aaamusic | On 15, May 2012

London, 3rd May

Crossfaith are not like most other Japanese bands they have blended into the western scene like a chameleon. They come onstage like lively jack in the boxes and burst into a manic impressive and futuristic metal fusion of guitars and keyboards. They always play like they can’t make their mind up if it’s a metal or dance festival and their cover of the Prodigy’s ‘Omen’ kind of refers that. Vocalist ‘ ‘ goes into the crowd and pears round pillars looking onto the crowd like they are prey while keyboarist ” is forgetting that he should be playing and is throwing his equipment in the air. They do some quite interesting stuff and can’t really be compared to many bands maybe Pendulum just with heavy guitars but I don’t think anyone else.

With one last Breath seem tired tonight and after the manic schedule they have had I can see why, they have been touring no stop for ages. I saw them a week before at the Hit the Decks festival where they were on fine form so I think tonights set was just a blip on the radar, but they do produce a set on a normal night would have got splendid reviews but with tonights show being so packed with talent and going up against the mighty ‘Of mice and Men’ they just seem a bit taken a back. Their is some great moments on the guitar where the solo’s really stand out and some of the vocalist ‘ ‘ screams are quite menacing so you realise that this band are quite talented and have gone a long way from what they used to be.

Bury Tomorrow I have never really been too impressed with this band but tonight they really do impress with great clean vocals and ability to get the crowd going. It is certainly hot and sweaty in the venue tonight. The crowd is tight and most of them are bare chested even some females cause the heat is critical and the walls are dripping wet. I haven’t seen such carnage since the Texas chainsaw massacre which is continued with tonight’s headliners.

Of mice and Men are gaining the tag of one of the best live bands around on the metal scene today with a frontman that has got complete charge of his band. The dynamics and precision that the band play the song makes the songs sound perfect. Even when the room is alive like tonight and the band look a total mess, which is the sign of a great band. The floor is sticky and people are sliding around like they are on a ski run as they run round the room going crazy to the kick in downbeat rhythms and breakdowns of the guitars. Like Attack Attack! Who played their a few moths previous they have a heavy sound that can be only compared to heavier bands in this genre but they mix it with melodies and chord sequences like no other bands. Austin Carlile the vocalist in tonight’s band also used to be in Attack Attack! so no wonder they have a similar sound but they have have both produced great metal records that have been some of the best albums of the years of release. Tonight’s performance really shows the band have come a long way and have more to deliver in the future.

Of mice and Men – Setlist
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Intro
Still YDG’N
Glass
Ohio
West
Tommy
Ben Threw
South
Product
Loko
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Second

Daniel Cairns