Categories
Live Reviews Music

Parkway Drive Live at The Roundhouse, London

PARKWAY DRIVE
w/ Emmure, The Words Alive, Structures

The Roundhouse, London
17/11/12

Parkway Drive are the headliners at tonight’s show at a packed out London Roundhouse, and judging from the expectant air looming about the venue, it’s going to be a great night.

Up first are the techiest band tonight; Structures. They sound great and manage to get the crowd pumped up early in the night. Definitely one to watch live, as they sound a great deal more powerful on a stage than a CD.

Next on are The Word Alive, who blend melody and heaviness superbly. They manage to cram loads of songs into their relatively short set and the crowd seem to be warming to them by the middle of the performance. Pleasingly, the band seem utterly grateful to be able to play to so many people, and thank the crowd over and over, which is good to see!

Emmure are probably the ultimate marmite band. Yes, lots of people will turn their noses up at them, but they manage to pull off one of the best live performances of the year tonight. They sound monumentally heavy, and the crowd react to all of frontman Frankie’s commands without thought. They too sound better live than on a cd, thanks to massive tone and drums, along with Frankie’s unique vocal delivery. Grand.

Parkway Drive however, will ALWAYS steal the show when it comes to a live performance. Packing 2 projectors and all the lights you’d ever want onto the stage tonight, PWD are on perfect form, sounding monstrous as usual. They are deliver their set like it was their last ever show, with the crowd response matching as they go mental throughout the entire performance. With a lengthy setlist comprising of all their best songs from previous records and some huge new tracks from new release ‘Atlas’, their show is pretty much spot on, and they remain THE live band to beat. Very, very impressive indeed.

Structures
The Word Alive
Emmure
Parkway Drive
Parkway Drive
Parkway Drive

Words & Photos: Jake Owens

Categories
Features Music

Must See Shows: November 2012

Our selection of ‘Must See Shows’ this month pretty much caters for everyone. Whether you are after big breakdowns, dark atmospherics or just straight forward rock anthems look no further than this list. Oh and November also features Warped Tour. Get in.

2:54
w/ Pins, Childhood, Deaf Club

02 – OXFORD The Jericho Tavern, 03 – BIRMINGHAM The Sunflower Lounge, 04 – BRIGHTON The Haunt, 06 GUILDFORD The Boileroom, 07 – LONDON XOYO, 08 – BRISTOL The Croft

If moody atmospherics spark interest in your head, look no further than 2:54. This indie duo are set to take off big time after comparisons to the likes of The XX and Alpines. This is definitely a case of catch them in an intimate setting whilst you still can.

CROSSFAITH
05 – GUILDFORD Boileroom, 08 – BOURNEMOUTH Soundcircus, 09 – BATH Komedia, 10 – LONDON Warped Tour

These venues really are to small to handle Crossfaith. If you saw them tear apart the UK earlier this year in support of Of Mice & Men you’ll know exactly what we are talking about. Mashing up a combination of The Prodigy and brutal breakdowns this Japanese band epitomize the meaning of ‘Must See Show’.

DEAF HAVANA
w/ Canterbury, There For Tomorrow

08 – COVENTRY Kasbah, 09 – LEEDS Met Uni, 10 – MANCHESTER Ritz, 11 – GLASGOW ABC, 12 – NEWCASTLE Academy, 14 – PORTSMOUTH Pyramids, 15 – NORWICH UEA, 16 – LONDON Shepherds Bush Empire

We picked Deaf Havana out as one of the highlights of Hevy Festival this summer due to their anthemic pop-rock tunes and seeing them in an enclosed environment will only top those brilliant festival performances. And after releasing a brilliant alternative version of ‘Fools & Worthless Liars’ last month, here’s hoping that they add in a few of their acoustic numbers to the set too.

PARKWAY DRIVE
w/ Emmure, The Word Alive, Structures

14 – BIRMINGHAM Ballroom, 15 – MANCHESTER Academy, 16 – LEEDS University, 17 – LONDON Roundhouse

Gracing the buzz chart and currently sitting in the ‘Album of the Week’ spot with ‘Atlas’, it’s no secret that we love Parkway Drive at Crossfire. If you have seen their latest DVD ‘Home Is For The Heartless’ you’ll know that if any ticket bearers are in for a treat with PWD’s live show.

