WHEN technical difficulties strike, a band has two choices - suck it up and get on, or let it stop the show. Stormzone and Donum Dei both had technical gremlins strike, but they chose the former optiob and rose above and smashed the gremlins into the ground and delivered a feast of metal.
That feast comprised Stormzone, playing a request set ahead of their Bloodstock Open Air appearance, while Donum Dei were making their Diamond Rock Club début.
For such a relatively youthful band they have evolved quickly, with a contemporary metal crushing sound, all delivered with a passion many more seasoned veterans would do well to emulate.
Thomas Marshall and Stuart McLoughlin were locked in tight in both riffs and heavy harmony guitar sections, and Stuart lashed through solos, wringing notes from the neck of his Les Paul with venom and precision.
Part of that precision within Donum Dei is the drums of Alastair Marshall, who maintains the tempo whether a full on assault with double bass runs, or beating the toms into submission. Buried... and Restless were impressive, but Restless had a couple of issues. The bass intro was lost and the harmony sections were off kilter.
Having said that they quickly recovered, and by the time Justice Fails flayed the audience Donum Dei proved themselves as worthy stand-ins for Maverick (whose guitarist Ryan has suffered an injury, forcing the band into an eight-week hiatus). But that didn't stop the Maverick team racking up at the Diamond to show their support for Donum Dei.
A deserved mention in dispatches must also go to DD's bassist Dean Kane. While Thomas is the fulcrum as frontman, Dean is his manic side-kick, contorting both body and bass in a whirl of movement, loving every second on stage.
Make no mistake, Donum Dei are ambitious, confident but not cocky, precise, and that rarest of beasts - a really heavy band that can bring along both the rock fans and the metal heads in true appreciation.
Appreciation is something that Stormzone will never be lacking in the Diamond Rock Club. To call them local heroes is something of an understatement to those who travel far and wide to see the Stormzone lightning strike.
Just a few short weeks after attracting an impressive several hundred to their tent show as part of Sonisphere, Stormzone were on stage enjoying a trawl through back catalogue material and songs off their most recent release, Three Kings.
Setting something of a Diamond Rock Club record with more than 20 original tracks delivered in a two-hour set, Stormzone were both relaxed and rampant with twin guitars of Moore and Shields shredding the venue, while Harv was the jester cajoling all to enjoy and participate.
Moore and Shields make it their mission to just let their six-stings do the talking for them. Both are extremely accomplished, and at times astonishingly good, players: trading licks, runs and riffs to the Stormzone sound.
A trio of songs that have become 'Zone classics, kicked off the set as Final Journey, Spectre and Secret Gateway rolled like a clap of thunder to the sweltering audience. The two hours were concluded with another trio of Hail the Brave, Death Dealer and the Legend Carries On.
In between was a smorgasbord of classic metal. From the Celtic metal stomp of the Pass Loning, the balladic Beware in Time, the harmonies of Tugging at Heartstrings and Crying In The Rain, and the full on metal of Three Kings and Night of the Storm this was a set showcasing the range and talent of the band.
Having become the band that more and more people from across Europe are eagerly eating up all their shows, those who go along to see them at Bloodstock Open Air are in for a classy metallic assault.
And, Harv confessed that they may be changing their planned setlist after seeing the response to Bang Your Head, a track that hasn't been played live in two years.
That Graham has bass problems with his rig, did not fluster the band, carrying on while he made the running repairs, is a testament to a band sure of what they are doing and confident that they can deliver, and will deliver no matter what.
In a few short minutes Graham was back, locked in with drummer Davy 'Basher' Bates, who put in a A+ performance. From the complicated rolls and rhythms of the likes of Cuchulain through the steady showcasing of Never Trust, and standing atop his drum stool urging the audience - who really needed no urging - to clap along, wave their arms and show the horns Davy was on the money throughout.
Basher is the anchor that stops the flamboyant talent of the front four from flying away from their exuberance and their talent.
And right in front Harv deploys his voice as an instrument of intent, from high notes threatening glass to smash within a one-mile radius, to deep lines that have the throaty terror of classic metal.
There are those who could accuse Stormzone of playing music that is a throwback to the eighties, but that is to miss the point. The members have absorbed the metal they grew up with, placed a huge Stormzone stamp on it, and brought a touch of 21st Century class.
This isn't retro rock, this a storm front of sheer metal enjoyment: where what could have become clichés in lesser hands have become a 21st Century live phenomenon, marrying the metal of our youth to the 2014 mindset. Yes, for all who may have stood at gigs, po-faced and reserved, Stormzone leaves each and everyone smiling.
Fans at Bloodstock are in for a treat when the weather brings a Storm(zone) through the Derby countryside, raising hell, raising fists and raising the semi-conscious to partake in another brew.
