Mental Deficiency - Limelight 2, Belfast - 19 December 2013

'Twas a the week before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring... but 'round the corner in the Limelight all manner of mayhem was taking place, as the holiday season turned into a right ol' Thrashmess...

With the ambient, grungy pop of Goodbye Nola entertaining but not to PM's taste, a Slayer-infused opening riff introduced the twin guitar harmonies and proper melodic dirtcore of Spittin' Teeth, who brought a few diehard fans to the floor, where they were promptly joined, in the best hardcore tradition, by vocalist Corin Gillespie in a good old-fashioned throwdown.  The band's delivery is confident, as is their command of the stage, and the songs are well-constructed, with the right mix of ass-kicking rhythms and mosh-inducing melodies.
https://www.facebook.com/spittinteethDIRT

Firebobbies deliver infectious hooks combined with indie-infused punky melodies:  but, their problem is, that while they have a solid middle-of-the-road rock sound, vocally they cannot make up their minds up, as they veer between solid pop rock and insipid rocky pop.  But, they are an interesting enough diversion before tonight's main attraction.
https://www.facebook.com/firebobbies

Mental Deficiency are a band that are hard to categorize - and therefore all the more appealing for that... with the five members literally masquerading behind noms-des-plumes such as Mr Majestic - the vocalist, or 'Star Siren', who performs in a skintight red lycra catsuit and matching gold lame jacket and trunks - Bass Face and Shred Head (who wear luchadore masks and pajama bottoms), they are hard to take seriously... and you're not really supposed to as all these five guys want to do is entertain.

There are serious messages behind the insanity, such as on 'Patriot', and when you look behind the costumes and the histrionics - such as Shred Head climbing on any surface he can find and Majestic's laughable simulated sex scene during 'Introduction To Seduction' - there is a decent collection of riff-driven tunes which are as enjoyable as the tongue-in-cheek image and show which accompanies them.
https://www.facebook.com/mentaldeficiencyband

Spittin' Teeth play the New Year Hardcore event at Belfast's Warzone Centre (with Defyed, By Any Means, Hollow Truth and Beneath The Wheel) on Sunday 29 December:  https://www.facebook.com/events/179558052239284/

This review originally appeared on http://planetmosh.com

Gig listings

Here's a wee list of forthcoming rock and metal gigs here in Norn Iron.  All details correct at the time of posting.

Thursday January 31
Gascan Ruckus + Droids + Hologram – The Speakeasy, Belfast. 9pm. Free. http://www.facebook.com/events/253810204749160/
Smoking Tongue + Everyday Superheroes + Universal Remedy + Nathan Miller – Hague’s Bar, Lisburn. 8.30pm. £4.50. http://www.facebook.com/events/276122052514534/

Friday February 1
Droids + Hornets + Chocolate Love Factory – Mason’s Bar, Londonderry. 10pm. http://www.facebook.com/events/422617607809860/
Moscow Times + The Delfinos + Blinding Lights + The Remedy – The Pavilion, Belfast. 8.30pm. £4.50. http://www.facebook.com/events/437967419607685/
Stand With Heretics + Cursed Sun + 7 Days Dead + Balls Deep – Campbell’s Bar, Londonderry. 8pm. £4. http://www.facebook.com/events/402914176457970/

Saturday February 2
Simon McBride – Black Box, Belfast. 8pm. £12. http://www.blackboxbelfast.com/event.aspx?e=2021
‘Tric – Enler Delta Blues Club, Comber. http://www.facebook.com/tricrocks
Zombified + Red Six + Cursed Sun + Ceaseless Blight – Limelight 2, Belfast. 5pm. £5. http://www.facebook.com/events/492053460847391/

Wednesday February 6
Before Machines (‘Tundra’ album launch) + Go Wolf + Howl – Limelight 2, Belfast. 9pm. £3. http://www.facebook.com/events/403622849725895/

