SONS OF ICARUS, FIGHTING WOLVES, Lightfire @Asylum 2, Birmingham 19/2/14

"This is our last one," says Lightfire singer Scott Sieradzki. "It doesn't have a name yet."   He is quickly chided from his left. "Well it does," he laughs. "But it's stupid, so we aren't using it!" That exchange tells you much of the Cannock bands ethos right now. Here to try out some new songs, but above all to have a good time, they are the type of group a local scene needs. Solid alternative metal- they speak in interviews of being Karnivool fans, so must have taste - they are active on social media and on the live scene, so have built a fanbase along the way. With new songs readied, even if they have daft titles, Lightfire could be hot soon if they continue to develop.

Just before Christmas 2011 a young band called Fighting Wolves supported Saint Jude at the Academy2 one freezing cold Sunday night. Their single "One Minute More" was getting airplay on Planet Rock and many - RTM included - were tipping them for a bright future. Then the momentum rather stalled.

Well, that is until now. Because now Wolves are back, back, back with album "Chapter One" on sale, and playing Birmingham for the second time in little over a month. Even better they have lost none of the enthusiasm that set them apart a couple of years ago.

Still bouncier than a Kangaroo on a trampoline, they have songs to make them way above the type of band that normally plays to 20 people on a Wednesday night. Singer Paul Blue possess a cheerful demeanor that not even not liking last nights support band, or tonight's snare drum issues can spoil. Well he might too, as songs like "Give Me A Sign" and "I Told You" sound not unlike turn of the century Irish heroes Wilt, while slow burner "The Ocean" is more epic in scope and works well. 

Ending with "...More" and having it still sound good, there is still time for Fighting Wolves to find a home for their ambitions and they may just be one big support slot from a little breakthrough.

RTM has seen Sons Of Icarus before too. Main support to the almighty Clutch last year, they impressed despite sounding nothing like Neil Fallon's men.

Tonight, they attack first song "Love" like, frankly, they damn well mean business. There is nothing original here - indeed as Andy Masson, Sons singer/guitarist, notes jokily, "the next one sounds like the one before it and the one before that, but it doesn't matter as it's all metal." As a summation it will do, and there are, after all, only so many chords you can play. The tracks do sound similar but what they all have in common is they are very, very good.

For 45 minutes they show their immense potential, "Make Amends" is catchy and heavy, but, flying in the face of Masson's jauntiness they are able to change things up, with a poignant ballad, "Fallen" which is dedicated to a recently deceased family member, and "I Want It All" which builds to a pleasing crescendo.

Elsewhere a cover of Alice In Chains' classic "Man In The Box" is faithful, before they climax with new single "Let It Burn" from a debut record which is due to land this year - it promises to a be one to look forward to.

Three bands for £5 in a tiny venue above a rehersal studio is exactly what underground and unsigned rock music is all about.

It is easy to deride bands sometimes for not breaking new ground and smashing boundaries as we all look for the next big thing. The fact is though, Rock n Roll needs brand new Classic Rock and you could do a lot worse than start with Fighting Wolves and Sons Of Icarus, as both were in top form tonight.

CLUTCH, Sons of Icarus, General @Rock City, Nottingham 9/7/13

Balding men in the mid to late 30s who also have beards, seem to have found their role model if the crowd tonight at Rock City is anything to go by. The venue is packed with just that type of clientele.

The reason that we (and lets be in doubt that RTM is in its late 30s, is balding and has a beard) are in the East Midlands is to worship at the altar of Clutch and specifically their frontman Neil Fallon, who would act as our spokesperson, if we only knew what the hell he was singing about.

But before all that, let’s break it down to brass tacks, as Fallon might say himself. Joining Clutch on this tour are two young British bands, who might – given the sense of anticipation for the headliners, expect a difficult time. Actually, such fears prove unfounded and General go down pretty well. The Coventry band have evidently listened to a lot of Corrosion of Conformity, and songs such as “Monkey City” showcase their talent nicely.

Another fast rising UK combo, Sons Of Icarus, are next up. The Guildford based four piece have garnered some rave reviews for their early shows. Not quite as overtly stoner as the openers, and without the all out riffery of Clutch, instead they knock out some infectious hard rock grooves and, with a new album due to out soon, are ones to keep an eye on  - although one of the tracks did stray a touch too close to power balladry.

It was in this very room where RTM was anointed into the cult of Clutch. A few years ago they were the main support to the aforementioned CoC. They were brilliant. Then we saw them support Thin Lizzy 18 months or so back. They were brilliant.

This is, though, our first experience of seeing the band – Fallon on vocals, occasional guitar and cowbell, Tim Sult on guitar, Dan Maines on bass and drummer John Paul Gaster – headline. They are in town because in March the put out what very well might be the album of the year when such things are totted up in December. “Earth Rocker” is a quite stunning piece of music that for our money is right up there with the best they have ever done – which makes it very, very good indeed.

They begin with its title track. The song does two things. First, it encapsulates everything that good about the band. It has massive riffs, is catchy but interesting. Second it is perhaps the only song in metal history to contain at his heart the word “bloooahaha” (just listen to it).

The band clearly think “….Rocker” is as good as we do, because during the course of their hour and half with us they knock out 10 songs from it (or in other words, all but one). “DC Sound Attack” and “The Face” are perhaps the best of them.

There is a dip into some of their older material, with four songs from “Blast Tyrant” and arguably their best known song “Electric Worry,” which closes things.

What happened tonight was quite phenomenal. The crowd response to the four-piece is verging on the rabid and proves the band are on the very verge of becoming genuine stars.

To borrow another line from one of their songs, “if you are gonna do it, do it live on stage, or don’t it at all.” And quite frankly that is exactly what they did. We are close to being in gig-of-the-year-so-far territory. Clutch are our band, everyone. And they are quite, quite fantastic.