Robyn Writes

Kyra – These Precious Things EP

When you think of The Lake District, what springs to mind? Beautiful scenery? Heavily bearded ramblers? Beatrix Potter? Well, there’s a big noise coming from those grassy hills and it looks to be shaking Peter Rabbit from his burrow – and sorry dear ramblers, it doesn’t seem to be quietening down any time soon. Kyra are making quite a stir in alternative circles thanks to their impressively polished EP ‘These Precious Things’. Released in January 2010, Kyra’s most recent release may only contain four tracks, but it is indeed small yet beautifully formed. This dynamic four-piece have crafted a release that is bigger and better than most mainstream groups of their genre. Although ‘These Precious Things’ could be seen as a concise showcase of their musical influences, on the other hand, Kyra do deliver a diverse, but very accomplished record.

The title track opens the EP and is, in some respects, a largely unremarkable track. That said, ‘These Precious Things’ is not unpleasant to hear – it’s a perfectly nice, post-hardcore-esque offering with well-controlled and varied vocals. Although initially, the song does not appear to be breaking any new ground, the track eventually builds to a particularly distinctive, well-crafted and heavy ending, as lead singer Bell works the track into a frenzy with an open, raw, scream of ‘I refuse to believe that everything precious fades and dies’.

‘So Where Do We Go From Here’ is, for me at least, the strongest track on the EP, but is by no means the heaviest. The track is far, far tamer than its predecessor and certainly has a hint of New Found Glory about it, in the more upbeat tone of the song, and most noticeably in Bell’s sudden change in vocal stylings. Although Kyra’s heavier offerings are perfectly pleasant, their strength does lie in tracks such as this, where the opportunity for more singing and less screaming arises. The guitar and bass work is allowed to take centre stage in such mellower tracks as this, and it really does seem to produce a far more self-assured and distinctive sound than their other, heavier efforts.

‘Loyal Until The End’ could be seen as acting as a bridge between Kyra’s heavier and poppier persona, blending both complex post-hardcore vocal and guitar aspects with the warmer and more upbeat elements of such tracks as ‘Where Do We Go From Here . What is also surprising about Kyra’s forays into screaming is that the delivery and enunciation is just as clear as when they choose to use clean vocals. ‘Loyal Until the End’ also has a far stronger structure than the other tracks on the EP and features some great clean instrumental breaks that really allow the guitarists to showcase their talents.

The final track from ‘These Precious Things’ is a real diamond entitled ‘Somewhere In Between Dreams and Reality’. It’s a real warm, clean and inoffensive track with smooth breaks and changes in dynamics, which is surprising from a band that cites such heavy influences. Being the slowest song on the EP, ‘Somewhere…’ certainly does act as a soothing swansong of sorts, and a thoroughly good end to ‘These Precious Things’. Once again, clean vocals are chosen over screams, and this mellower musical route should most definitely be the one that the band focus their energies towards.

Although only a brief EP, both ‘So Where Do We Go From Here’ and ‘Somewhere In Between Dreams and Reality’ are blisteringly good tracks, and can certainly be seen as signs of Kyra’s future greatness. Although they don’t seem to be able to decide which sound to emulate, should Kyra make the right choice, they’ll be filling up those big gigs in no time.

3 out of 5!

Live: Kill Hannah – O2 Academy Birmingham 2, 8/5/10

Picture the scene: Midnight, Saturday 8th May 2010. Against the flickering glow of streetlights, a girl stumbles towards her rented accommodation. Her clothes are sodden, reeking of beer and sweat. She’s lost a contact lens and gained a swelling (thanks to a sudden, unexpected ninja-kick to the face). In a scene reminiscent of ‘The Crystal Maze’, she wrestles with a bent key and runs into her bathroom. She showers, rubbing the grime from her hair with an unnaturally erotic relish. She leaves, sits on her bed and tries to process the night’s events. Thankfully, the police don’t need to be called. The girl has returned from a gig. The bands were Kill Hannah, My Passion and Octane OK, and she had no idea what she’d let herself in for.

I’m a ‘gothy type’; pessimistic and proud of it. I like melancholy music and monochrome t-shirts. I wear corsets to lectures and read Edgar Allan Poe in a fully non-ironic fashion! I thought I had this thing covered, I thought I knew who I was – that is, until tonight.

Firstly, I like Kill Hannah, but I’ve always regarded them as one of my secret guilty pleasures – something only your nearest and dearest need to know about. You file such pleasures away with the other unnatural urges you have – like how you like to sniff flannels and new sponges, or how you secretly love to stick your head in a washing machine after the cycle’s finished. Basically, they’re great, but let’s face it; they’re as dark and sinister as a Labrador puppy shitting marshmallows.

