Malacite – Scruffy Murphy's – Friday 9th October 2009
Beyond Redemption had been drafted in at short notice and regrettably played a set they'd rather forget. In fairness it was one of those gigs where everything went wrong – the drummer's pedals moving, mic and general sound issues for starters – but I think it's time for them to put in the hard miles in the rehearsal room. This lineup haven't been together long and it showed. There was a lack of cohesion throughout and they were generally sloppy. I'll say no more as I said this much and more to the guys and manager on the night. “Malicious” worked well and was head and shoulders the best thing they did all night. Stick at it fellas, you've got potential, but practise makes perfect....
Dakesis were plagued by sound issues throughout their set. The vocals were drowned out by the keyboards to start of with, Matt had problems with his guitar head which made his efforts inaudible, and the mics were feeding back like mad. But apart from that.... Joking aside it wasn't easy for them but they soldiered on gamely and were still enjoyable despite all the technical mayhem. Highlights of the set were the ever reliable power ballad “Broken” and I was particularly impressed with Jack's drumming especially during “Into The Light”. The tried and trusted Steel Panther cover was a riotous encore, and despite all their setbacks they still came up trumps. Surely it's only a matter of time before they're spotted and have their chance at the big time? Fingers crossed for 2010! Setlist; “Shield Of Achilles”, “Trial By Fire”, “Liar”, “After The Storm”, “Valhalla”, “Broken”, “Into The Light”, “440”, “Death To All But Metal”.
Malacite were blessed with the best sound of the night and took full advantage of it playing a blistering set. They were tight as a band with the standard of musicianship being top drawer. Matt and Ben took turns soloing and made the harmony work seem effortless. The rhythm section of Jack on bass and Alex on drums wove complex and relentless patterns to underpin it all. Matt had a laid back style as frontman alternating between 1950s BBC announcer and Teutonic thrash metal leader with some of his crowd addresses being particularly droll. The inclusion of two covers was a slightly strange choice but Lamb of God's “Hourglass” and Metallica's “Harvester Of Sorrow” worked well enough. Of the original material “The Father Of The Lie” had a slower, more brooding, vibe, and set-closer “Sands Of Sorrow” was a lengthy, intricate piece that showcased their abilities well. A band to keep a close eye on over the next twelve to eighteen months I reckon... Setlist; “Disillusioned”, “Retribution”, “Hourglass”, “Countdown To The Fall”, “The Father Of The Lie”, “Harvester Of Sorrow”, “Sands Of Sorrow”.
