ABSOLVA, Exit State, Babylon Fire @Asylum 2 Birmingham 18/5/13

Manchester has long been associated with the dreadful indie scene of the 80s. Decent music from the city has, over the years, been a rare thing. This evening, though, showcases three bands on the city’s Rocksector label that are doing all they can to change that.

Despite the early start time there are a decent amount of people in to see Babylon Fire. A new name to us RTM we are immediately impressed with their brand of heavy-cum-power metal. Fire’s set comes from their “Dark Horizon’s” debut album and any band that begins with such an epic sounding song as “I Still Remember” – clocking in at over eight and a half minutes is ok with us. Best of all, perhaps, is closing track “The Clarion Call” which gives vocalist Mark and guitarist Rishi in particular, the chance to stretch themselves. First impressions are all important and Babylon Fire could not have made a better one.

Exit State are a little more established and album number three “Let’s See It All” is due for release in June. The band has been hampered by constant line-up changes in the past, but seems to be settled now. You wish them well because there is some real craft in songs like “Die Zombie” and closer “Death of a Rock Star.” More groove based, than the openers, it gives them a more American sound. There is real anger in the track “I Know Where You Are” (which singer Ray Bright says is about finding out his ex-fiancé is a “lying, cheating, sack of shit…..”) before they display a softer side with “Crystalline”  a song they have released for a children’s charity.

Things have changed a little in the Absolva camp since last they were in these parts. The band is back down to being a three-piece, which gives them more of the feel of the band from which they came, Fury UK – the band who we have probably seen more over the last five or six years than any other.

What keeps us coming back? Well, Fury UK were almost the perfect underground heavy metal band and Absolva (formed when bass player Luke Appleton left to join Iced Earth) are not too far behind.

They begin their set in the same way they began the one in this very room in November, with the title track of their “Flames of Justice” album before playing “It is What It Is.” This jaunt, however, is also an excuse for them to play some new material and both of the new tracks, “Never Back Down” and “Killing Season” give the hint that album number two is going to be impressive.

“Far Beyond The Light” comes into its own in a live setting and is classic heavy metal in the mould of Dio, before the hour long set ends with “Empires” which closes the album.

Time will tell whether they can ever break through in a proper way, but we have seen Absolva three times now in this incarnation and they have got better and better every time.  Perhaps it is not just the football world where Manchester excels after all.