My first introduction to Kill Hannah, like many of us in the UK, was in 2007 when they supported HIM on their Venus Doom tour. Although they didn’t sing about unrequited love, satanic temptresses or torturing butterflies, their upbeat, high-energy ditties had me hooked. By the time Matt Devine (vocals) belted out those last few lines of ‘Lips Like Morphine’ I knew I had to see this band again, on their own shiny, happy terms. Three years later, that chance finally came- A headline tour, with an unfamiliar (to me, at least) support band. While queuing outside the venue, I was particularly surprised by the great lack of merch-laden Kill Hannah fans; while much of the crowd fulfilled my physical expectations, being waifish and heavily pierced with hair to rival Rainbow Brite’s, the majority seemed to be emblazoned with small heart designs. While Kill Hannah drew me, it seems the support band, My Passion, drew the masses.

I’m not going to beat around the bush, I loathe squealing fangirls and scenekids as much as the next self-respecting person, and being surrounded by them was slightly intimidating. Not in that they looked remotely fearsome, or that I envied their retina-melting fashion choices, but because they made me feel so damn old. It’s a hard fact to admit, but these kids didn’t come out of the womb with those piercings, I’d shuffled through my little northern life while these kids were networking, dancing and shoving pins in each other. I’m coming up for twenty, but in this environment, it may as well have been fifty. Jesus, I mean, these kids couldn’t even remember the ‘golden age’ of Nu-Metal! (Okay, I admit it was far from a Golden Age, but humour me – nostalgia’s all I’ve got to keep me going before arthritis sets in).

The gig itself was held in the Birmingham O2 Academy 2. Being a foreigner to these parts, this was an unfamiliar venue, but, like much of the evening, turned out to be a rather pleasant surprise. Unlike many other venues I’ve frequented over the years, the door staff were pleasant and efficient and for once, made sure everyone kept their place in line- no fangirls were going to come to blows over queue-jumping (which, coming from someone who’s been to their fair share of HIM gigs, is a familiar, yet unpleasant sight). After tottering in from the back of the queue, me and my companion did the ‘usual merch run’, spending our hard earned student loan (!) on over-priced t-shirts and novelty necklaces as so to beat the post-show rush.

After shunning the crowded bar and taking our place in amongst the backcombed masses, the first band soon took to the stage, the snappily titled ‘Octane OK’ . These four guys from Birmingham really brought the goods, and provided a high-energy fun set of harmless pop-punk ditties. Octane OK have a particularly well-polished radio friendly sound to them, and it really is only a matter of time until we see their fresh Brummie faces grace the ‘introducing’ pages of Kerrang! While they did indeed provide a suitably danceable opening, it could be said that (in places) some of their songs seem to be far too derivative of All Time Low (which resulted in a number of painfully predictable choruses and chants). As for the aesthetics of the group, it could not be ignored that these lads loved their v-necks, with their bassist taking the neckline into ‘chest-porn’ territories. And, while we really should’ve been listening to their music and appreciating their high-energy stage antics, their lustrous hair proved far more compelling to watch.

Having never listened to My Passion before, and not being terribly aware of the extent of their rabid following, I was in no way prepared for the set I was about to witness. Before My Passion took to the stage for their sound check, the excitement in the room was thick like London fog, with a distinct crush beginning to occur in the front rows of the excitable crowd. As My Passion’s peroxide guitarist, John Be took to the stage to the stage to tune his guitar, the screams were deafening. The same reaction was received by each member, aside from My Passion’s elegantly coiffed frontman, Mr Lawrence Rene. The noises emitted from the waifish girls crushed against that metal barrier were not dissimilar to that of a jet engine (if a jet engine wore fishnets and eye liner). Aesthetically, the band command attention- with their monochrome outfits, hair and guitars, they look like a band with a clear idea of who they are, and what they’re here to do. My Passion are also particularly lucky in that each member would not look out of place pinned to a teenage girl’s bedroom – the dramatically good looks held within this quartet are sickening

Yet from the first few bars of the anthemic ‘Day of the Bees’, no-one could be in any doubt that My Passion are going to be huge, and not just a pretty flash in the pan. With a melodic blend of synths and heavy guitar-ridden choruses, My Passion have carved their own niche and have sculpted a fresh and exciting sound all of their own. During their brief set, My Passion pumped out tune after blinding tune. The passion (excuse the pun) and raw energy within the foursome is truly breathtaking, with each member clearly relishing their time on stage and the very vocal adoration of their fans. As a frontman, Lawrence Rene is faultless, throwing himself, and his guitar, around the stage as though he were wired into the mains. The energy from their live performance was contagious, and soon, the whole audience was moving as one, hanging onto each chord and each considered word. The crowd-pleasing ‘Crazy and Me’ and polished ‘Never Never Land’ finale proved that they are indeed the much-needed voice of the Kerrang generation.

