Mortiferum, Perdisian, Immortulas, Alfie Ashpole Acoustic.





Dannys Bar, Lev 1 Esquires, Bedford. Thursday 3rd April 2014.



Tonight we are gathered as brothers (and sisters) of Metal (and acoustic) to celebrate the Birthday (and growing old disgracefully) of resident reviewer (and Lev 2 lights) of Mr. Martin Stapleton, who has chosen his own line up of bands for the evening. Thinking the genre of Metal doesn’t get showcased here as much, decided that a ‘Metal At The Bar’ theme to the proceedings was in order. Unfortunately Bong Goblin didn’t so much pull out rather than didn’t check their e mails or facebook messages inviting them to play. They would have got paid as well so with not being a band with a professional attitude it was perhaps just as well!

Stepping in at next to no notice we had young (he’s 16) Mr. ALFIE ASHPOLE

it was about a year ago he played last with his full band Fences And Floodlights, he then went on to his next band - Ashley Falls and here tonight as just himself calmly playing in front of a room full of metallers appearing to use this as experience as opposed to feeling thrown in at the deep end. I thought he might feel as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs, but he took it in his stride, with a good singing voice (he even entered Britain’s got talent recently). Some covers included All American Rejects ‘Dirty Little Secrets’, but it was the Green Day cover which came over best with more power to the vocals fitting his style well it was a short set which was certainly no chore to hear, well played guitar and easy listening vocals, baptising him in fire, paving the way for the metal bands to follow. (Well done Alfie)

IMMORTALUS

next and are a band with some members of Mortiferum forming this, their first ever gig. Their singer (hailing from the much missed To Light An Abyss) on one of their new songs relied on lyrics read from his phone, which was more than made up for by the sheer quality of his singing voice, adding a great metal vocalists sound to the galloping riffs of their sound, accompanied with lashings of the fine rhythmic drumming you would expect from their competent drummer of Mortiferum also. They have slayer and Pantera influences to their sound which was well played and really not bad considering it constituted their first gig!

With both vocal and nods of approval from an impressed audience, welcome visitors to Bedford from Somerset PERDISIAN

stormed through their set, bought to us from the Birthday lad himself for this special night in the bar. It was easy to see they were a tight, well practiced act, prescribing to the quarter length trouser brigade but an act worthy of an arena stage. Neanderthal booming vocals made me wonder if he needed a mic., with a roar that you would expect from Godzilla after levelling most of Tokyo, while sometimes perching on a box raising himself higher for added showmanship to the performance. This really was an impressive set with intricate melodic guitar work blended in with the Viking death roars and Thor hammered drumming and an overall treat to Bedford from these much welcome Yeovil metal guests. - So much so, we are inviting them back for the Lev 2 stage in November!

Having played the memorable Metal Night in Holy Molys gig for us last year MORTIFERUM

are back with vengeance with well played thunderous drumming one end, metal lived and breathed vocals the other and an incendiary of guitars in between, rather like burning a candle both ends while blow torching the middle!
Big thanks to these for helping with the equipment share and liasing with the other bands to help organise the nights Metal/Birthday bash outing. (Although they might just as well had posted a note down a hobos underpants in order to contact Bong Goblin). Even after a mighty performance from the previous band, Mortiferum were able to command a headline show with metal verve and style seeming to concentrate more on musicianship and playing rather than go for any swing out frantic energy of movement and I could see the practice and time had gone in to their set even more since their performance the previous year, proving this outfit are coming on well on the local metal circuit. We just need to see more metal band members out there supporting each other at gigs.

Well done to all acts and a big metal shout out to the Birthday lad himself for getting disgracefully older tonight in the most honoured metal night style (and acoustic).

Perdisian Vid

Review by keith. www.bedfordalternativemusic.co.uk