This evening left me speechless! From the most beautiful acoustic band to the darkest of metal groups, we really are proving there is a lot of creativity and talent within HK bands. Thanks to all the bands that made Underground 40 so special!
love Chris B xx
Psalm
i’m not normally much of a fan of acoustic, but psalm defines how it should be done. much more than just emotion-spilling, their creation is very beautiful and finely crafted with care. a bit like “within temptation” but not metal or gothic. much like a duet of butterflies peacefully drifting through a rose garden with a gently flowing stream nearby. and i’m not just making this up, it really takes me there. it takes a little imagination, but they’re almost like a new-age version of Tool. very entrancing and captivating.
Amos
Mad Mud
the first thing noticed is their 70s classic rock style, and the second is the inaccuracy of the drummer. just a reminder folks, don’t drink and drum. otherwise very solid and grooving, a band right out of woodstock. i can easily imagine being in a huge crowd billowing with smoke and cursing the establishment, thoroughly enjoying the vibe. i thought i detected a bit of “rage against the machine” in them earlier, but wasn’t quite sure until they covered “killing in the name of”. good stuff.
Amos
The Sinister Left
My first time to an Underground show and I was blown away by this band. Half rock and half something else, the four talented musicians captivated me (and I’m not gay!) with commanding vocals and solid music. Not in-your-face rock music, although the lyrics were, the music was alternative with strong beats. Obviously appealing to the females of HK as the audience was 75% attractive females. Thank you The Sinister Left.
Ben Gracey
Defiant Scum
True to their name, they defy goodness and normalcy at every opportunity. rebellious punk that’s always one step away from moshing, and they defy even that line, causing outbreaks of it. you can normally only find stuff like this on college radio stations (such as www.kgrg.com), but here they are, live, blowing away everybody’s better sense. halfway between death metal and punk, they ooze attitude from every pore, and throw it in your face. it’s a good thing damaged tissue regenerates, or you’d be in a heap of trouble listening to them. they’re beyond definition, just think verbal pesticide and you’re close. as the set progressed, fans started hatching and moshing more, as they should. We at the Underground approve.
Amos
Evocation
a lot of death metal bands are just intensity without context, but Evocation tells an agonized, tortured story with their horrible screams. they grab you by your most sensitive parts and whip you around, leaving you thoroughly bruised and grateful for the opportunity to have your soul raped and pissed on and trampled all over by such professionals. i’ve heard a lot of death metal, and nothing compares to their complexity, coherence, sense of purpose, and sheer intensity. going between fast and slow while maintaining the flow, Evocation is the perfect musical cross between calculus and the atomic bomb.
Amos
Above photos © Copyright 2007 by Yan and Manek
Poster by Dave Burdick