After My Passion returned backstage, a noticeable portion of the crowd seemed to move away from their choice spots against the barrier, towards the back of the room (Yet as soon as Kill Hannah take to the stage, many of the My Passion fans realised they’d made a clear mistake and soon ploughed back into the crowd). After a suitably dramatic, smoke-filled entrance, the Chicago collective took to the stage with ‘Mouth to Mouth’, a particularly powerful opener from their new Album ‘Wake up the Sleepers’. With a carefully considered blend of old and new material, Kill Hannah, and their stylish frontman, Mat Devine command the stage with great ease and grace. Devine’s amusing reckless demands for ‘a tidal wave of crowd-surfers’ and generally amusing banter entranced and entertained us all, ensuring that there was no dip in energy and excitement, even if some songs were down tempo. Although Kill Hannah jokily refer to themselves as a ‘fag band’ and are seemingly inoffensive, the crowd madness brought about by Devine’s crazy demands was like nothing I’ve experienced in years – the moshing and synchronised pogo-ing brought the room to fever pitch. And oddly, the multiple kicks to the face I sustained through Converse-wearing surfers could all be forgiven thanks to Devine’s infectious rock ‘n roll attitude. The music of Kill Hannah has undergone a great evolution from their ‘American Jet Set’ days in 1999, yet their Killer Hooks and raw energy has remained intact in their work and, after so many years of touring, still retain a clear belief and passion in their music, which is a trait lacking in so many bands of a similar ilk. After listening to their beautiful cover of The Cure’s ‘Just Like Heaven’, and their surprise performance of American Jet Set’s title track, it was clear that Devine and co. were more than capable of providing the gig of a lifetime.

Anyone attending this cramped little Birmingham gig could not be failed to be blown away by the energy and sheer dedication of both My Passion and Kill Hannah- indeed members of both stayed long after the gig had finished to sign merchandise and pose with waiting fans. The UK needs more bands like Kill Hannah, but while they’re back in their homeland, My Passion will be ready and waiting to entertain the masses. Catch them both while you can, as they’re sure to go stratospheric, but whatever you do, don’t forget to bring your eyeliner.

Review: Francesqa – Ghosts

Normally, I’d take one look at a band like Francesqa, make a slightly repulsed and knowing face, and then swiftly leave them to their trendy clubs and smoky faux-Parisian cafes. Once you’ve clocked the (inevitably ‘Topman’ branded) checked shirts, manhood-destroying skinny jeans and ‘ironic’ hairstyles, it’s easy to dismiss them as yet another ‘trendier than thou’ indie, city band, with the odd nose piercing and buffed winkle picker. But, thanks to a series of unexpected events, I found myself listening to Francesqa’s new EP straight through, without any prior knowledge of the band’s ‘easy on the eye’ image or musical direction.

‘We Lived’ is a dainty little EP whose outward appearance bears no suggestion of the musical achievements within (the cover is a fabulously artsy ‘desolate land’shot) but has proven to be one of my personal musical highlights of the year. For a relatively new band, they’re already making waves in the alternative music scene; with their videos already playing on various music channels and impressive features in printed media, you’re sure to be hearing more of them soon.

The opening track on ‘We Lived’ is their most successful single release, which is also accompanied by an increasingly popular video. While strangely not being the title track of the EP, Ghosts is clearly the strongest. The sheer power and craftsmanship behind the opening track is nothing short of breathtaking, showing Francesqa to have the sound of an arena band trapped in a small band’s body. Francesqa’s sound is tricky to pin down, while boasting high octane rocky elements, there are many instances where pop and more indie influences are displayed- the bouncy chorus in ‘Ghosts’ is proof enough. Surprisingly, the band never seem rest on their laurels, even for a beat- each note, each bar has been meticulously composed and considered, and it’s very telling- the song is relentless in its innovative and fun nature.

