Beyond The Grave + Running From Wolves @ Trocaderos, South Shields. 11/2/11 (REVIEW)

Beyond The Grave + Running From Wolves @ Trocaderos, South Shields. 11/2/11

The support band Running From Wolves, from Sunderland, started the night with some hardcore/screamo noise. If i'm honest it wasn't really up my street. They seemed to be trying too hard to be Enter Shikari or someone like that, and unfortunately the frontman's cocky attitude was quite irritating seeing as no one was paying them any attention. It was clear that the growing crowd were there to see the headliners. The lead vocals were unimpressive, basically just shouting over the music (which some people might like, so i'll not count that as a real negative). I felt like the rest of the band were let down by the vocals, as musically they showed some promise, with talented musicians and some awesome dual guitar solos. The crowd didn't seem that interested unfortunately, as much as they tried to warm them up.

Beyond The Grave took to the stage finally, and the room began to wake up and pay attention! The frontman was ill with tonsillitis or something equally horrible, but still managed to pull amazing vocals out of the bag - a true professional! Fans in the audience sang back every word to their much loved songs. They played two new songs which were very well received. One was a work in progress which they bravely played anyway, the risk payed off as everyone seemed to love it. 

The Newcastle based five-piece wowed the crowd with their heavy yet melodic metal. Everything about this gig just worked. The guitarists produced towering riffs and astounding solos, combine this with stunningly imposing vocals and you have a winning formula. Their super talented drummer showed us exactly what he can do with a captivating drum solo mid-set. I couldn't avert my eyes. Truly awesome stuff.

The band were running to a strict time schedule, so unfortunately their last song 'By the Light of a Setting Sun' (an epic, atmospheric masterpiece) came earlier than one would have hoped, purely because you'd rather they didn't stop playing. The band ended their set to much applause, and the crowd were ecstatic when they returned to play an encore, a brilliant cover of Machine Head's 'Imperium'.

Beyond The Grave put on an amazing show, even triumphing over illness to 'fight the good fight'. They filled the room with their powerful metal and their massive stage presence. A must hear for any metal fan.


Their first full studio album 'The Human Tide' is available now.

http://www.beyondthegrave1.com
http://www.myspace.com/beyondthegraveuk

http://www.facebook.com/BEYONDtheGRAVEband 

 

Beyond The Grave are playing with Fallen Fate at The Forum, Darlington on the 26th February.

The Green Hornet (REVIEW)

3/5

Last night, I went to see The Green Hornet at Empire Cinema, in The Gate, Newcastle. I went into it thinking that it would be along the lines of other films i have enjoyed such as Kick-Ass and Scott Pilgrim, I certainly wasn't disappointed.

The plot entails an immature millionaire's son, Britt Reid, inheriting his father's empire, and striking up a friendship with the guy who makes his coffee (who also happens to be his father's mechanic). Britt Reid, brilliantly played by Seth Rogan, decides to do something crazy, and with Kato (Jay Chou) goes out to decapitate his father's memorial. After coming across a couple being attacked and saving them from the attackers, the pair decide to make a proper go of being vigilantes. This leads to the making of a very pimped out vehicle, some awesome costumes, and many over the top (in a good way) action scenes.

The 3D effects were particularly good in the action parts of the film. Brilliantly done actually. The movie also comes with the effortless comic genius we have come to expect from Seth Rogan, and eye candy is provided in the form of the beautiful Cameron Diaz, who plays Britt's very sexy but intelligent secretary, Lenore.

The crimes portrayed in the movie are very serious, and represent an issue that's very relevant today - yet it's still hilarious. I found my self laughing out loud very frequently.

The viewing experience was only affected for me by Empire Cinema's incompetence when the bulb burned out 3/4 of the way into the movie and the screen went black for about 5 minutes, (the staff then stopped the movie and rewound it - very inconvenient).

Overall, I feel that The Green Hornet is well worth a watch for fans of action and comedy flicks alike. It combines the genres perfectly and to great success!

