Organised by a member of the band Crimson Altar, this event served to showcase a selection of the current UK female fronted metal scene. This was my first time at The Peel, an extremely awkward to get to venue on a Sunday but a nice one none the less, small but with a good atmosphere and a chance to get up close and personal with the bands due to the small size.

CRIMSON TEARS

First up were Crimson Tears – a new band, with only a very few live shows under their belts, they are currently making a name for themselves in the scene with their great EP ‘Gothica’. Their sound is much better than when I saw them previously at the Zebra Bar, providing a better showcase for their songs. Their inexperience shows on stage with a slightly awkward look to the band members and a lack of cohesion in their performance, though vocalist Gina has bags of energy and her antics with a whip are a sight to see. Any awkwardness is sure to vanish with time and more live experience however, and I look forward to seeing how they progress. [7]

LIQUID SKY

Next up were Liquid Sky who proved to be my very pleasant surprise of the evening. When I saw them previously at Bloodstock 04 they did not impress at all, largely due to the vocalist of the time, and so I was not expecting to be impressed this time around either. However replacing the previous singer with new vocalist Hecate seems to have transformed Liquid Sky – they were like a totally different band and put on a really excellent show. Energetic performances, Hecate’s great stage presence and some excellent rocking tunes meant I thoroughly enjoyed them and am definitely looking forward to the album they promised for early next year. [8]

CRIMSON ALTAR

Third on the bill (and too high up in my personal opinion) were Crimson Altar. I really wanted to like them as it was a member of CA that organised the event – unfortunately they did nothing for me at all. Uninspiring songs and a lacklustre vocalist meant I was just waiting for them to be over almost as soon as they began. They seemed to impress a few members of the audience, but a large portion also wandered off to the bar (myself included), and they definitely rate as the poorest band of the evening, and possibly one of the poorest bands I've seen full stop. [4]

MERCURY RAIN

Mercury Rain were playing for the first time with a new drummer, a new guitarist and with no keyboards. All these changes could have led to them sounding messy or lacklustre, however the new heavier approach worked very well live, with the band providing an enjoyable and accomplished set and one that inspired me to dig out my copy of their album St Matthieu the next day. [7]

SEASON'S END

The headlining band Season's End did not disappoint, putting on another excellent show, easily the equal of their Bloodstock performance, despite the smaller venue and less brilliant sound. The band have gotten better and better every time I have seen them, proving themselves to be the very best the UK has to offer right now in their sphere. It was excellent to finally hear 'Celestia' live, and it certainly went down well with the crowd, as did fan favourite ‘Ghost in my Emotion’. New song ‘Into the Flames’ sounds great also, and bodes well for the quality of their next album. Season’s End deserve to go places and I'm glad I’ve had the opportunity to see them up close while they still play smaller venues. [9]