the soundtrack to my first love. ‘No Children’ is the perfect [anti] love song, as bleak and oppressive as it is uplifting.

Frank Turner – Demos (2005)
This represents the first show I ever promoted. Held at the F-Bar in Leicester, the night was a triumph and ended with a mass conga to ‘Dancing Queen’.

Deadbeat Cavalier – S/T (2007)
The first of my friends bands to produce something that I enjoyed listening to. Gruff vocals inspired by the likes of Against Me! and Rancid.

Right, I’m off to see Acca Dacca. x

Bright young things kick off a lengthy headlining jaunt. 

Eleventh hour replacements for Pulled Apart By Horses, Diet Pills jangled hot-step of vicious hardcore went for the jugular.  Happily a tentative hometown crowd embraced the foursome.  Indeed they were forced to by spindly vocalist Garry Christopher who spent the set contorting on the venue’s floor, his yelp and sinister mumblings sharply broke through crushing noise. 

Diet Pills relied on volume for impact and as such their brutal immediacy divided opinion.  The bass so bone-rattling that the audience wasn’t sure whether to shake in euphoric adulation or simply wince, either way they were bound to feel something.

Grammatics’ brand of dramatic pop went down very well indeed.  Foppish in appearance and inoffensive in style, they appeared the type of band that will be lauded by musos before being discarded and labeled dull by the time their second or third album comes around.  

‘Shadow Committee’ carried an interesting syncopated guitar part and swelling use of the cello but only ‘Relentless Fours’ excited.  A well paced song with a catchy guitar line that builds into feedback and cries of ‘Everyone loves a breakdown.’

Perhaps such sentiment is a churlish link to Rolo Tomassi’s performance but parts Converge and parts Fall of Troy they appeared every inch the scene leaders of hardcore in Britain.  What’s more they have been coveted by populists all over the country with journalists and fans swooning over vocalist Eva Spence.  Indeed, in a field drenched in testosterone and posturing she came across as unassuming as she did pretty.  

The group’s incendiary screamo (more akin to Amanda Woodward than The Used) was launched out of synthesizers that comfortably occupied the space between Nintendo style bleeps and atmospheric soundscapes.  From such beginnings the band built to all out assault mode on tracks like ‘Oh, Hello Ghost’ and ‘Abraxas’. 

This almighty cacophony often darted from side to side with James’ and Eva’s dueling vocals but it was guitarist Joe Nicholson that held prominence.  His angular guitar parts induced such vivacity and gave license to Eva’s unearthly shriek. 

The group closed with single ‘I love Turbulence’; a cavalcade of twisting guitar lines and strange, haunting singing sections.  A somewhat cut and paste amalgamation of everything that came before, the finale unfortunately withered away an otherwise thrilling set.

Rating: 8.5/10

Heirs apparent to the emo throne:  The Georgian five-piece debuted new songs in the capitol.

There was a palpable sense of anticipation hanging in the air around Chalk Farm.  The night was a sell-out and Manchester Orchestra was being touted across message-boards as the next big thing in emo.  About to release a follow up to 2006’s I’m Like A Virgin, Losing A Child they were in town for a one-off. 

First up was Dead Confederate, hailing from a town twenty minutes down the road from the headliners [Georgia].  A whiney voice, derivative of grunge in its heyday introduced a whirling crescendo of noise.   The band lacked nothing in conviction or volume but sadly more enjoyment was garnered from the frenetic mass of the drummer’s hair. 

By the time Manchester Orchestra hit the stage, the crowd appeared thinned due to a spectacular puddle of sick [it was the school holidays].  The carefully positioned masses were delivered a set comprised almost entirely of tracks from the soon to be released Mean Everything To Nothing.  With a marked progression towards down-tuned guitars and bigger riffs, this was the sound of a band bidding to escape the ‘emo’ tag. 

The nonchalant quiet of ‘One-Hundred Dollars’ gave way to the massive Sabbath sized riff of ‘Pride’.  Frontman Andy Hull thrashed his guitar in between songs, proclaiming that he has ‘always wanted to be in a band that tune up that way’. His voice however retained comparison to Jesse Lacey’s [Brand New] pitched lament.  Indeed the new material marked a similar progression to that of Brand New’s last two records.

They might not have turned into metal behemoths overnight but it was enough to confuse the assembled throng.  Whilst appreciative, the crowd remained tangibly static [possibly to avoid the mess upfront].  Thankfully the band was less restrained, in particular keyboard player come second drummer Chris Freeman convulsed, cutting a hunched Quasimodo-like figure about to burst out of his ripped t-shirt. 

In the end the brutal delivery of ‘In My Teeth’ and ‘Shake It Out’ was counterbalanced by ‘The River’ a haunting, atmospheric piece with the chilling refrain of ‘I’m gonna leave you the first chance I get’.  And finally the lovelorn escapade was rounded-off with the simplistic beauty of Paul Simon’s ‘You’re Kind’.

With the set lasting a meager forty minutes, the crowd was left wanting more.  Many were disappointed with the lack of older material but with a stellar new album it looks doubtful that Manchester Orchestra will want to look back. 

Rating: 4/5

FANCIED ATLANTANS MAKE A BID FOR THE BIG-TIME.

THE HOTLY tipped touring mates of Brand New have approached their second official full length with something of a swagger.  Noticeably the guitars have been down-tuned and the riffs are bigger.  This is the sound of a band bidding to escape the ‘emo’ tag; a goal that they don’t entirely achieve.  They have not completely dispensed with the sound heard on 2006’s ‘I’m Like A Virgin…’ and Andy Hull’s dense and obtuse lyrics will still herald cries of pariah.  Nevertheless, his voice swells from hushed intricacies to urgent screams and when accompanied by Anathallo’s Erica Froman, absolutely soars.  Perhaps performing on giant stages supporting the likes of Kings of Leon has given them a taste for something bigger.  This album will certainly set them on their way.

DOWNLOAD:  Shake It Out.
FOR FANS OF:  Brand New, Straylight Run.

AUSSIE STALWARTS GET BACK IN THE SADDLE AND TAKE A VICTORY LAP.

THE LIVING End usually operates somewhere in the space between AC/DC and Green Day.  However, over the past few years they have moved away from sounding too much like the latter.  Comeback record, ‘White Noise’ almost entirely shirks their punk and rockabilly influences, attempting a straighter pop-rock sound.  It’s resplendent with catchy tunes but none have any real substance or staying power.  There are a couple of AC/DC-style riffs that briefly entertain but ultimately they lack the grit of the rock Gods.  This is the sound of accomplished songwriters plodding along.  While fans will bemoan the stand-up bass’ position in the mix, they will be thankful that Cheney and the gang have got it together again.  For everyone else, this is an album that is all-too easy to ignore.

DOWNLOAD:  How Do We Know.
FOR FANS OF:  Green Day, Jackson United.