Brutai + F.S.I @ New Cross Inn, New Cross

Each month The Metal Cross night brings you a selection of local metal bands to the New Cross Inn.

Any band who's singer sounds a little like Barney Greenway from Napalm Death is always going to be interesting, and HEADRUSH (6.5/10) are certainly that. Tonight their middle-ground metal sound with extreme vocals works well. AMONGST THE ASHES (6) have a lot of ideas which shine through when they play. Their sound moves from heavy European style metal to a cover of Faith No More's 'The gentle art of making enemies' and then into a more groove-orientated direction as the set progresses. This lack of cohesion could of let them down but their fanbase enjoyed every last minute.

F.S.I (7) look and sound like they have been touring their backsides off for years. Their self-styled shanty metal sounds like a drunken brawl between Mastodon and The Gates of Slumber, and their onstage presence is such that they not only take over the stage but the whole venue, leaving their huge muscular musical mark in the process.

Remember the times when you have seen a band and thought you could easily listen to them all night long, before being rudely awakened by the fact that the set had finished? Tonight Catford four-piece BRUTAI (8) are storming. The most impressive thing about their material is the way they effortlessly combine many influences into their own music without sounding like those influences. There is a little Trivium here and there, but dirtier and grittier with vocalist Felix Lawrie's floorless transition between gruff and melodic vocals enabling the songs to move without hindrance. There are bites of Maiden, but these are submerged into a network of wonderful riffs and roving solos from lead guitarist Henry Ryan, driving each song into musical ectasy. Meanwhile the rhythem section gives the band an extra layer, a an almost Gojira-style heaviness which keeps the band afloat on a sea of well structured songs. With the crowd transfixed Brutai manage to churn out one of the best performances by an unsigned band since Snakebite and Sanctorum at Bloodstock.

Catch Brutai in a small dark venue near you soon as it is only a matter of time before they are dragged into the light.

http://www.myspace.com/brutai
http://www.myspace.com/fsimentalists
http://www.myspace.com/ataband
http://www.myspace.com/headrusharemetal