EX-NIHILO C.D. LAUNCH GIG.
Ex-Nihilo, Scar My Eyes, Shogun, Killer Messiah.

Bedford Esquires Lev 2 Friday 20th February 2009.

REVIEW ONE - Keith.

Not having come across KILLER MESSIAH before, I wasnt quite sure what to expect. Their recordings on myspace dont really give them justice but were recommended by one of the other bands on the line up so I thought I would give them a go. They were quite an amazing first band to open the show. A proper metal band with great energy, tunes, playing ability and entertaining all the way through, with a good front man engaging with the audience, adding to the show. It was good to see that their bassist had a prominent part to play also, both singing and adding to the movement on stage and created a good mix between his clear and the main front mans heavier singing styles. I think they need a few more shows to give them the experience to polish their act further and certainly look set to potentially becoming bigger than the really good opening act that they evidently were and a pleasingly great way to open the show on the night.

I think SHOGUN have yet to prove their way on the live circuit. They were in my opinion the most individual of bands on the bill and certainly have their own sound and style. I would say they would be difficult to categorise which is good for bands not to be pigeonholed and could perhaps get gigs on different styles of band nights as they seem quite multi ranging and wide appealing enough to fit a metal/rock/punk and even a goth night. Theres a high level of skilled guitar work along with an added variation of singing styles between their female singers and male singer who puts everything in to the energy of the songs.

SCAR MY EYES have the most amazing ability to mix brutal heaviness with melodic ambience, making for an appreciateably clever format to the bands sound. An immense sized drum kit (and drummer) fills their stage and sound, if they had agreed to share the kit instead of necessitating a change over mid gig they wouldnt have fell victim to a shorter set drummers eh? along with them also was their on board drum and stage tec a previous band member who it was good to see back with them on the night.
They have a singer front man who engages with the crowd exuding a passionate vibrancy to his vocal ranges and poses of stage presence throughout. Gone are the outsized mic.s and upstanding chain for a mic. stand from their earlier days they just had to get on with putting on a gig with balls that delivered to the crowd which seems everything to them. They are a band that are doing quite well and the following day had a top London show with some big bands that they won on merit of their performances. Although virtually all their songs are good and mix a brutal and melodic edge I dont feel that they yet have that song that stands out as a cut above the rest for that live classic that excite the fans to look forward to most, perhaps its early days and that is to come.

Having thought earlier that either Scar or Nihilo could have equally been the suitable headliners on this bill it seemed EX-NIHILO had that headlining edge on the night. It was a great show, the ever present quality vocals, all guitars and drums mixed in with a showman like ability demonstrating the obviousness of how much they are enjoying their being on stage for this gig, that has always worked well for them on Bedford Alternative Music Nights.
It was their C.D. Launch night and what a trophy it is! Coming second on our top ten local bands C.D.s and was good to see quite a lot were sold, along with new T-shirts sold to fans on the night.
They even had a fun loving stage invader/guest on the night who stage dived off in to the crowd adding to the lively spectacle.
It was good to see other bands had come along to support and also that the other bands on the bill had stuck around to see the show also. It was certainly a fine set and a stormer to launch their C.D. to. Available from the band. www.myspace.com/exnihilometal

REVIEW TWO - Martin Stapleton.

Tonight, Bedford Alternative Music presented an evening which centred principally on the launch of Ex-Nihilo's new album. However, for starters, I was more taken aback by the astounding sounds of first band KILLER MESSIAH. Recruiting musicians from the Biggleswade and Hitchin area, the band sets the tone with its pounding drums and screaming vocals. It's immediately apparent that we are being treated to a band who seem like true guardians of metalcore ethics. These youngsters ply their no-frills breakneck brutal style. With "Incinerated memories" crushingly followed by "I call traitor", it's brotherhood machismo bny the bucketload! "Eternal fate" delivers an infinitely more darker punch. Although the set seems to over run slightly. it's an impressive Esquires debut.

SHOGUN are a six piece male/female young ensemble who, for twenty minutes, engage me in the most turgid experimental rap-metal noise. They totally exasperate, and just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, totally out of the blue and probably for the first time, Shogun stopped trying to be clever and the result was simply stunning. As the band performed "The last one", it is, I feel, the best song of the entire evening. It's a euphoric multi-layered tune with an utterly pulsating guitar back drop. With Shogun, it might have been a long time arriving, but the wait was certainly worth it!

In an evening when all the sounds urge people to make those silly devil horn gestures, SCAR MY EYES continue down the same path. Heavy and brutal, it's sad that there aren't more metal tasting youngsters in attendance to gorge on the fare provided. The passion and power that this young band exude should have garnered more support. Perhaps lack of finance, or just that at the moment metal is not the chosen genre as far as the youngsters of Bedford are concerned. It was their loss as the band powered out their set, especially on "The game" which is their myspace offering at the moment.

EX-NIHILO also certainly make a heavy racket and probably seem to draw a certain inspiration from anything that unsettles. A thick slice of all things metal is dissected and fed into a hardcore blender for the ultimate brain scrambling effect. I felt that they just about saved it from the natural clutches of monotony that this relentless evening could produce.