LIVE REVIEW: MORASS OF MOLASSES + BATTALIONS, SIGIRIYA & GAUL

MORASS OF MOLASSES
BATTALIONS
SIGIRIYA
GAUL

Live at The Star & Garter Manchester. May 20th 2017. Presented by Up From Under.

GAUL

Opening a night of Stoner Rock was Manchester's own Gaul. I've seen this band already last year but they had a different vocalist, so it was interesting to hear them again with a shifted line-up. Current vocalist Chris Whitehouse stepped up to the plate with an exquisite gravelly tone in his voice and plenty of power and enthusiasm. His reverberated growls and wails were very reminiscent of Kyuss frontman John Garcia. At times though the reverb was a bit too strong and his voice occasionally disappeared into the ether. 

Unfortunately Gaul had a bit of a cock up on the second song and had to start it again. I feel like this knocked their confidence a bit during the performance, although they did get back into their stride towards the end of their set. The performance was entertaining enough, but musically it was quite by the numbers Stoner Rock, with the kind of riffs I've already heard performed similarly and bettered by many other bands that play Metal shows in Manchester. I feel like Gaul need to chuck in a few more surprises and find a unique sound in order to deliver something really memorable in the future. 6/10.

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SIGIRIYA

This was my first time seeing and hearing Sigiriya who have traveled from Swansea to play here tonight. Though they expressed a similar sound and style to openers Gaul, they took it up a level by playing with much more power, passion and urgency. Their self described "Mountain Rock" certainly livened up the crowd and the band were very tight and confident on stage. They tried out some new songs from a forthcoming release with plenty of gusto. Sigiriya ended their set with a song that is apparently adapted from Welsh folklore, but to me it sounds like a storming and stomping Stoner gem. Again, not a particularly unique or memorable set of songs, but certainly a strong performance. 7/10.

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BATTALIONS

Replacing Barbarian Hermit at the last minute was Battalions from Hull. Battalions stood out the most on tonight's bill. Whilst they did churn out some bluesy and groovy Stoner riffs like the other bands, their sound was much more diverse. Their wild frontman was fascinating to watch on stage, moving about with so much energy. He had a really extreme vocal style, belting out indecipherable shrieks reminiscent of Jacob Bannon from Converge. The way that Battalions mixed up their tempos made them really exciting and unpredictable on stage. They were able to transition slow, crushing riffs, head nodding grooves and even more unforgiving Hardcore riffs, all seamlessly. In particular, 'Shitstormtroopers' got a huge reaction from the crowd with a massive riff that kept slowing down, getting heavier and heavier each time. 8/10.

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MORASS OF MOLASSES

Tonight's headliners have just released their brand new album 'These Paths We Tread' a day beforehand so it was an exciting time to catch the trio live. MOM set the dark and moody Star & Garter stage alight with a colourful performance that oozed confidence and finesse. The trio pounded us with slow and swampy riffs that sounded huge. Self described as "Disco Doom", their songs were deceptively simple with nods to classic Stoner bands such as Sleep and Electric Wizard, but with a more cheerful and upbeat mood. Vocalist Bones' prominently clean wailing vocals were refreshing and were on pitch perfect form tonight.

For me, there was far too much yapping in between the songs, with crude stories between each song that all revolved around the male genitals, but it was cool that they got the crowd involved, and the punters certainly were enjoying themselves throughout. The banter did seem to eat into the set time quite a bit though! Regardless, MOM were very enjoyable to watch and that thick, fuzzy sound of theirs hit the sweet spot. In particular the opening track of their latest album 'My Leviathan' really enticed the crowd tonight. All the best to Morass of Molasses with their album release tour! 8/10.

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#338: FANTASIST + SUPPORT - LIVE IN MANCHESTER

Rebellion Manchester continues to prove itself a dominant force in the Heavy Rock & Metal scene in Manchester with yet another epic show! This time growing promoter Up From Under were at the helm, with a quartet of trios on show, cemented in more of a Rock ground rather than the usual Extreme Metal bands that dominate this venue.

SUGARCAGE

Unfortunately there were only a handful of people at the start of the show, but if you arrived late you missed out on a bit of a gem with Manchester's Sugarcage. This trio very much had a nostalgic sound that seemed to appreciate mid 90s to early 00s Rock and Metal. I could hear Silverchair, Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots in their sound, but definitely some Grungey tones. Sugarcage used the old quiet verses/loud chorus formulas well and weren't afraid to have clean guitar dominate their songs, though they would usually find their way into crunchier, distorted finales.

