It’s a bit of a long story why I’m at this gig. I love Gallows and so I’ve been keeping an eye on their guitarist Lag’s new band Krokodil. They announced they were opening this show, so I checked out Kylesa and oh my I was sold. I listened to their amazing newest album ‘Ultraviolet’, which encouraged me to listen to the rest of their albums, which all blew me away. They seem to effortlessly mix every rock genre under the sun, be it punk, metal, prog, stoner, noise and even some indie/dream elements. So this show was a no brainer and here’s how it turned out.
Starting off we have Krokodil, the reason I’m here in the first place. The band features one of my favourite guitarists Lags from one of my favourite bands Gallows. I have no idea what to expect as they’re yet to bring out any music and this is only their third ever gig, so I’ve not seen them live. They impress. The songs sound super heavy and have so much groove that people are banging their heads even though they’ve never heard the songs. Simon Wright’s vocals are piercingly sharp, and he’s a great frontman always in someone’s face. They sound like Botch meets Mastodon. Keep an eye on these as their upcoming album sounds like it will slay.
Next is Jagged Vision. Who are the pleasant surprise of the night with their rock n rolled up hardcore. Again, I didn’t know shit about this band, but they were super energetic with their bassist constantly leaping around the stage, insanely fast drum rolls and their frontman displaying high energy and metallic pipes. They throw in an excellent cover of Refused’s ‘Rather Be Dead’ that sits (should I say rages) alongside their own brutal tunes splendidly.
Then there’s the anti-climax in the evening, the band Serria. They’re good, but boy does their set drag on. They’re skilled musicians who make good stoner rock, but there’s nothing really new to their sound and doesn’t make anywhere as much as an impact as the previous bands.
Kylesa are the exact opposite though. Their set seems to finish too soon and have plenty that makes them a very interesting proportion, i.e. two excellent and loud drummers, a thermin and more guitar/bass pedals than the GB Olympic cycling squad. ‘Unspoken’ crushes like nothing else. Laura Pleasants ’s vocals are dreamy, making the song an even more mind bending and wonderful sonic adventure. They don’t move very much, which is surprising given the fast paced and punk nature to many of their songs such as ‘Scapegoat’ and ‘We’re Taking This’ but it still feels like there is energy in the room. These songs are intense and strike something in you that makes you feel you’re under Kylesa’s dark possession. Diehard fans in the crowd can’t help but go mental to songs and I’m amazed the whole crowd aren’t bouncing off the walls at these devastatingly heavy groove of the songs, but sometimes a crowd just aren’t feeling it and that’s not really any fault of Kylesa’s.
They close the main set on the hypnotically brooding ‘Running Red’ which at this point is familiarly strange and brutal, which makes the appearance of their most melodic song ‘Don’t Look Back’ all the more special for the encore. The song that sounds like a joyous meeting of sludge metal, dream pop and melodic rock, with uplifting lyrics such as “Moments of challenged clarity, distorted effect on reality, keep moving don’t look back”. Then they close on ‘Said And Done’ returning to the crushing, and leaving us riffed out.
Great gig that left mine and surely everyone else’s heavy music needs satisfied. If Kylesa (or Krokodil or Jagged Vision) ever stop by in your town, be sure to see them, you won’t be disappointed.
Rating: 7/10.