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Pentre Fest 2025

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Pentre Fest 2025

Mclean’s Pub, Pentre, Deeside

Friday 21st & Saturday 22nd February 2025

Here we go with another Pentre Fest, the absolute highlight of my musical calendar! This is the crowning glory of North East Wales Metal Productions‘ festivals – and a huge deal to both the bands and the fans. I couldn’t wait to get to Mclean’s in Deeside and enjoy the music!

This year, another stellar line-up of bands from both near and far, with a good spread of genres. Ever Metal was in full force, with Beth and Mare joining myself for the festivities. With all of us in attendance, we split reporting duties to cover as much as possible as easily as we could.

And so, here are the reviews I composed all by my lonesome, concentrating on musicians that I wanted to contribute to (rather than all of them).

If you want to read the full review, try this here link to Ever Metal.

Friday 

Mother Thunder 

I saw Mother Thunder play in Pentre a few months back, they were superb.  This time around, they were even better.  MT play a hard hitting, groove laden take on classic rock/metal – think Thin Lizzy twin guitars with a bit of Maiden chug – and sublime female vocals.  Heavy rock with irresistible riffs, Mother Thunder lit up the room and could’ve (should’ve) been higher up the bill.  

Apollyon Rising 

Filling in last minute, Apollyon Rising were a man down as their bass player was on holiday in Morocco.  The selfish git.  But with a bit of soundboard wizardry, the remainder of the band confidently gave us a set of prime thrash metal that didn’t shame their reputation one iota.  I knew they could pull it off.  As a wise man once said, never doubt a band with a killer logo (and the talent to match). 

Saturday 

DXRK Winter 

Thankfully, I managed to catch the latter half of DXRK Winter’s set and I glad I did.  They were on first on the main stage in the afternoon, their brutal metal attack was brilliantly performed and went down really well with a crowd that could’ve been chilling, but didn’t.  A worthy act to play higher up the bill. 

Cry for Mercy 

You can’t go wrong with the blues based classic rock swagger of Cry for Mercy.  Great tunes, all built around the majesty of the riff and a persuasive groove.  I loved every second, it’s a shame they were on so early.  Never miss a chance to see Cry For Mercy if you get it.  Their new songs were just as good as old, new album is out soon! 

Victim of Damp 

Frank Williams, aka Victim of Damp, is becoming a popular mainstay of Pentre gigs.  His bipolar set comprises one half of mellow, hangover curing melody followed by a series of playful, Pythonesque parodies.  And he gets more confident every time. 

Bad Earth 

It just wouldn’t be Pentre Fest without these guys!  Bad Earth delivered a reliably ferocious set of raucous biker rock and despite sound hiccups on the first couple of songs, soldiered on admirably.  This was take-no-prisoners rock’n’roll to make Lemmy proud.  Their acoustic set was also a blinder, cooking up some awesome sing-a-long responses from the crowd outside. 

Mike West & the Missing Links 

It’s been a good few years since I saw Mike West play a solo acoustic show at Pentre.  Mike’s brand of dark country and bluegrass is now augmented by a band of drums and fiddle, adding a certain folky, Levellers feel to the tracks.  A brilliant diversion under the surprisingly blue skies of the late afternoon, this set was further proof that a metal festival can experiment with genres. 

The Raging Mables 

Now I was really looking forward to seeing this band.  I’d enjoyed viewing their Pentre Fest pre-event interview with Beany, plus they have one of the best band names ever.  No arguments.  The Raging Mables were like the Ramones playing ZZ Top, a 200mph Zeke-like melodic explosion of punk’n’roll.  One of the most perfect bands ever.  

Toranaga 

Back to some welcome thrash metal, it was indeed a huge bonus to get to witness the power of Toranaga at Pentre.  These guys are exceptional musicians, their shredding guitars creating a sound akin to classic Bay Area Thrash from the likes of Exodus and Testament.  And that is very, very good.  Their cover of ‘Mad House’ by Anthrax warmed my ancient heart, too.    