When Sugarcage began their set, I felt like their energy was a little drained, which I guess is hard to avoid when you are playing to such a small audience. The absence can psychologically make the room look bigger and can play on your conscience during the performance. But in fairness, as their set went on their energy got much bigger and the trio seemed to lose themselves within their sounds. One of the highlights of their set was a song about Star Wars, which even had the lyrics "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" in there, showing that Sugarcage have an understanding of all things retro. In an emotional display, Sugarcage said farewell to their drummer Rory who was playing his last show. Though Sugarcage may not have the most original sound, they proved that they can do older styles well and since I am a sucker for nostalgia, I really enjoyed every moment of their set. A part of me felt I could have listened to them forever. Their use of lovely melodic clean chords and beautifully crafted vocal tones, especially from frontman Kai, really won me over. I'd love to see these guys play to a packed out crowd one day and see how they compare! 8/10.

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THE RIVER VERSUS

If you have followed my reviews for a while now, you'll know I've reviewed The River Versus a bunch of times over the years, but if you don't know, this Manchester based trio deliver a seriously intense technical Prog Rock onslaught. They have the ELP setup of bassist, keyboardist and drummer. Their sound is very eclectic even for a Prog band, and draws in influences of Jazz, Classical, Post Hardcore and even Mariachi brass!

Thankfully punters continually poured into Rebellion as The River Versus began their set with a fanfare, with each band member contributing two trumpets and one trombone, in an epic and harmonious intro that felt like they were about to introduce a gunslinger duel in a Spaghetti Western film! They then kicked into some of the most impossibly complex playing, with each member weaving in and out of each other in a true display of technical versatility. Their songs are inspired by Norse mythology and the band even wrote and illustrated a comic book to coincide with their music. It's as if these three are constantly drawing from an endless well of sheer talent, and of course when they perform they make the mindboggling bass tapping solos, staccato piano playing and insanely massive drum fills seem effortless! The fact that they can all perform solo vocals and beautiful harmonies whilst hard at work on their instruments is something truly awe inspiring. Aaron, Alec and Jimmy also have a great sense of humour on stage, getting the audience to meow during performances and making each other laugh during some of the more serious parts of their songs.

The River Versus treated the Rebellion audience to a brand new song tonight, that was fast and funky, allowing drummer Aaron to take a lead vocal part, which he pulled off fantastically. This show was particularly exciting as it was my first time seeing them at Rebellion, which often brings out the best sound in any Rock or Metal act. The best part about seeing The River Versus play live though, is watching people in the crowd who have clearly never seen them play before. It's not long until their jaws are on the floor and they are left a drooling mess. Some of the band members in Rock band Silverchild were watching tonight and when they whipped out the trumpets to bookend their show, I heard a scream of "HOLY SHIT!" Yes... The River Versus really are that good! 10/10.

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DIRTY ROTTEN SOULS

Following a performance by The River Versus must be one of the scariest things a musician can think of, so there was a lot of pressure on Stoke On Trent based Dirty Rotten Souls. Please bare in mind that Dirty Rotten Souls were not originally scheduled for this show, and stepped in after Ritual King were unable to play. I think their sound would have followed on more coherently from openers Sugarcage, so being sandwiched between two Prog and Funk inspired bands maybe left these guys at a disadvantage.

Dirty Rotten Souls play Bluesy Rock with strokes of modern Indie in there. In particular, their vocalist had a tone reminiscent of Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys (think the newer stuff). The trio kicked into some ballsy riffage from the start. Their guitar sounds had plenty of dirt and grit, which got people in the crowd banging their heads. "Cocaine Submarine" added in some 70s Classic Rock inspired riffs. The band had some questionable lyrics in some of their songs. New single "You'd Look Better With a Bullet In You" didn't quite match the aggression of its title, and the lyrics about pulling your trousers and knickers up fell completely flat for me. There were some other suspect lyrics across the night (I'm sure I heard a filthy slut in there), that I didn't really get. I think if I'd seen Dirty Rotten Souls perform on a different bill on a more level playing field I would have enjoyed them more, but The River Versus left my brain twitching for more insane Prog Funk Rock and these guys weren't here to fill that void. 6/10.

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FANTASIST

After The River Versus left Rebellion's revellers with their minds shattered and exploded into pieces all over the floor, our final trio of the night arrived just in time to sweep any remaining brain fragments up and send them right into the incinerator! Fantasist usually dress sharp in pinstripe suits, but the lovely summery weather called for the Fantasist boys to put on their summer vacation clothes, with all 3 wearing Hawaiian shirts and shorts!