There is no magic formula to rock and metal, but there are secret ingredients that can raise it above the mundane...
Every member of Donum Dei and Stormzone has not only the talent, but the fact that they can rely and trust each other, they are a band of brothers, who make their individual skills part of team, part of a collective dedicated to metal. They are from Northern Ireland, they are metal, and we like it - what more can be said?
Showing posts with label Three Kings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Three Kings. Show all posts
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Storm front flattens sweaty Diamond Rock Club
SWEAT-soaked, beer-drenched, loud and proud - when Stormzone launched their new album Three Kings at the Diamond Rock Club the thermometer was set to melt, the beer was quaffed and the five members of Stormzone laid down heavy metal the old school way - loud, proud and majestic.
The Ahoghil venue was packed, and it was close to the sweat of the collective fans running down the walls as the heat rose for a night of pure metal fun.
Opening act, all the way from the homeland of metal in Birmingham, were Agincourt, an outfit determined to show that the ghost of metal still can send shivers down the spine. With their set drawn largely from their 2011 album Angel of Mons, this was the spirit of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal writ large.
Edge of Paradise and Queen of the Night were included in a set that proved that this type of music translates well to the live setting; what sounds adequate from a studio recording roars to life on stage.
The band took the opportunity to play a new track, Rainbow Man, dedicated to the memory of Ronnie James Dio, which was a highlight to the show along with the eponymous Agincourt sounding appropriately epic. The only niggle throughout the night was the need Richard E Toy's vocals to have some backing vocal support on choruses to lift the sound.
On an ordinary night the sounds of Agincourt would have delighted the Diamond, but the 27th July saw Stormzone announce their intentions with a set that saw the band ascend further than they have ever done before. This was no ordinary night.
Opening with The Pass Loning it was clear from the off that this was a special night for the band, feeding off the audience from the first riff this was a show when Stormzone transcended from the mighty force they already were to something special.
From Death Dealer through to Spectre each song brought forward a tightly coiled spring which when unleashed flattened any doubt any indifferent attendee and brought then to their feet, punching the air, and roaring appreciation.
This was a night when hyperbole does not even convey the sense of joy both on stage and in the audience.
Harv was the jester leading like a Pied Piper, Steve and Davey played as if joined at the musical hip, while the whole entity was held from tottering over the edge by the solid anchors of Davy's drums and Graham's bass.
Stormzone could have stumbled over the precipice into pretention and a presumption that the audience was on their side, but the intent was to play as if the crowd needed to be sought after like an elusive lover.
Fear Hotel and Where We Belong had the audience singing every word and new album tracks Night of the Storm and the ballad Beware in Time delivered with aplomb the latter adding a new dimension to the headlong race to metal glory.
Even the intro tape to The Pain Inside sounded superb in the over-heated setting.
This was Stormzone rising to a new level.
The Diamond Rock Bar bowed to the majesty of Stormzone as they brought a true heavy metal storm front to Ahoghill, flattening all in its wake.
The Ahoghil venue was packed, and it was close to the sweat of the collective fans running down the walls as the heat rose for a night of pure metal fun.
Opening act, all the way from the homeland of metal in Birmingham, were Agincourt, an outfit determined to show that the ghost of metal still can send shivers down the spine. With their set drawn largely from their 2011 album Angel of Mons, this was the spirit of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal writ large.
Edge of Paradise and Queen of the Night were included in a set that proved that this type of music translates well to the live setting; what sounds adequate from a studio recording roars to life on stage.
The band took the opportunity to play a new track, Rainbow Man, dedicated to the memory of Ronnie James Dio, which was a highlight to the show along with the eponymous Agincourt sounding appropriately epic. The only niggle throughout the night was the need Richard E Toy's vocals to have some backing vocal support on choruses to lift the sound.
On an ordinary night the sounds of Agincourt would have delighted the Diamond, but the 27th July saw Stormzone announce their intentions with a set that saw the band ascend further than they have ever done before. This was no ordinary night.
Opening with The Pass Loning it was clear from the off that this was a special night for the band, feeding off the audience from the first riff this was a show when Stormzone transcended from the mighty force they already were to something special.
From Death Dealer through to Spectre each song brought forward a tightly coiled spring which when unleashed flattened any doubt any indifferent attendee and brought then to their feet, punching the air, and roaring appreciation.
This was a night when hyperbole does not even convey the sense of joy both on stage and in the audience.
Harv was the jester leading like a Pied Piper, Steve and Davey played as if joined at the musical hip, while the whole entity was held from tottering over the edge by the solid anchors of Davy's drums and Graham's bass.
Stormzone could have stumbled over the precipice into pretention and a presumption that the audience was on their side, but the intent was to play as if the crowd needed to be sought after like an elusive lover.