Stuntface 

Stuntface hail from just up the road in Wrexham, and it was great to see them finally bring their brand of flat-out, relentless hardcore punk to Pentre Fest.  Their songs are furious yet melodic, played super-fast and with a huge grin on bass player/vocalist Wayne’s face.  An absolute treat – Stuntface must play here again! 

What a blast that was! The guys at NEW Metal Productions always put on a heck of a show and this was no exception. Didn’t get tickets for the Black Sabbath gig this summer? Get yourselves out there and support underground metal, you’ll feel better.

My favourite Pentre Fest so far? Only time will tell…

Sergeant Thunderhoof – The Ghost of Badon Hill Album Review

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Sergeant Thunderhoof – The Ghost of Badon Hill 

Pale Wizard Records 

Release date: 15/11/2024 

Running time: 45 minutes 

Review by: Alun Jones 

9.5/10 

Two years ago, the album “This Sceptred Veil” by Sergeant Thunderhoof made such an impression on me that it topped my end of year Top 10 for Ever Metal.  So this latest release has some pretty big boots to fill.  The pressure is on, for the band and also for your friendly scribe: I’m gonna need some new adjectives in my arsenal to do this work justice.  

A mellow guitar and whistle intro brings the listener into the world of “The Ghost of Badon Hill”.  First track ‘Badon’ opens with an almost Folky feel, and in true Thunderhoof style, takes it’s time to grow and breathe.  We’re nearly halfway through before the delicate, introspective section explodes into something epic, and the hairs on the back of your neck reach for the sky.   

‘Blood Moon’ tricks the listener with a melodic intro, before a truly classic mega-riff gets the heart pounding.  The guitars of Mark Sayer and new member Josh Gallup (who also recorded the album with the band) are multi textured throughout the album, expertly ranging from the mighty to the fragile.  A pseudo-Blues introduces ‘The Orb of Octavia’, before settling on a melancholy, gentle feel.  Augmented by Daniel Flitcroft’s soaring vocals (surely amongst the best in the UK), it’s not long before the heavy is unleashed. 

‘Salvation for the Soul’ is the most immediate and Stoner/Doom related of this collection, and it quickly became a personal favourite.  “For tonight, we ride!” – trust me, kids: THAT is a chorus!   

I’ve favourably compared Sergeant Thunderhoof to Soundgarden previously – which holds true with ‘Sentinel’ – and there’s also a strong Floydian feel here too.  The changes of pace on all the tracks ably demonstrate the expertise of the rhythm section, Jim Camp on bass and Darren Ashman on drums.  Both are confident and play with finesse.  All good things come to an end though, and our final song here, ‘Beyond the Hill’, is a ten-minute plus opus that builds through several stages on a monumental journey. 

One element of this recording that’s obvious from the start, is the length of the album.  The band made a conscious decision to lay down some boundaries and write a record that would fit on a single, rather than double, vinyl album.  Whereas I could lament the shorter running time, it does make sense to condense what the band do best.  And there’s still a cornucopia of sonic delights to enjoy regardless.  I mean, I haven’t even discussed the lyric content of the record yet!  There’s plenty enough folklore, legend and mystery to keep the audience engaged and coming back for more and more. 

“The Ghost of Badon Hill” is mission accomplished for Sergeant Thunderhoof.  A great new album, reigned in a little timewise, but sonically still delivering a cerebral and visceral punch.  Another Top 10 contender, no problem.  

Check out Sergeant Thunderhoof on their website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.

This review is brought to you by Platinum Al in association with Ever Metal.

UK Subs – Gig Review

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UK Subs + The Crapsons

Saturday 16th November 2024

The Rockin’ Chair, Wrexham

UK Subs have been around for a while. Their roots go right back to the early days of British punk rock, incorporating dozens of albums and nearly as many band members. They’ve released an album for every letter of the alphabet, A to Z, and have played all over the world. And guess what? Despite being a fan for years, I’ve never seen them live. Time to correct that mistake, with the Subs appearing just up the road from me in Wrexham.