After much anticipation, an amp fuck up got them off to a false start. But they covered well whilst guitarist Ollie quickly setup a new amp by playing a funky bass and drum rendition of the Super Mario Bros Pipe Theme! They soon launched into their set proper, showcasing their virtuoso playing. Soon into the set they played my favourite song of theirs "Goodnight So Long", from their self titled second album. This song is one of their catchiest with a massive melodic chorus showcasing the trios soaring vocal harmonies. Fantasist roared through their original songs sending out glee to the Rebellion crowd with their high energy and warm charm. Like The River Versus before them, their use of vocal harmonies and truly mind-boggling dedication to their instruments was simultaneously mindblowing and effortless...

...Speaking of The River Versus, this show unveiled the worst kept secret in Manchester's music scene (even the setlist on the night pretty much gave this one away). In the middle of Fantasist's set, their sonic brethrens joined them on stage as a Mariachi backing band! The two bands had scrambled to get a small amount of rehearsal time together before the show, but because both bands are so talented, the final result was seamless. Fantasist showcased two new songs from their forthcoming EP, and having TRV back them with their brass instruments was not only a beautiful moment, but it could well go down in Rock history! TRV managed to give Fantasist some Ska vibes, as if these guys didn't put enough of a big grin on your face already! I would like to hear these two bands do a proper collaborative studio EP or something!

Following a fantastic Fantasist feast of fully fledged funky originals, the boys then launched into their inevitable covers section of the show. This is where the gig turns into a full on party! Fantasist have a great ability of honouring the original spirit of the songs, playing them flawlessly, but adding their own Funk sound to them and finding ways to implement their triple vocal attack! "Video Killed the Radio Star" got the whole crowd singing along and dancing, and "Word Up" sent party animals going crazy. The new addition of "Peaches" by The Presidents of the USA was such a fantastic choice that really suits Fantasist's sound, but it was their hilarious version of "Easy Lover" that blew the place apart, proving that some good can come out of Phil Collins after all! 9/10.

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May 28th 2016 @ Rebellion Manchester. Photography by Rich Smith of Digital Bath.

#323: RIGGOTS + SUPPORT ACTS - LIVE IN MANCHESTER

MESCINA

LESTER VERDE

THE ROCKET DOLLS

SOMA DARK

RIGGOTS

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MESCINA

Mescina opened the proceedings at Rebellion Bar. This young 4 piece took me on a nostalgia trip back to when I was in school and Nu-Metal/Alt-Metal was the in sound. I loved the attention to detail of their guitarist, who was wearing a t-shirt over a long sleeve shirt, cargo pants and van shoes combo, reminding me exactly how I used to dress 15 years ago! Mescina make absolutely no excuses that they are influenced by this sound, as they did two excellent covers. The first was a fast and furious rendition of System of a Down's "Multiply", which got the crowd screaming along. They closed their set with a fantastic version of Deftones' "Around the Fur". Not an easy band to take on considering Chino's expert vocal delivery, but they did it great justice. If anything vocalist Luke tried too hard to sound like Chino!

Of course, Mescina played their own material too. They kicked straight into their set with a Hardcore influenced song. Luke's vocals reminded me of Chaos A.D. era Max Cavalera, with a real venom and rage in his voice. Their guitarist and bassist made use of dense downtuned riffs that would make way into eerie discordant verses, reminiscent of Korn's early sound. The bass was fuzzy and strong and the drummer kept a solid groove with hard hitting snares. One of the songs even reminded me of Tool's "Sober". A song later in the set successfully pulled off a Rap Metal verse without sounding corny, reminding me of "SCIENCE" era Incubus.

Mescina wear their influences very much on their sleeve, but it is cool to find a band who seem to enjoy the exact same music that I did as a teenager. They've also managed to absorb the better parts of that era, leaving out the corniness and dated sound of acts like Disturbed and Limp Bizkit. Whilst Mescina are solid performers, they also need to develop their own sound and style, as they will continue to be compared to the aforementioned bands, but I was grateful the nostalgia trip! 8/10.

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LESTER VERDE

Salford based trio Lester Verde are quickly becoming a talked about band in the Manchester Metal scene. This is the second time they have played Rebellion this month, and the group are in the midst of recording a full length album. Lester Verde helped to warm up this particularly cold evening, with their Stoner/Desert Rock sound. They sounded like they had come straight from Palm Desert USA rather than the industrial high rises of Salford! 