Help Wanted: Must Be a Dick

The following job vacancy was recently advertised in The Guardian... (Lmfao tbh)

Daily Mail

•Britain’s most successful newspaper group is offering would-be reporters and writers an exciting and challenging yearlong training course, plus the chance to work at the Daily Mail and Mail Online

•We are looking for bright, sharp, intelligent writers who believe they can be fast-tracked to the very top

•You’ll be on the best journalism course in the business – and be paid a competitive salary while you train

•Successful applicants will probably have completed post-graduate journalism training or had experience working in newspapers

Apply by February 21, with your CV, 200 words on why you think you could be a Mail journalist, a 200-word news story and a selection of up to six cuttings and send to Sue Ryan, Trainee Reporters’ Scheme, Daily Mail, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry St, London W8 5TT.
Please send queries to sue.ryan@dailymail.co.uk

A few bloggers i follow have had some fun with this, and i decided to join in! Their attempts are much more entertaining than mine:
Conform, Consume, Obey
The Pursuit of HappYness

Here goes...

Dear Sue,

I am writing in response to your advertisement in the Guardian. I couldn’t believe my luck to stumble upon such a brilliant job opportunity.

I feel I would fit right in at your newspaper as I am a person of very little morals, and I don’t like to work very hard. I am also very fond of a bit of scare mongering, a good scandal and moral panic.

I recall an article one of your staff writers Sarah Sands wrote in 2006 about the band My Chemical Romance. I worship that article. I feel it was entirely accurate, completely unbiased, and you did a very good thing alerting all those concerned parents to their children’s cutting habit. Sarah Sands is my idol. I would very much love the opportunity to be as good a writer as her...

I feel I am more than qualified for this role, seeing as I am half way through an undergraduate degree in English Language – something most of your writers seem to have skipped.

I strongly urge you to consider my application, as not many people would be willing to stoop to levels low enough to write for your fine publication. I look forward to your reply,

Yours sincerely,

Bitter Emo Kid  

I will let y'all know if i get a reply, but with the amount of bloggers i know doing this i doubt Sue will have a chance to write to us all personally. Maybe i'll get a generic email from the Daily Mail letting me know i have been unsuccessful... Or hell, i might get the job! *fingers crossed!*

Don't forget to apply for the job yourself!

Risen Prophecy + Black Talon + Rat Faced Bastard @Trillians, Newcastle. 3/2/11 (REVIEW)

Risen Prophecy + Black Talon + Rat Faced Bastard @ Trillians, Newcastle. 3/2/11

Despite being in one of my favourite bars, I felt a little out of place at this gig, as literally everyone was wearing black – though I’m sure that’s just a coincidence and nothing to do with the grindcore and thrash metal bands that lovingly assaulted our ears.

Photography © Melissa Mortiis

Rat Faced Bastard took to the stage as first support and played a short intro before exploding into their first song (not sure which because it seems the set list went out the window).  The frontman managed to combine screaming and throwing himself around to great effect. The music was super fast paced, and the vocals terrifying with unidentifiable lyrics. What seemed like a few false starts turned out to actually be just incredibly short songs, like ‘Happy Birthday’.  The whole set was dripping with irony and good humour, with hilarious dedications throughout; including the song ‘Defiled’ which was dedicated to a friend who apparently did something unspeakable to a pigeon when drunk. The addition of Manowar’s ‘Black Wind, Fire and Steel’ to the set with the ambition of being known as “that dodgy grindcore band who do that fucked up Manowar cover” was a massive success – the crowd loved it! The local boys put on a good show.

Photography © Melissa Mortiis

The second support band, Black Talon, came all the way from Edinburgh to play their brand of thrash metal for us; and were received very well by the local crowd. As their energetic frontman liked to say a lot, their songs were “super fucking heavy”. Their music was slightly more serious and epic than the first band’s wonderfully sleazy thrash. The vocals were heavy, the riffs were heavy, and the drum beats were heavy.  With awesome guitar solos and fully distinguishable lyrics, they had the audience captivated.  Then they threw in a cheeky Slayer cover, and suddenly the crowd were eating out of their hands! Black Talon are a group of talented musicians who are obviously going to go far, you can tell by watching them that they love what they’re doing, and so did the audience.  Headbanging fun to be had by all.

