Music / Previews
Metal & Prog Picks: May 2022
All bases are covered this month, from state-of-the-art extreme metal (Meshuggah) to classic psychedelic prog (Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets).
If the show of your choice has sold out and you fancy taking a punt on something new, the Von Hertzen Brothers cannot be recommended highly enough.
is needed now More than ever
Thekla, May 1
Mostly instrumental San Diego stoners who shamefully claim not to smoke weed and are as influenced by Krautrock as they are by Sabbath, power trio Earthless certainly don’t disappoint with their new album, Night Parade of One Hundred Demons (Nuclear Blast). This comprises just three tracks of psychedelic hard rock stretched over 61 leisurely minutes.
Thekla, May 4
Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri must have been astonished to find that this name was still available when they put together their own band. The duo are veterans of the legendary Kyuss, alongside Josh Homme, and Oliveri also played alongside Homme in Queens of the Stone Age – until he was fired in 2004. Together with Brant Bjork’s long-time drumming sidekick Ryan Gut, they’ve made it their mission to trade in “big, groovy sunbaked riffs” inspired by heroes ranging from Blue Oyster Cult, Kiss and Blue Cheer to the Ramones, Misfits, Black Flag, The Stooges and MC5. Third album Totally . . . is out now. Skin up (er, metaphorically) and get on down.
Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets
The Forum, Bath, May 7
It was all too easy to be cynical about Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets when they started out back in 2018. Here was Pink Floyd’s drummer playing that section of Floyd’s catalogue generally overlooked by his former compatriots with a band comprising a former Blockhead, a veteran sessioner and an aging New Romantic. Incredibly, however, it turned out to be brilliant, with Gary Kemp surpassing all (low) expectations as he stepped into Syd Barrett’s shoes. As the name suggests, Saucerful of Secrets limit themselves to the 1967-72 period, even digging up the fan-delighting Barrett obscurity Vegetable Man. This Echoes tour comprises two full sets with no support act, so be sure to get there early. And if you’ve read his autobiography, you’ll know that Mason has rather a droll approach to all things Floyd, which occasionally surfaces in the live show. “We are not the Australian Roger Waters,” he told an American audience. “Nor are we the Danish David Gilmour, nor, as someone rather cruelly put it, the celebrity antiques road show.”
Thekla, May 11
Huge back home in Finland (where they regularly top the charts), but mysteriously rather tiddly elsewhere, the massively talented Von Hertzen siblings have been guilty of trying a little too hard in the past. But Kie, Mikko and Jonne have really come up trumps with their eighth album, Red Alert in the Blue Forest, which has been acclaimed as “a masterpiece” and “an early contender for Album of the Year” by Prog magazine. Those gorgeous trademark harmonies remain intact, but they’ve moved away from the big stadium rock approach to return to their melodic prog roots, with longer pieces linked by the theme of mankind’s growing imbalance with nature. If you’ve not seen them on any of their previous visits to Bristol, give ’em a chance and prepare to be amazed.
Bowling For Soup acoustic singlong
Thekla, May 22
That’s just Jaret and Rob making a swift return to Bristol after Bowling For Soup’s recent O2 Academy show (Chris presumably staying at home to be with his pies, along with drummer Gary). Last time Jaret played the Thekla on his own, it was a jolly singalong affair with much anecdotage and audience participation. Probably not the best place to start if you’re new to BFS, but something of a treat for fans.
O2 Academy, May 22
Grammy-nominated Danish rockabilly metallers Volbeat have certainly carved out a niche for themselves with their Metallica-meets-Johnny Cash approach. Agreeably riff-driven eighth album Servant of the Mind delivers the crunchy riffs that felt a little toned-down on its immediate predecessor. Support tonight comes from veteran Brummie death metallers Benediction.
O2 Academy, May 29
Incredibly, extreme metal’s greatest innovators continue to stay well ahead of their ravening pack of imitators on ironically titled eighth album, Immutable, which has received near-universal acclaim in the metal and prog press. The best way to experience these polyrhythmic Swedes is at their live shows, which are a perfect fusion of sound and light. But Meshuggah only head our way every five years, so expect a full house for this show. Full marks too for not bringing along another extreme metal act as support. Instead we get something completely different in the intriguing form of Manuel Gagneux’s Swiss avant-metallers Zeal & Ardor, who trade in an unlikely blend of black metal, blues, jazz and gospel. Indeed, when asked for his influences, Gagneux has cited Iron Maiden, Portishead and Tom Waits.
COMING SOON
Here’s our essential diary of upcoming gigs that should be of interest to anyone of a rockin’ disposition.
Steve Vai, O2 Academy, June 9
The Quireboys, Thekla, June 17
High On Fire, Fleece, June 26
Tremonti, O2 Academy, June 27
Mushroomhead, Thekla, June 27
Brass Against, Fleece, June 28
Rammstein, Principality Stadium, Cardiff, June 30
Love with Johnny Echols, Fleece, July 3
Old Man Gloom, Exchange, July 8
King Buffalo, Exchange, July 20
Steelhouse Festival: Michael Schenker Group, Ace Frehley, Orange Goblin, Diamond Head. H.E.A.T., Green Lung, etc., Hafod-y-Dafal Farm, Ebbw Vale, July 29-31
GWAR, Fleece, August 10
ArcTanGent: Opeth, Cult of Luna, Tesserat, Enslaved, Pallbearer, Amenra, Zeal & Ardor, etc., Fernhill Farm, August 17-20
Evergrey, Thekla, Sept 19
Magnum, Fleece, Sept 19
Vola, Fleece, Sept 27
Cheap Trick, O2 Academy, Oct 4
Steve Hackett, Bath Forum, Oct 5
Anthrax/Municipal Waste, O2 Academy, Oct 6
The Sheepdogs, Thekla, Oct 7
Rosalie Cunningham, Chapel Arts Centre Bath, Oct 8
Ryan Hamilton & Warner E. Hodges, Thekla, Oct 16
Dare, Fleece, Oct 23
Skid Row/Winger/Phil X and the Drills, O2 Academy, Oct 23
Cradle of Filth, Marble Factory, Oct 27
Rosalie Cunningham, Thekla, Oct 30
Despised Icon/Decapitated, Fleece, Nov 2
Pallbearer/Elder, Fleece, Nov 3
Saxon, Bath Forum, Nov 15
Frost*, Komedia, Bath, Nov 30
Clutch, O2 Academy, Dec 13
Lamb of God/Kreator, O2 Academy, Dec 16
Imonolith, Exchange, Jan 26 2023
Epica/Apocalyptica, O2 Academy, Jan 30 2023
Karnivool, O2 Academy, Feb 3 2023
Katatonia/Solstafir, Marble Factory, Feb 12 2023
Avatar, SWX, Feb 23 2023
Napalm Death, O2 Academy, March 7 2023
WASP, O2 Academy, March 23 2023
Bloodywood, Fleece, March 29 2023
The Zombies, Fleece, April 13 2023
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