Fear Hotel and Where We Belong had the audience singing every word and new album tracks Night of the Storm and the ballad Beware in Time delivered with aplomb the latter adding a new dimension to the headlong race to metal glory.
Even the intro tape to The Pain Inside sounded superb in the over-heated setting.
This was Stormzone rising to a new level.
The Diamond Rock Bar bowed to the majesty of Stormzone as they brought a true heavy metal storm front to Ahoghill, flattening all in its wake.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Crowning achievement from Stormzone on Three Kings
THE late, great author Iain M Banks wrote in his sci-fi novel, The Algebraist, the following lines:
"Beginnings and endings are contingent things...devices. Where does any story really begin? There is always context, always an encompassing greater epic, always something before the described events..."
With any review it is a description of events as they occur at that moment, whether it be a gig or about an album - a snapshot of what the recording process resulted in. A review is describing those events, not what went before, unless absolutely necessary...
For those of you familiar with the history of Stormzone, its members and its growth to date there is no need for context. For those who are not, the only 'context' you need before taking on board the 'encompassing greater epic' is to know how the 'described events' on new album 'Three Kings' have translated on to a fine finished product.
Emerging on the back of the critically acclaimed Zero to Rage, it was always going to be a challenge to rise to the heights of that release. But, on 'Three Kings' the band pledged to take a step up.
That step up has produced a better rounded album, packed with variety, but rooted in the history of classic heavy metal, European power metal and the heritage of Northern Ireland hard rock and metal.
Opening with Churchill's address to Parliament on 13th May, 1940, promising nothing but "blood, toil, tears and sweat", this prelude announces'The Pain Inside' - a statement of intent; a promise that all the members have committed to move the band to the next level, without sacrificing anything at the altar of compromise.
'Three Kings' has all the elements you would expect of a well-rounded classic metal platter.
Soaring vocals from Harv at the right moment, carefully crafted solo passages from Steve Moore and Davy Shields all anchored from Graham McNulty (bass) and Davey Bates (drums) as a cohesive rhythm section.
There are also slices of subtlety (the intro to 'Never Trust' and the ballad 'Beware In Time') amidst the classic riffs. To say they are classic riffs is in no way meant to reduce the impact of their construction. True, at times there is more than a nod to metal's NWOBHM predecessors, and once or twice a nod to Maiden's "chugga-chugga" pacing appears, but it is simply doffing a hat rather than stealing said headwear.
Evidence of how to properly pay homage to the past is on the 'The Pass Loning'. Here the influence of Irish rock is apparent with its Lizzy references and even a hint of Horslips. Rightly, this is about knowing where you come from and absorbing that as you construct your original interpretation around it. As Mr Banks would have put it, it's all about "context".
There are some weaknesses, however. One cannot help cringe a little to the over-the-top lyrics to 'BYH'. The song has tremendous harmonies and solos, but surely we do not need to the call to 'bang our heads'. A bit too clichéd, it may play better in Europe, but surely set to be a live favourite.
Nonetheless this is perhaps the only failing on Three Kings, redeemed by the closing track's lyrics as Harv treads the familiar path of classic metal in a call for common sense on 'Out of Eden'.
Well rounded, well executed, and well presented as an album this does represent a solid step up for Stormzone, taking 'Three Kings' as a singular release or as part of the growing emergence of the band as a force worthy of wider shores.
Deserving a 9.5 out of 10, this is Stormzone growing to take their next step on the all-encompassing epic that is the tales of glory told in metal.
"Beginnings and endings are contingent things...devices. Where does any story really begin? There is always context, always an encompassing greater epic, always something before the described events..."
With any review it is a description of events as they occur at that moment, whether it be a gig or about an album - a snapshot of what the recording process resulted in. A review is describing those events, not what went before, unless absolutely necessary...
For those of you familiar with the history of Stormzone, its members and its growth to date there is no need for context. For those who are not, the only 'context' you need before taking on board the 'encompassing greater epic' is to know how the 'described events' on new album 'Three Kings' have translated on to a fine finished product.
Emerging on the back of the critically acclaimed Zero to Rage, it was always going to be a challenge to rise to the heights of that release. But, on 'Three Kings' the band pledged to take a step up.
That step up has produced a better rounded album, packed with variety, but rooted in the history of classic heavy metal, European power metal and the heritage of Northern Ireland hard rock and metal.
Opening with Churchill's address to Parliament on 13th May, 1940, promising nothing but "blood, toil, tears and sweat", this prelude announces'The Pain Inside' - a statement of intent; a promise that all the members have committed to move the band to the next level, without sacrificing anything at the altar of compromise.
'Three Kings' has all the elements you would expect of a well-rounded classic metal platter.
