[Photo sets: Bonded By Blood / Flayed Disciple / Seprevation]
[avatar user=”Sean” size=”50″ align=”left” /]Hey guys, Sean here after however long it was since the last review I did. I’m finished with uni now so whenever work isn’t taking up my time you can expect more material from me in the future.
So this gig proves to be another first. Mosh invited me along to take part in the interviews with the bands and it proved to be very interesting for me. The gig was put into another context and it was interesting having a greater rapport with the bands both before and after their sets. It proved to be experience for me to try and learn how to handle interviews as in the future I might take on board more of them (depending on my availability) to allow Mosh to spend more time with his family.
I know I usually end up typing a bunch of guff in some of my reviews so I’ll try and stay on subject as best as I can.
When Mosh invited me to go to the gig and write the review, he told me Seprevation would be right up my street (in fact they are exactly the kind of band I’d love to play in and even cheekily said to them if they wanted another guitarist then they should call me!). They were something else. Their set was blistering, no-nonsense, high-speed, aggressive deathrash with plenty of catchy riffing and varied vocals ranging from scathing screams to guttural growls.
The band are tight as musicians and masters of their craft, especially so early in their career. On this tour the band have been promoting their first full-length album Consumed (featuring the video-spawning song “Slave to the Grave”) in addition to material from their debut EP Ritual Abuse.
As both a live act and a recording act, Seprevation are definitely a band to watch and should be massive within the death and thrash metal scenes within the future.
Go and see them live (they told me that they are playing some shows around the UK again in October supporting Bloodshot Dawn) and buy their records – you will not be disappointed.
Flayed Disciple continued the raging deathrash for the night. Much more on the death metal side of the spectrum, the band proved to be nothing short on the aggression front. The band were on this tour promoting their latest self-titled EP which features a more progressive approach with longer songs and more complex structures – including the video-promoted song “The Gates of Bedlam”. In addition to this the band played a little material from their debut full-length Death Hammer.
As with Seprevation, the band are tight, heavy and fast and a great live act. Notable is of course the vocalist, with cider in hand (with a few put away prior to gig), growling on stage like a possessed zombie with actions much like Ozzy Osbourne but much more alive (hmmm that’s an oxymoron for you…) – definitely a sight to behold.
As with Seprevation, Flayed Discple are a thoroughly recommended band both in the flesh and in your ears – go and see them live and buy their records (you’ll have to steal their 2008 debut EP Drawn Viscera from the internet as it’s currently out of print). They will definitely deserve to become a much bigger act in the future.
Finally the most established act on the bill, California’s own Bonded By Blood.
The band were headlining this tour to promote their latest album, 2012’s The Aftermath. At this point in the night, the crowd was definitely at its largest and most active with a few alcoholic beverages taking effect in addition to being more knowledgeable about the set. The band definitely pulled it off live with plenty of energy, aggression, and a flurry of hair flying around from banging heads. The inevitable thrashing rage lead to a few mosh pits and the mandatory few stagedivers, further showcasing the band as a formidable live thrash act.
It’s a rare treat to get an old-skool thrash gig in Glasgow, and when you do, some venues are strict on security so it’s never as fun but Bonded By Blood in Audio proved to be different and much more enjoyable. Highlights of the set included “The Aftermath” and the band’s cover of Nuclear Assault‘s classic thrash anthem “Critical Mass” – the cover definitely invoking the greatest crowd hysteria.
I believe now that this tour is over, the Bonded By Blood are taking a bit of a break so it could be a while before they’re out on the road again but when they are, get yourself to a show – they’re great fun live and you will definitely have a good time.
On a final side note, the guys we interviewed from all 3 bands are all great lads. Really friendly, and great with their fans as well as the local press. It was awesome to get involved with the interviews (even though I didn’t say much) and it proved to be a great learning experience. In the future, depending on my availability, there’s the possibility that I will be partaking in more interviews thats something I think we can all look forward to.
Thanks to Mosh, Bonded By Blood, Flayed Disciple and Seprevation for the opportunity.
Here’s to the future – more gigs, more reviews and more interviews!
