July 19, 2006
The Deranged
To start off Heat 3 we have The Deranged, a punk band who have a interesting mix of punk influence. Most songs are fast and powerful and by using some great interlocking guitar and bass riffs and some smashing fast drumming they have the power a punk band needs for the most part. However their mix of styles was a little odd at times, half the songs I really enjoyed with a tongue in cheek, fast and dirty sound which had a more 70’s edge and reminded me of a british Frenzal Rhomb, these songs had punch and balls whilst still keeping a catchy and bouncy feel. The old skool feel was evident in the lyrics too, with political moments and a lazy style with some attitude. As the set progressed however more emo-pop-punk songs crept in and the vocals at times struggled. The guitarist and bassist seemed a bit uncomfortable round the mic and these songs that had a more ‘Blink 182’ feel weren’t as interesting and I felt lacked the edge of the earlier tunes. The two guitars worked really well at times together though and even though they got a little repetitive, if this band could add more tempo and unpredictable changes and maybe work on their vocals and a more definite style of their own, they could be potential.
Without Eyes
Next up a band who got knocked out in the heats last year. Without Eyes crash on to the stage with confidence and the frontman roams round the stage from the first tune. The guitarist mixes up his eerie picking and powerful rock riffs to great effect and this gives them plenty of dynamic and variety. The bass is strong and powerful with moments of funk thrown in to keep the songs upbeat and the drumming has immense power, with some awesome fills and double bass work. This band really have a dynamic mix of grunge and metal with the odd softer moments and funky breakdowns added for variety. The vocalist mixes softer, melodic moments with screams and grunts and has a good presence, which gives them a mix of R.A.T.M, Soundgarden, Korn and Creed rock ability. The changes are quite unpredictable but this adds to their charm and by mixing random, messy build ups with soft and melodic breakdowns they have an interesting edge. The guitarist really showed some awesome riff writing skills as well as some blistering solos with some kicking bass lines (his hands were blurring he was going so fast) the riffs are crazy yet at times I felt their sound lacked power and maybe some distortion on the bass or some simpler riffs might give them an extra kick. However Without Eyes always stand out from other metal bands with their dynamic changes and random tempo changes and this is what gives them a good chance of progressing in this competition I think.
http://www.myspace.com/withouteyesuk
The Unwanted
Next up are The Unwanted. Sadly the name sort of said it all. They start off and seem boring after the hectic, manicness of the previous acts. They mix a simple 50’s rock n roll feel with a more modern Cranberries style rock indeed the female vocalist has quite a good voice which at its best could sound maybe like The Cranberries…or The Corrs? Sadly though at times it struggles to make an impact and the stage presence is non existent with the whole band looking scared. The bass lines are as simple as you get as are the drum beats and the only dynamic and diverse outlet was the guitarist who showed moments of technical talent. This band were one of those acts who reminded me of school music class, they might have some talent but they had no feeling or presence and they lacked confidence too. The style was very very middle of the road and they really need to put more energy into their show, more dynamic into the songs and someone needs to talk a little as the long silences in between songs seemed very unprofessional.
Danny and the Deadbeats
Finally we have Danny and the Deadbeats to round the evening off. They start of with a weird mix of dirty punk and almost bluegrass, comedy bouncy 60’s rock which straight away caught my attention. The drummer and bassist were quite tight and held the songs down well with the guitar adding interesting dynamic by mixing styles and dropping in and out. This band showed very well how you don’t need to use complex riffs to get a complex sound. They have really catchy riffs and catchy, punchy choruses, with some big vocal chant outs. The structures were fairly simple but they used the repeating catchy lines to great effect and with their amusing lyrics and upbeat melodies they had a party feel. More stage movement and maybe some stupid outfits would give something more visual to go with their catchy and weird brand of music but this was a very good end to the night, leaving us all in an upbeat and happy mood.
Reviewed by: Gaz and Steph
