From Freddy Kruger to Captain Jack Sparrow, Every horror cryptid gathered in Newport to hear Virtue In Vain’s new single release Blood Eyes. Newport can at times look cold and dreary but the music community itself is vibrant. Every band who played at McCanns put on a great show and made the hangover I had the next day worth it.
First on was Paradox To Stay and they were stellar, I've seen them play a few times and though it was their new lead singer’s debut; their sound, style and professionalism is consistent. They can all play very well and each track had intricate and creative solos to act as a bridge between blisteringly heavy breakdowns.
Their new vocalist offers a more abrasive flair with his metal vocals and manages to deliver the signature dark metalcore choruses they’ve established previously. It’s worth noting that Paradox’s latest tracks Serenity and Astray were well received, these new ones are raw and with muscular riffs with a good level of versatility throughout. They had great stage presence and they clearly enjoyed themselves which was contagious so the crowd was lively throughout.
To follow was Lunar who were punchy, cool and very catchy. They gave us some 90s indie vibes with a punky atmosphere that was really fun. The vocals were stunning with some Welsh lyrics which is always a bonus. Lunar played skilfully with originality. My personal favourite from their set was Scandalous which was loud and rhythmic and definitely made me dance. They did a great cover of I Kissed A Girl by Katy Perry which was a floor filler.
Contrasts were on next, who I have to mention we’re wearing excellent Ghostbusters costumes. These guys were strong; they have some excellent metal vocals with a range suiting Dani Filth with some contrasting melodic harmonies and hooks. Their track False Idol was a fan favourite that revived some of the energy with some faultless crowd interaction followed by Otherside, which had some stunning soft vocals that brought to the table an extra level of depth and sincerity to the evening.
Ultimately to headline the evening, Virtue In Vain.
To follow was Lunar who were punchy, cool and very catchy. They gave us some 90s indie vibes with a punky atmosphere that was really fun. The vocals were stunning with some Welsh lyrics which is always a bonus. Lunar played skilfully with originality. My personal favourite from their set was Scandalous which was loud and rhythmic and definitely made me dance. They did a great cover of I Kissed A Girl by Katy Perry which was a floor filler.
Contrasts were on next, who I have to mention we’re wearing excellent Ghostbusters costumes. These guys were strong; they have some excellent metal vocals with a range suiting Dani Filth with some contrasting melodic harmonies and hooks. Their track False Idol was a fan favourite that revived some of the energy with some faultless crowd interaction followed by Otherside, which had some stunning soft vocals that brought to the table an extra level of depth and sincerity to the evening.
Ultimately to headline the evening, Virtue In Vain.
Again, some excellent costumes – the vocalist in a smart pinstripe suit and the lead guitarist in a mascot elephant costume which was some fantastic commitment. They very wisely took them off later to avoid dying of heatstroke. Their single Marionette was clean and technical with some expert instrumentals and The Whispers Of Sleep swings between harsh and hurried to pristine and controlled which shows instinctive aptitude. Their newest EP Blood Eyes is due to come out in the new year but their single made it’s debut that night and it’s a definite neck-breaker that feels like one big never ending breakdown. Even when a string broke, they still sounded solid.
Overall, everyone who played that night deserved a much bigger crowd. It was a great night with a variety of genres and everyone played impressively. And what doesn’t surprise me at all is that they all put the crowd at the heart of their set and it felt as though everyone would have played just as good for one person than they would a million. They all played authentically and gave 100%.
10/10
Overall, everyone who played that night deserved a much bigger crowd. It was a great night with a variety of genres and everyone played impressively. And what doesn’t surprise me at all is that they all put the crowd at the heart of their set and it felt as though everyone would have played just as good for one person than they would a million. They all played authentically and gave 100%.
10/10
No comments:
Post a Comment