Gig Review

Cancer Bats
Brutality Will Prevail
Birmingham, Institute

10th March 2013


Cancer Bats           Brutality Will Prevail
                                         

Photo Of Brutality Will Prevail © Copyright James DalyBirmingham is the home of metal, and tonight were in for a foreign treat in the form off Canadian metalers Cancer Bats. The band are one of the hardest working in the world, they never seem to stop touring, even when they write/release an album, and they never seem to take a break. Last year they played the UK numerous times with the most recent being in support of Bring Me The Horizon and with the most famous being last April where they played 6 venues around London on the same day! But before we get to them we have to talk about the support band…

Photo Of Brutality Will Prevail © Copyright James DalyBrutality Will Prevail are a metal/hardcore band from South Wales, and are already on stage as I enter the already heaving venue. As I fight my way to the front of the crowd, I notice there is a huge circle left clear in the middle off the room, I can hear singer Louis talking but I don’t really hear what he’s saying, I get into the photo pit just as Louis jumps into the crowd, and surfs his way around the venue and around the massive circle that has been left open, as the band play loudly and jump around the stage. Eventually he gets back on stage and I can see the band as they are, a 5 piece who sound great, and Photo Of Brutality Will Prevail © Copyright James Dalywho can’t stay still, everyone moves about the stage changing position as their music changes from fast and frantic to slow and dirgey. The crowd are seeming to love them, and this helps as Louis keeps jumping off the stage and into the front row screaming down the mic at people. I’m surprised security aren’t having a fit, as he spends more time in the crowd as he does on stage, but this seems to stop people from crowd surfing, which I suppose makes their job easier. The band have warmed this crowd up and as they end their set they leave to heavy cheers, and then the room seems to calm down, its quiet its steady its building up to something, and that something is…

Photo Of Cancer Bats © Copyright James DalyCancer Bats, who all set up their own equipment before going on stage which seems to keep this crowd calmer than most gigs where bands just run out after their roadies sound check and everyone goes mental. But it could also be as this room is filled with mainly blokes, and so there are not too many screaming girls getting excited at every site of the band; eventually the band leave the stage after setting up, and a minute later they burst back on by jumping straight into their last single ‘Bricks and Mortar’. The sound is immense, it’s powerful and you can feel it in your bones as it rattles through the venue, the simplicity of a four piece is Photo Of Brutality Will Prevail © Copyright James Dalysomething you don’t get all too much anymore but with Cancer Bats it works well. The bass is constant and moves fast and random, it’s not simple repetition all the way through, the guitar riffs are powerful and lead into occasional solo’s and snaps, as the drums are fast and constantly hitting the sweet spots. As for the vocals, singer Liam Cornier rasps his gritty voice throughout the songs brining passion and bravado as bassist/vocalist Jaye R. Schwarzer adds extra power in parts by screaming his lungs down the mic.

Photo Of Brutality Will Prevail © Copyright James DalyThe band are an awesome stage presence and Liam controls the stage as he strolls up and down heading to the front and head banging before collapsing in front of the drums and getting his breath back. The band play a fast and furious set which Liam explains is due to them trying to play as many songs as they can in the short time they’re onstage, as they were late going on and it seems like the curfew was meant to be 11 but was cut back by half hour, which means there’s no time for chit chat and no time for an encore. Other than that, there’s the odd chant of Can-cer Bats and Birm-ing-ham which fills the gap between songs as the rest of the band tunes up, Liam leads the crowd in these chants and at one point is thrown a hat and decides to put it on his head and chant my-new-hat! They play a great set list with about 4 songs from each Photo Of Brutality Will Prevail © Copyright James Dalyalbum including; Pneumonia Hawk, Sorceress, Lucifer’s Rocking Chair, Sleep This Way, Scared to Death, Sabotage, Hail Destroyer and finally ending the set with R.A.T.S. They go down great and the band end by slowly fading out with feedback before all the members come down and meet the crowd to thank them for coming out and supporting them.

Overall the gig was great, Brutality Will Prevail did a great job of warming the crowd up and Cancer Bats finished them off, it’s a shame they didn’t play Dead Wrong and Liam didn’t get into the crowd, but those are just small things when compared to how well they performed overall. Cancer Bats will be back around soon, and it’s worth going to see them, as you’ll see a great live band who play truly rocking music!

Brutality Will Prevail 3/5
Cancer Bats 4/5

Review By James Daly

 Cancer Bats


Scott Middleton
Liam Cormier
Mike Peters
Jaye R. Schwarzer

 Brutality Will Prevail


Louis
Nick
Ash
Marc
Jordan

 Band Related Links
Cancer Bats Facebook
Brutality Will Prevail Facebook
 Review Score Code
- Top Cheese
- Brilliant
- Pretty damn good
- Ok I guess
- What Was That?