Friday February 8
Desparecidos – Limelight 2. 7pm. £14. http://www.limelightbelfast.com/
More Than Conquerors + Pocket Billiards + PigsAsPeople + The Last Generation – Cellar Bar, Draperstown. 8pm. £TBA. http://www.facebook.com/events/325947064182460/
Skypilot + Conjuring Fate + Maverick + Dog Thieves – Comrades Rock Club, Ballyclare. 8.30pm. £5. http://www.facebook.com/events/118164795023034/
The Atrocity Exhibit + Hornets + 7.5 Tonnes Of Beard + Altered States – Warzone Centre, Belfast. 9pm. £10. http://www.facebook.com/events/376890525734959/
Wounds + Alice Kona Band + Bellos. Auntie Annie’s Belfast. 9pm. £5. http://www.facebook.com/events/500086750002698/

Saturday February 9
Libidoswitch + By Any Means + Zero Point Zero + Acari – Sandino’s, Londonderry
Screaming Eagles + ‘Tric + The Red Velvetines – Banbridge Football Club, Banbridge. Details TBC. http://www.facebook.com/screamingeaglesrock
Serpent (‘Fear’ EP launch) + Zia Regime + TBC – Limelight 2, Belfast. 5pm. £4. http://www.facebook.com/events/247236188742001/

Sunday February 10

Death Of A Salesman + Karybdis + Divisions + All The Kings Ashes – Auntie Annie’s, Belfast. 8.30pm. http://www.facebook.com/events/445027285551121/

Wednesday February 13

Gacys Threads – Limelight 2, Belfast. 9pm. £TBC. http://www.facebook.com/gacysthreads

Friday February 15
Black Magician + Slomatics + Astralnaut + Tome – Voodoo, Belfast. 8pm. £7. http://www.facebook.com/events/169420463182255/
Sinocence + Proxist + Zia Regime – Mason’s Bar, Magazine Street, Londonderry. 10pm. £4. http://www.facebook.com/events/520518047979254/
The Union + Ajenda – Diamond Rock Club, Ahoghill. 8.30PM. £15. http://www.wegottickets.com/event/186100

Saturday February 16
7DaysDead ('Beyond Within' EP launch) + Honey For Christ + Spittin' Bones + Red Six – Limelight 2, Belfast
Jody Has A Hitlist + The Afterparty + Death Of A Salesman + Mireau – Oh Yeah Centre, Belfast. 6pm. £10.50. http://www.shine.net/
Million Dollar Reload + ‘Tric – The Pavilion, Belfast. 8.30pm. £5.

Sunday February 17
Train + Gin Wigmore – Ulster Hall, Belfast.

Thursday February 21
Parricide + Lesshelp + Gargantuan + Dead Aeon + Lucid Nightmare – Auntie Annie’s, Belfast. 8pm. £5. http://www.facebook.com/events/369097066515873/

Friday February 22
Parricide + Gargantuan + The Bad Aids + Grinned + Bloodletting – Charlie’s Bar, Enniskillen. 8pm. £5. http://www.facebook.com/events/381314948614347/

Saturday February 23
Grand Magus – Stiff Kitten, Belfast. 7pm. £15.50. http://www.limelightbelfast.com/

Wednesday February 27
Enthroned – Voodoo, Belfast. 8pm. £12. http://www.facebook.com/events/537039762981673/

Thursday February 28
Pat McManus Band + ‘Tric – Madisons, Belfast. 8pm. £8. http://www.facebook.com/events/167041923437726/

Friday March 1
Stray From The Path + Red Enemy – Oh Yeah Centre, Belfast. 6pm. £12. http://www.shine.net/

Saturday March 2
The Treatment – Diamond Rock Club, Ahoghill. 8.30pm. £12. http://www.wegottickets.com/event/201396

Sunday March 3
Eric Martin + Pat McManus – Auntie Annie’s, Belfast. 7pm. £14.50. http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/1800498B88EC15AF?artistid=1027858&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=1

Saturday March 9
BlazeFest 3: Crossholder + By Any Means + Sinocence + Bakken + Warcrux + Conjuring Fate + Double-Wide + Ceaseless Blight + Baleful Creed + Terminus + Astralnaut + Red Six + 7 Days Dead – Empire Music Hall, Belfast. 2pm. £10 (all proceeds to Royal Belfast Hospital For Sick Children). http://www.facebook.com/events/442522049117013/
Triggerman + 7.5 Tonnes Of Beard + Maverick – Limelight 2, Belfast. 5pm. £4. http://www.facebook.com/events/410756469005486/

