Up first, Svalbard a 4 piece from Bristol bringing with them a blend of post-hardcore alternative, ambient metal, quite the mouthful to explain how they have so effortlessly combined different ideas to make a gargantuan monster of crushing blast beats, gritty vocals and melodic atmosphere. Take ‘Ripped Apart‘ for instance, an undeniable blend of groove-oriented metal and ambient melodies that take a high level of musicianship to execute, and leaves you feeling like you’ve taken a left hook to the ribs. I found myself almost hypnotised by their relentless whirlwind of sheer power and solid foundations that I almost missed my chance to cheer and applaud between songs. When the last song ended, and they left the stage, the crowd were in awe, begging the question. Did that really happen?
Aberdeen lads Grader soundcheck then it’s straight to business, blaring out their taste of hardcore punk, that came thudding out of the PA like sludge, with guttural vocals, yells of passion and a hint of melody to spice things up a bit. ‘Swiss‘ being a highlight of the set with a tense anthemic rise from the intro, to a downtuned drive throughout the song, a sudden pause and lyrics worthy of a sing-along Grader brings the noise to the approved nods of a crowd, a great warm up and a small taste of things to come.
Its been 14 years for South Wales quintet Funeral For A Friend and age hasn’t taken its toll, they’re still at the top of their game and certainly if someone was to ask you what post-hardcore was all about this would be one of the bands they would have to listen to, one of the bands that gave the genre the soul, the life force behind the music. As soon as they hit the stage, the crowd are enchanted to move, jump and scream. When they played ‘History‘ it was a beautiful sight of unity and togetherness that every live show is ultimately about, friends arm in arm, holding one another, vocalist Matthew Davies in the face of the crowd, up close and personal. The crowd responded with a chorus of lyrics sung in perfect unison. Everyone could feel the chills down their spin that nostalgia everyone longs to feel. This is exactly what good song writing does. ‘A Bad Case Of The Religions’ is another highlight of many. There’s an old saying, ‘Wise men speak because they have something to say. Fools speak because they have to say something’ in this instance its very much the former, deep lyrics and melodies in harmony its rare to find songs that can be both enjoyed and educate. As it became obvious the end of the show was nearing there was an anxious edge to the crowd wondering if they were going to play ‘that song’ the song which defines a band that everyone will remember long after they’re gone, and as is typical of Funeral For A Friend they didn’t disappoint as soon as those 4 words were mentioned it was the biggest send of I have ever seen for a band. I am of course referring to the song ‘Roses For The Dead‘ with beastly breakdowns, brilliant drives and cutting vocals that hold the note as securely as the guitars trying to drown them out. A testament that even after 14 years, look after your voice right and you can still shake the foundations. With the whole room erupting into a tsunami of rising bodies, huge smiles everywhere, I personally wanted to stay inside that moment forever. Finishing the show to a crowd that could have danced all night, Funeral For A Friend have always been one of the most consistent bands liv,e always setting the bar high, they don’t just meet expectations they smash through them.
With the crowd smiling ear to ear and everyone feeling a little younger then when they walked in Funeral For A Friend ended the show but not before meeting every fan for a photo a chat or even just hug. A damn fine show lads!
Words – Marc Allum
Photoography – Kayleigh Warren