If each band’s release is to have a ‘wild card’ song, or one that would divide opinion, then ‘Hopeful’ fills that description. ‘Hopeful’ is a bit of an odd one, although that’s not to say it’s displeasing to the ear. Overall, the track continues in a mid-paced poppy vain, and proves to be another showcase of Francesqa’s distinctive musical capabilities. As with each track on ‘We Lived’, ‘Hopeful’ has its own distinctive sound and setup; it builds well, has great breaks where vocalist Ashley Wilkie’s capabilities can be explored to a far greater extent and features brief anthemic outbursts of ‘I feel brand new’ which would work particularly well on a live platform.

‘Years’ would have to be the self-indulgent song of the EP, being over 5 minutes in length. While initially it seems rather ‘ballad-ish’, it soon builds to a big, if brief, chorus. This is the music of musicians, not of a flash-in the pan, T4 trendy rock group. Through tracks such as ‘Years’, it becomes easy to be pulled in to Francesqa’s world, and their lyrics- within a few bars, you can find yourself hanging on each word. With each track, another of the band’s compelling qualities is introduced to the listener, as though they were taking part in an overly complicated, musical striptease.

‘Crooked Little Sun’ is by far the most upbeat and rocky offering from ‘We Lived’. The powerful guitars and copious cymbals conjure up memories of a very early Lostprophets. Although shorter, and poppier than other similar ‘alternative’ songs that have graced the commercial charts in recent months, ‘Crooked Little Sun’ provides an energetic, danceable, chart-friendly offering while still retaining its integrity. As with the other works on ‘We Lived’, once again Francesqa’s lyrical skills are nothing short of wonderful; while often being poetic and ambiguous, each word flows and fits- which really is an unusual quality to see in a band who has already displayed such confidence and skills in other musical areas. Francesqa, irritatingly, do seem to have the whole package – young, talented and eloquent.

The EP closes with the title track, ‘We Lived’, a slow, simple and distinctly honest song. The music is not complicated or convoluted by intrusive production or unnecessary vocal acrobatics, and it really does pay off. With simple, quiet verses, ‘We Lived’ proves to have the simplest and most effective chorus, which features huge soaring group vocals and chants of ‘We Lived’. While beginning quietly, ‘We Lived’ finishes its run with increasing rocky elements and soaring guitars, with the climax being an expert blend of faultless vocals and feverish guitars. ‘We Lived’ends as fuzzy, distorted guitars gradually fade out to silence, leaving the listener feeling that they really heard something special.

Spanning so many genres, Francesqa have it made; if ever I saw a band to keep tabs on, then this is it. If their next release is even half as good as ‘We Lived’, the world should be very excited; No doubt about it, Francesqa are set for greatness.

4/5 high fives!

Review: Bullet For My Valentine – Fever

First things first: I am easily influenced. Tell me cheese and marshmallows work well together and I’ll put them on a pizza. Tell me that cowboy boots don’t make me look like I’ve got rickets and I’ll wear them all day long. Tell me Bullet For My Valentine’s new album is marvellous and genre-defining, and I’ll go and buy it. In all three of these instances, I should’ve brutally attacked by whoever was putting such painful and ridiculous ideas into my young impressionable mind. Okay, so that’s a little over-dramatic – ‘The Fever’ isn’t as bad as spending an evening spewing up an unholy marshmallow/cheddar combo. In fact, it’s not ‘bad’ at all – it’s a perfectly good album. The problem lies in the hype surrounding it; with five star reviews left, right and centre, it’s hard not to get sucked in and think the answer to all your metal-y prayers has arrived, emblazoned with a lobster-lady.

First and foremost, one needs to accept that the Bullet for my Valentine found on ‘The Poison’ have left town without leaving a forwarding address. Indeed, both ‘Scream Aim Fire’ and ‘Fever’ lack that raw energy and freshness that both ‘Bullet for My Valentine’ and ‘The Poison’ seemed to possess so effortlessly. Negatives aside, both the production and the technical skill on the album are damn good. But for a band of this calibre, that should go without saying. Overall, the album is pretty catchy and such tracks as ‘Pleasure and Pain’, ‘Alone’ and the title track ‘Fever’ shine when played on a live platform and are real crowd pleasers- For those of us who saw their set at Download this year, such tracks seemed to fit effortlessly into the ‘live Bullet’ canon.

