Breed 77 + Panic Cell + Last Stop China Town + Forever Never @ Barfly – March 19th

‘Tonight you’ve seen the British metal scene’ yells Breed 77’s Paul Isola, and from what we’ve seen tonight, British metal is still at its best. From promising newer bands to the well established headliners, the line up represents what music in this country has to offer for those who like their bands brutal.

Forever Never kick the night off with their intricate and often melodic metal, their shifting time signatures and varied vocals ensuring there is always something to catch the listener’s attention. Singer Renny Carroll demands attention from the crowd, although with many of the fans still arriving, they don’t get the reaction they could have if they were on later. By the end of the set however, the front of the room is much fuller as the band play out on ‘Aphoria’. Forever Never are creating a lot of attention for themselves, seeming to be constantly on tour, and it can’t be long before they find themselves much higher on the bill.

The last time Midlands based Last Stop China Town were on this stage, they were supporting Bullet For My Valentine, but mentioning this previous gig doesn’t do them any favours with the crowd. They soon get the chance to prove themselves, tearing through their set, with their Iron Maiden-like sound reminiscent of British metal in days gone by.

When Panic Cell hit the stage, the room opens up into a huge pit, ready for what’s in store from the Jager fuelled metal legends. Their sound is much heavier than the previous bands, which translates to the brutal pit raging for ‘Dead To Me’. Their appreciation for their fans shows why they are still going strong, despite the fact that they have not received the media recognition that a band of their calibre deserve.

Breed 77, although originally from Gibraltar, see themselves as a British band, and are welcomed onto stage as one. They are clearly passionate about the scene they belong to, taking every opportunity to remind the fans how important it is for them to continue to support it.

Isola’s impressive vocals soar over crushing riffs throughout ‘Alive’ and ‘Worlds On Fire’, before moving on to newer songs, a taste of what’s to come from the new album. Their Latin roots clearly feature in their music, incorporating flamenco rhythms and Spanish lyrics into their sound, creating the interesting and original songs that they are loved for.

Breed’s cover of The Cranberries’ ‘Zombie’ goes down a storm, the crowd jumping and singing throughout, followed by the heartfelt ‘La Ultima Hora’, bringing the set to a close with the fans still dying for more. Leaving the venue, its hard not to feel a sense of pride that there are so many exciting bands so close to home, and hope that British metal will keep growing, and continue to get even better.

Review – Helen Catchpowle
Photos – Karl Bright

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