Words by Brendan Monteiro / Photos by Marcus Maschwitz

If only walls could speak the Underworld would tell a tale of a phenomenal night where a three piece from Chicago showed london why intimate gigs are way better than massive venues. Alkaline Trio are set to release their seventh studio album titled ‘This Addiction’, and what better way to celebrate this with a show at the Underworld. News of such a small showcase with one of the greatest punk bands spread like a bad case of chlamydia and within 4 minutes the night was sold out.

Outside the venue touts scurry around like chickens with severed heads, it’s comical how they ask every passer by for tickets, It’s evident by this that the show tonight is made up by majority die hard fans.

Inside the venue and with no support act everyone waits patiently, there is a calm in the air, that same calm just before all hell is about to break loose. The crowd starts ranting “Trio, Trio, Trio” and with a quick reply of “how are you doing camden town?” from Matt the band ease into This Addiction, the first single from the upcoming album. It’s textbook Alkaline Trio, straight up punk rock with catchy melodies, riddled with Matt’s dark charm. If this is a base of what the new album is going to be like then 2010 is definitely going to be Alkaline’s year. What’s also quite staggering is the proportion of the crowd screaming the words back at Matt, it’s as if everyone has got an LP player at home and has been killing the 7” that the tickets for the show were sold with.

Moving on, Matt and Dan take turns at wowing the crowd with a setlist that could only be in a fans wildest dreams, encompassing a little from pretty much every album. Fatally Yours and Stupid Kid get all arms raised early on in the night with the latter causing fans to go mental. Time To Waste sounds larger than life and the eerie piano sample mid section seems spiced up just for tonight. Old classics like Goodbye Forever, We’ve had enough, Private Eye and This Could Be Love further cement and astonishing set but it’s the obscure Sadie that wins my vote for song of the evening. It’s so dark but at the same time so alluring, it’s Matt’s delivery of Sadie that makes it so amazing. This is a fact with all songs tonight, it’s the way they are put forward, Matt and Dan sing with so much conviction and passion. They have a gift of making the most sinister and grizzly things sound beautiful. Line’s like

“like a dog shitting razor blades”
or
“I shat the bed, lying in it wide awake for day’s”

should shock any sane person but they are sung in a way that almost romanticizes the song and it’s this fact about tonight that wins me over. I personally have seen the Trio before and this was by far the best gig of theirs that I have witnessed. It seemed like the band enjoyed it just as much as the fans and it looked like they were quite at home playing a little dingy gig. Merely half of what they put in would of won the crowd but they dug deeper to create something truly unforgettable. If you weren’t there, buy a stub on e-bay and pretend you were.

Setlist: This Addiction, Fatally Yours, If We Never Go Inside, Stupid Kid, In Vein, My Friend Peter, Dead On The Floor, Time To Waste, We’ve Had Enough, Sadie, Dine Dine My Darling, Calling All Skeletons,Cringe, Crawl, Goodbye Forever, Private Eye, This Could Be Love, Radio

Words by Rant Chick / Photo by Martin Wiklund

Tell us a bit about the band’s history, what brought you together as a band and what are your musical influences? What is the significance of the name ‘Adept’ (if any)?

We are all from a small-town named Trosa and basically everyone knows each other. We decided that we wanted to start a band, to just play away the everyday boredom only a small-town can bring along. Honestly, when you live in a small-town like Trosa there aren’t that much for us kids to do. It’s either drink a lot of booze, play music or play soccer. We combined the first two.

When we started we wanted to play similar music as bands like Funeral For a Friend and Alexisonfire. But as everything else in life, you develop and get new influenced along the way. I guess basically we love everything that has amazingly good guitar-riffs (such as Funeral for a friend), and that brings a lot of emotions.

The name came from nowhere, really. It’s just a stupid name on a band that contains five stupid friends. It just got stuck, and we cant get rid of it.

