There were two other bands on tonight, but I didn't watch them. Though the one I did view with one eye on the video screen downstairs, while listening to the death metal reverberating through the ceiling from upstairs. Death metal ain't my thing really, which is perhaps one reason I didn't go and watch it. The other could be cos I'm a wanker, but hey, them's the breaks.
Crawll are a band that just don't look like a band, in that there's 4 distinct personalities on stage. I don't know if it works or not. They can do their thing, but there's still that lack of songs sticking in the mind, only closer Bite My Lip, with it's almost Machine Head like vocal refrain has stuck in there since the last time. A few more memorable moments like that and we may be in business.
The guitarist from Crawll crops up again this time as the new (or maybe stand-in, I don't know which) bassist for Own Worst Enemy. And the one thing that impresses me, is that although when he uses a pick he looks and plays the bass like a guitarist, he also finger picks as well occasionally. Anyway, he seems to fit in ok, there's no obvious mistakes, though I probably miss a mistake if it punched me in the face. The first track, I don't know if it's new or not, but it's got an edge away from the more standard hardcore fare that they normally ply. It's more atmospheric, and if it is new, it's a good road for them to be going down. The song that isn't called I'm Not A Murder but is what I call it is still the standout, but as the set progresses, even though there's not many people here to witness it, and the guitarist, bassist and vocalist play most of the set offstage, it feels like they've got a knack of writing pretty decent songs, and are one of the better hardcore bands around. Or metalcore. Or whatevercore.