INTENSE + SEASON'S END Stripes Bar, Brentford FC 27th August 2004
A chance to catch two UK metal acts before next week's Bloodstock
festival up at Derby. Season's End are a six piece fronted by the
very talented Becki Clark on vocals and play a hard edged style of
goth metal. Their album `The Failing Light' is well worth tracking
down and live the music steps up a rack in the hardness and fullness
of the band's sound. My personal favorate track on the album, `Touch'
started the set of mixing a pounding rhythm and heavy riffing topped
of with Becki Clark's soaring vocals. Full credit to her, as many
female vocalists I've heard live just can't rise above a full metal
assault (bar Doro Pesch of course!) Other album tracks getting an
airing in the tight and compact 45 minute set were `One
Sadness', `Nothing After All' and `A Ghost In My Emotion' which
rounded the set of nicely. Good also to see a metal act using
keyboards and as a lead instrument rather than just intros only like
many acts do.
Onto Intense, who are busy promoting their new album `Second
Sight' which is a cracking mix of power meets thrash metal. After the
intro of `Premonition' it's into `One Twenty' and the metal riffing
monster that is `The Winged'. Good to see some heads banging on this
one, although sadly not mine as lack of long hair and age takes its
toll! Vocalist Sean Hetherington has that classic metal voice that
can belt out the big metal numbers and then dip into a slower,
brooding number like `Seeds of Betrayal'. Older numbers still feature
including the awesome `Dark Season', with the two guitarists Nick
Palmer and Dave Peak coming into their own. Even with a new bass
player the rhythm section was tight and the drums played at ferocious
speed at times! `War Of Angels' rounded of a superb set and you
really need to see Intense live to get the full power and effect of
their music. Nice touch at the end of the set when the band and
audience sang Happy Birthday to the band's merchandise lady.
If you are off to Bloodstock next weekend go see both these band's
as I guarantee you won't be disappointed and you can witness some of
the best metal the UK has on offer at the moment.
Jason Ritchie
www.intense-uk.com
www.seasons-end.com
www.getreadytorock.com/10questions/intense.htm
www.bloodstock.uk.com
A chance to catch two UK metal acts before next week's Bloodstock
festival up at Derby. Season's End are a six piece fronted by the
very talented Becki Clark on vocals and play a hard edged style of
goth metal. Their album `The Failing Light' is well worth tracking
down and live the music steps up a rack in the hardness and fullness
of the band's sound. My personal favorate track on the album, `Touch'
started the set of mixing a pounding rhythm and heavy riffing topped
of with Becki Clark's soaring vocals. Full credit to her, as many
female vocalists I've heard live just can't rise above a full metal
assault (bar Doro Pesch of course!) Other album tracks getting an
airing in the tight and compact 45 minute set were `One
Sadness', `Nothing After All' and `A Ghost In My Emotion' which
rounded the set of nicely. Good also to see a metal act using
keyboards and as a lead instrument rather than just intros only like
many acts do.
Onto Intense, who are busy promoting their new album `Second
Sight' which is a cracking mix of power meets thrash metal. After the
intro of `Premonition' it's into `One Twenty' and the metal riffing
monster that is `The Winged'. Good to see some heads banging on this
one, although sadly not mine as lack of long hair and age takes its
toll! Vocalist Sean Hetherington has that classic metal voice that
can belt out the big metal numbers and then dip into a slower,
brooding number like `Seeds of Betrayal'. Older numbers still feature
including the awesome `Dark Season', with the two guitarists Nick
Palmer and Dave Peak coming into their own. Even with a new bass
player the rhythm section was tight and the drums played at ferocious
speed at times! `War Of Angels' rounded of a superb set and you
really need to see Intense live to get the full power and effect of
their music. Nice touch at the end of the set when the band and
audience sang Happy Birthday to the band's merchandise lady.
If you are off to Bloodstock next weekend go see both these band's
as I guarantee you won't be disappointed and you can witness some of
the best metal the UK has on offer at the moment.
Jason Ritchie
www.intense-uk.com
www.seasons-end.com
www.getreadytorock.com/10questions/intense.htm
www.bloodstock.uk.com
