...makes us stronger

WHEN a certain magazine reviewed Panic Cell’s new album ‘What Doesn’t Kill Us’ the reviewer declared that had Luke Bell and his cohorts been from the Good Ol’ USA they would be huge by now.

He missed the point. Panic Cell will be huge. Whether that is stadia huge or with a huge cult following remains to be seen, but on the evidence of their sheer hard work and good natured but professional attitude they deserve it.

Panic Cell have been loyal to Belfast – never ducking their slot on supporting Soil and Drowning Pool/Ill Nino sets when lesser English acts would have stayed at home.

That loyalty may even lead to a headlining slot in Belfast in the near future – the band are about to launch their first ever headlining tour across the UK in October and November. With Cork and Dublin gigs looking likely a Belfast date could also be on the cards.

When Belfastmetaheadsreunited caught up with Luke he was certainly in optimistic mood when it came to the touring and the new album.

“It’s been going brilliant,” he said. “The sound and production on What Doesn’t Kill Us is what we wanted on our first album but weren’t able to achieve.”

Help from high profile producers and engineers (Andy Sneap and Don Turner among other luminaries) has helped evolve the Panic Cell sound.

“It has been an evolution,” agreed Luke. “We were able to spend the time working with top people on how the sound should grow, cutting away the dead bits and taking good advice when we needed it.

“But then again it’s been two and a half years since the last album and we’d like to think we had the songs nailed by now – we’re glad we’ve had such a positive response – it’s been brilliant.”

Live Panic Cell have been always an exciting proposition (and have benefitted from being on the road for the guts of 30 months with few breaks). Now they have the album to back up that energy – get out there and buy it, and should Luke bring his Panic Cell colleagues to Belfast…well who could refuse toasting them with a shot or six of Jager?