Bedford Alternative Music Present:
Perdisian, Satellites, Immortalus, Kill Confirmed.

Lev 2 Esquires Bedford. Saturday 8th November 2014.

Please do not copy Review on to Facebook.

Esquires enjoyed some real heavy, heavy sounds as metal returned to level 2. Fans of this particular genre were sated as Bedfordshire Alternative Music hosted the evening. A nice midweek article in the Times And Citizen painted a vivid picture of what we were about to devour.

Headliners PERDISIAN returned to the venue after an impressive show in the bar earlier in the year. Few would have realised what sort of day this five piece band had experienced before they even set foot on the stage. These lads are based in Yeovil, a rural town primarily known for its vintage cheese and cider, certainly not known for its metal output. The fellas speak with a huge degree of frustration about the lack of metal interest from people in their hometown area. The same could be said of Bedford as we share a common gripe with these exasperated Somerset lads.

After loading their van up at breakfast time, Perdisian climbed aboard their vehicle and hit the road. Some 3 1/2 hours later they arrived at the Esquires car park and it was just after midday. Their afternoon is spent on a photo shoot. A quick drink and a bite to eat and then it is time to get down to the serious business. They have had line up changes since they were last here, but the boneshaking sound is not compromised. It is still brutal. Perdisian have a real clenched fist, arm pumping conviction. Mild mannered off stage, the vocalist turns into a wild eyed demon when the lights are fired at him. They certainly notch up the decibel levels. In fact the bass is so loud that it makes your trousers vibrate. There is no dereliction of duty, this band are right at it.

Perdisian reveal that they are working hard to record an album. With an eerily spinechilling intro, their set list picks from their two recent EP releases, namely "Minds of the weak" and "Anatomy". Although the crowd is small, their enthusiastic moshing cannot be faulted, especially when the growling frontman dips into the pit. Songs such as "Aggression for suppression" and "Let them burn" melt all senses. Perdisian announce a common bond with the Bedford locals; "It's called f**king death metal, check it out!", before adding "Who likes Slayer?". A cover of "Disciple" is a reward for those that do. Even Tom Araya would nod his approval. As they leave the main stage with some well deserved applause ringing in their ears, I ponder that this set performed in this small room is seriously akin to being repeatedly run over by an Eddie Stobart haulage truck. In a good way!! For the lucky folks in attendance it has been a punishing metal masterclass.

This is a night dedicated to a form of music that seems to have decidedly weakened in popularity in Bedford during the past few years. It is not for the want of trying by a small, but dedicated, bunch of individuals. The rapport and like-mindedness between the bands is good to see. Opening are KILL CONFIRMED from Hitchin and Stevenage. I last saw this weighty four piece in the summer supporting Aghast! in Club 85, Hitchin. I thought that they were OK, but tonight they excelled. They have bags of potential and put on an impressive set. The stage presence is sharp and they look the part with the long hair and a pointy guitar. Metal seldom gets a look in at Esquires, but Kill Confirmed are here to make an immediate impression. They stamp their mark as they execute the songs with frenzied zeal and transcend the core genres in an energised and powerful fashion.

IMMORTALUS are the Bedford contenders and give a good account of themselves. "Sin", which they have recorded as a single, mixes up elements of Metallica and Pearl Jam, complete with some grungy vocals. Indeed, grunge seems to play an integral part of the band's set as "Eyes wide shut" contains more than a hint of Soundgarden. Immortalus are energetic and reckless with passion in an effort to get what they want to achieve. With so few local bands wanting to crank up the volume, these lads have the short term future of metal in this town firmly in their hands. A scene needs to develop again.

SATELLITES impress. They are based in Luton and offer something slightly more hardcore in flavour. They are the first band this evening to verbally challenge the audience to move closer to the front. The twin vocals work well in tandem as they gymnastically "Bounce" around the stage! They possess an epic crunch and huge monstrous grooves. With these muscular sounds the boys are full on noisemongers. The barbed guitars rain down in a perfect, bludgeoning slab. All at a speed that F1 ace Lewis Hamilton would be proud of. "Outlast" and "On your feet" hang me out to dry with their sheer intensity. Satellites savage their instruments with such a malicious intent, why it's all a humungous breakdown. "All or nothing" ends it as all hell breaks out on stage.

A gig for all the metalheads of this town. Four bands brimming with noise, vigour and attitude. A night that sees the old familiar stage quiver, petrified in the knowledge that it might buckle under the strain of this sweat-infused, rabble rousing riffola. Chaotic dynamics ruled. Credit must also go to engineers Emily and Hannah who did such a marvellous job with the sound quality as it is always so important.

Perdisian 1 Vid

Perdisian 2 Vid

Satellites 1 Vid

Satellites 2 Vid

Immortalus Vid

Kill Confirmed Vid