The Rockin’ Chair used to be known to me as Central Station, and I’ve seen a fair few bands there (such as The Damned, twice, if I recall). This was my first visit to the venue in it’s new guise, though happily not much had changed.

Our fearless support was Birkenhead based The Crapsons, who dealt a reliably fun and furious selection of fast punk rock numbers. Most songs are brief and to the point, played well and enthusiastically, with a healthy dollop of tongue in cheek humour. Highlights included ‘Fuck Off’ and its sequel, ‘Fuck Off Again’, but the whole set was energetic and enjoyable.

Yours truly popped off to the bar, where I spotted legendary UK Subs vocalist/visionary Charlie Harper, who was merrily hanging about chatting to fans. I returned after The Crapsons set, picked up a copy of the newly re-issued “Flood of Lies” album, and asked Charlie to sign it. This he gladly did, as well posing for a selfie. Seems like nothing is too much for this true gentleman of punk, Charlie happily agreed to requests with a pleasant “No worries!” What a lovely bloke.

Unfortunately my selfie was not lovely. I’m a total novice at such things, and made the classic mistake of taking the shot from a low angle. Thus, my rock’n’roll claim to fame features a smiling Charlie, but is ruined by me looking like a huge necked gorilla.

The crowd in The Rockin’ Chair had built considerably, and when the UK Subs took to the stage, there was a roar of approval. Straight away the band sent forth a barrage of songs from their vast back catalogue. Sadly, however, the sound for the frist half dozen songs was diabolical. Alvin Gibbs’ bass was phenomenal, rumbling and gliding along, but Steve Straughan’s guitars were totally lost. Thankfully this seemed to improve from ‘Down on the Farm’ onwards, with the sound coming to life.

No problems with the drums, played expertly by Stefan Häublein. And of course, Charlie was superb: a benign punk rock general leading his faithful troops over the top, on a charge into a rock’n’roll no man’s land where we could all party together. ‘Warhead’ was rousingly brilliant, everyone singing along. ‘Stranglehold’ (the first Subs song I ever heard, fact fans!) was still a blast of fresh air, all these years later.

Returning for an encore, I remember ‘CID’ and ‘You Don’t Belong’ received by an audience who really didn’t want it all to end. UK Subs persevered through sound problems with power and professionalism, giving the loyal fans an unforgettable night. Personally, I was stoked to finally hear these songs live and be part of a UK Subs audience. Fingers crossed I’ll get to do it again. Thanks to all for making this happen, it’s amazing to see classic bands of this stature in the local area.

Acid Mammoth – Album Review

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Acid Mammoth – Supersonic Megafauna Collision

Heavy Psych Sounds

Release date: 05/04/2024

Running time: 41 mins approx

Review by: Alun Jones

9/10

Your scribe is beleaguered. Beset by enemies on all fronts, every step forward an excruciating endeavour that may only force me further back than when I started. Such is life as my trusty steed, my desktop PC, has been sabotaged by scurvy knaves, and died at the side of the track. This unfortunate scenario has resulted in yours truly patching together a network of ancient laptop (unused these last four years); a dodgy Word type program that might not even be recognised by the notoriously fussy Ever Metal website; and an iPod to complete this review.

Because I’m a professional, goddamnit. I don’t quit. Not when I could actually finish a review before the album release date and avoid yet more scorn from my EM peers. This review is on, mofos – oh yes, it is on.

And what is this review? Why, none other than a spanking new release from the mighty pachyderms of Doom Metal, the wonderful Acid Mammoth. Hailing from Athens in Greece, this four piece trample everything else under their hefty hooves, with just over forty minutes of heavy riff based, crushing rock music.

Acid Mammoth consist of Chris Babalis Jr (vocals and guitar) and Chris Babalis Sr – Junior’s dad – also on guitar. So it’s an unusual, but obviously well functioning, band of family members. Rounding out the Mammoth are Dimosthenis Varikos on bass and Marios Louvaris on drums. This is their fourth full album, and it won’t disappoint any previous fans.