Soaring vocals from Harv at the right moment, carefully crafted solo passages from Steve Moore and Davy Shields all anchored from Graham McNulty (bass) and Davey Bates (drums) as a cohesive rhythm section.
There are also slices of subtlety (the intro to 'Never Trust' and the ballad 'Beware In Time') amidst the classic riffs. To say they are classic riffs is in no way meant to reduce the impact of their construction. True, at times there is more than a nod to metal's NWOBHM predecessors, and once or twice a nod to Maiden's "chugga-chugga" pacing appears, but it is simply doffing a hat rather than stealing said headwear.
Evidence of how to properly pay homage to the past is on the 'The Pass Loning'. Here the influence of Irish rock is apparent with its Lizzy references and even a hint of Horslips. Rightly, this is about knowing where you come from and absorbing that as you construct your original interpretation around it. As Mr Banks would have put it, it's all about "context".
There are some weaknesses, however. One cannot help cringe a little to the over-the-top lyrics to 'BYH'. The song has tremendous harmonies and solos, but surely we do not need to the call to 'bang our heads'. A bit too clichéd, it may play better in Europe, but surely set to be a live favourite.
Nonetheless this is perhaps the only failing on Three Kings, redeemed by the closing track's lyrics as Harv treads the familiar path of classic metal in a call for common sense on 'Out of Eden'.
Well rounded, well executed, and well presented as an album this does represent a solid step up for Stormzone, taking 'Three Kings' as a singular release or as part of the growing emergence of the band as a force worthy of wider shores.
Deserving a 9.5 out of 10, this is Stormzone growing to take their next step on the all-encompassing epic that is the tales of glory told in metal.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Storm front set to hit Helfast
WITH less than two days to go before the
Helfast mini-festival opens its doors for an afternoon and evening of noise, we
caught up with Stevie Moore, guitarist with headliners Stormzone – a band with
rightly justified high sights for the future.
For Stormzone it has been a year of touring
as they prepare for the imminent release of the new album Three Kings.
And with a recent support slot with Saxon
safely tucked under their belts, Helfast festival at Belfast’s Limelight2 looks
set to the opening chapter for another book of successes.
After their apparent unjust treatment at
the hands of a certain American singer, Saxon proved a much more enjoyable and
professional slot for Stormzone.“It really was ‘a dream come true’ for us,” said Moore. “We have toured with a lot of bands over the years and this pairing with Saxon, being at the forefront of the NWOBHM, was just the absolute perfect match for us.
“The audience was
geared up for the kind of music and performance we deliver, and the whole thing
couldn't have gone better for us.”
And for the band it
was a cert that they were looking forward to being on the bill with the English
metal legends.
“We're all big fans
of the band so it's hard not to feel a little starstruck when you're hanging
out with Biff, swapping tales from the road!”
And their
treatment...”Saxon and their crew were extremely professional and courteous
throughout the tour, and we were lucky enough to enjoy a few beers with them
after the shows. “
With these support
slots safely notched up to experience Moore reflected on the positive road
experiences they have had hitting the festival stages across Europe, which has
bonded them ever tighter together as a band and as friends.
Moore continued: “The
tours and festivals we've done have been a cross between work and a holiday,
from my own personal point of view.
“There's a job to be
done but everyone is pulling in the same direction, so there's always time for
cutting loose and having some fun. I try to keep Facebook and twitter up to the
date with the more light-hearted side of things, as people may have noticed
from the pictures of our recent trip to the Metal Assault festival in
Wurzburg...”
On the road the last
Stormzone album, Zero to Rage (review
here)
has been nestling down nicely with previous releases as Moore explained.
“There are a few of
the songs that have become "standards" in our set and will probably
always be that way. Now that we have a bigger pool of material to choose from,
you can't play as many songs from each album as you'd like to, so we like to
make sure the fan favourites are in there with a little surprise every now and
then.
With Helfast knocking
on the doors, and appearances at Dundalk’s NSX Festival and Hillsborough’s
Sunflowerfest, the band are gearing up for the release of Three Kings.
“We've just finished
recording and mixing the album, which will be available in July on Metal Nation
Records,” said Moore.
“We are beyond
delighted at how it has turned out. It'll show another step up for the band in
terms of song-writing, sounds and overall production.
“I can't wait to have
people hear it, I'm so proud of what we have achieved with this album, and
going by the reaction to a sneak preview played on the radio last weekend, I
know the fans will be as pleased as we are.”
No matter the weather
there’s a major Storm Front moving in, and from what Moore explained – you have
a choice, stand in the Stormzone and relish the metal – or get out of the way.
Helfast takes place on June 1st at Belfast’s Limelight2. Joining Stormzone on the stage will be Altus, Warcrux, and Triggerman. Helfast is a joint promotion between The Distortion Project, Paradise City and Blink Management. Tickets, priced £10 will be available on the door.
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