The headliners of the night, Risen Prophecy, completely owned. They seemed to have it all; exceptional vocals, bags of energy and stage presence, and amazing guitar solos. They saluted their support bands by claiming “we’ve got our work cut out”, but they played the best riffs by far last night. Their self-titled song ‘Risen Prophecy’ consisted of screeching “risen prophecy” in a really high pitch for the chorus, which the audience was soon joining them in singing! (I also noted that all of the bands had a self-titled song, is this a theme in thrash metal?) At times there was beautifully melodic guitar, which for some reason I wasn’t expecting. Then without warning they’d launch into a brutally heavy guitar solo, whilst the charismatic frontman headbanged with the crowd in front of the stage. This was pure epic greatness. I am converted. As an added bonus, unlike a lot of thrash metal bands, their songs didn’t all sound the same. Their show was visually impressive too, during their album’s title track ‘Screaming for Death’, the deep red lighting set an appropriately dark atmosphere.  The guys from Sunderland put on an all round excellent show; they exuded cool, they had flawless timing, and were thoroughly enjoyable.  They are certainly going the right way about building up a reputation as a great live act.

So basically what I’m saying is, buy their album or go out and see them live – you definitely won’t regret it.


















Risen Prophecy's Album 'Screaming for Death' is available now.
http://www.facebook.com/Risen-Prophecy

http://www.risenprophecy.com
http://www.myspace.com/risenprophecy1
http://www.risenprophecy.bigcartel.com

Black Talon are currently recording their debut EP.
http://www.blacktalonthrash.com
http://www.facebook.com/blacktalonthrash

Rat Faced Bastard: 
http://www.facebook.com/Rat-Faced-Bastard


With thanks to Melissa Mortiis (found here @ http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/melissa.mortiis, http://www.facebook.com/mortiism) for the use of Rat Faced Bastard photos.

My Chemical Romance - Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (REVIEW)

My Chemical Romance 

– Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys  

4/5

The first question that sprung to mind when listening to Danger Days was “who are you, and what have you done with My Chemical Romance?”

If you had to pick an album that represents My Chemical Romance, it would surely be Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love was a brilliant first album, yet you could tell that they hadn’t reached their full potential. That potential was reached and succeeded by Three Cheers, a true masterpiece, combining concept with massive songs that easily hold their own as individual entities. Newer fans may consider The Black Parade to be the New Jersey rock heroes' crowning achievement, as it shot them to mainstream stardom. It was certainly a different direction, and not in a bad way. The only thing that let it down in my opinion was the concept becoming a bit of a gimmick, (which is unfortunate seeing as the concept was about a cancer patient). It seems that My Chemical Romance’s sound has constantly evolved from album to album, so maybe I shouldn’t have been so surprised by Danger Days.

The first single to be release from the album, ‘Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)’ seems a bit juvenile, but having listened to it more than once, it definitely grows on you, and lodges itself firmly in your head.  It’s undeniable; this song makes you want to dance. I can hear it reverberating around arenas already.

‘The Only Hope for Me is You’, the second single, is definitely a stand out track on the album. Gerard Way’s voice is at its finest, the song is melodic, it’s sentimental - all of my favourite things about My Chem songs. Another ridiculously catchy tune, with a memorable chorus that packs a powerful punch.

The third single released from the album is ‘SING’. It starts quietly, almost calmly, with a cool beat and Way’s clear, piercing vocals, then kicks in for a chorus of anthemic proportions. This song has to be one of my favourites. Its message is genuine and inspiring.

Other stand out tracks on the album include: ‘Vampire Money’ which is an upbeat rant about not selling out and writing a song for Twilight Saga: New Moon... It even gives Edward’s Volvo a little mention (genius)! This is pure punk!  ‘Planetary [GO!]’ is a dance song through and through, with such the beat! So addictive. And also, ‘Bulletproof Heart’ with a brilliant riff that seems slightly stolen (Andrew W.K. – Party Hard anybody?)  But only slightly. Another massive song that could easily be their next single.

As a whole, it works. The tracks are ordered well, and split up with My Chem’s usual scattering of interludes that we have come to expect. The boys have lost their drummer, and struggled with being a man down, but it is clear they have grown and come a long way since the unadulterated emo that blasted from I Brought You My Bullets. This album is feel-good, not a razorblade in sight. It’s unsurprising that as of January 2011 Danger Days has sold 1 million copies.  As a band, My Chemical Romance have a much wider appeal than they used to, and if they keep churning out original, exciting music like this album, their appeal will only grow wider.

So, in answer to my first (mostly rhetorical) question; My Chemical Romance are all over this music. Toro’s uplifting riffs and Way’s entrancing vocals, and the whole bands general mass of energy – they may be constantly changing, but they certainly haven’t gone anywhere.