Lester Verde brought some brilliant chuggy and fuzzy riffs to Rebellion. Guitarist and vocalist Chris Taylor uses an array of different pedals to bring a full bodied, dense sound that often explores reverb and delay. One of the band's signatures is their ability to compose lengthy songs that string together a mixture of fast and slow riffs, often punctuated with Psychedelic jams inbetween. Lester Verde aren't afraid to let a song meander, giving way to guitar soloing and noodling. The Kyuss influence is definitely strong with this trio. Chris Taylor is a confident frontman with so much passion and you can see he works hard during the gig, but makes it look very natural. His vocal tone definitely has a similar gravelly feel to John Garcia. The band got better as they went along, with their 3rd song being a big highlight, delivering a massive Stoner groove that got the crowd banging their heads. The Doom and Stoner sound is a very popular one amongst Manchester's Metal scene, but Lester Verde's dedication to Psyched out jamming makes them stand out, adding a pinch of Hendrix and early The Doors to their repertoire. 8/10. 

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THE ROCKET DOLLS

Brighton based trio The Rocket Dolls were somewhat the odd one out on the bill, but they brought a hard and energetic set full of riffs! Dressed in leather and denim, their high energy never let up and you could see the sweat flying off their Punk inspired haircuts. The Rocket Dolls bring simplistic and catchy songs that are full of dirty bass grooves and mid tempo-riffs that show a US Alternative/Punk influence to them. They reminded me slightly of band's like AFI, Eagles of Death Metal and Alkaline Trio, not just in their sound but in their look. 

I think this was their last date on a short UK tour, and it must have been a success as they had sold out of merchandise before they even arrived at Rebellion! Although The Rocket Dolls weren't quite as heavy as some of the other bands on the bill, they matched the energy of the other bands and had some big riffs to their name. A standout was "Dead Head" which had a dark, Grungey lead riff. Their big enthusiasm and positivity was something to be admired. 7/10.

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SOMA DARK

Manchester based 5 piece Soma Dark really amped up the evening, with an incredibly loud and heavy set. Their drummer pounded the shit out of the kit so hard that I thought my ears were going to explode! Soma Dark have a Metalcore and Groove Metal influenced sound, with plenty of chugging riffs and subtle lead guitar licks. Both guitarists were using 7 string guitars to deliver some downtuned mayhem. They brought to mind acts such as Lamb of God and Dry Kill Logic. New song "Tempus Deum" stood out, but I think the song that captured them best was "Freight Train". By far the heaviest song in their set, it kicked in with a real face punching riff and had a huge energy throughout.

I think the biggest talking point of tonight's performance was vocalist Daniel, who delivers a versatile vocal that switches between full on screaming and growling vocals, as well as clean singing parts too. For me the Screaming parts were absolutely spot on, he had a great evil tone in his voice and the projected power of his vocals matched those detuned riffs. But I couldn't help but feel the clean vocals felt more strained and sometimes off key. It could just have been an off day, which every vocalist is entitled to, or perhaps some more work is required to being the clean vocals up to the great standards of the screaming parts. It was good to see Daniel get lost in the performances though, moving all over the stage. This isn't particularly my favourite style of Metal, but I can't deny is was a full on, entertaining performance and LOUD!!! 7/10.

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RIGGOTS

By the time Riggots hit the stage, Rebellion was practically a full house, with supportive regulars as well as a big clan of Stiff Little Fingers fans who had just poured in from the Ritz down the road! There was even a bizarre police invasion, but nothing that was required to interrupt the proceedings! Riggots have only 2 band members, a drummer and a guitarist/vocalist, and yet they managed to make as much racket as Soma Dark before them! They kicked right in with a powerful slamming riff. Riggots play so incredibly fast that their songs are almost a blur! The vocals are drenched in reverb and come at you like a lightning strike! Imagine putting on a White Stripes vinyl at 45RPM speed and taking away the "chipmunk" vocals, that is how fast Riggots played!

The energy that Riggots emitted was absolutely monstrous! At one point the vocalist even came off the stage and plonked his mic stand right in the middle of the crowd. Their frontman delivers frenetic and noisy laced riffs, playing a mixture of Punk, Hardcore and Bluesy riffs, but with a Garage Rock punch. Their transitions between riffs are incredibly well calculated. The loose guitar playing style is expertly controlled. The drummer put in a real shift and didn't even bring any cymbals along. Not that it mattered because the whole thing had this Lo-fi purity to it that worked wonders. Riggots are quite simply one of those bands that you just have to see in the flesh. Nothing I can say here can really describe accurately just how intense and fun the experience was! 9/10.

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Tonight was yet another fantastic evening at Rebellion Bar, proving there is just too much talent coming out of Manchester (oh and Brighton too). The sound was spot on throughout and there was a great turnout at this very well organised gig. Props to the Rebellion staff, the bands, the sound crew and Up From Under promotions for making it a great evening!
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March 19th 2016 @ Rebellion Manchester. Photos by Paul Nash of Rebel Rock Photography