GIANTS - Pledge for an album

Skate Punkers, Giants are doing something great!
Yes you heard it, the hardcore essex punk band are asking you to help them release their first ever full length album.
All you need to do it go onto: http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/giantsuk and choose an amount you want to pledge for, it can be as little as £5 to a whopping £300, every little helps.

Giants have been a DIY band forever, as their attitude and outlook on life is clearly reflected on their lyrics, from touring non stop in various parts of the world, the hard working band have accomplished so much, and off their own backs too. With a heavy filled fan-base, Giants are continuing to make their mark, proving that hard work does pay off. Their positive outlooks makes their music stronger to anyone else and hearing a full album would be a dream.

There are so many options to choose from, it was so hard to pick, from hand written lyric sheets to Edd doing vocals in one of your songs to the band playing in your house, the ideas are endless as it's a great opportunity for all, everyone wins something!

Hopes - Wake up EP

The freshly picked punk, hardcore band Hopes from Liberec, Czech Republic have just released a brand new EP, Wake Up.

Building up their own established sound, the newly exposed band have created such a tight little collection of tracks which represent all their hard work.

Mastering a matured tone, ‘Step Out’ quickly introduces Wake Up to a new audience which then builds onto the second track, exploring highly texturised movements, embracing their influence of Terror and Stick To Your Guns. With their harden tone, the band do not sound new at all, as their sent is so concert that it screams experience. 

Hopes don’t waste their time by producing something mediocre, as each song proves its worthy with another. You are definitely woken up by now, as their riveting sound captures you in an instant, filled with melodic twists and bouncy beats that gets your blood pumping through your veins.

‘Friends’ unites the album to a close with a punk edgy that is filled with influential style rhythms, by combining these all to one close, it strengthens the song as part of a solid album that is a great credit to the current hardcore scene of new waves.

8.8/10

Never Say Die TOUR @ o2 Islington London 5th November

Terror, Comeback Kid, Stick To Your Guns, Obey The Brave, More Than A Thousand, No Bragging Rights, Capsize

It’s that time of year again, early November welcomes back Europe's Never Say Die tour, as this year proves to thrash out the others. With a solidarity line up of America’s finest hardcore bands, this tour is sure to bring a main meal of pure carnage to the table. 

Finishing off the UK tour with the London show at o2 Academy Islington on the 5th, brought down a packed crowd.

Smaller to the scene, Capsize opened this early evening with a monumental amount of energy, despite the small crowd. Scattered fans mimicked vocal chords which were spat in all directions while the band didn’t let anything come in their way of putting on a show.

Followed up by an equally appealing act, No Bragging Rights got a pumped up crowd as the night progressed, more and more bodies appeared, ready to bring on the mosh.

Less conserved energy was lazily escaped for More Than A Thousand, as their classical tone didn’t float as well with the crowd. Never the less, putting on a show which slipped with the lineup, the Portuguese band represented their talent hearty.

Edging deeper into the core, Obey The Brave took to the stage with their large fan-base greeting their roars accordingly. The band had a close interaction within every fan as they played exceptionally well by gaining the energy from the majority of the room. Loud and roaring their sound could be heard from beyond the venue, as the Montreal metal core band lived up to their much hyped expectation. 

There was a slow change in the atmosphere as the top three bands were finally set to play, up first were Stick To Your Guns, a well cherished hardcore act that were known to every spirit. Their instant presence got the room spinning in circles as the formation changed, making room for a pit for fans to release their zest. Flying all over the floor, bodies collided with another in time to their hard edge movement reflected on stage, as vocalist Jesse Barnett gave an affirmative speech in-between each song, expressing the bands beliefs. 

This then seemed to egg on more dancers to the pit as ‘We Still Believe’ and ‘Amber’ blasted on, ending their set way too short.

Keeping within the same pressure, Comeback Kid made their well greeted appearance, as more than half of the crowd appreciated their presence on stage. No need for introductions, friends of the hardcore genre dived straight into their set, plunging out their most known songs for the audience to repeat at the top of their lungs. Lasting slightly longer, their vigorous set seemed to be over before it started.

