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Some bands like to softly ease themselves into a gig. Not Senses Fail. Right from the start they’re creating a brain meltingly loud crash, the band charging through their set. There’s no gentle introductions here, just a thunderous sound. Rattling through an hour long set that contained material from both of the band’s albums plus their debut EP there’s no pause for breath.
At times you think the band might be better off pacing themselves but the crowd doesn’t seem to mind. A motley, all ages lot, most are in raptures as soon as the band hit the stage and the mosh pit is swiftly started as the band blitz through the aggressive, volatile hardcore punk of ‘Sick Or Sane’ and ‘Shark Attack’. Vocalist Buddy Nielsen never stops jumping around, like a demented, angsty version of the Energiser Bunny. With a lot less fur obviously.
Nielsen’s an interesting character. His voice initially sounds terrible, a whiny stereotypical emo moan more than anything else. Luckily, that changes as the night progresses and he proves he’s capable of an almighty scream when he wants to. He also interrupts the flow twice, firstly to state his approval of gay marriages and to ask the crowd’s opinion. The second time is to discuss the theme of depression that runs throughout the band’s most recent album, ‘Still Searching.’ Both statements are greeted warmly, though it does make one wonder if Bono has suddenly entered the building in disguise.
While Nielsen’s vocals can test your patience, thankfully the band’s musicianship does not. Both guitarists, Garrett Zablocki and Heath Saraceno are able to produce an furious overall noise yet they’re also able to infuse the songs with some strong individual riffs. Oddly, the song that leaves the biggest impression is one that leaves the band’s formula behind, that being ‘The Priest And The Matador’. It’s a bruising, slow burning number that brings the regular set to a close, creating a tense atmosphere as it builds, eventually bubbling over.
It’s a shame the band don’t do more of it. While the sound is of a high standard it does stagnate at times, certain songs blending into each other and leaving you hoping for more variety. There’s only so many times Nielsen can holler with rage over an urgent, fast background noise before it wears thin and you can’t help but hope that the band test themselves a bit more in future. However, a screeching unruly ‘One Eight Seven’ finishes things off on a high, proof that , while they do have their flaws, when Senses Fail get it right they’re a potent, fearsome force.
