September 7, 2005
It’s Semi Final 2, and the night descends into immediate chaos as Air Biscuit once again materialise from behind their magic sack of crazy noises. For those who haven’t read the review of their heat, Air Biscuit are one odd band, using de-tuned eerie keyboards and pounding drum riffs that use massive thumping toms, the songs build from powerful, random metal into chaotic, adverse breakdowns.
The guitars use simple and fast riffs mixed with clever and emotional solos to move the music and with a huge surfboard size effects pedal it adds diversity.
Mixing a range of sounds from Bosa-a-nova to classical, trance to metal, Air biscuit make music at it’s most insane. Even though the stage act is pretty similar to last time and it is novelty, they are brilliant and imaginative musicians and with a truly original sound it feels like a repetitive nightmare, but quite a fun one!
Air Biscuit are probably too experimental for some people but it is a show you won’t forget, if it took the piss any more it would need to seriously think about getting medical attention.
After that bizarre start to the evening, Meridian take to the stage and using beautiful and brutal guitar riffs, deep and moving bass and drum sections and soft emotional vocals, Meridian can really build atmosphere. The drums are very tight and drive the music, along with the bass, which walks and moves around, and lays down the foundations for the songs. The guitars use simple and melodic riffs that float over the songs and by kicking up the distortion and emotion, add diversity and power to give them good dynamics. The vocals are soft and emotional as well and it is melodic and eerie metal, which flies overhead nicely. The band have pretty good movement on stage and the songs are nice and chilled out but after a few songs seem a little predictable, and the vocal doesn’t always get powerful enough to give the songs full effect. Meridian have well-constructed and melodic songs but they don’t always reach their peak. It shows a lot of potential and with more work these songs could evolve into epic masses of emotion.
Next is a more old skool version of the metal genre, Deadfall blast on to the stage with a fast, furious and more traditional metal set. The heavy drums boom down and using super-quick fills and tight imaginative beats, carry the songs and stamp presence into the room. The guitars use simple and repetitive riffs to imprint power onto the songs while mixing in impressive and fast, finger tapping solos to give it some dynamic. The vocal is deep and growling, but really does sound like he is trying to be James Hetfield, which becomes slightly annoying as he is British, yet sounds straight out of Redneck-ville! Like great big metal sparrows, Deadfall regurgitate this style of metal onto their young. The riffs are very catchy, so are the vocal hooks, the songs are constructed well too and are fairly infectious, which get the crowd chanting along. It moves well and has a lot of drive, anger and emotion but they lack variety and imagination. The songs sound too similar not only to Deadfalls other songs, but to so many other metal bands and with all 4 members wearing Metallica and Iron Maiden T-shirts, you can clearly see where Deadfall get their inspiration. The crowd seem to dig it though and we obviously have a lot of powerful old skool metal fans around and Deadfall are very, very tight and good at what they do, it’s just all been done before.
Finally to finish this second Semi Final, Spirytus take the stage. They kick in with diverse and catchy guitar riffs, which are given power and stability by the tight and crushing bass and drums. The songs mix well and use good build ups and break downs to add dynamic and variety. Spirytus mix melodic metal with more traditional influences to create infectious and energetic songs, with catchy and clever structures. The bass has loads of funk, especially for such a heavy band and the piece de resistance comes in the form of the charismatic frontman who not only has a powerful and tuneful voice, but the presence, energy and confidence to really make this band stand out. The vocals mix angry screams and passionate rage with soft catchy hooks, which gives the songs even more variety and emotion, in addition to the long impressive instrumental interludes, Spirytus are a force to be reckoned with.
The Winners of Junktion 7 BOTB Semi Final 2 were ..Spirytus and Deadfall
Writen By Steph + Gaz
