Sadly, the gig was moved from the smaller of the two halls at the Civic, into the large bar such was the lack of ticket sales. But undaunted, Biomechanical took the stage to a good response from the crowd. I must say they did little more than give me a headache with their technical thuggery, and I have to say the singer seems to get his impressive high notes mainly by using delay and singing very quietly, hardly the match for Halford that he perhaps thinks he is. They wrapped up their set with Painkiller, which was a creditable attempt to be fair, but I was glad they were through because I was dying to see Exodus again.
Last time I saw the band was at the Bradford Rio before the Tempo album came out and they were great, and I was excited but apprehensive about the performance of the new line up. I needn't have worried.
Rob Dukes is an imposing frontman and the band seemed pleased with the reaction of (if not the size of) the crowd. There was much moshing in evidence this night as the band steamrollered through about half the last album, throwing in Scar Spangled Banner, Blacklist and War is My Shepherd from 'Tempo' and just 5 oldies (Last Act of Defiance, Bonded By Blood, Pirhana, Strike of the Beast and a blistering A Lesson in Violence). Now if you'd have told me that set list before the show I would have thought it sucked, but I have to say the songs from Shovel Headed Kill Machine are killer live, and while I can understand the calls for 'Toxic Waltz' I can equally understand why the band don't want to play it.
On the other hand, I would like to have heard 'Fabulous Disaster' again and when are these guys ever going to air 'Impact is Imminent'???
Probably never.
Last time I saw the band was at the Bradford Rio before the Tempo album came out and they were great, and I was excited but apprehensive about the performance of the new line up. I needn't have worried.
Rob Dukes is an imposing frontman and the band seemed pleased with the reaction of (if not the size of) the crowd. There was much moshing in evidence this night as the band steamrollered through about half the last album, throwing in Scar Spangled Banner, Blacklist and War is My Shepherd from 'Tempo' and just 5 oldies (Last Act of Defiance, Bonded By Blood, Pirhana, Strike of the Beast and a blistering A Lesson in Violence). Now if you'd have told me that set list before the show I would have thought it sucked, but I have to say the songs from Shovel Headed Kill Machine are killer live, and while I can understand the calls for 'Toxic Waltz' I can equally understand why the band don't want to play it.
On the other hand, I would like to have heard 'Fabulous Disaster' again and when are these guys ever going to air 'Impact is Imminent'???
Probably never.