POLAR
w/ TRC, Prowler

26 – NORWICH Waterfront Studio, 27 – READING Face Bar, 28 – BOURNEMOUTH Soundcircus, 28 – BRISTOL The Croft, 29 – PLYMOUTH The White Rabbit

Stating their influences as ‘Big beats. Strong booze. Loose morals. Good times.’ its clear to see that a Polar show is going to be wild. If you are heading to see them out of curiosity, don’t sit down or just stand, get involved otherwise front man Adam Woodford might just force you to himself…

THE ELIJAH
w/ Hello Mexico, Black Shapes

16 – LONDON The Underworld

For one night only post-rock newcomers The Elijah will be playing their epic debut album ‘I Loved I Hated I Destroyed I Created’ accompanied by the Niche London String Quartet. This show is will definitely be a spectacle to behold.

WARPED TOUR
10 – LONDON Alexandria Palace

Lostprophets, Bring Me The Horizon, New Found Glory, Less Than Jake , Man Overboard, The Story So Far , 3oh!3, The Acacia Strain, Awolnation, Architects, Breathe Carolina, Bury Tomorrow and many more all under one roof at London’s iconic Alexandria Palace. Need we say anymore?!

Categories
Album Reviews Buzz Chart Music

Obey The Brave

OBEY THE BRAVE
Young Blood

Epitaph Records

Ferocious drumming, intense vocals and deep riffs epitomise Obey The Brave‘s first release through Epitaph records, ‘Young Blood’. Ex-Despised Icon vocalist Alex Erian delivers sinister shouts and brutal screams, an example of his deathcore roots coming into their own and making ‘Young Blood‘ heavy. Very heavy indeed. Yet, although essentially a metalcore album, the two-step rhythms of modern hardcore raise ‘Young Blood‘ head and shoulders above the rest with guest vocals from Terror’s Scott Vogel on ‘Get Real‘ emphasising the ‘core’ element of this genre in all its glory.

With experimental interludes such as ‘Grim‘ flashes of more recent Emmure shine through, but the most relevant comparison has to be to The Ghost Inside’s ‘Get What You Give‘ which was released earlier in 2012. Originality is a slight down fall for Obey The Brave, there are plenty elements similar to Parkway Drive, Stick To Your Guns, Hundredth and many other metal/hardcore acts. But in all honesty Obey The Brave aren’t trying to be something special or something unique; during opener ‘Lifestyle‘ the lyrics “Not trying to reinvent the wheel – we keep it simple, we keep it real,” are performed with vehement passion, this band just want to make an impact with the intensity of their music and with ‘Young Blood’ thats a task well and truely achieved.

Words: Emma Wallace

Categories
Music Music News New Releases

Parkway Drive Tour & DVD details revealed


Australian metalcore band Parkway Drive are renowned for their high energy live shows and with the recent addition of Emmure, The Word Alive & Structures to the line up, this November trek is set to be one of the most brutal tours of 2012.

The band start the UK leg of the tour in Birmingham and close in London before moving on to Europe. The UK dates are as follows:

NOVEMBER
14 – BIRMINGHAM Ballroom
15 – MANCHESTER Academy
16 – LEEDS University
17 – LONDON Roundhouse

In further Parkway Drive news the band have announced they are releasing a documentary style DVD entitled ‘Home Is For The Heartless’ (also a track name on latest album ‘Deep Blue’). The 75-min documentary was shot in 42 countries on five continents. The DVD captures the bands’ journey as they travel to many obscure destinations around the world and embrace local culture. ‘Home Is For The Hearless’ is said to be an in-depth look at the life of Parkway Drive on stage and off as they tour the world.

The DVD will hit the stores on 9th July 2012 and is available to pre-order as part of a bundle package on the bands official merchandise store.

Parkway Drive DVD