OXFORD ZODIAC
28/02/06
Times are getting tough for Caliban. Not only has their recently released Roadrunner sophomore ‘This Undying Darkness’ been met with a lukewarm reception by many, but to make matters worse local lads Chokehold are whipping up a shitstorm just minutes after doors with their devastating 80’s styled thrash-fest.
It’s easy to forget just how long Caliban have been inflicting their once unique blend of metallic hardcore upon our weary ears, but it seems as though such facts may well be conspiring against the German quintet these days. It’s not that they sound particularly bad this evening – the likes of ‘Goodbye‘ boasting soaring vocal harmonies not lost on those in attendance – but rather that onstage the band seem to possess all the energy of a mushroom. The relative few in attendance do their best to keep energy levels on the up, forming a modest but eager circle pit to the sonic battle cry of ‘It’s Our Burden to Bleed’; but with mouthpiece Andy Dorner seemingly more interested in keeping a mindful eye on his neatly quaffed barnet than commanding an audience the set begins to wilt and the audience disperse.
It’s sink or swim, and on tonight’s evidence Caliban are in serious need of a jacket.