Behind Crimson Eyes, MereTheory, In Fiction, The OpenSeason @ UniBar, Adelaide,(21/10/06)

Mon 23rd Oct, 2006 in Gig Reviews

The Open Season were the first act to take to the stage. A fair sized crowd drawn by the good sound and strong rhythm. The random screaming that appeared occasionally seemed forced and unnecessary. Last song of the set, Never Forget started with an awkward opening, but I was pleasantly surprised when it turned into quite a good song.

In Fiction opened with Last Breath, their melodic pop-punk/rock intensely catchy.  Here in a Way, the first track off their debut EP, The Four Letter Failure, really got the crowd moving. Showcasing their diversity in song writing, Calender Notes started as a pop-punk ballad with crowd sing-a-long, to become a heavier pop rock anthem. Between songs, frontman Brad Gilbertson struggled to converse with the crowd, whether he was out of breath or just tired, I couldn’t tell. Final song, Resignation had the crowd moving and singing along once again.

While less energetic on stage than In Fiction, Mere Theory produced good sound and song structure which ensured regular mosh pit action from the audience. Their more mature rock sound showed why they are local favourites.

Finally headlining act Behind Crimson Eyes appeared and the crowd seemed to double in size when they opened with The Art of War. The audience instantly draw in; cheering and moving. After being holed up recording the entire band looked like they were really enjoying being back on the stage. First new song of the night started with a hand clap and had a definitive darker feel. If the new songs they played tonight are any indication, the album is going to be impressive. First single off the forthcoming album, Shakedown, already had people singing along. The evening slowed down slightly with Cherry Blossom Epitaph and Empty Promises, before kicking back into more new material; Children of the Broken Hearted and The Underworld. While their stage presence is powerfully energetic and Josh Stuart has perfected his screaming, the coloured lights flashing into the crowd were highly annoying. Set closer Revenge had the crowd moving again before cheers for one more song quickly went up.

For their encore, the audience were impressed with the acoustic Sorry Doesn’t Cut It, followed by the heavier, screamo anthem The Black Veil; the mosh pit warming up again for one last time.

Behind Crimson Eyes’ debut album A Revelation for Despair is to be released mid November.