Angel Witch: Flyer Kings

Angel Witch’s history has been rocky to say the least, but it seems they’re finally on to winning ways with regular performances and a solid line-up.

Their now classic self-titled debut and vastly under-appreciated ‘Screamin’ n’ Bleedin’’ should be essentials for NWOBHM lovers, with some of the strongest song-writing the eighties had to offer.

Further reason (if you really need more) to make this show top of your priorities is the imminent arrival of Angel Witch’s new album ‘As Above, So Below.’ Several slices of the new album are likely to make an appearance along-side classics such as ‘White Witch’ and ‘Angel Of Death.’

Joining Angel Witch are Swedish titans Grand Magus and In Solitude, who’ve both been heavily influenced by the night’s headliners.

Grand Magus are on the rise with a growing status and consistent output, but some older material would definitely be appreciated on the night. In Solitude can currently do no wrong and their devilish take on heavy metal is bound to claim new victims before the end of the night.

The show takes place at London’s Relentless Garage on Saturday 17^th March.

Photo Courtesy Of Gig Owl

Purson are set to be one of 2012’s best underground signings, with their fusion of classic rock sub-genres catching the eyes of the ever-consistent Rise Above Records.

Blog And Thunder caught up with the band during their debut Preston date to see what all the hype’s about.

Purson have been described as everything from prog to doom. How would you describe the band?

Rosalie Cunningham (guitar and vocals)- We’re quite liking the gothic psychedelia tag that’s being thrown around. I think that’s quite accurate ‘cause it’s not really like your traditional sixties psych, it’s a lot darker than that. We’re not metal so I guess it’s goth, not goth as we know it but gothic.

Lots of people are saying it’s prog and it’s psych’ and it’s doom. To me it’s just rock-pop but in a sixties/seventies vein.

How did you first get involved with Rise Above Records?

Rosalie- Well Ed has known them for a long time.

Ed Turner (bass)- I knew them for a few years. I’ve done some studio work with Diagonal and Electric Wizard so I knew them any way but it wasn’t like ‘oh I’m going to start a band and get Rise Above to sign us. I’ll let them come to me.’

Rosalie- They asked us to support Blood Ceremony and came to the gig and basically signed us after the gig.

How do you feel about the retro tag that’s commonly attached to bands like yourselves and Blood Ceremony?

Rosalie- It’s just good music really.

Ed- I really don’t mind.

Rosalie- I really don’t mind at all, I take it as a complement. If by retro they think we sound like our favourite bands that can only be a good thing.

You’re yet to release anything on a physical format but have already gained support slots with bands such as Pentagram. What do you think makes Purson stand out?

Rosalie- ‘Cause there’s no-one else really doing what we’re doing. I mean there are a lot of bands that people keep name dropping when they’re talking about us like Jex Thoth and Blood Ceremony and The Devil’s Blood but they’re all a lot heavier than us and definitely not as sixties psych or seventies prog. They’re just basically doom.

Ed- Yeah, there’s a lot of true metal in those bands.

Rosalie- And it’s great, we love it, but I think we’re doing something different.

Photo Courtesy Of Gig Owl

Do you think the internet, and downloading in particular, is a positive or negative thing for Purson?

Ed- Positive.

Rosalie- Positive at the moment, because at the moment we can get our music out for free to thousands of people, but in the long term it means we’re going to get fucked over (laughs).

Ed- I see it as if you can download something then that’s the best promotional tool you can have, ‘cause if people download it and like it then they’ll pay money to come and see you.

What are your main musical influences for Purson?

Ed- The Beatles, Sabbath.

Rosalie- The Beatles, song wise, are a huge influence on us and sixties psych’ into the seventies prog and the heaviness of Sabbath.

What do you think of the rise in popularity of female fronted bands such as The Devil’s Blood?

Rosalie- I think it’s really exciting. I think it’s the first time I’ve realised that there’s really good bands at the moment, and it means there’s bands like my group which we can play with which is good.

What’s next for Purson?

Rosalie- Record the album which will be early this year.

With two hugely successful gigs in the North West (see previous post), Purson are ready to party like it’s 1969.

Purson

Rise Above Record’s latest buzz band are goth pop-rock revivalists Purson, who performed their debut northern show at the tiny Gulliver’s in Manchester.

Opening the night’s proceedings were the bizarre Evil Blizzard. Three basses were at the centre of Blizzard’s sound and gave them a unique stance on the bill with the most crushing set of the night.

On numbers such as ‘Sacrifice’ their psychedelic assault was put to the forefront and showed just how mesmerising and powerful the bass as a main instrument can be. Conducting the bass army was the haunting vocals of Mark Whiteside who added an element of Hawkwind to their already cosmic affair.

Evil Blizzard

Following act Gnod had a difficult time competing in terms of heaviness but had an altogether more ‘out there’ sound. Their riff friendly set had a strong sense of individuality to it, with entrancing rhythms at the core of their performance.

