STEELWING + SKULLFIST + VANDERBUYST
LONDON UNDERWORLD – 20/01/12
What a promise for any classic metal fan, these three bands have been making some positive statements with their most recent efforts in the studio, on paper, the Underworld was going back in time, this was very much apparent once the bands came on stage with their clothing and subsequent attire. Although not a big crowd to start with, Holland’s VANDERBUYST rocketed onto the stage, crowd attendance was not a problem when opening with ‘KGB’ and moving into other tracks like ‘Into the Fire’. The energy is clear, the crowd, and especially myself really warmed to them, I even bought a t shirt, I had found the sound of their releases a little flat, but live, this is a totally different scenario all together. Choosing a tasteful UFO cover (‘Rock Bottom’), they also showed some reference to 1980’s adult movies with their track ‘Traci Lords’, but then the 3-piece were ‘Steeling Your Thunder’ by displaying some keen traditional metal, and riffing fretwork from guitarist Willem Verbuyst, this trio are a powerful combo, I kind of got the impression I was watching something similar to The Rods, they had similar energy, and the songs matched the stage show perfectly.
SKULLFIST on the other hand are no strangers to these shores, or to this venue. Sporting a new guitarist and drummer from what I could see visually from their last outing, they really took their metal to the max, although I did not find them as striking from their opening number but by ‘Like a Fox’ they had myself hooked. Songs like ‘Get Fisted’ and Sign of the Warrior’ really warm an aging rockers heart, that’s me by the way, and thus the energy I was receiving more than compensated or rather complimented my evening alcohol intake. Concentrating on both releases, the band played what I could consider their signature tune, ‘No False Metal’ and that even got some of the crowd to their feet, that is off the stage, although I cannot see what stage diving has to do with this genre at all, there is certainly some confusion with the youth in attendance, but hey, it made the show have more of a fun factor to it. All in all, I really enjoyed this set, it’s just a shame that there was still a little fear from the crowd to surface from the bar area to the Underworlds main floor area.
Headliners STEELWING surprise me, well, vocalist Riley does with his opening stage attire, although quickly abandoned, these Swedes rally have a lot to prove, they have already been two stellar bands on stage, and they greet the crowd like they are opening a major arena show. Twin guitar antics lead into epic numbers like ‘Lunacy Rising’, whilst new album material like ‘Full Speed Ahead’ shows that the band, as I have mentioned in the album review on this site, have grown. One of my favourite tunes, ‘Sentinel Hill’ from their debut ‘Lord of the Wasteland’ really overflows with its visual and audible impact, hell, it is a sobering fact, so much so, I place my beer down and head bang down the front. Steelwing proved they were exciting and relevant, although I have no idea where they got all their leather and spandex from!
Review & Photos © Paul Maddison
STEELWING
STEELWING
STEELWING
SKULLFIST
SKULLFIST
SKULLFIST
VANDERBUYST
VANDERBUYST
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