Andrew Chramer has recently joined the band and replaces Tobias Ottoson, can you share with us why Ottoson left? Did Chramer have to audition for the role or is he someone that you recruited.

Well, Tobias is a really close friend to us, and we love to hang out with him, though we felt that we have come to a place where everyone in the band needs to put their heart into it. Unfortunately we felt that Tobias didn’t bring that into the music. And that’s why we had to let Tobias go.

Unfortunately Chramer just recently left the band also. We are at a point when we have a lot of shows around Scandinavia and Europe, but we havent started to make any money of it yet. So we need to have a lot of free time from work, but still need to work to pay our bills. And Chramer couldn’t make it go around economically, and we fully understands that. It’s a shame though, because he is an amazing musician.

You guys just wrapped up your European tour and passed by London (amazing show by the way) and hopefully the tour lived up to your expectations. What was your highlight and can you tell our readers about the stressful time you had in Paris on the day you played in London (11 November 2009)?

We are really exited being out in Europe for the first time. And to play in town such as London that has a really good music scene, is a dream come true for us. We are just a bunch of friends from a small town who got this amazing chance to show people the music we love to play.

Since you don’t really expect people to know our songs, the real highlight of this tour is to see so many people sing a long to our songs. It really feels weird to see people sing the lyrics to the songs we wrote back home.

Yeah, the London show. That was a stressful that to say the least. Gabriel, our drummer, lost his passport at the Paris show the day before. So we needed, as quick as possible, to get him a new one. However, on that exact day, the Swedish embassy was closed for some reason and we were in no way able to get a passport for him. But we called like maniac to the Swedish police and so one, that we finally got through to a woman who helped us out. But now we had to drive to London from Paris on just a couple of hours. But we just made it, though we only had time for a 15 minute show!

From which country does most of the interest in your band come at the moment?

Except from Sweden I would say that Germany and the States. We always get a lot of comments from people from those countries, so I would say those two.

There are many aspiring bands out there and the record industry is selective of which bands it chooses to sign. Marketing has therefore become important and many bands are using social media platforms to promote themselves, Is this a strategy that you find has worked for you?

Yes, absolutely. Platforms such as MySpace, Facebook, Lastfm, Pure Volume to name a few has made it a lot easier for bands to promote themselves. You can interact with fans, promote your shows and just spread your word in a way you couldn’t to before without major record labels on your side. So there are a lot of bands that has come a long way just promoting themselves.

Adept’s latest album, Another Year of Disaster, launched in Feb 09 and we feel has tapped into the typically American metalcore scene – how would you describe your music to someone who has never heard the band before? Did you have preconceived ideas about how you wanted the album to sound or was it a more organic process whereby the album’s sound developed as you recorded? Does your album have a message (if yes, what is it)? Do you think it is important to have a message/ stand for something? What inspires your lyrics and music?

I would describe our music as a mixture of metal and Hardcore. We do want to have the raw Hardcore feeling to it but keep the heavy metal-riffs. We also like the variety to go from really fast and hard, to slower melodic parts. But the single most important thing is that it should sound sincere. We want the listener to understand our words, and all the emotions.

When we recorded “Another Year of Disaster” we had a pretty good idea of how we wanted it to sound. We wanted the raw, screamy feeling to it. And I feel like we achived that.

As each song stands for themselves there aren’t any general concept of the album. Its about everyday life and everything that comes with it. Some songs are about picking sides, growing up and being of the verge of not realizing that life is slipping by the minute. As well as we sing about hearts being broken, betrayal from close-ones. Its and emotional roller coaster that a lot of people can relate to.

Adept has filmed music videos for Shark! Shark! Shark! and Sound The Alarm :
– are there anymore videos in the pipeline?
– How did the ideas for the videos evolve? Are they your ideas or did you collaborate with a creative team?

For now we only decided to make two videos for this album, and wait until we recorded the next one for more music videos. When we made shark and sound the alarm we collaborate with the team who made the videos. We wanted them to be dark, as the concept of the songs are pretty dark.