Like Evil Blizzard, Gnod were unafraid of experimentation and, at times, their set geared towards the prog greats of the seventies. Their reputation as a mighty live act is growing and with Roadburn in their future plans, it seems the future’s bright for Gnod.

Purson had the most to prove at Manchester, having already shared the stage with underground giants Blood Ceremony and Pentagram.

Their sound had a very vintage feel to it, which unlike many of their competitors didn’t feel forced or un-natural. Songs such as ‘Spiderwood Farm’ showed the band can be straight forward while having occasional progressive tendencies, mainly displayed by the use of mellotron from George Hudson.

The band’s focal point was singer/guitarist Rosalie Cunningham who gave the band a Jefferson Airplane type feel through her engaging vocals. Their stage attire showed a similar passion for the era their music gears towards and made them the complete package for fans of that period.

Purson’s debut northern show proved a triumph for honest, heart-felt music.

EP Cover

Evil Blizzard have being lurking in the pubs of Lancashire for some time now, waiting for the right time to unleash their unique brand of tripped-out rock. Their bass obsessed sound has now been committed to disc for the first time in the form of EP ‘Whalebomb.’

‘Whalebomb’ is an apt way to describe Blizzard’s sound, with two basses relentlessly dictating the EP. In tracks such as opener ‘Sacrifice,’ Blizzard show how under-rated an instrument the bass is and what crushing grooves two of them combined can cause.

Another key element to the band’s sound is the eerie vocals of Mark Whiteside. Sounding like a more sedated Ozzy Osbourne , Whiteside gives the EP a haunting quality which lifts the songs in a way similar to the once underground Ghost.

Live Madness

Evil Blizzard aren’t all about heavy riffs and elements of Hawkwind esque psychedelia allow for some surprisingly tranquil moments. Closer ‘Fear Of Judgement’ throws a curveball into Blizzard’s sound, with a chilling acoustic guitar causing a powerful discomfort until a meaty looping bass line brings things to a close.

If you miss daring musicians and unabridged experimentation than Evil Blizzard are the band for you.

Bizarre Art

Competition for album of the year was, quite frankly, daft but the mighty ‘At Her Majesty’s Pleasure’ by Gentlemans Pistols (sic) is the clear overall winner. This album is a no-nonsense, anti-grandiose slap in the face which shows the best way to create a lasting impression is simply memorable and powerful songs.

Musically speaking ‘At Her Majesty’s Pleasure’ is not a big departure from Pistol’s self-titled debut and still has a mountain of groove for you to take in. However, the album does advance on several of the band’s strengths from James Atkinson returning with more soulful vocals to an increased number of breathtaking melodies.

Line Up 2011

Witty and thought-out lyrics are a strange prospect in modern music and add a refreshing dimension to Gentlemans Pistols second effort. Although song topics on numbers such as ‘I Wouldn’t Let You’ are blatant, the wordplay is wholly unique and should appeal to people sick of tired clichés.

The addition of guitarist Bill Steer (Ex Carcass, Firebird) has given the band an extra sense of bite on the opus and has propelled them far above their competitors. Seeing as his time in the band has only been short, Steer’s sonic connection with the Pistols is very impressive and it seems he was the missing piece of their musical puzzle.

The only minor change for Pistols is brief experimentation such as the keys on ‘Lethal Woman.’ This far from alienates you as a listener, instead drawing you in with any dabbling tasteful and consistently imaginative.

Everything from the genius ‘Sherman Tank’ to the Zeppelin esque ‘Into The Haze’ pisses on all other modern rock from a astronomical height. This year Gentlemans Pistols have been untouchable.

Current Line up

To say this gig has been anticipated by England’s doom metal elite would be an extreme understatement. Just the thought of Bobby Liebling’s mental eyes were enough to sell out London’s Garage and it was clear from the off that their British debut would be something special.

Rise Above’s latest signing Purson opened proceedings in typically retro fashion. Their music was a lot softer than the crushing rhythms of Pentagram but had enough mesmerising riffs to hypnotise the steadily increasing crowd. The stunning vocals and guitar work of Rosalie Cunningham were the band’s focal point, with a voice that will be a stand-out amongst the many mediocre vocalists fighting for your attention.

Purson- Photo By Nick Gough

Followers Horisont followed in the footsteps of fellow Swedes Graveyard with some groove stricken rock. Horisont were somewhat heavier than their fellow countrymen and seemed genuinely excited to be on British soil for the first time. Admittedly, there wasn’t anything groundbreaking to Horisont, but the amount of effort they put into getting people into the groove shouldn’t be overlooked.

Pentagram finished proceedings by grinded all other doom bands into the dust. Bobby Liebling has lost none of his fire since the early days, looking genuinely possessed by Victor Griffin’s guitar lines and pulling some crazy yet genius faces at the crowd.

Pentagram’s set was predominantly classics but slipping in numbers such as the underrated ‘Wartime’ was a pleasant surprise. In-between chants of ‘Bobby’ seemed to make the singer completely overwhelmed; pausing for moments to take in the erupting response his band was receiving.

