Chris Earl
Gaining a good crowd shortly after doors with some local devoted fans, Newcastle’s own Undertow opened the show. The three pieces blend of nu-metally grunge and slightly proggier passages seems a little unfocused at times and the band excels more when they plow a more direct path, with some particularly driving solos the highlight of their set. At times a mix of bands like Creed and Hurt, a distinct identity is something that the band lack but you can’t fault their passion. A band very much in their infancy and possibly still finding their feet, they hold their own and definitely win over a few of those who turned up early, which is evident by the small surge to their merch desk after their final notes ring out.
Hailing from Guildford with a Newcastle contingent in their powerhouse vocalist Stef, Giant Walker make a hell of an impression with some fantastic sound and, some would say Giant riffs. A mesmerizing mix of progressive rock and woozy blues style guitar work, the quartet take the packed out room on a soulful journey. Having recently signed to Church Road and teasing a brand new album titled ‘Silhouettes’, the enamoured crowd are treat to the title track from the record and more. Stef is the star of the show, clearly ecstatic to be back in her home city. Her soaring melodies (A haunting mix of beautiful Doom and gothic majesty with more than a hint of early Soundgarden) get hands in the air and the faithful sing along with her every word. The mix of ages in the fans bodes well for the band too, with older and younger heads alike both succumbing to the power of the bands riffs. An incredibly fun set that sees the crowd swaying back in forth to the exciting young band’s stomping, hypnotising grooves and rhythms.
Bringing the thunder from down under, Future Static take to the stage just as the heat in the room seems to reach its apex. A blend of modern metalcore melody and electronics with more classic elements such as devastating breakdowns, once again it’s the vocalist who’s the highlight of the show. Flowing between angelic cleans and demonic screams, Amariah Cook is a natural star, even getting the pit opened up and throwing some pretty lethal shapes. Effortlessly charming, numbers like ‘Embers’ threaten to send the entire room plummeting to the floor below. The only issue with the set is the drum mix, which at times is a little overpowering and reduces the impact of the band’s fantastic guitar work. It does improve throughout the night but for well over half the set it isn’t ideal. Still, it doesn’t lessen the impact of tracks like ‘Will I?’ and ‘The Hourglass’ showcasing some electronic elements to the bands sound. Mixing up the setlist with tracks from before Amariah joined the band is a nice touch, and she absolutely makes them her own. This tour should help solidify the band as a big name in the modern metalcore scene. The venues may be small but the passion, vocals and riffs are gargantuan. Don’t be surprised that the next time they grace our shows it’ll be in bigger venues or supporting some of their home country heroes like Polaris, because the future of metalcore is Future Static.