Introducing… Citizen Death!

Another band representing how fantastic the Glasgow metal scene is, Citizen Death have been together since late 2007 and have since brought out an EP, Generation of Digression. 

The talented foursome have been added to the ever-growing Mayhem Underground roster and from what I’ve heard so far, they’ll be perfect for it. They are tight, they are absolutely bursting with talent; each song is played with the precision of true professional musicians.

If you’d like to check them out, go to their Reverb Nation page (http://www.reverbnation.com/citizendeathuk) and keep an eye out for my review of their EP and hopefully a live review!

Sarah-Louise

Picture courtesy of band’s Facebook page.

It’s that time of the month again… when we look back at Mayhem Underground’s most recent gig and reflect on the bands involved. This time, it’s Tom McConnell, What’s the Damage’s vocalist, one of our writers and a very valued member of the Mayhem Underground community…

Semper Fi
http://www.only1semperfi.com/

The Vale Bar is already jumping as Semper Fi are preparing to open Mayhem Underground 3, I have heard a song or two prior to this show, yet have never seen them live before. So I’m not entirely sure what to expect in the next half an hour. A botched intro immediately sets me to unsure, but composure is quickly gained and I am happy to say Semper Fi went on to thoroughly impress not only me, but many in the venue judging from crowd participation throughout their set and comments I hear in the immediate aftermath. Watching the band live is captivating once they have hit their stride, and I cannot help but feel they would be more comfortable with more room to manoeuvre, but they try their best to show their potential with guitarists and bassist proving energetic and at times creating an impression of a beast caged to the confines of an enclosure too small. The drumming also has points where I’m blown away by double bass being flanked with guitars to create truly punishing passages through certain songs, notably “Retribution?” Listening to “Sex Me Free” I feel also shows vocalist Paul Burns confidence best as I found myself paying particular attention to his performance throughout this track. A quick scope of Semper Fi’s facebook page upon arrival home, and I see they have in fact graced stages far larger, and I feel this is necessary to see the full stage presence of this band where they are given the space to truly run amok- something I will be looking for the opportunity to witness in future.. In conclusion by the end of the set I am left with the opinion that if I was to relate Semper Fi to a well known artist, I would say Blackstone Cherry, but with a much more fierce edge- leaning further towards metal than the aforementioned band I count severely within rock.

Shapeshift

With the crowd well and truly switched on now in the wake of Semper Fi, Shapeshift prepare for the stage. I have had the pleasure of playing alongside Shapeshift in the past and chatting to members throughout soundcheck, their enthusiasm in infectious. I count their stage demeanour as more laid back than Semper Fi, but such is the atmosphere of Mayhem Underground; bands line up with each other for an effective night of rocking alongside each other and respecting alternative music, be it crushingly heavy, or in this case; as I to call it “drinking music.” That instance where it’s easy to enjoy a beer while nodding your head to some good straight up heavy music. I am stricken about half way through the set by my overall opinion of this band, they are easily the bridge between the wave of British Heavy Metal in the early 80s, to Thrash. I easily hear elements of both and they come together in an entirely perfect harmony. The set is finished off with a song devoted to and named “Wrestlemania (Feel The Heat)” which climaxes with crowd participation to sing the lyrics- it says a lot when you have a venue able to sing along by the end of a song which many probably haven’t heard before and requires a charismatic show to encourage those willing. The reaction shows Shapeshift possessed this trait. To again, stress the catchiness of what must be a fan favourite, as I (part of What’s The Damage?!) take to the stage, our guitarist is still singing along long after Shapeshift have left the stage.

Tom McConnell.

Mayhem Underground is under way and The Vale, Glasgow is a lot less packed than the first Mayhem night. The crowd are reasonably reserved to begin with and only half an hour into the night, I’m worried about how the rest of this much-anticipated night will go.

Let’s Play God are not disheartened by the crowd’s lack of enthusiasm and they actually seem to see this as a challenge. Vocalist Rob Grinch constantly encourages the crowd to get on their feet and enjoy the set as much as he clearly is. 

After around three songs, Let’s Play God finally have the attention they were looking for. People are headbanging, cheering and some are even singing along. The crowd has finally come to life and the fantastic atmosphere from the first Mayhem night seems to have re-appeared. 

Along with Let’s Play God’s consistently tight set, flawless musicianship and fantastic songs, there is a lot of chemistry between this band, a lot of confidence which helps grab the audience’s attention. Let’s Play God are a band that work hard and play hard at every single show, they joke around, Grinch’s flirtation with his audience is undeniable, but they never put a foot wrong and that is exactly the kind of criteria needed for an upcoming band. 

Let’s Play God were the perfect band to kick off tonight’s show and to get this audience enthusiastic about the night ahead of them.

Insomniac are so dynamite that they are impossible to miss. 

Due to their almost robotic-like stage presence, I can only comment on their musical talent, of which there is an absolute abundance. Insomniac are a force not to be reckoned with. They play a set that is gnarly and they are compared to the likes of Lamb of God, Devildriver and early Ramones. 