Thundering tribal drums open our first track, the brilliantly named ‘Supersonic Megafauna Collision’ (also the title track, obvs). Fuzzy guitars are soon added to the mix, with a pulverising pace that’s set at head nod/foot stomp. It’s a template that the album sticks to, but then this Doom Metal is of the true kind – with riffs this good, progressive excursions aren’t required.

“Come feel the fuzz”, then, on ‘Fuzzorgasm’: where the band throw in a groovetastic riff that will get your body moving like a caveman in an itchy loincloth. Great lead guitar too. The behemoth lumbers on through the ‘Garden of Bones’, where an ominous bass takes the front of the herd. The vocals remind me of Tobias Forge of Ghost, which is no bad thing.

‘Atomic Shaman’ provides more Sabbath worship, though with a slightly faster approach. ‘One with the Void’ adds a melancholic, ethereal feel that actually gave me early Soundgarden vibes. Finally, ‘Tusko’s Last Trip’ is a nearly twelve minute long opus that takes all the heavy drama we’ve already encountered and dials it right up, with some of the most crushing playing yet.

Huge is the word to describe this album. Just like the bands namesake, “Supersonic Megafauna Collision” is a gigantic, powerful beast from another age that could flatten all that stand in it’s way. Another great release for 2024, I’ve got the vinyl copy on order and Acid Mammoth look set for a high end of year Top Ten placing.

I can’t believe I’ve managed to get this review finished. In the end, the worst part was that little paper clip guy popping up. Thought he was long gone? Not on this ancient Antikythera device.

Check out Acid Mammoth on their website, Facebook, Bandcamp, Instagram and Spotify.

This review is presented to you by Platinum Al and Ever Metal.

N.E.W. Metal Productions Alldayer

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N.E.W. Metal Productions Alldayer  

McLean’s Pub, Pentre, Deeside 

08/06/2024 

Live review by Alun Jones 

Photos by Rachel Sian Photography 

Following in the wake of Pentre Fest earlier this year, McLean’s Pub in Pentre, Deeside North Wales was again the home of a bunch of raging metal/rock bands for a day. The good chaps at North East Wales Metal Productions held one of their fantastic alldayers, featuring several bands from all over, gracing up with their magnificent music. 

Sadly, a couple of bands couldn’t make it on the day. I was gutted that Master Charger dropped out (great band), and also The Human Condition have sadly decided to call it a day. But never mind, we soldier on, and there was plenty of music still to enjoy. 

Kicking things off in good style was Victim of Damp, aka Frank – a long-time supporter at NEW Metal Prods events. VOD opened with some lovely Pink Floyd acoustic guitar, before launching into a rousing set consisting of amusing anecdotes, shots of booze for the crowd, and sing-a-long humour. And yes, Bean’s car is still full of shit. 

Check out Victim of Damp on Facebook.

Any Given Reason were on stage next, a six headed monster of a band with two (two! Count ’em!) vocalists. Neither vocalist stayed on stage for long, preferring to take their brand of in your face metalcore right out into the audience. Great musicians too, giving us prime chunky riffs with dynamic skills. One to watch for, AGR are very entertaining with a super confident delivery all round. 

Any Given Reason on Facebook.

All the way from Belfast, Northern Ireland, to good ol’ Deeside were Nomadus – on the last date of their tour before returning home. If they were tired, it didn’t show at all – these guys are a devastating live band that left us all exhausted. A powerful combination of groove and thrash metal, with songs that are mature and progressive, make sure you see Nomadus live whenever you can. 

Nomadus on Facebook.

Surprise of the day was Crisis, who I was embarrassingly oblivious of. I was tipped off that Crisis were a NWOBHM band, which was true but doesn’t explain enough. The bands playing was razor sharp, and the songs varied from aggressive rockers to more epic, expansive numbers. This ability to let the songs breathe and grow, explore ideas and still remain in musical control set Crisis apart. If Iron Maiden were a Rush covers band, they would be Crisis.  

Crisis on Facebook.

