Core

Core headlined what turned out to be the launch gig for their new CD-EP, and proceeded to justify every bit of that, with a set that had to be one of the best they've played to date and showing just how big a potential this band has got in the metal world out there. Right from the start, the thing that immediately separates this trio from the others, is a razor sharp sense of dynamics in their arrangements. Their riffs are the sort of thing that metal and rock fans kill for, the sort of riffs and rhythms that prove utterly irresistible to the potential headbanger. But, throughout the set, these core riffs are surrounded by a sense of light and shade that only succeeeds in making the roar erupt even more into your consciousness than it's already doing. The trio played so strongly you'd have thought there might have been fivce of them on that stage, the guitarist belting out the vocals with a whispering venom and a mad-as-fuck holler, as song after wondrous song just poured out of that PA system with the force of a wrecking ball and the intensity of a tornado. The songs themselves are memorable, the riffing undercurrents, even more so, and as "real metal" goes, this is Classic stuff, the sort of thing that would have the writers of Metal Hammer reaching for the phones to find out more about this band. Right down to the wire attack of "Take The Power Back", the band provided an incredibly powerful set of well thought-out, arranged, played and sung rock attack, sounding positively evil at times, and always allowing the emotional density of the playing to let loose with a vengeance. As they hammered out a stunner of a set to a large and enthusiastic audience, you become acutely aware of how quickly this band is improving and what enormous potential they've got in the wide world of metal and rock - and they're not even anywwhere near a peak yet. As metal bands go, one of the best in the UK right now. - Dead Earnest

Core E.P. Review

The guy from Core thrust this into my hand at Droothys saying, "the quality's not brilliant but see what you think". Methinks he does himself down a tad. The quality's actually really good - OK so it's recorded quieter than most but all you have to do is turn the volume control up and - bingo!!! - metallic bliss! The opener, "Lie To Me" is superb - brooding verses that shudder along on waves of thick bass and drums that erupt into a chorus of hardcore vocal intensity and monumental rhythm work as the guitars swirls and snarls all over the mix. The dynamics of the track range from a whisper to a scream - literally - making the explosive parts of the track all the more effective and as a slice of raging hard-hitting contemporary metal, this is just blindingly good.
Following this comes "Take The Power Back" which hits blitzkrieg mode right from the start as this powerful sea of riffing begins the track, before it falls back to that thunderously brooding lyrical quality of the verses before exploding in another hail of riffing before returning to the menacing vocal of the verses. Then the whole thing lifts as the chorus refrain appears and the track intensifies into this molten metal sun that flares and blinds to jaw-dropping degree, finally dropping back and arranged just perfectly. It reminded me of someone I can't recall (fat lot of use that is to you!!!) but I tell you that this is one sensational barnstormer of a track for its mix of dynamics and delivery.
Finally we get "Tonight", this time starting slowly with chiming guitar, shuffling drums and deep bass as the hydra-like hypnotic qualities of the whispered vocal come into play and you're caught in its spell, only to be shaken out of your seat as the whole thing suddenly erupts into life in a tornado of swirling guitars and rhythm, the whole thing then dropping back and decidedly a Metallica quality to its sound, delivery and arrangement, and that's a complement - trust me. The process continues as the track dives and soars to its end point. Overall, when turned way up, this is a stunner of an EP from a hardcore Dundee band who exude quality of writing, class arranging and potential to last the course, from every pore - early days, but this is superb stuff - definitely a band to watch.
- Dead Earnest