Evile/Savage Messiah/Redmist Destruction''
The Corporation/Sheffield -28th October 2011
Review By Diane Parkes (pictured above)
Evile at the Corporation in Sheffield; now for me that was always going to be a metaltastic treat waiting to crack open my ear drums. I surely have seen some awesome bands at the Corporation and it is one of my favourite venues for live music. Having been ill for 2 weeks prior to the gig I came perilously close to cancelling, the decision to attend only being made at the eleventh hour, and my god was it the right one. It would indeed have been a travesty to have missed tonight!
Redmist Destruction:
John - Vocals/Bass
Colwell - Guitar
Carrier - Guitar
Gib - Drums
First onstage were Redmist Destruction, a thrash metal band from Barnsley. I confess to missing the first part of their short set due to being backstage chatting to Matt & Ben of Evile, but what I did see and hear, to be frank was enough for me, let’s just say not really my thing! The four guys are a rather angry looking, and sounding bunch with a singer somewhat resembling Scott Ian of Anthrax. I don’t really think they will be too upset at me describing them as ‘angry’ when you take into account their name, plus the fact they do indeed mention on their face book page that “anger is what’s missing from the thrash metal revival”. The younger end of the audience however were chanting to the lyrics and rhythmically banging their heads to the beat, so maybe its just an age thing!
Savage Messiah:
Dave Silver - Vocals/Lead Guitar
Joff Bailey - Guitar
Mauricio Chamucero - Drums
Stefano Selvatico - Bass
Next onstage were Savage Messiah, formed in May 2007 by vocalist and lead guitarist Dave Silver. These guys are an English thrash metal band with impressive credentials, having played alongside such greats as Death Angel, Saxon, Anvil, 5 Finger Death Punch and Skeletonwitch. After the recent gig with Skeletonwitch at Barfly, London Metal Hammer writer Nik Young, when referring to ‘All Seeing Eye’ wrote…
“…..it’s frenzied fretwork and commanding chorus is promisingly
intense”
With influences that include Megadeth, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest these guys bash out some fantastic guitar riffs, with Dave Silver combining the task of singing vocals and playing lead guitar seemingly effortlessly, not forgetting Mauricio on drums, keeping perfect time and providing essential rhythm for the band. Their current tour with Evile finishes tonight after 15 gruelling performances, but from the energy expended onstage you would never know these guys have just spent six intensive weeks recording an album, followed by two weeks on the road covering the length of the U.K. With two previous albums to their credit, ‘Spitting Venom’ in 2007 and ‘Insurrection Rising’ in 2009 Savage Messiah have already finished recording their third studio album ‘Plague of Conscience’ (Earache Records) due for release in early 2012. All too soon for me their set was over but this is one album I will indeed be adding for my wish-list for next year. An excellent performance for a great bunch of guys; special thanks to Joff for providing me with the setlist J
Setlist:
The Accuser (new song)
Plague of Conscience (new song)
Servant to Your Death
Enemy Image
Carnival of Souls (new song)
Insurrection Rising
Evile:
Matt Drake - Vocals/Guitar
Ol Drake - Guitar
Ben Carter - Drums
Joel Graham - Bass
I don’t think it’s the worlds best kept secret that my ultimate metal gods are Metallica so it was of particular interest to me that ‘pre-Evile’ this band were called ‘Metal Militia’, concentrating primarily on Metallica tracks. Indeed the guys do cite Metallica in their list of bands that influenced them, along with other greats such as Testament and Sepaltura!
It was an absolute pleasure to meet, chat and be photographed with, Matt and Ben (plus a brief introduction and photo opportunity with Ol too) backstage before the show. The guys talked about their current tour, new album and musical influences and it was very interesting to hear Matt cite Queen as a big musical influence in his life. This tour has primarily been a showcase for the new album ‘Five Serpents Teeth’, the follow up to their two previous albums, ‘Enter The Grave’ and ‘Infected Nations’, but all credit to Evile as they played a cracking mix from all three.
One huge disappointment on the night was the fact that the main stage/room of the Corporation had been allocated for a Halloween Party and so the gig took place in the smaller room of the venue. That however is where any disappointment ended. The gig was actually a total sell-out, a fact that had Matt Drake in particular beaming as he announced the fact from the stage; what an accolade for this, their final gig of the tour.
Within a minute or so of the guys bounding onstage and launching into the first chords of Five Serpents Teeth a frenzied and rather brutal mosh-pit engulfed the whole front of the stage area; which due to bone problems meant I had to make a swift exit to the sidelines or be trampled underfoot! The heat was stifling and I could see the sweat running down Matt’s face and body, I also received numerous beer shampoos - all only to be expected from such a fervent, passionate crowd I suppose, but thanks all the same whoever you were ;)
If the lads were fatigued from being on the road for almost three weeks it sure as hell did not show and this was indeed 100% ‘Thrash Metal Utopia’!! Disappointment over the smaller room aside the gig was awesome, with aggression, testosterone and guitar riffs from frenzied fingers that drove straight into your skull. This has to rank in my top five gigs of the year so far, and believe me I have seen a LOT of bands this year including many A-listers. These four long-haired rockers from Huddersfield look every inch a top class thrash metal band, and believe me its not just the looks that impress, the music hit the spot like a cold pint of Carling in the Sahara! In my opinion Evile easily rank alongside any other band I have seen or heard so far this year; in fact for several years. So, watch our Megadeth and Metallica, there are new guys on the block and these four are indeed snapping at your heels.
So in conclusion, can us Brits produce thrash metal on a par with the top American bands? Only a one-word answer required to that…..”Hellyeah”!!!
Setlist:
Five Serpents Teeth (F.S.T.)
Killer From The Deep (Enter The Grave)
Eternal Empire (F.S.T.)
We Who Are About To Die (Enter The Grave)
Cult (F.S.T)
Thrasher (Enter The Grave)
Descent Into Madness (F.S.T.)
Xaraya (F.S.T.)
Infected Nations (Infected Nations)
Enter The Grave (Enter The Grave)
Don’t forgot to also read the excellent review of Five Serpents Teeth by Matt Hill