Gig Review

Fear Factory
Sylosis, October File
Wolverhampton, Wulfrun Hall
17th February 2010
   
          
Fear Factory                Sylosis              October File    
                          
Taking my time getting to the Wulfrun Hall tonight, and I still end up waiting half an hour for the first band to come on, normally its a rush to make the first band, once i was inside out of the rain, the room was filling up nicely, but not sold out tonight, but still had a really decent turn out for this legendary band!

First up were, October File, a mid paced grinding heavy metal band, with typical metal vocals, that are abit on the flat side really. Theres not much in the way of melody in the music and the bass is really OTT, in fact so much so, that most of the time I cant hear the guitarist over the bass or the drums. It is a good solid sound though from a 3 piece band + Vocalist, its very full, the drumming is solid but very repetitive and lacks imagination, the guitar when it can be heard, is ok, but you cant really hear it over everything else. The whole act seems a bit middle of the road really, theres nothing really adventurous about it, the songs seem to be very repetitive and bludgeoning, a new direction is a must.

Main Support are Sylosis, a much faster paced metal band than the openers, the bass is still way over the top, everything vibrating, walls, floors, drinks, rib cages and grey matter! The music is fast paced and melodic for parts, having heavy break downs that you can bang the head to, before launching back in to the full paced finishings. The vocals again a bit on the cliche metal side but its pretty decent stuff, the stage presence is good and they put on a good show to watch, full of energy and vigor. Not sure of any of the songs played tonight, as I'm not really a fan and after the performance tonight I may change my mind but I'd have to hear a wider range of songs to sway me properly.

Fear Factory a band I've been a fan of for some time, since the late 90s I think, but for one reason or another, never seen them live, until now, it was worth the wait, as tonight, it was heavy as FUCK! About half way through I developed a headache either from the overkill bass or the headbanging! probably both! The one thing you cant mistake, is the vocals, I don't think no one sounds quite like Burton, its distinct! Im also glad Dino is back in the band, don't think it would be right if he wasn't in fear factory.

They open there set with Mechanize, the title track off the latest effort, which was followed by Shock and then the excellent Edgecrusher, being blinded by the strobe lights above the crowd was fun, which made it a nightmare, moving through the pit, as stuff kept moving an dodging security the crowds arms and crowd surfers made for good times! Songs that featured in set were, Smasher, Industrial Disc,Acres of Skin and one of my all time favorites, Linchpin, well I guess that can be said for any fear factory or metal fan. One song I'd like to have heard would have been Invisible Wounds, from the same album as Linchpin. Another song off there latest effort was Powershifter, that just bludgeons you to death with its sheer nonstop brutality. Other songs from the mid set included Fear Campaign, Marytr, Final Exit Demanufacture and Self Bias. They Closed there set with Zero Signal, the superb H.K and set closer Replica. The stage performance was fantastic, worth the decade wait for sure. Then it was back out in to the bloody rain for the last train home.

October File - 3/5
Sylosis - 3/5
Fear Factory - 5/5

Robet Lawrence

 Fear Factory


Burton C. Bell
Dino Cazares
Byron Stroud
Gene Hoglan

 Sylosis


Jamie Graham
Josh Middleton
Alex Bailey
Carl Parnell
Rob Callard

 October File


Ben Hollyer
Matt Lerwill
Steve Beatty
John Watt


 Band Related Links
Fear Factory Myspace
Sylosis Myspace
October File Myspace
 Review Score Code
- Top Cheese
- Brilliant
- Pretty damn good
- Ok I guess
- What Was That?