Gig Review

The Sword
Gentleman's Pistols, Signify
Birmingham, Academy 3
9th May 2011


The Sword              Gentleman's Pistols       Signifty
                         
Signify are the First band of the night are a middle of the road hard rock band. Bands some risk have a general running theme in how they look on stage, the guitarist and sited are more classic 80s look and the bass plays and drummer are more indie rockers. The songs just aren't that good; the singer has got some shit American accent singing going on, not sure where he's going with that. And the way he and the guitarist are acting they've seen way to many rock videos and are trying way too hard to rock out, it looks way to forced to point of it being silly. It's all a bit underwhelming really. The riffs are forgets or as are the lyrics, there's nothing on offer here that's going to make you say oh I'll go out and terriers latest CD, it looks like there fans are the only ones enjoying themselves can't say the same for the rest of the crowd.

Gentleman's Pistol, are next up, Now this is more like it, some 70s sounding hard rock, bit of deep purple, led zep, Sabbath thrown in there. There are a lot of really good riffs on display here, they look like they fell out of the 70s too and they’re getting a great response from the crowd also. The sound is slightly dry which works really well with what there playing it sounds correct. A lot of this is down to the superb bass playing and tone. I am liking this band. I wouldn't let ya is there new single, very 70s, fast rock track, really great rhythm, sounds like a UFO song. These guys are playing in the wrong decade for sure. The drumming is simple that's all it needs really and the guitar playing catchy, fun to listen to, it's got a real good vibe going on, I like it....alot!

The Sword a 4 piece hard rock/stoner metal band and I think the band turning to more of a hard rock sound, has worked for them. They open with Unearthing the orb and then Tres Brujas, but I could barely hear the vocals, which happened to plagued the first few songs. Arrows in the dark closed out the opening of the set. How Heavy This Axe, Barael's Blade, The Chronomancer I: Hubris, Lawless lands, the superb Warp riders, Freya, Horned goddess, completed the middle of the set. The newer songs it's worked out well for them changing the style of them, and some of their older material sound a bit dry and boring at times. Tonight there having a good one, few sound problems vocal needed to go up, and the volume could have been turned down a tad but it's good stuff. Drumming is nice and solid, the guitar playing really good lots of decent riffs and a few pretty good solos. It's a real dirty sound, sounds like clutch at times, not surprising, same genre and all that. Not the liveliest of most talkative of bands by that's a minor point to grumble about. Massacre, Night City started the closing of the set really well, the guys are really on form, and they close in fine style with Tears of fire and Winters Wolves. It was a good night, the room was packed out and very hot and sweaty in there, but good fun to watch at least two great bands tonight.

Signify - 2/5
Gentleman's Pistol - 4/5
The Sword - 4/5

Review By Robert Lawrence

 The Sword


J. D. Cronise
Kyle Shutt
Bryan Richie

 Gentleman's Pistols


James Atkinson
Douglas McLaughlan
Bill Steer
Stuart Dobbins

 Signify


Coming Soon

 Band Related Links
The Sword Myspace
Gentleman's Pistols Myspace
Signify Myspace
 Review Score Code
- Top Cheese
- Brilliant
- Pretty damn good
- Ok I guess
- What Was That?