PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Damaged stock 2014
@EvilScarecrowUK@Rock_City_Notts@epilepsyaction@emperor_chung@DamageScape@tentontabby@ObzidianMetal@Pandemik_666
Outside lurks daylight, in Rock citys basement however, it s dark and Riff Bastard have descended upon the stage to entertain the crowd hiding like vampires with a taste for metal, its time to awaken, it’s time to feed.
Its Damaged Stock 2014 and all proceeds from the day’s event will go to Epilepsy Action and for six of your finest pounds in advance there’s a cracking eight bands taking over the afternoon from 2 till ten, this however will be the final chapter as this its seventh year, is the last event in the Damaged Stock series.
Nottingham based Riff Bastard have the tricky first spot of the day to contend with, Formed in Dec 2011, their name is an understatement as the guitars awaken even the groggiest of giggers, armed with a three pronged axe attack their heavy sound of high energy metal reverberates the venue aided by Gregg Murrays powerful gravelly vocal as he hurtles through Tracks black soul, stone believer and rhythm and bruise. The overall sound is heavily laden with guitars there’s a lot happening at once against the pounding drums and powerful vocal he plays to a respectable crowd for this small hour.
Second on the line up five piece male band Pandemik unashamedly aggressive death metal championed by the quite funny front man Marc ‘Moses’ M. Their humour isn’t for the faint hearted (don’t ask about the log flume anecdote).However excessive finger sniffing aside, these liverpuddlians have amassed support evoking a loud vocal from the crowd, while thrashing out tracks from their E.Ps “Satan helps me kill” 2011 and “Porn for the dead” their tracks feature lyrics about goblins amongst titles such as Enslaved by hate. The band appears light hearted despite the heavy content from the songs, one thing’s for sure that’s one tour bus I wouldn’t fall asleep on!
With a front man called Star wars who appears adorning pink leggings, denim and a terrifyingly maniacal grin, Hellrazor are next on the line up. A heavy fast thrash band they proceed to bombard the audience with Tracks toxic mutants, live fast die young and metal is my business. Finishing their set with the track night demon which I quite liked, laced with speed riffs and simple lyrics which escalated into pure mania towards the end of the track, with the drummer Jack head rolling resembling some sort of mesmerising hairy Catherine wheel.
Animated band Obzidion a four piece from Stafford and Northampton, brutalise our eardrums with their new album Concrete psychosis, due out within the next few months. Lead singer Matty J announces a new track Bringing down the walls from the forthcoming new album followed by Paraglide Vortex.
Hopefully not named after his cat, Ten ton tabby play ride on to me from their E.P Stone by Stone, this is the first time I had seen the band and really enjoyed the set. Heavily rock influenced yet maintaining a fast pace and retaining versatility resulting in quite a fine sounding band one which I shall add to my stalking list .With admittedly long spanning songs their set time of 35 mins didn’t quite seem long enough but that is the mark of a great band they leave you wanting more.
Brandishing their first E.P ‘Was It All Worth While? Manchester based Female fronted Damage Scape take to the stage at Damage stock packing a track wait for it…. Damage! Slightly melodic with thrashing guitars, Founded by lead vocal Gemma Fox she is unleashing a backlog of carefully accumulated material to an over growing crowd. In-between band set ups I interview Dr.Hell and Brother Pain from Evil Scarecrow pre-make up and sneakily consuming a beer.
Having missed their set at last year’s download, this was the first time I had caught Derby band Emporer Chung they managed to completely blow me away, fuelled by fantastic twiddly guitar riffs and some seriously versatile vocals this five piece rock band pack a punch right in the “Chungs”. To be honest I was sold at the mention of artwork of a giant mutant penguin called Chico Chung on the self titled E.P but the outstanding music featured is more than a plus. The venue has filled up nicely and there are a few merry drunk individuals as the beers are in full flow. Singer-songwriter Martin Jackson is on top form with tracks Pyramid and Free at last.
The moment Evil Scarecrow descend upon the stage hands hit the air, the atmosphere and stage presence that this unique parody band, demand, is achieved and excelled with every gig. The vast majority of the audience have an insight into the antics perpetuated by the band while newbie giggers are in for a surprising treat. Having first witnessed the band at Bloodstock 08 again at New Disorder fest MFN and now, there has been a surge in support including fans making their own Robot costumes to join in. There’s plenty of crowd participation through their tracks such as Dance of the Psychops, in which a dance partner is needed for a waltz, then hands at the ready for Krabulon a new track added last year which features a papier Mache Krabatron . Lyrics such as Destroy all humans show the band are light hearted fun. Mascot, Robototron is in the crowd head banging like a circuit deranged calculator while chants of Evil!! And Scarecrow!!! Boom through the infamous Rock City rafters. The band announce a song only previously been played once in derby before- March of the spider god which they attempt to make a spider shape from the crowd. There’s even a conga and Party poppers at the ready for War and Seek off their album Sixty six minutes past six then Blacken the everything which I enjoyed more live. The band disappear and reappear on stage after which robototron is enticed onto the stage by playing foxy lady sang by kraven with lyrics cheekily changed to foxy robot.There’s intros to the band members as Brother pain crowd surfs the final chorus kicks in and am reminded why this band are kick ass live, finishing with 66 minutes past six.
It’s been an epic night bands and crowd both race to the after party hosted by Tap and Tumbler which more than likely resulted in fantastic crazy drunk chaos (I sneaked off armed with a burger to my comfy bed). The day’s event Raised £1372 leaving it a massive shame that this is the last one but a massive well done to organisers Evil Scarecrow and their patient and remarkably sane manager Jennifer Hill, all the bands who had massive respect and support for one another and the mad mental crowd.
The very crazy Evil Scarecrow are
Dr. Rabid Hell –Vocals, guitars
Brother Dimitri Pain-Guitars
Kraven Morrdeth-Bass
Princess Luxury-Keyboards
Ringmaster Monty Blitzfist-Drums
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