Sunday March 10
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Limelight 1, Belfast. 8pm. £20. http://www.limelightbelfast.com/

Sunday March 17
Enslaved + Winterfylleth + Magnacult – Limelight 2, Belfast. 7pm. £19. http://www.facebook.com/events/446696778705037/

Thursday March 21
Make Do And Mend + Daylight – Limelight 2, Belfast. 8pm. £11. http://www.limelightbelfast.com/

Friday March 22
Dr Feelgood – Playhouse, Portrush. 8pm. £18. http://portrushplayhouse.com/whats-on/dr-feelgood/
Sweet Savage + WorldsEnd + Ajenda – Voodoo, Belfast. 9pm. £10. http://www.facebook.com/events/207909086000705/

Saturday March 23
Dr Feelgood – Black Box, Belfast. 7.30pm. £20. http://www.blackboxbelfast.com/event.aspx?e=2022
Voodoo Six – Diamond Rock Club, Ahoghill. 8.30PM. £10. http://www.wegottickets.com/event/204023

Wednesday March 27
Gacys Threads + Vermingod + By Any Means + Phase Reverse – Voodoo, Belfast. 8pm. £4. http://www.facebook.com/events/149060781917758/

Friday March 29
Biffy Clyro – Odyssey Arena, Belfast. 6.30pm. £31.50. http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/18004956AA673014?artistid=1139434&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=60

Saturday March 30
Electric Taurus + Baleful Creed + TBC – Limelight 2, Belfast. 5pm. £4. http://www.facebook.com/events/475755419137810/

Thursday April 4

Desecration + Basement Torture Killings + Zombified + Foetal Juice + The Obscene Machine – Auntie Annie’s, Belfast. 7pm. £6. http://www.facebook.com/events/401799939896714/
Jeff Scott Soto – Limelight 2, Belfast. 9pm. £13.50. http://www.facebook.com/events/372251962861962/

Friday April 5
Love/Hate – Diamond Rock Club, Ahoghill. 8.30pm. £15. http://www.wegottickets.com/event/201088

Saturday April 6
Simon McBride – Portrush Playhouse. 8pm. £10. http://portrushplayhouse.com/whats-on/simon-mc-bride/

Saturday April 13
Hammers + We Came Out Like Tigers +War Iron – Warzone Centre, Belfast. 9pm. £10. http://www.facebook.com/events/429574770448066/
Lower Than Atlantis + Two Glass Eyes – Mandela Hall, Belfast. 7pm. £14.50. http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/1800497BADF754AC?artistid=1543459&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=1

Sunday April 14
Gospel Of The Horns + Bolzer + Zom + Ceaseless Blight – Auntie Annie’s, Belfast. 7pm. £10. http://www.facebook.com/events/518698871495661/

Tuesday April 30
Enter Shikari – Mandela Hall, Belfast. 7.30pm. £19.50. http://www.shine.net/

Friday May 3
Saxon – Mandela Hall, Belfast. 8pm. £20. http://www.facebook.com/events/104385653064999/

Friday May 10
Eric Clapton – Odyssey Arena, Belfast. 8pm. £38 - £60. http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/18004956EDF355C5?artistid=768018&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=1
Thursday May 16
Whitesnake + Journey + Thunder – Odyssey Arena, Belfast. 6.30pm. £44 - £49. http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/18004965DFAB7720?artistid=735415&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=1#

Wednesday May 22
Pierce The Veil + Woe, Is Me + guests - Mandela Hall, Belfast. 7pm. £14. http://www.shine.net
Thursday June 6
Scott Ian (Spoken Word) – Limelight 2, Belfast. 7pm. £15. http://www.facebook.com/events/139197632900125/

Sunday July 7
Faster Pussycat + The Art + Maverick + Stone Trigger - Auntie Annie’s, Belfast. 7pm. £16.50. http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/1800497BE212868A?artistid=735053&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=1

New Gory Blister album due

Italian technical death metal crew Gory Blister will release their new album, Earth-Sick, on April 23, via Bakerteam Records.


Nile frontman Karl Sanders guests on two tracks.
GB guitarist Raff said: "This new album is probably the best we've ever done. It displays the raw energy we always put into our shows but also the passion that drives us through good and hard times.