What are your future plans for the band in terms of touring and recording? Any plans for a new album?

As it seems today we are recording a new album in the summer of 2010. The album is more based on guitar-riffs, and we thinking more outside the box then before. We don’t want to narrow us down into a just a genre, we want to experiment more.

What is your main goal for the band in the future/ what do you want to achieve?

Our goal is to one day make a living out of this, so we can be able to afford to play around the world and see all these beautiful places that we might not be able to see without keeping up our music writing.

Thanks guys. Looking forward to seeing you again in the future and .

Check out Adept on MySpace at www.myspace.com/theadept

Words by Rant Chick / Photos by Warren Zanin

Adept launches into tonight’s performance with an explosive command from singer Robert Ljung: “Let’s burn this fucker down!” Unbeknown to the crowd, the band has busted its ass to make it to the Underworld in Camden to play for its London fans, following some major dramas and delays in Paris. Over half an hour late, Robert thanks the crowd for waiting and cites the day as the most stressful ever but never once is the impression given that Adept is anything but totally excited to be there. The band makes the most of its twenty minutes by ripping through the crowd with four brutal songs including favourites Sound the Alarm and Shark! Shark! Shark! The audience is left shell-shocked, with the Adept’s metalcore sound burnt onto the soul of each and every member.

Words by Rant Chick / Photos by Warren Zanin

There is nothing that can bring forth a horde of biker jackets like the raucous ringing of traditional metal, and tonight Camden’s Underworld did just that. Wolf, supported by Elimination and Cauldron, entertained fans with the mega riffs and guitar solos that serve the dramatic story telling that is synonymous with the metal trends of the early 80s. The band is known to thrive on the essentiality of crowd connection at live performances and the Swedish quartet deliver a show at an extra-frenzied pace, rendering singer Niklas ‘Viper’ Stalvind’s reminder “we are crazy about heavy fucking metal” redundant – um … duh!

As the foursome burst onto stage sporting Anvil shirts, the band’s dedication to metal-musos of old is made paramount. There is no dilly dallying on this night, as Wolf launch into Speed Up with a ravenous appetite dictated by adrenaline and driven by the lust to perform. Both predator and prey long to be satiated, and with a bite from Wolf, the crowd’s hunger for more is aggravated rather than appeased. The anthemic energy of The Bite (second song of the night) draws in any sojourners in and around the venue with brutal words that metal fans of all spectrums will relate to:

The hunger I can’t hide
Is burning in my heart
Never satisfied
And I’m looking for

The Bite – The thrill of it all
The Bite – The ultimate high

Even a sound glitch that renders Stalvind’s guitar momentarily obsolete does not interrupt the momentum of the band’s performance and the crowd’s enthusiasm. The setlist (Speed On, The Bite, I Will Kill Again, Hail Caesar, Electric Raga, Curse You Salem, Voodoo, Genocide, Evil Star, Children of the Black Flame, Venom, In the Shadow of Steel) spans the band’s career and climaxes with the ominous chanting of “Voodoo” that penetrates the souls of all in sundry. The cries of “Wolf Wolf” that echo from the audience between each song are no defamation but rather a nod of approval to a band that has been around for fifteen years. When an appreciative Stalvind says, “people were laughing at us back in the 90s, but no one is laughing now” the audience erupts into a manic outburst of acknowledgement.

Final song of the evening In the Shadow of Steel leaves fans rearing to battle dragons and attack dark forces in quests of maiden-rescue. This ‘spirit of the vanquishing knight’ is accompanied by post-gig wonderment at the sustainability of the beautifully manicured hair of Stalvind and bassist Anders ‘Tornado’ Modd, which has maintained its silky smooth appearance after an hour and a half of relentless head-banging. This is no mean feat according to the standards of metal hair styling. Side note: in my opinion, it all comes down to a great conditioner.