Their solos are fantastic, the drumming is perfect and the vocals are, of course, absolutely ballsy. Every song comes with an intense amount of attitude and venom.

A true metal band that should go far, my only problem was their lack of crowd communication.

Devour are the final band to take the stage. By this point, spirits are at an absolute high in The Vale, the Friday Night Feeling has finally settled in and everybody is right in the mood for some dirty rock ‘n’ roll beats which are exactly Devour’s forte, it’s the absolute core of their sound and they’re the band that I’ve been looking forward to most. 

Devour themselves seem to be in high spirits themselves, and frontman Marc McGregor’s Glaswegian sense of humour is one that the crowd can obviously relate to, before they’ve even played, Devour have this tough crowd’s affections. 

Devour are demanding, catchy and so much fun to watch. Their sound is completely likeable, it’s sleazy rock ‘n’ roll riffs mixed with a dose of heavy metal attitude. 

While I though Devour were slightly rough, they have a lot of ambition and a lot of promise. I look forward to their future gigs and would encourage everybody to go see them.

Tonight got off to a bad start but finished on a great high with exactly the kind of atmosphere that is hoped for at Mayhem Underground nights. Every band played fantastically and there didn’t seem to be an unimpressed person in the building. 

I’ll keep you readers informed of the next night and I hope to see many more people there next time… Are you ready to cause mayhem?

Sarah-Louise Kelly.

Mayhem Underground (Clips from Launch Night)

Wonder what you missed? Here’s a cheeky wee montage of the night. Enjoy! 

It’s ten minutes since the doors opened for Mayhem Underground and already the atmosphere is excitable and positive. Everybody seems pleased to be here, bands are mingling and bantering. I can already sense that tonight will be an absolute success: The Vale is packed.

What’s The Damage are the first band to play, they’re a lot more confident, they’re excited to be here and their set sounds promising. Opening song ‘Overthrow’ is a great way to kick off the first ever Mayhem Underground night.  Unfortunately, What’s The Damage?! aren’t working to their own standards, there are a few technical glitches, the band aren’t in sync and despite their attempts at laughing it off, there is obvious tension on stage when guitarist Dominic struggles to play one of their oldest songs, Daggers. 

Despite this unfortunate turn of events, What’s The Damage have still managed to perform quite well, a great sign of great showmen is carrying on after there have been such problems. They played their new song ‘Golden Silence’ perfectly, it is definitely one of their best songs, fantastic chord progression. It is the kind of song you can imagine a crowd chanting along to at a bigger gig. 

What’s The Damage blast into ‘Shadows’ and reminded their fans exactly why they are so good, this song is their masterpiece, it’s Cannibal Corpse meets decent melodies. There is a perfect relationship between every instrument, What’s The Damage are fantastic songwriters and Shadows is a great example of their abilities, a song they should always work from.

All week What’s The Damage have been hinting at a ‘special cover song’ that they were going to do. Everybody is pretty excited to find out what this song could be, all bets are on. Some people think it could be Rebecca Black’s song ‘Friday’ others have suggested it could possibly be Lady Gaga. When the time finally comes, the band announce that some members will be changing instruments: Tom on bass, Rob on vocals and Darren on drums. Finally, we were all told what the song would be. A Napalm Death cover. It was basically just a two second roar, the crowd was amused and tensions between band members seemed to ease slightly.

The What’s The Damage?! Guys finished their, at times, tumultuous set with fantastic finalé ‘dreams’, one of their best songs. They left the stage not entirely happy but at least knowing that they are capable of better.

What’s The Damage?!’s not-so-great performance didn’t deter the crowd’s high spirits at-all and the reception to Let’s Play God was exceptionally high as they walked on stage.

Let’s Play God’s opener was dramatic, tight and front-man/vocalist Rob Grinch has the audience’s attention almost instantly, he has fantastic charm, not too cocky but can definitely hold his own on stage, he has a great sense of humour and knows how to reach into the very heart of a Glaswegian crowd.

It’s hard to fairly critique a band that don’t put a foot out of place at any point, they absolutely suck in every member of the audience including myself. With Let’s Play God, there’s no whining, no half-arsed efforts, this band are METAL and they are very serious about what they do. There’s nothing missing here, one of the best bands I have ever seen in my life, what an honour.

Let’s Play God have everything a good band requires apart from a record label. They are the very definition of why Mayhem Underground is important today, they are so incredibly talented, they’re tight and they are so deeply in love with what they do. Every song is entirely full of attitude, fantastic riffs, actually, everything you’d want. I can’t fault them, not even lyrically, this band are absolutely outstanding. Anybody and everybody I’ve spoken to about this band has nothing but respect and praise for them. Incredible.

During their third song of the night, ‘Force Fed’, a circle pit was started: an incredible feat for an unsigned band in a venue which can hold less than 100 people. Let’s Play God are destined for great things. Just when you think you know them, know their sound, what they’re about, they pull something else out the bag.

Think Fear Factory meets Metallica meets your best ever night out and you may very well have Let’s Play God. They dominate the stage and the crowd’s attention. Their songs are completely full to the brim, no instrument is lacking. Even the lyrics are ballsy, gutsy- this band NEEDS to be in a bigger venue.