"Death metal is not about money, nor about fashion; it's a way of life that requires no compromises. We do this because we believe in it and we want to keep the flame high. Our fans are going to love Earth-Sick!"

Live review: Stand With Heretics / The Fourth Exit / Once Before Takeoff - Auntie Annie’s - Wednesday 29 February

You immediately know you’re in trouble when you walk into a metal gig and not only are you twice as old as the rest of the audience put together but your hair, despite a few (but increasing) grey threads, is longer than same, with the exception of the barmaid. We should have known it was going to be one of those nights!


Openers Once Before Takeoff are in full flow as your humble reviewer hands over a small portion of his hard earned dosh to the kid behind the cash desk and heads to the bar. They’re on their last two songs (the gig having actually kicked off on time for a pleasant change), and are frankly quite mediocre, although they are trying hard and are sweating a lot to prove it. The up side is that it gives your truly time to check that all of the females in the room are with partners (of whatever sex), so as to avoid any nasty propositions on this leap year night – well, none could be nastier than the one overheard in the pub down the street when your faithful hack stopped for a libation, or three, en route to the gig!


The Fourth Exit are in dire straits before they even begin, as guitarist David is suffering major problems with his equipment (at least, that’s what his girlfriend told me in the toilets afterwards! as if!), which results in their set being cut to just three songs. But, they prove to be an excellent young band playing hard-hitting suvern blues metal over rumbling bass lines and accompanied by tobacco-smoke vocals, much in the vein of Black Label Society covering Lynyrd Skynyrd.


Any band with a Southern Cross emblazoned guitar is immediately all right in my book – and even more so when they hit the stage as hard and heavy as Stand With Heretics. The fact that singer Donal is emblazoned in more TapOut logos than a reject from a David Haye sparring session is forgiven by the viciousness of his vocal onslaught. However, the set quickly descends into chaos as they become the second band to suffer major technical problems, this time in the form of a broken string: for some reason, yer man Gerard doesn’t seem to have a spare with him and there is a lengthy delay while he retunes a guitar borrowed from one of the other bands – but the whole incident is seen through with humour, not least by those of us standing at the bar (well, any excuse for another Guinness!)! Problems sorted, the band return with the hardcore vengeance of Suck My Glock (as the reviewer said to TFE's guitarist’s girlfriend) and finish their set with an in your face, ‘fuck off’ performance of the highest order – despite the false intro to Déjà Vu proving it’s definitely not the guitarists’ night – with closer Snake In The Grass, dark in its subtle brutality, really showcasing the skills of drummer Darren.


So, after an interesting hour or so, your reviewer wanders back out, still feeling decidedly old (and here apologies to the last two acts on the bill, ABandCalledBoy and Limerick’s We Came In Pieces, but when you’ve done a 14 hour shift and have a 6am start…) but strangely fulfilled…


• A slightly different version of this review was originally published on http://www.uberrock.co.uk/

D.R.U.G.S. release new single

D.R.U.G.S. - who visit Belfast this coming Sunday, as support to Black Veil Brides - have released a new single, We’re All Fucking Crazy.

 Frontman Craig Owens said of the track: "This is a song that was originally written about some personal issues I was going through last summer while on tour with D.R.U.G.S. It can be self-interpreted, as most lyrics should be, but ultimately is about the moments in our lives where you feel like both nothing and everything matters at the same time. Losing someone, you included. Ultimately it points out the direction D.R.U.G.S. is taking musically. I hope you all listen to it, on a real level. I hope that it brings out some anger, some pain, and most importantly that you come join us and your peers in screaming along to get all of that out when we come through your city soon."

The single can be heard here: http://soundcloud.com/user1070548/were-all-fucking-crazy

Sunday's show at the Mandela Hall, btw, is sold out

Europe head list of new bands added to Download bill

Swedish hair metal chart-toppers Europe head the list of the latest band’s confirmed for this year’s Download.