Words by Tiaan Kotze / Photos by Brendan Monteiro

This has to be one of the weirdest shows I have ever been to, I better explain. The night starts out with a powerful set from the newly formed The Blessed and the Cursed, the music is raw and seems unrehearsed the band also has a very uneasy quality that transcends the stage. It feels like that same awkwardness when you have walked in on your parents. Give them time to iron out the kinks and make sure to check them out, hopefully they will find their style as there is definitely something worthwhile there.

Next up is the Peterborough six piece powerhouse Khalo who are literally tearing up the stage with a insanely tight set and well rehearsed songs. I am instantly impressed and can’t stop my foot bombarding the floor. I have never heard of them and slightly ashamed of that so I try to show my support tonight. If you like your music well written, hard and fast get the CD or see them live you will not be disappointed (for fans of Protest The Hero, Norma Jean).

Third up (yes this seems like it’s going to be a long night) are the boys from Grave maker who annihilate the stage with super fast ,powerful and short tracks that leave you begging for more. Yet another notch on Canada’s prestigious belt of hardcore, these guys aren’t fazed at the fact that the venue isn’t packed and the moshpit isn’t moving like a hornets nest, with the exception of a few slam dancing their little hearts out they still give it their all. If you don’t know them go buy the cd now (for fans of Bane, Figure Four).

Up to this point I can’t help but think although there are only 130 people registered on the door I feel like it’s been quite a success all-round, there has been a variety of genres and some impressive performances. It’s finally time for the main act and This Is Hell look as natural on the stage as a shark in water. They explode in the crowds face and I’m expecting blood and guts to come flying in my direction but to my complete surprise there are only a very few moving and the rest of the crowd seems frozen to the spot. It is somewhat amazing that with only one guitarist these guys make such a deafening sound. As lead singer Travis Reilly announces they are filming a video of tonight and he wants the crowd to go nuts, you would expect this to be the moment everybody waits for to appear in a live video of their favourite band but bizarrely the complete opposite happens. Is this a rebellion to being told what to do, can the crowd really think they are that hardcore or punk rock that they would pay to see a band and then defy the simple request of just looking like their having fun to the music.

This was the defining moment of the night and guitarist Rick Jimenez announces that they are playing two more songs and then we can all fuck off home. They still give it their all for the sake of this ungrateful and undeserving crowd. We later heard from Rick some idiot kept unplugging the amp as they where playing and they where surprised at the reaction of the crowd tonight. As we were exiting the Underworld we are serenaded by some carnival touring looking inbred chanting “this is not a hardcore show” and that accompanied by the great performances make this night worth experiencing. This Is Hell have a lot of passion and I’m expecting them to be touring again soon, this time hopefully the inbred can go to a “real hardcore show”, for me I will be in the crowd going nuts again and give them the reception they so deserve (Fans of Comeback Kid, With Honor).

Setlist: Intro, Prelude (Again), Reckless, Permanence, The Search, Retrospect, Deliver Me, Warbirds, The Polygraph Cheaters, Broken Teeth, Show You No Mercy (Cro-Mags cover)

Support: What The Night Brings & Lower Than Atlantis

Words by Ian Dickinson / Photos by Marcus Maschwitz

What The Night Brings sadly fail to make any impact on the audience or myself. To my surprise even the younger members of the crowd, who as a rule, go uncontrollably insane for anything fast are unmoved and unfazed by WTNB. Lower Than Atlantis take to the stage and set up in record time, much to everyone’s approval and admiration. With the release of their first full length on the horizon this is my first encounter with their new material. It is certainly more punk than their first release; the Bretton EP was straight up brutal hardcore. It seems more sentimental which is ideal for the unique style and range of lead singer Mike. The set doesn’t get off to a great start, the crowd seem unimpressed, aside from 3 fans at the front that mosh out instantly, they are later rewarded with a song dedicated to their enthusiasm. The mic stand becomes an inanimate nuisance as Mike becomes noticeably frustrated with its annoying shenanigans. As the set builds in intensity so to does the atmosphere in the venue, like punk rock vampires LTA feed of the excitement and start playing with even greater ferocity.

