Zombified surreal Sunflower booster at HMV with Little Miss Stakes

HALLOWE'EN is one of the most ancient of Pagan festivals, hijacked by the early Christian church and calling November 1st All Saint's Day - Hallowed Day, thus (and there is more to this if you want to get anal about it...) All Hallow's Eve was born.

Hijacked by the retailers and commercial interests the lemmings annually traipse off to outfitters, don make-up and queue up to buy over-priced tickets to clubs with over-priced drink.

How refreshing it was then to see a Hallowe'en show with good purpose and good intent - and a healthy level of nastiness...

Gathered together in the unholy matrimony of metal Little Miss Stakes and Zombified occupied the city centre's HMV store...much to the consternation of some late night shoppers.

Little Miss Stakes schlock horror take on the Misfits and Wednesday 13 was, of course a perfect fit with their over-the-top codology lyrics. But the best way to play it, is with a straight face - even one hidden behind make-up.

Doctor Frankenstein and a nice take on Dracula lyrically all were both amusing and delivered with aplomb. Despite the constraints of the set-up even the keytair worked out well for atmosphere. This was not so much an homage to predecessors but a Belfast take on horror rock.

Zombified have had a busy year, and with the DP13 gig and shows with Amputated they are prepared with a tight sound, no matter any issues that playing in a record store may present.

Taking their set as a whole they perform with purpose; a massive melange of black, death and thrash, played with a straightforward purpose; entertainment with deadly energy. All of which made it more surreal to see elderly shoppers looking in from the adjoining mini-mall in bemusement at windmill headbanging, technical guitar attacks, a pounding rhythm section (despite the set-up limitations) and much growling with menace..

Human Cull, Murder Serpent and Outbreak were just a selection of the terror attack. 

For those with a penchant for the deep end growl and technical end of death/black metal (and we count ourselves among them) Zombified are the perfect antidote to the vanilla flavouring of many of the mainstream bands pouring out of the US and England like a plague of banality.

They are now in fine fettle to round up the year.

And a fair shout for the Sunflower Festival (2014 tickets now available) for backing this Hallowe'en treat and to HMV for hosting it!