PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
First things first , thankyou Mick Staley of MGTV for inviting Planetmosh.
Despite a couple of last minute changes to the line up, and worst of all, the eleventh hour cancellation of the Hog Roast which resulted in my having to console myself with packets of Mr Porky’s scratchings, I was really looking forward to this mini fest of Metal which took place at the Intake Club on the outskirts of Mansfield .
Unfortunately, due to travelling I missed openers Line Of Fire, but by all accounts they were pretty damn good. So first for me were Beneath Hell who, although playing on home turf had to deal with the sudden departure of their drummer but still played a great tight set with tonnes of energy and buckets of enthusiasm which you couldn’t help sit up and take notice of. Next year see’s the release of a second EP with luck, so keep an eye out.
Next up Def Con One who are firing on all cylinders, pulverising all before them. Heavy Metal as a tag doesn’t begin to describe this band, and in vocalist Davey Meikle have one the best frontmen you could wish for. Musically I guess you could draw comparisons with vintage Pantera, but to be frank Def Con’s material stands tall on it’s own merits, really well written and crafted as well as being delivered with the force of a sledgehammer.
Throw the following ingredients in to a mixing bowl. Vampires, World War 11 Stuka pilots, liberal amounts of black leather, swords and 5 genuinely talented but slightly unhinged musicians. Bake in a hot oven at 666°C and you end up with Stuka Squadron who really know how to put on a show. Classic old school tinged Metal at it’s finest with hints of Maiden, Wolfsbane , Manowar et al.
I defy anyone to watch this band live and remain motionless, pounding drums, great solos and top notch vocals make it impossible not to be banging your head or stamping your feet no more so than on the anthemic ‘We Drink Blood’.
The album ‘Tales Of The Ost’ is a must. 2012 could and should be a big year for them.
One of the major plus points of this festival was the musical diversity of the line up, no more evident than when Spirytus take to the stage with their blend of hard edged funk groove metal delivered with slabs of attitude that is infectious to put it mildly. The band genuinely seem to enjoy themselves big time for the whole set, as do the crowd . Ryan Walton on vocals is a class act, giving 100% from start to finish, even throwing in a bit of James Brown into the mix for good measure. Really enjoyable stuff.
Kyrbgrinder have a tough act to follow, but are no strangers to taking on such a challenge. Johanne James is, to put it simply, a world class musician. Not only content with being a fine drummer he also delivers superb vocals and has a huge stage presence to boot. That’s not to say it’s all about one man though, the sometimes funk tinged guitar work delivers a solid punch of metal that rounds off a very polished sound. After dragging on a few audience members for backing vocal duties the set fly’s by.
With dates already lined up for early next year including a slot at Hammerfest in March, 2012 promises to be a very busy year for the band.
Huron know how to keep the tempo going. Despite being still a relatively ‘new’ band , the rise to fame has been achieved at a very fast pace. Sean Palmer on vocals is really on top form tonight and doesn’t let the needle drop below the redline at any moment. Again you can see a Pantera influence but I hasten to add it’s an influence only, these guys have more than enough in their locker now to provide a set that is as strong as anything you’re likely to see on the live circuit at the minute.
Headliners Attica Rage are going through a slightly strange time at present , the departure of bassist Big C earlier in the year has meant having to arrange auditions for a suitable replacement, but loyal to their fans as they are, they still insist on fulfilling their gig calendar which is good news indeed for us. The set is geared for a party atmosphere with tracks from current album ‘Road Dog’ and previous offering ‘Ruin Nation’, interspersed with the odd cover song to keep things moving along at a fist punching, head banging pace. The band really do look like they enjoy every second of being on stage and definitely see it as their domain, the constant banter between the guys and the crowd show what a close bond Attica have with their fans.
This year will be remembered for being without doubt the bands busiest to date and with new material in the pipeline for next year more of the same seems on the cards.
As the night drew to a close with confirmation of another festival in May of next year, this well organised and very ‘fan friendly’ event hopefully will go from strength to strength.