It was set closer ‘When The Screams Come’ that proved the set highlight with an apocalyptic level of heaviness that simply can’t be rivalled. There are few bands that end on such a high and with their ‘Last Rites’ material standing strong, it seems doom is in safe hands with Bobby and co.

Saxon Flyer

There are few bands as consistently good live as Saxon. Their level of passion is hard to rival and their extremely strong work ethic means each show has enough showmanship to make you forget about everything past the NWOBHM era.

Saxon can also knock out studio albums at a frightening pace and their most recent outing ‘Call To Arms’ is another exercise in heavy metal thunder. Expect a few numbers off this opus and a series of classic cuts that’ll make you want to dust off your denim and pull bizarre yet rewarding poses.

Supporting Saxon are the dreadful and overrated Hammerfall so getting there late may be advised. Saxon’s tour starts on the 13^th and will climax with a London Koko extravaganza on the 20^th.

R.U.S.T- Steel Invasion

If you’ve heard the colossus Lethal Saint (see previous post) then it should be obvious that Cyprus has a magnificent underground scene. Another blistering band from the country are R.U.S.T, who have recently released their debut opus, ‘Forged in the Fire of Metal.’

The most immediate stand-out point of ‘Forged in the Fire of Metal’ is how serious the band’s love for the metal genre is. Everything from the track-listing to the amount of harmonised guitar-work shows a band that are unafraid to show what they worship.

The sheer honesty in Tasos Karonias’ voice should put most of their competitors to shame with its immense power and range. Likewise, the twin guitar-work is incredibly refreshing with a seemingly effortless string of energetic riffs.

R.U.S.T Album Cover

Although R.U.S.T are, arguably, doing nothing original the sheer determination that can be heard in each note makes them refreshing amongst mere copycat bands. Titles such as ‘The Thunder Rolls’ may seem blatant in their aim, but have enough arrangements and licks to confuse even hardened prog fan-boys.

Ultimately, ‘Forged in the Fire of Metal’ is like a child who’s necked a crate of Red Bull. The pure energy that’s present throughout is a rarity in the modern music climate and should be treated with the utmost respect.

Saint Strikes Back Cover

If you think metal is only from England and the US you need to stop watching MTV and start exploring. There’s no better place to start than with the godly Lethal Saint, from Cyprus, who have just released their new single ‘Beast Strikes Back.’ Here’s the low-down on their three-horned offering.

Saint Strikes Back

Opening in the most intense way possible was a wise choice by Lethal Saint, with a fantastic concoction of thrash and classic metal. Brief bursts of technicality are the highlight of this number, showing the band are far from your average 80s wannabes.

Hang By Your Balls

‘Hang By Your Balls’ is Saint at their most anthemic, displaying some mid-paced madness. Similar to Teutonic titans Accept, ‘Hang By Your Balls’ is one of those songs that makes your fist reach the sky without you even realising.

Out For The Kill

Starting with a cheesy demonic laugh, ‘Out For The Kill’ underlines Saint’s need for speed. Their closing number has a bit of power metal flair to it without become overly melodic or flimsy. File this song under blistering or intense.

It seems Lethal Saint not only know the number of the beast, they have a direct line to him and make regular calls.

Bloodstock 2012 Logo

Bloodstock Open Air seems to be doing some first class mucking about this year with Paradise Lost, Anvil and, er, Hatebreed all seeming like wasted slots. Here are five bands that should play Bloodstock in 2012.

1. Gamma Ray

Power metal is what Bloodstock’s built on. If you go back and look at the early line-ups, they’re dominated by the sub-genre, with everyone from Stratovarious to Hammerfall having performed at some point. However, most power metal is rubbish and so the main stand-out band, Gamma Ray, should be a must book for 2012.

2. Electric Wizard

If you think doom’s still underground you’d better put down the bong. Your nan, your cat and your thrash metal friends all like doom now and there’s few bigger bands in the genre than Electric Wizard. ‘Leccy ‘Wiz are absolutely mesmerising live and if they were given an appropriate slot they could be a perfect booking.

3. Tankard

Festivals are, apparently, all about drinking and if one band says ‘let’s get pissed’ it’s Germany’s Tankard. These thrashers rarely play England and so would hopefully bring in people looking for a fresh dose of speed. No-one wants a festival atmosphere to be too serious and so Tankard seems like a logical choice for 2012.

4. UFO

Bloodstock loves booking that ‘classic rock’ band and what better band to book than UFO?! From ‘Doctor Doctor’ to ‘Rock Bottom,’ UFO have countless hits which are ideal for when approaching that hazy stage.  Having played High Voltage, Hard Rock Hell and more, UFO clearly go down well at festivals and are, luckily, far from past-it.

5. Dark Forest

It’s important for festivals to book up-and-coming talent and England’s Dark Forest are currently doing true metal better than anyone else. They’ve just released the tremendous ‘Dawn Of Infinity’ which would sound bloody magnificent on the Sophie Lancaster stage towards the early hours.