We also have little time
for the compare for proceedings either. And if we may offer a word of advice to
the organisers for next year it would be simple: The last thing a metal
festival needs, or metal fans want, is a fella in a suit talking about the
raffle and making crap jokes before the bands come on.
What we do want is new
metal bands to have a look at. And thankfully Basementfest has these in
abundance. Indeed part two of day one has a band who are playing their very
first gig. Despite their inexperience Salvation are actually pretty good and
showed great potential. Sort of a retro groove metal band – think Pantera
covering a Rival Sons song – they race through 25 minutes of their stuff. “Pray
For Me” is a highlight, but they are worth keeping an eye on.
A Thousand Enemies have
been going for a little longer than that and the Nottinghamshire mob are
beginning to make some waves for themselves. RTM saw them support the execrable
The Morning After earlier in the year and by all accounts they were their usual
selves during a storming set in the New Blood tent at Bloodstock the other
week. Even the loss of their usual drummer tonight can’t dampen their ebullient
frontman Bane, who has evidently got himself as annoyed with the “comedian” as
RTM: “Where’s him in the suit,” he says, as the band are ready to start. “Come
on pal, aren’t you ready to talk shite before we play. “ There followed some
rather painful banter before ATE get down to business. And what business it is.
Enemies attack their set with gusto. Ok we have seen it before, even down to
Bane making his joke about them playing a song called “Fucking Ages” (It is
actually called “Forever And Day”) but by closing number “Valve” even the
people who have never heard them previously must surely have been won
over. Bane then wins extra points for
telling the compare to “fuck off” to rapturous cheers.
So to Point Blank Fury. As
far as RTM is concerned the Fury boys are the headline act tonight – possessing
considerably more talent and songs than the aforementioned band of Gypsies. The
last time we saw them, back in June, they were breaking in a new bass man
following the defection of their old one to Absolva, Chris Appleton’s post Fury
UK venture, tonight they sound even better than they did that night.
Essentially they play the
same set as they have been since reforming, and you know the drill, “Ashes,”
“Change Tomorrow” “Love Ain’t Always Easy” and more. This is their last gig of
the year, according to Dale Jones, the guitarist, who promises they will return
with a new album in 2013. They have already reclaimed their crown as the
Midlands most promising band this year, so you hope he’s as good as his word.
So they last song they play
of 2012 is signature tune “Night Skies” which sounds as superb as ever, before
bidding us farewell.
And with that its time for RTM to disappear too, partly because the compare is back. With raffle tickets. And also the Gypsy Pistoleros are setting up behind him.
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