Sadly, while writing the lyrics for ‘Fever’, Matt Tuck underwent a surprise lobotomy courtesy of Kid Rock and all was lost. Indeed, it is a true tragedy in the metal world. In short, the lyrics in ‘Fever’ are dire. Should any further proof of Matt’s demise be required, one only need to glance at such lyric sheets as that belonging to the only real slow/ballad track on the album- ‘A Place Where You Belong’. The music itself is fine, nothing offensive there. But when the line ‘just kill me now and let the good times roll’ is delivered, one can hear a distinct wince from the rest of the studio. While ‘Alone’ is one of my personal favourites from the album, my brain does feel a little dirty when met with a chorus of ‘you can die and rot alone’. In truth, the whole album is swimming in cliché – so much so, that any truthful or sincere sentiments have been suffocated in melodramatic mediocrity.
While some songs such as ‘Bittersweet Memories’ and ‘Dignity’ are a little too weak to justify their place on the fourth release of such a successful band, others (despite their clichéd phrases and painful rhymes) such as ‘The Last Fight’ and ‘Your Betrayal’ prove to be meaty offerings with fabulous chant-like choruses that thrill the listener whether it’s being pumped through tinny laptop speakers or massive, bowel-destroying amps. My personal favourite from ‘Fever’ is the final track, ‘Pretty on the Outside’. It’s not the longest or rowdiest on the album, but it does display a great evolution in the sound of Bullet, and seems to represent all that the album should have been. It’s powerful, technically brilliant and there are no glib lyrics to detract from the compelling, complex musicianship that these lads from Bridgend have been hiding.
The mistakes on this album were clearly made as the band became aware of their audience, and are now pandering to what they believe their fans want from Bullet. If album sales are anything to go by, then they have succeeded in pleasing the masses, but in order to create and preserve a legacy for Bullet, they need to leave this new hollow mindset, and go back to their roots – there lie four very excitable and determined Welsh lads with an immense talent that should be cherished at all costs, and not adulterated to suit the masses.

Review: Betrayal Within The Ranks – s/t [EP]

When I hear bands such as Betrayal Within The Ranks, I always whip out my mental checklist- floppy hair? Check. Irritating youthfulness? Check. The first tentative beginnings of tattoo sleeves Check. Swathed in ‘Drop Dead’ clothing? Check and check again. It’d be easy to dismiss this Stoke-on-Trent based troupe as just another college ‘Bring Me The Horizon’ tribute band – a vehicle to expand their sexual horizons while upping their scene credibility- were it not for their sickening amount of talent. With the average age of members landing around the 17/18 mark, they really do make you wish you picked up that guitar a little earlier in life.

Their debut EP, a neat little self-titled affair consisting of three tracks, is one of the most exciting offerings from a young, unsigned band that I’ve heard in a long time. In recent years, metalcore has become a byword for style over substance, with hairstyles often pulling in more comment than any musical releases. Hence- finding a genuinely exciting or compelling release is a rare thing indeed.

‘Sunsets’, the opening track on ‘Betrayal Within The Ranks’ EP, does not sound like the composition of teens- the opening beefy riffs, bowel-renching bassline and surprisingly controlled vocals would fit comfortably in any big name release. Although ‘Sunsets’ could be seen to be lightweight in structural terms, it certainly is a substantially impressive opener.

‘What Happened To Forever’ is my personal favourite from this small EP. It really is a showcase of the band’s versatility in the genre, and also, of vocalist Jay Wilko’s range. Wilko’s screams and bowel-juddering growls are certainly impressive, and, should he be able to replicate these vocal changes perfectly on a live platform, he’d certainly have the opportunity to be a crowd-pleasing, energetic frontman. The technical skills shown by the rest of the band in ‘What Happened To Forever?’ cannot be ignored. Joe Devine’s bass and (now ex-member) Lee Bowen’s drum lines are so rich and heavy, you’d feel as though they could move houses. The guitar work on the EP is equally as accomplished, with Tom Kidd’s blistering riffs punching through each track. Although constant talk of youth can be tiresome (trust me- I feel like I should be picking up my pension while listening to these guys), I cannot reiterate enough how talented and dedicated these guys are- they really are musically accomplished beyond their years. You’d have to be deaf, blind and dumb not to realise that this band could really make waves in metalcore circles.

The EP ends with ‘Skin of a Killer’, a frenzied track with a killer guitar-line that should belong on everyone’s ipod. ‘Skin of a Killer’ is made for the stage, and with each breakdown, you can find yourself envisaging a wall of death or brutal circlepit. ‘Skin…’ is by far the best structured track on the band’s EP, with each verse comfortably nestled between breakdowns or a momentary solo. Although simple, this method is surprisingly effective, and as the track fades out, you’re left salivating for more.

As metalcore bands are ten-a-penny nowadays, it can take a lot to set one apart from the others, but ‘Betrayal Within The Ranks’ seem to do it effortlessly. If they can stay focused and stick together without burning up in the inevitable pressure-cooker environment of a fast-moving young band, they could go very, very far. Jammy buggers.

3.5 high fives!