There’s been a bit of a buzz about Warlockhunt recently, so I was very happy to finally get to see them. This band are unlike anything else: a three-piece consisting of two bass players (one singing) and drums. It’s the gloomiest of treacly doom metal decorated with beautiful, ethereal female vocals, like a dark fairy tale that may not end happy ever after. Doom pop, anyone? It’s enthralling stuff: I loved it and you need to check them out asap. 

Warlockhunt on Facebook.

Finally, our headliners for tonight, the mighty Scarfoot were back, and justly bumped to top of the bill. These guys were not fazed at all, powering through another set of intense stoner rock with a hint of grunge (at least to my ears!). The electric steel and 12 string guitars lend Scarfoot a characteristic edge, but the whole band pounding away is like Godzilla knocking at the front door. As well as being joyously heavy, Scarfoot’s songs are also epic and engrossing. Scarfoot did a superb job and closed the evening with conviction. 

Scarfoot on Facebook.

Variety was the secret spice for tonight’s event at McLean’s. Each band offered something unique and each played their hearts out. A thoroughly enjoyable event, thanks to all involved. If you couldn’t make it, readers – please try next time: nights like this need your support. 

N.E.W. Metal Productions on Facebook.

This review presented to you by Platinum Al and Ever Metal.

Green Goat – Album Review

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Greengoat – A.I.

Self-released

Release date: 26/01/2024

Running time: 38 minutes

Review by; Alun Jones

8.5/10

Opening with a Bladerunner-style synth led track that features a spoken word delivery of Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics, is a bold (and different) move for a Stoner/Doom band. In a genre where, thematically, we’re usually content to contemplate the joys of weed consumption and the mysteries of the occult – usually via a 1970s Hammer horror aesthetic – this sci-fi launching point is a welcome breath of fresh air.

This is where we enter the album “A.I.” by Spanish doomsters Greengoat. It’s a great band name, and one that harks back to those pot and patchouli, candles and Peter Cushing tropes we’re used to. But ‘The Void’ takes us on a different tangent, with the Rutger Hauer voice over. Second track ‘The Seed’ takes this mellow intro and runs with it, till 30 seconds in – yes, it’s big fat chunky riff time! And what a big, fat chunky riff it is – slow and grinding, developing an irresistible groove with the drums dropping in, eventually exploding into a full force rocker.

The line-up of singer/guitarist Ivan Flores and drummer Ruth “Kalypso” Moya invoke a moody soundscape that borrows from spacey, harmonic passages of Pink Floyd and adds crunchy hard rock. It’s a euphoric concoction as the music builds. And oh, how it builds…

A more traditional stoner groove pervades the other songs on the album, with groovy riff workouts showcased across tracks like the head-nodding, tripped out title track and the fuzzy, Fu Manchu-like ‘Burn the End’.

Throughout the album, Greengoat weld together a progressive, futurist theme with some good, old fashioned, retro Sabbath style rockin’. “A.I.” will no doubt entwine itself around my conscious all the more as I play it in the weeks to come. This is a fine album with great ideas – the analogue age and the digital age tentatively strolling forward together.

Find out more about Greengoat on Facebook and Bandcamp.

This review is brought to you by Platinum Al in association with Ever Metal.

Pentre Fest 2024

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Pentre Fest 2024

McLean’s Pub, Pentre, Deeside

Friday 23rd & Saturday 24th February 2024

Pentre Fest is a big deal to me.  And I’ll bet it means a lot to plenty of other people too, who are just as keen to enjoy this festival of underground – but not unloved – metal bands.  I look forward to this event every year.  I mean, after the Christmas festivities, how else are you gonna survive the misery of January? 

Yours truly was the lone representative for Ever Metal at Pentre this year, so all the reviews were my responsibility.  I tried to see as many acts as I could, but it wasn’t always possible.  And so I can cover as much ground as poss, the summaries will be short and sweet this year.  But trust me, I’ll keep you on the straight and narrow.

The festival began on Friday evening, Edd Case and his acoustic set on the new outdoor Keymo stage being my introduction.  It’s a proper stage this year, with steps and everything.  Edd played a great set of acoustic tracks, including some Maiden, Neil Young (nice Soundgarden segue/tribute) and plenty more.  Most impressive.