However this didn't stop a single soul from going absolutely ape shit on the floor, two stepping to their hearts content, connecting fully with the music being played, not a care was shredded that night as essentially it was a gig for hardcore lovers to come together and break lose.

Time pressed on, ahead of planned lists, Terror were finally discharged to tear apart Islington and get everyone jumping. 

The keepers of the faith have finally returned to restore their morals onto the crowd as the pit opened up wider for more participants to join in, dashing all around the perimeter.

With such brutal migrations, the heavy beat downs got a bodily flow that somehow took over all senses, as you would find yourself moving along with it. 

Insanely catchy, there was no escape from their capture, as Scott Vogel made sure that everyone was having a good time.

“THIS IS A HARDCORE SHOW, MAKE SURE YOU STEP ON SOMEONES HEAD” had been shouted every now and then, reminding the audience of what they were surrounded by.

With no need, the crowd were spinning in full rage, matched with the bands ruthless sound.

Not as preachy as expected, they kept their chat short, focusing on their music as well as thanking everyone for turning up, with Stu Mackay, former Your Demise member on stage for one final song.

If this didn’t get everyone moving then, I don’t know what would have. Ending the night with a war zone like remains, Never Say Die had done it once again.

9/10

Basement + Cloakroom + NewMoon 29/10/14 @ Electric Ballroom London

It’s only been two years since the quintet from Ipswich Basement have played a London show, since their announced hiatus in 2012. Playing what was thought to be as a last ever show at Camden’s Underworld, soon became a myth as a venue less than a breath away, The Electric Ballroom developed the base of the four dated tour. 

Following similar support acts, the sold out London show dragged along Belgium's’ NewMoon to get the crowd  pumping. 

Taking an early start, the dreamy indie vibes soon filled the packed venue as their instrumental explosion captured the crowds senses. More than half of their songs seems to be strained out noises rather than vocals, all emerging into one. Somehow this rare eruption worked perfectly, with the right amount of weight floating each way, as although their set did seem to go on forever, NewMoon proved to be an outstanding support act for Basement. 

Gently pausing in-between breaks, the grand venue soon became filled with huddles of bodies emerging as dear friends and ex-members of old bands made an appearance including, Edd McRae (vocalist from Your Demise) and Charlie Holmes (Vocalist from Heart In Hand).

Main support act, Cloakroom pushed on to take the stage next, as the room fell silent once again.

Similar to NewMoon, Cloakroom produced a lingereing instrumental piece witch soothed your ears and soul, feeling yourself free to wonder along with the music.

With more of an indie inflection, the band filled their slot with a mixture of juxtaposing sounds that pleased the crowd as bodies slowly moved from side to side in time.

Time passed steadily as the build up of tension rose for Basement to make an appearance. When the clock had finally reached 9:20 on the dot, five familiar faces appeared within the mist of the orange lights, spotlighting each shadow. 

Straight into ‘Whole’ the crowd greeted this with a plunge of flying figures bouncing in all directions.

Andrew Fisher’s vocals swept in, met with the hundreds of echo released by the audience, pelting with full expression. The crowd now fully pumped, the band decided to simmer down with a new track off their EP Further Sky, embarking their comeback.

There was a certain chilled out atmosphere at the gig which had seemed to be lost in many others, sure it was a well waited performance, yet everyone seemed to respect others in terms of going nuts. Not saying that the gig was totally calm, as various spots were causing massive havoc while the overall coverage seemed to be chilled out.

The band kept their energy flowing, absorbed by the crowds fuel, as they covered their most famously known tracks within the two albums, occasionally dipping into their new ones. Delighting the crowd with this mixture, screams of voices escaped their mouthes, as the band gave a passionate performance, before ending with a much loved favourite, ‘Crickets Throw Their Voice’.

This sent everyone in the room roaming for one last mosh.

For a band with such a high reputation and style, they have certainly done well to maintain this, two years later performing as if nothing had happened. Basement are more than just a band to most of their fans, and tonight very much proved that.

9/10