Review by Chop



Much is written about Birmingham being the home or birthplace of heavy metal. A dozen or so miles up the road lies Wolverhampton, and the Giffard is the focal point of the Black Country rock world.  Don't be fooled by the narrow frontage – the capacity of the pub is large, and it's worth visiting to witness the chair/throne by the main bar, which is suitably gothic/satanic (look out! I'm going into delete as appropriate mode). Upstairs there's even a small function room which was the scene of the crime for tonight's hostilities.  The advertised three band line up was reduced due to Parole's vehicular malfunction – pity but the show must go on... Speaking of malfunctions it's probably best not to mention my photographic efforts either – leave it to the 'togs Chop!  You really wouldn't want to see shot after blurred shot of band members looking like Predator...

Jacknife Holiday were the lone support act of the evening and went from being ragged and amateurish to tight and crushing with frightening regularity.  When it worked they sounded like a vicious hybrid of Godsize, Down, and Eyehategod, down-tuned sludge coiled and waiting to pounce.  But on the flip side there were plenty of moments when cringeworthy doesn't come close.  The on stage burping – and there was plenty of it – was most definitely the low point.  You may be young, it may have been a pub gig with nearly no-one watching, the beer may have been exceptionally gassy (although my Carling seemed okay) but what were you doing?  You never know when there's an A&R man in the room.  Enough said.  Back to the music sharpish... So they've got massive stoner chords, doom, with a smattering of hardcore – sounds good?  Well they could be if they stick at it.  They can definitely play and the drummer's top drawer.  They have clear potential but need a more professional approach.  The building blocks are there, it's just a question of arranging them into a cohesive end product. 

Setlist: “Something's Gotta Give”, “Pissface”, “Screamin' Meat Pod”, “Grieve Black”, “Short Term Memory Fuck Off”.

http://www.myspace.com/jacknifeholiday

Bastard Of The Skies delivered a dynamic set of brutal modern doom.  The scant few in the room witnessed a well drilled band unleash wave after wave of down tuned savagery.  The black drapes and crushed velvet opulence were fitting surrounds for a band so dedicated to crush mercilessly.  The ring outs, or pinches, are still there between tracks, but they're shorter these days.  Then you've got to consider the subtleties of the tempo changes which were slick to put it mildly.  Surely it's only a matter of time before they are in the right place at the right time and get the accolades they truly merit. The most impressive thing though was that just over half of the material was new, from the album that's due later in the year.  And yet it was so well executed that you'd have thought that they'd been playing it for years. Hopefully 2010 will see them progress and play to far bigger audiences.

Setlist: “Deputy Lou Ford”, “Just A Horse”, “Can You Fly?”, “(Tree Of) Woe”, “A Legendary Temper”, “(18 ½ Stone) Parts Unknown”, “You, Foe”, “Evensong”, “Skies Of The Bastard”, “Cowards! Cowards!”.

http://www.myspace.com/bastardoftheskies