Heading inside, Omega Throne was on next.  Their set was an exciting blend of Death/Black Metal, with some intriguingly dark, gothic elements peppered through the songs.  A great set that combined power and fury with a little mystique. 

That was followed by the lunatic genius of Mad Spanner.  Now a one-man band of crazed thrash metal with a backing track, Mike aka Mad Spanner offers brilliant musicianship, wry humour and furious energy.  I’m still recovering from this set, God know how he does it.

Back inside and Bloodmores were up next.  This was a great set of pounding, heavy Thrash/Death metal, excellently played and with a surprising amount of foot stomping groove.

Tonight’s original headliners, I Saw The World Burn, were sadly unable to play.  We sincerely hope all is well in that camp.  At the final hour, however, Cadence Noir were able to fill the headline spot with their gothic tinged folk punk’n’roll.  Cadence can always be counted on to get everyone jumping and jigging around, and they did a fine job of finishing Day the First of Pentre Fest.  

Saturday’s wake-up call was DAM.G, alias Rob from Thrashatouille’s “grown up band” (not my observation, but one overheard on the day!).  A melting pot of progressive metal with Rob’s growl augmented by phenomenal female co-lead vocals, it was certainly a powerful and memorable set.

Outside was a pleasant surprise: the disco funk of Mrs Gizlo.  Who’d have expected that?  Not me, but it was great fun to hear something different and it certainly got the crowd moving. 

In Which It Burns took to the indoor stage next, and gave as a relentless set of thrash metal.  It was only mid-afternoon and these Pembrokeshire ragers delivered the goods with super-fast, aggressive tracks.  Nice work.

Liverpool’s Ogun were on the main stage next, with some meaty thrash metal of their own.  Fast and brutal, I really enjoyed these guys and their total take-no-prisoners approach.  Wish I’d bought a t-shirt. 

It was freezing outside, so deep apologies from me to the various artists I missed outside, whilst huddled inside with a pint.  North Wales Deathcore deviants Dystopian Sun kept the fires burning with some intense yet bouncy metal that roared by like a Sasquatch driving a stolen pick-up truck.

Rule of Six had an early start on Saturday morning.  Whilst most of us were still hiding from encroaching hangovers, these lads set off at 4am to get from Northern Ireland to North East Wales for this gig.  I’ve never seen so many guitars on stage (four plus a bass!) but all Rule of Six’s instruments were well employed, with their melodic metal proving an uplifting and thrilling experience.  Maiden comparisons are a bit obvious, but apt.  Great show and nice contrast to much of the bands so far.

From one band who crowded out the main stage, to another band who spent little time on it: Broken Jaw refused to be restrained and preferred to wander around the room!  Their blend of punk energy and attitude with metal riffery made sure no-one in the audience was allowed to put their feet up.

Afterward, I dared to make a rare venture outside to witness Skinflick, who I’d heard very good things about.  This two-piece outfit gave us some filthy Industrial EDM dripping with sleazy beats – another very cool divergence from the expected.

Beyond Salvation made their way to Pentre from Manchester, and pretty much laid waste to all with a blistering set of thrash metal.  The band were both brutal and energetic, with superb playing, that kept the gig going on full steam.  There was no chance for the audience to flag here!

I’m actually gutted that I missed SOOTO out on the Keymo Stage.  Blame the cold, blame the drink, blame me for being useless: I should’ve been there, sorry.  Can we get SOOTO back please?  I promise I’ll pay attention this time.

Every year at Pentre Fest, there’s at least one band that I go full-on Fan Boy for.  This year’s recipients of the accolade were the amazing Struck/Down, who played huge sounding groove metal riffs that immediately had me hooked like a fish.  For me, Struck/Down were the best band of the weekend by a distance.  T-shirt purchase?  Tick.  CD purchase?  Tick.

Finally, our last band of a fantastic event were Extreme Metal leviathans Krysthla.  The foot was down on the pedal as Krysthla hurtled us through the last set of the weekend with a rapid fire, unrelenting batch of songs.

