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We join Busted in the middle of the most almighty personality crisis seen in music since Kiss released "Music From The Elder". Suddenly the pop-gonk chumps appear to have discovered a knack for vicious thrash riffs, tunes which make you want to bang your head until your brain spurts out your ears and an undeniable dose of proper effin' attitude. Or perhaps they've just been listening to Kerbdog's "On The Turn" album a bit.
Okay, fair cop, it isn't Busted, it's their Leeds-based evil twins New Legends but this is one of the best sets I've seen from an opening band for a very long time. That name may prove to be prophetic if they play their cards right.
Having to follow up such an awesome opening act means that Mendeed's scattergun thrash metal doesn't hit home immediately. More wild and unfocused than New Legends, it takes a few songs before you can appreciate their good points. But when the reward comes it's well worth it, these lads have an undeniable knack with riffs which occasionally brings up thoughts of Metallica circa "Ride The Lightning". And that, in anyone's book, is A Good Thing.
Offering a more restrained take on things are Brody. Although their heavier stuff suggests that these guys can grind out ferociously unrestrained screamo-core with the best of them, it's the odd number or two where they drop the pace and let the delicate riffs and the lead singer's superb yearning vocals lift everyone in the room clean off their feet. It's this ability to show that there's more than one side to their repertoire which lifts them above being merely a good band and into a truly special one. Go see these guys asap.
The last time I saw headliners Defenestration, they were supporting Therapy? and Crackout at the Rocket. Although tonight finds them in much more modest surroundings, their sound is progressing along nicely and even if their career hasn't taken off the way it was once tipped to, that's the world's loss and not theirs. The focal point is still frontwoman Gen - how a girl so petite can be posessed of the sort of guttural roar that could level buildings from a hundred yards is one of life's great mysteries but she's definitely the ace up the band's sleeve. But that's not to detract from the other members of the group who crash through the likes of "Bloodsong" and "Going To Vancouver" with a ferocity that puts many of their peers to shame. It leaves your senses shattered and your ears ringing but at least by eleven o'clock, you know you've had a good night out.
Review and pic by Andy James