‘Faded’ is the second-to-last song of the night and as the band take a second to refresh themselves the crowd starts chanting ‘LPG, LPG, LPG!’, the band look slightly amazed but take it all in their stride. The crowd absolutely loves them, I love them and am slightly upset that they’ll be going off-stage soon. Let’s Play God are a band worth seeing time and time again.

Nothing can be said about Scarcinogen that hasn’t already been said. An enormously fantastic band to watch, Scarcinogen’s love for music, their passion, it all shines through in their music. An undoubtedly fantastic band that have metal in their blood.

‘Born to do this’ is a cliché but with Scarcinogen, it couldn’t be more true.

At one point, the vocalist separated the crowd in two and demanded a wall of death. It was the first time I’d seen him really get a crowd going but considering this is one of Scarcinogen’s first gigs, he obviously has a lot of potential as a front-man. Watch this space.

By the end of the night, Scarcinogen’s crowd may have been small but it was mighty and was all the proof Scarcinogen needed that they shouldn’t ever stop doing what they are doing. While I’d never describe them as perfect, Scarcinogen play to the same calibre who have been around for three, four, five times longer than them. They ended the night with a bang, perfect way to end such a successful night.

Tonight has been, Mayhem Underground will be as much about music as it is about creating a community. It has been a fantastic experience and the metal scene can only benefit from these nights. It’s more than just another gig, it’s an experience that we’ll all take away with us. 

It’s been beautiful to watch bands support and respect each other. It’s already like private universe in this room. The night couldn’t have gone better. Mayhem Underground is a fantastic concept and Chris Clarke is an absolute genius for putting this into motion. Everybody has said they feel honoured to be part of something so amazing and I’m no exception.

Sarah-Louise Kelly.

What’s The Damage!? photo courtesy of Lauren Millar.

Guitar loving trio Perduramo are an interesting, grunge band hailing from Glasgow. Great for any prog rock, grunge or rock loving fan, Perduramo are a confident band who have played plenty of gigs and due to their recent addition to the Mayhem Undergroud roster will no doubt have plenty more to come.

Listing Tool, Mastadon and Kyuss amongst their influences, Perduramo are a band for anybody that feels the current grunge scene is lacking a certain something- Perduramo ARE that certain something! 

Check out their Myspace for music, news and more information http://www.facebook.com/Perduramo

For fans of

• Nirvana
• Queensrÿche

Sarah-Louise Kelly

Insomniac are a brand spanking new thrash band from Glasgow. Starting out in only July 2010, Insomniac are a band determined to get themselves heard and don’t do anything by halves!

Listing Slayer, Testament and Metallica amongst their influences, Insomniac are a no-holds-barred band who have been recently added to the Mayhem Underground roster. I wish this band the best of luck for their career ahead and would urge any metal fan out there to go see these guys asap!

To check out their Facebook for more info, music and news go to http://www.facebook.com/InsomniacGlasgow

For fans of

• Anthrax
• Megadeth
• Metallica

Sarah-Louise Kelly

With intricate rock n roll riffs, vocals laced with sleaze and an attitude to boot, Devour are one of Glasgow’s finest unsigned bands! Recently added to the Mayhem Underground Roster, Devour are set for big things! A band definitely worth getting excited about and listening to.

Describing their sound as “Black Stone Cherry and Shinedown’s love baby”, Devour are a trio who know what they want from their music and seem determined to get it and rightly so- a true diamond in the rough band.

I absolutely love these guys and cannot wait to hear more from them. To check them out go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Devour/ you won’t be dissapointed.

For fans of

• Black Stone Cherry
• Shinedown
• Airbourne

Sarah-Louise Kelly.

A band whose sound is as bitter as lemons, Let’s Play God are every hard metal fan’s fantasy band. Starting out just over two years ago, Let’s Play God have worked hard to get their unique sound heard by as many people as possible.

Creators of Mayhem Underground, Let’s Play God are an ambitious, balls out bunch with no intention of getting anywhere but the top. Listing Metallica and Machine Head amongst their influences, there is no doubt that these metallers will blow your mind at any performance!

Playing THIS FRIDAY at the Mayhem Underground launch, Let’s Play God are a band that are not to be missed!

For music, news and more information go to http://www.facebook.com/LetsPlayGod

For fans of

• White Zombie
• Fear Factory
• Sepultura

Sarah-Louise Kelly

Are you a big fan of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal? Firmly into Classic Rock and everything that comes with it? Then you may want to give Edinburgh-based 4 piece Vantage Point a listen.

Forming in 2008 and listing Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Deep Purple, Anthrax, AC/DC, Rainbow and Whitesnake amongst their influences, Vantage Point are the perfect band for Classic Rock lovers!

Recently added to the Mayhem Underground roster and seemingly doing at least one gig a month, Vantage Point are sure to get themselves at least an underground following and I am looking forward to watching this band grow.

Check out their Facebook http://www.facebook.com/vantagepointrocks for music and news!

For fans of

• Motörhead
• Megadeth
• Saxon

Sarah-Louise Kelly