Joey Tempest and company will be making their Donington debut, and will be joined by US melodic rockers Halestorm and Greek power metallers Firewind.
Completing the latest announcement are punk legends Anti-Nowhere League, Broken, Emmure, Mallory Knox, soon-to-be-tourmates Stellar Revival and Theory Of A Deadman, prog metallers The Safety Fire and Norwegian deathpunks Turbonegro.
The full line-up for this year’s Download, which takes place over the weekend of June 8-10, can be found here: http://www.downloadfestival.co.uk/line-up/

Dead Till Friday / The Red Velvetines / Black Sheriff - Portrush - 16 March 2012 - live review

Like most provincial holiday resorts, Portrush – stuck on a rocky promontory on the Atlantic-facing north-west coast of Northern Ireland – is a pretty dismal place outside of the holiday season, populated by handfuls of hardy locals, manic-depressive transient students and hungry seagulls. And, with this being the St Patrick’s Day weekend, even the hardiest of the student populace have cleared off to Belfast or Londonderry to drown their shamrocks.

So, with the March winds whipping off the ocean and the annual North West 200 motorcycling extravaganza still some six weeks’ away, it takes something to attract a hardened rock hack to make the journey in the opposite direction from the bright lights of the big city to the (rather duller) ones of a half-closed out-season resort. One this occasion, it’s a bill full of young (and some not so young) and up-and-coming (and some not so… you get the picture!) bands determined to kick the Bank Holiday festivities off in style.

Things don’t start too auspiciously, when the belated arrival of the opening act puts soundcheck back, and back, and doors don’t open until more than an hour after the advertised time. Fortunately, two of the acts have also pulled out, so no real damage is done to the event’s overall running time. Those responsible of the delayed start, Audio Illusion, do little to impress, however, despite some highly impressive guitar work and a sound that is hard to pigeonhole – indie touches mixed with some serious metal riffs… but their cover of Seven Nation Army is shambolic. Locals Town Cried Wolf fare little better, and the fact that this is their first live gig in a year is evident: soundwise, they can’t really make up their minds, playing jangly indie mixed with second-rate sub-metalcore.

Black Sheriff, on the other hand, really ratchet proceedings up several notches. This is the middle night of a three-date holiday tour for the Cologne quartet, fronted by Northern Ireland native Glen Ravioli: the most experienced outfit on tonight’s bill, this is a real rock band – cowboy hats and sunglasses, dirty cut-off denims and funny shaped guitars, which in deliver equally dirty riffs. ‘Stole My Heart’ sets the standard – rowdy, outlaw punk ‘n’ roll played loud and proud, with other set highlights including the anthemic Coming Home (which Glen claims was written on the flight over from Germany), the singalong I Want You, the fiery Vietnam, which sees Glen go walkies around the venue, including behind the bar to pour himself a drink (much to the barmaid’s chagrin – the trick works much better the following evening in Belfast) and the rousing Be Your Man. The band look and sound like they’re enjoying themselves, and the effect rubs off on the enthusiastic audience.

The Red Velvetines follow that with aplomb. Their sound is big and rich, grungy, soulful stoner blues played with energy, enthusiasm and style. Understandably, most (male) eyes are on sexy frontwoman Claire, who also possesses a fantastic voice, and keeps the set moving along nicely with her non-stop movement. Highlights of their set include Measure Of The Times, with its pumping bass rhythm and tight, joyous hooky riffs, and the punky, metallic finish of Bang Bang. This is a young band with a bright future: great musicianship, brilliant songs and a sexy singer – almost all the perfect ingredients.

Dead Till Friday literally kick the living daylights out of their set - well, the drumkit at least as, after just one song, running repairs have to be made to the bass. This short delay doesn’t stop the band delivering another kick-ass set of rap-metal of the highest order, frontman Adam McKee spitting his rhymes and lyric with the sort of venom that would have good ol’ St Paddy turning his battered VW Beetle around to look for the snake he left behind… the rest of the band are in stunning form as they blast through a slightly shortened set, highlighted by the ferociously catchy Water, the heavy beatdown of MBL and a caustic version of California.

Which leaves only headliners The Space Muffinz… what can we say about them? Well, to be brutally honest, as little as possible. They were atrocious. Chilled out, ambient noise – a totally inappropriate conclusion to what had otherwise been a great evening of top class rock ‘n’ roll, especially from Black Sheriff, The Red Velvetines and DTF.

* This review originally appeared on www.midnightmixtape.co.uk