Mendeed

Fri 13 Jan 2006

Play to a packed Underworld

Kingsize Blues

• Tom Hennessy - Vocals
• Melly - Guitar
  Bastad - Guitar
• Matt Caley - Bass
• Tori Lucion – Drums

Kingsize Blues

Having recently just come of a tour with God Forbid, and lined themselves a tour with Crowbar and Will Haven, KingSize Blues have built up a sizeable following and when you see them live you can see why; with a set on bulldozers behind their axes, a juggernaut on the drums and a singer who’s talents would even give Phil Anselmo a run for his money. The crowds reaction was just immense with mini circle pits opening here there and everywhere continuously throughout their set, but behind all that aggression they put into their show they show maximum love and respect for those that turn up and sing their hearts out and move releasing all that pent up energy from their week. It’s no wonder they’ve been given the opportunity to go on tours with such kickass bands, this band has a future that will live past the fads and continue to pump out their style of dark thrash and melodic riffmeistery.

Their ‘Live Fast and Die’ EP does exactly what is says on the tin so check them out if you have not done so already.

Interlock

• Hal Sinden – Vocals
• Christina Gajny – Vocals
• John Tyrell – Guitar
• Chris ‘Static’ Dixon – Guitar
• Syan – Bass
• Matt Platts – Drums

Interlock

Then up step onto the stage Interlock, just another heavy metal act? Oh no, this band got people moshing as well as dancing which is very rare to pull off, but these guys do it very well, a prime example is the band’s track ‘Cause’ which blends eerie dark industrial with drum and bass, and what can only be described as their own signature sound which had half the crowd moshing and head banging, whilst the other half were dancing their butts off. Christina Gajny’s vocals are like having barbed wire sinking into your right ear with her death growl whilst being caressed in the left with singing so pure, while Hal Sinden just dives right in you head and mutilates it in whatever way he sees fit. With programming that Trent Reznor would share a smile to, the ability of this band is right up there with the pro’s but still are unreachable by the fans, they are there feeding off each other and put every ounce of energy to leave more than a pint of blood and sweat on the stage.

After seeing Interlock’s complete set it wouldn’t surprise me if Fear Factory, even in their prime, came to the UK knocked on their door, dropped to their knees and begged to a tour with them.

‘crisis//reinvention’ the mini album as well as the Skinless EP is OUT NOW… stop reading and go get some Interlock!

Mendeed

• Dave Proctor – Vocals
• Steph Gildea – Guitar
• Steven Nixon – Guitar
• Chris Lavery – Bass
• Kevin Matthews – Drums

Mendeed

Now Mendeed are to follow, I’ve heard bits here and there about this band and that they have toured with Slipknot, God Forbid and were special guests to Skindred, but there was something that did not sit right with me with this band; the drumming is purely amazing and tight, the riffs were chugging, and the vocals sat right, but only for so long. I would like to have seen more of a range to the vocals and the ever changing riffs didn’t really give me anything to catch onto, but the kids in the crowd found their ways to move, again however it was a bit too didderly didderly didderly metal for me, do not get me wrong I like my classic metal, but where was the progression into breaking some new ground? There are too many bands at the moment sounding like this at the moment, and it’s getting hard to distinguish which band is which. Technically it’s great stuff if you want a bit of hardcore with blends of power metal.

Mendeed

Mendeed’s debut album ‘This War Will Last Forever’ is released on January 23rd.

The mood set by all three bands as well as the energetic crowd made it one to look back on and think “wow these bands aren’t signed” and time will tell when these bands get their well deserved opportunity in the music business.

Review by Dean Mills

Photos by Ben Price