Screaming into the Underworld without the mic adds to the raw and genuine emotion that you can see in Mike’s expression. He appears as though he is on the verge of passing out with the amount of passion he packs into each vocal projected from his mouth. LTA come across as hard rocking, hard partying, down to earth guys devoting one track to “all those on the dole who still party!” It gets really hectic when unruly party favourite The Juggernaut concludes the set as the band invite members of the crowd to get on stage and get diving. One young gentleman almost decapitates himself on the air conditioning vent in the ceiling. This is only a precursor of what is to follow.

This is my first Protest The Hero gig and I am assured by one and all that I am in for a real treat. They weren’t wrong! PTH take a long time setting up and sound checking. The Underworld is rammed with fans waiting to see them. The crowd start to become restless. People around me are getting seriously pissed off. A chant of “Protest!” fills the venue and the band finally crash into the first track Bloodmeat. Instantaneously heads are moshing, pits are circling and chants are brewing . All is forgiven and forgotten as the whole venue starts moving to the incredibly unique sound that only PTH possess.

The first thing that strikes me is the intense and confident stage presence of lead singer Rody Walker. Walker’s voice is one in a million; effortlessly brilliant he switches from a grand theatrical delivery to a hardcore chest pounding growl. The breakdowns are monumental and Mo Carlson’s drums vibrate all the way through my Van’s and into my chest. It is clear that this band are tight musically and emotionally which is not surprising considering they have been playing music together since the age of 12. Another unmistakable aspect of PTH is their technical ability, which literally leaves me speechless at times. I don’t even know how to explain some of the guitar wizardry of Tim Millar and Luke Hoskin without needing to employ a research team to work around the clock in a secret laboratory underneath a volcano until enough is understood that I can produce a well rounded PowerPoint Presentation.

It is a pleasure to be at a show without security or barriers. The line between PTH and the audience becomes blurred and a greater connection is built between the two until the venue is in unison, all in pursuit of rocking out and having a good time! 3 tracks in and the crowd surfing has fully begun and the pit is bouncing like a 5 year old Pepsi addict on a trampoline. The first stage diver skillfully misses the air condition vent but manages to clip the lighting. Walker conducts the insanity and never seems phased by the sweaty fans jumping on stage and on him. At one point a perspiring semi naked adolescent stands quietly next to him on stage till the room falls silent. The young chap claims to be Macho Man Randy Savage before the conversation turns to masturbation, fisting and Goth porn, always an unexpected bonus when one is attending an evening of music. After this brief comedy interlude the band jumps straight back into obliterating Camden. At one point in the evening I am convinced that the Underworld will be in pieces by the end of the night, as the floor, ceiling and walls all take a pounding. Walker explains that his “temper is short” after reprimanding a fan who is continuously swinging at him; “your pissing me off with your windmills. I thought I was at a Trivium show!” Everyone is highly amused by this comment. The banter and crowd interaction between tracks is welcome and entertaining. At one point in the evening “a crowd surf in the quiet” is a tempted, which is certainly a new experience for all watching and taking part.

This was my first PTH gig but it certainly won’t be my last. The breakdowns come so fast that an army of roadside recovery vehicles wouldn’t be able to keep up with the pace. The variety of styles and beats stop any possibility of keeping stationary. The energy of the band, the on stage antics and sheer musical brilliance are second to none. The way in which they conduct themselves on stage mirrors their music. A combination of exhilaration and anticipation is intensely enthralling. Ending the night with the blistering Sequoia Throne, PTH is an experience that shouldn’t be missed!

Setlist: Bloodmeat, Wretch, Nautical, The Dissentience, Goddess Bound, Goddess Gagged, No Starts Over Bethlehem, Spoils, Palms Read, Blindfolds Aside, Palms Read Outro, Limb From Limb, Sequoia Throne