The Safety Fire
Freebutt, Brighton
27 April 2010
Considering the fact that the first two bands to hit the stage this evening had never actually played a live set before today, and that the second, Cyclamen, have been forced to roll out an exclusively instrumental performance due to their vocalist being marooned on the other side of the world, you could be forgiven for thinking that the real meat of this line-up has been confined to the top half of the bill – but you’d be mistaken. Once A Wolf are far from seasoned campaigners, but in terms of raw promise, drive, and musical skill, they are already a cut above the masses, something that’s underlined by this, their all important first gig. Merging six string tech-wizardry with the take-no-prisoners aesthetic of thrash metal, the hometown five- piece, and the humorous onstage antics of their vocalist Steve Powell, bring a smile to the face and a post-set ache to the neck. A few slip-ups and equipment malfunctions aside, this is an auspicious start.
Cyclamen are another act that fans of cutting edge modern metal can’t afford to miss, though with founder and creative mastermind Hayato Imanishi absent from his band’s debut show (immigration, that pesky volcano), today’s set feels more like a dress rehearsal than a dramatic debut. As dress rehearsals go though this is a great display, a chance to observe the complex structure underlying compositions like ‘Let Go’. Though the lack of vocals detracts from the band’s usual emotional poignancy, the technical skill on show is itself enough to remind all in attendance that, yes, this lot could be going places fast.
If any underground metal fans in the Brighton area aren’t yet aware of local tech-nutters Lithurgy, they’re missing a trick. Already a strong live act, the five-piece have an unmistakably imposing stage-presence, delivering their material with an urgency and zeal that bursts from the stage in a wave of tortured screams and spit. They’ve got the creative intelligence to back up the passion, justified recipients of the much bandied about ‘progressive metal’ tag who bring together the rage and energy of hardcore with the riff driven majesty of contemporary metal, without entering the realm of metalcore. Wrap your ears around this lot.
By this point in the night the decent crowd packed into the Freebutt (on a Tuesday no less) have experienced a veritable feast of metal, but it’s certainly not over yet. Those of you familiar with our presence in the blogosphere (some of us are inveterate tweeters, for our sins) will probably know that we’re pretty damn keen on The Safety Fire, who treat us to yet another awesome performance this evening. Material from their debut EP ‘Sections’ comes across predictably well, and as a track from their upcoming full-length ‘Grind The Ocean’ gets an airing, it’s plain for all to see that this band could well be among the UK’s finest. The length and complexity of their songs means that even a headline set can only accommodate a few tracks, and maybe that’s a positive thing; truly powerful, and mind-expandingly intricate, a relatively small dose of The Safety Fire is itself plentiful food for thought. As a rule we try to avoid wide-ranging proclamations, but with so many great shows in the South East of late, we’re finding ourselves gleefully regurgitating some of the old clichés… but when the music is this good, who gives a shit frankly.
Review by Rob Sayce
