APHNDJust like buses all coming at once there were at least four shows on in town tonight that would have been good to go to. There are always going to be winners and losers when these sort of clashes occur and no doubt it was the draw of Monster Magnet and Church Of Misery down the road at the Koko tonight that was the one packing the punters out.

This kind of left Belfast band Stormzone high and dry in a near empty venue but nothing could stop the sound of forged steel galloping through the place as they fired up their weapons.  Considering the two other bands on the bill there was a void between them as this lot were actually “happy” and so were their songs. A big grin rather than grim look was constant on vocalist John ‘Harv’ Harbisons mush and he and the entire band did not seem put off in the slightest at the lack of people. They pretty much gave it their all and I doubt this was any different than if they were playing to a much bigger crowd. There was a real charge about their songs, with a gung-ho bravado full of choppy riffs, with infectious hooks bolstered by a thick meaty sound. With the players launching themselves about and throwing poses it was exactly what you wanted from a true metal band really. It was really funny as I was watching and thinking what a great band they would be opening for the likes of Saxon and the singer took time between tracks to tell us they had been invited to play this show as they had a couple of days free from supporting (yep you guessed it) Saxon! They fired out a couple of album title tracks from the four they have released and Three Kings was the newest of them with a marching pace which had my boots stomping in time. Death Dealer had a lot of force and power behind and the Maidenesque vocal histrionics and twin guitar weave made for a fist pumping fervour. The Legend Carries On saw the drummer stand precariously on his stool and I thought “easy chap or the legend’s gonna be stretchered out” luckily he survived and the band gave us a good old gallop to the finish line.

Swiss band Blood Runs Deep were an entirely different proposition. Those of us who had seem APHND last time at the Borderline had encountered them before. Obviously there is some kindred spirit between the bands and musically at times it is more than evident. This was much more downbeat and with Nothing Ever Cured there was a definite Floydian tinge to things. Misery was in the house and long elongated riffs with despair at their heart flowed in a gloomy and doomy morass. Keyboards had a bit of a Type O feel about them and the drummer was particularly impressive really getting into the swing of things and bringing life to the otherwise moribund strains of despair. Occasional rocky surges also sprang out amid the chugging guitar and thick bass lines. On the whole though it was dour and dismal and if they had been the “warm up band” they may well have killed off a few and had people searching for pills and razor blades. That said naturally it was not unenjoyable and the nihilism found in songs like new album title track ‘Into The Void’ spoke for itself. The crowd were hardly dancing but at least it had got busier. People were more standing swaying no doubt looking inwards and wondering why their lives were so shit! Hitting fuzz laden grooves and sludgy patches and pulling out some Type O, Sabbath riffs as they went, they kept my attention but it was the last song with such a pure tinge of ‘Wish You Were Here’ about it that at first I thought it was a cover that really showed their colours and influences off in style.

A bit of an intimate show then for NYC miserablists A Pale Horse Named Death and we were up for a showcase of numbers from their two albums with themes of divorce, drugs and degradation running through them in a way that would have made a Country And Western fan cry. All we really needed was someone to drag a dying dog on stage and shoot it to complete the misery.  Despite this Sal Abruscato proves a wry and humorously good natured front man and entertains us throughout the set between songs with banter adding humour to the numbers which come thick and fast. The band made up of ex and present members from Type O (RIP) Life Of Agony and Seventh Void blow out some tarry sludgy sounds that are really thick and cling to us as they get into the likes of To Die In Your Arms, it would have been a perfect song if they had actually hit us up with it on Valentines day but were just that bit too early. Some sliding scale work from the guitars sent a real shiver down the spine too. First album number As Black As My Heart rocked away despite the fact that a guitar player was momentarily lost, once plugged back in I practically jumped out my skin standing next to the monitor as it was really bastard loud. I actually moved back and needed to as it drowned out the vocals at the front but luckily they came through loud and clear with a bit of distance from the stage. Sal told us how much he had been looking forward to being back in England and getting himself full of crumpets and tea! Better than heroin no doubt as cautionary tale Needle In You proved. This was heavy as fuck and the big yell of “suicide” expertly placed.

Harmonies and melody were excellent, as Devil In The Closet followed and the band and audience were by now well and truly caught up in the swing of things. We were asked what Manchester was like as that is where they were headed next, not sure all the answers were polite but I doubt it will put the band off giving them a great work out too. It was hard not to sing along, ‘In The Sleeping Death’ had some great vocal harmonies and the trembling guitar sound was perfect. They could have played any of the tracks on the two albums and we would  have been happy, one that was missed however despite calls for it was the excellent ‘Day Of The Storm. It would have been very apt considering the weather but Sal humorously explained that it was far too technical a challenge for them to give us it. He also had a good rant about the MP3 age and everyone wanting everything for free which got a rousing cheer of support. Some cheeky Type O blackisms were dished out amidst things, a cover would have been great but I guess would have been asking a bit much. We were also told it was up to us if there is a third album and I think everyone here was in agreement that we approve of one heartily. Next we moved into ‘When Crows Descend’ which we were told was inspired by Hitchcock’s The Birds, which in another fit of synchronicity I had watched a week ago and could totally see. Die Alone was a bit of a slow burner to finish on but the group had totally earned an encore and the final nail in the coffin, Killer By Night, was a rousing high to go out on before heading off in the night looking for a steed called whatever to get me home.

(Review and photos © Pete Woods)