And that was it, Pentre Fest was over for another year.  I’ve been downhearted ever since, missing the camaraderie and fell-good vibes of the event – not to mention the out of this world music.  Thanks and huge respect to Fozzy and Beany, North East Wales Metal Productions, McClean’s, and all the bands and crew who made this happen.

I wish it could be Pentre Fest every day.    

Catch up with news at the following pages: N.E.W. Metal Productions, Goodfor Audio, McLeans Pentre.

This review is brought to you by Platinum Al in association with Ever Metal.   

Living Colour – Gig Review

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Living Colour + Red Zephyr

Saturday 2nd December 2023

Buckley Tivoli

Yet another massive coup for the good ol’ Tiv! The Tivoli Venue in Buckley, North Wales is a legendary spot and has attracted some amazing, big names over the years. The latest to pay a visit and astonish us with their prowess were alt-rock icons Living Colour. This was, indeed, a big deal. I bought my ticket as soon as it was announced.

No surprise, the Tiv was packed to the rafters on this Saturday evening. It was a good atmosphere from the start, a feeling of warm anticipation in the air. I caught up with several friends old and new, but that meant I didn’t get much experience of support band Red Zephyr. What I did hear, they seemed to be a supremely capable and enjoyable hard rock band – one to investigate further in the future.

Now me and Living Colour go back some way. I still have an old 7 inch vinyl Sounds EP featuring the band that a friend gave me in 1988, which is where my fandom began. I’ve never seen them live though (ah, if only I’d been able to go to Lollapalooza 1991!), so this gig was really something to look forward to.

Opening with their infectious track “Middle Man” before launching into playing their “Stain” album in full, it was immediately obvious that Living Colour were still at the top of their game and playing exceptionally well. It was also nice to be reminded just how many great songs – and of varying styles and grooves – this band have in their repertoire. Crunchy metal provided by guitar maestro Vernon Reid on “Go Away” nestles up comfortably with the sublime pop of “Nothingness”. On all tracks, the Haribo fuelled voice of Corey Glover roared majestically and crooned sweetly.

Post “Stain” run-through saw a jigsaw of originals and covers, the highlight being a 50 years of Hip-Hop medley featuring “White Lines” and “The Message”. Doug Wimbish, the king of bass, shone here, although his skills dazzled all night. And drum master Will Calhoun gets a well deserved solo spot: he ably showed both relentless power and effortless grace throughout.

Of course, two of the big crowd pleasers are “Love Rears It’s Ugly Head” – which is uncannily well played – and the crushing, monster riff of “Cult of Personality”. All the songs sound great, with Corey’s vocals in particular sounding like they came direct off the vinyl.

Well done to all at the Tiv for making this happen, and huge thanks to Living Colour for turning up and playing their hearts out. They had the musical skills, they were vibrant and entertaining on stage – Living Colour absolutely ruled one of the best Tiv nights in a long, long time.

Living Colour are online here.

Check what’s on at Buckley Tivoli here.

Vis Mystica – Album Review

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Vis Mystica – Celestial Wisdom

Dark Star Records/Asher Media Relations

Release date: 2nd December 2022

Running time: 24 minutes

Review by: Alun Jones

7.5/10

Confession time: I don’t actually like Power Metal.  Widdly and flashy guitars; superfluous keyboards washing over everything; histrionic, high-pitched vocals – no thanks.  I mean, I can dig Iron Maiden and Judas Priest – do they count?  But otherwise, this particular metal sub-genre is not for me.

Vis Mystica are a Power Metal band.  But they’re a Star Wars themed Power Metal band, and no one is more steeped in Star Wars lore than me. No one.  You know the cantina scene in Episode IV?  I can name all the aliens in that scene, what planet they’re from, and what they’re doing there.  I’ve collected the action figures since 1978.  I can beat anyone – anyone – at Original Trilogy Trivial Pursuit.  Ask my other half, I’ve ruined a couple of dinner parties playing that game.

It’s not a huge claim to fame, but Star Wars fandom is all I have to offer in life.

So, let’s put my knowledge to use.  To be fair, musically “Celestial Wisdom” is far better than I feared.  The widdly guitars and pointless keyboards are present, but the music is fast and furious like a T-16 race in Beggar’s Canyon.  The vocals are solid and not overly dramatic, not Gungan-level annoying at all.  In fact, the first two tracks, ‘Whispering Winds of Fate’ and ‘Legacy of the Builders’ had me headbanging along like a Wookiee on a runaway Bantha.

Everything was going well till Track 4, ‘Lux Et Veritas’, when xylophone style plinky-plonk noises threatened to sink things faster than a proton torpedo in a two-metre-wide exhaust port.  It all suddenly sounds like Christmas music.  Thrashy, hyper-space speed guitars on ‘Beyond the Gates of Fury’ engage the nav-computer and manage to steer us back on course, thankfully.

Without a lyric sheet, it’s kind of hard to tell how much actual Star Wars nerd obscurities are present within these songs.  There are no lightsaber or R2 unit samples to add context, so I found the theme lacking a bit.  “Celestial Wisdom” is based around the Knights of the Old Republic comics/video games – alas, not my area of expertise – rather than the movies, so I may not have the wisdom I need to fully judge.  

Whilst Power Metal may not be my usual cup of blue milk, I’ve got to give credit to the musicianship and imagination of Vis Mystica for this endeavour.  The world needs more of this sort of thing.  It’s far more fun than I thought it would be: genuine fans of the Power Metal genre will probably get a lot out of it.  A bit more Star Wars next time, though, please lads?  I can help with the reference material if you like.

May the Force be with you!

Check out Vis Mystica on Facebook, Bandcamp, YouTube and Instagram.

This review has been proudly presented by Platinum Al and Ever Metal.

Anti Nowhere League – Gig Review

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Anti Nowhere League + Red or Dead

Friday 21st April 2023

Buckley Tivoli

The crowds were thin at first at The Tivoli in Buckley, North Wales, for this evening’s entertainment – but that changed soon enough. Happily, the situation started to develop during the opening set, meaning that support band Red or Dead were able to play to fair sized crowd.

I say happily, ‘cos Red or Dead deserved to play to a decent size audience. Hailing from a bit further up the road in Conwy, the fourpiece are an accomplished group of musicians who are obviously inspired by classic 70’s punk, such as The Clash. Very impressive, with catchy tunes and a message, Red or Dead easily grabbed my attention and refused to hand it back. Definitely a band to keep an eye on, there’s a variety in sound and musicianship that hinted at an even wider repertoire – some research reveals they often play acoustic sets, which sounds very tempting.

Anti Nowhere League shouldn’t really require any introduction. I became aware of these deviants thanks to their association with The Damned many years ago, tales of debauchery spreading ahead of them like a bushfire. Now with just head lunatic Animal remaining in the band, he’s backed by a great, well tenured group of musicians who can really deliver on the band’s legacy, performing it with the respect – and ferocity – it deserves.

Hit singles aren’t really the order here, but of course ANL give us their wonderfully raucous treatment of “Streets of London” (yes, that one) in a set riddled with classics. That songs infamous B-side, the still unbelievably filthy “So What” makes an appearance too, earlier than I’d expected, complete with a concise history lesson from Animal, covering police raids and the later Metallica renaissance. The song still raises a smile and rocks like a nun on a washing machine.

The whole band play brilliantly, the result being a set that was even better than expected. For the uninitiated, Anti Nowhere League live in the corner of punk that’s largely UK Subs with a big, fat dollop of Motorhead. From “I Hate People”, “Let’s Break the Law”, a cover of Del Shannon’s “Runaway” (my Mother-in-Law wouldn’t dig it) and through to “We Are The League”, song after song is fast and furious with never a dud.

As anticipated, the audience loved it and the atmosphere in the Tiv was one not to be missed. Classic punk rock from Anti Nowhere League, who gave us quality tunes performed with the zeal and attitude it deserved. So glad I was there.