Event: SOS Festival 

Artists: Fury UK, Babylon Fire, Nightvision, Evil Scarecrow, Inferno, Betraeus, Vice  

Date: 16th July 2011   

In 2010 toping our poll of favourite festivals was Rocksector Records own S.O.S.Festival, this was the festivals third year and the first two-day event, which featured a Metal Day and a Rock Day. So impressed by not just the talent on display at the event but also the organisation behind the event, the venue itself, value for money and so much more.

So it when this years event came round we wondered if they could pull it off again, although we shouldn’t have doubted this as Mark and Lynne from Rocksector Records are consummate professionals in everything they do and never do anything by half measures.  This years festival would again be two superb days of Rock and Metal, that managed to mix such a varied spectrum of bands and artists, there really was literally something for all tastes.  This years festival also saw the return of the popular acoustic sets between bands which went down so well last year.  I suppose it was a no-brainer to have them back again this year.

Day one’s Metal Day got off underway with two titanic Metal bands in the form of Vice and Betraeus, the later of which looked familiar to those who attended the mighty Bloodstock last year.  Unfortunately we arrived just as Vice were finishing off their set and only managed to catch the tail end of ‘Wrath’ and Betraeus were a little to heavy for my tastes, but those who did see them gave a good account of them in the bar after the set, but like I said at the start, there was enough variety to quench even the driest metal fans thirst for metal.

Next it was Inferno who very much more our my cup of tea.  They soon went to town with a blistering set of Punk infused Metal like true gunslingers they hit us hard, they hit us fast and shoot to kill was definitely their motto of the day.  That's exactly what Inferno did with their set, which included blistering high points being the single ‘Veni Vidi Vici’, ‘The Suicide Pact’, the guitar orientated rocker ‘Judas’, ‘The Lions Den’ and ‘Snakes And Ladders'.  The latter of the two which are taken from their latest album ‘Welcome To The Lions Den’.  Even the set closer, a yet untitled piece, rocked big style.  A band well worth checking out and definitely one of the bands of the day.

After the intense Population Four (too intense for my delicate ear drums), it was time for the Evil Scarecrow, a band that have come leaps and bounds since I first caught them many moons ago at the Civic Hall in Mexborough.   The band brought forth the theatrical portion of the weekend as the zombie rockers Dr. Hell – (vocals, guitars), Brother Pain – (guitars), Kraven Morrdeth – (bass), Princess Luxury – (keyboards) and Ringmaster Monty Blitzfist - drums, hit the stage running with ‘War and Seek’ and the ‘Vampyre Trousers’.  This is a band that can instantly win over a crowd and put a smile on everyone’s faces whatever their musical tastes.  It was plain to hear and see why the band went down such a storm with the Gwar fans.   The tongue and cheek metal continued with ‘Sixty Six Minutes Past Six', before rocking up a storm with the darkest animated cartoon theme tune of all time, the Thundercats theme tune (!), before bringing the heads down metal once more with ' Morbid Witch'. But it was the set closers of ' Blackened The Everything' and the fantastic ‘Robototron' that really rocked the place and wrapped up a great set from a band that brought a touch of the rock circus to the day.

Not many bands can get away with this look and not many bands can persuade their watchers to dance like a 70's robot, but these guys (and girl) manage it with oodles of style and lashing of blood encrusted class.  Definitely a band to watch out for.  If they're ever playing in a town near you go see them and revel in their marvelous glory.   After the Parody Metal of ES it was time to bring a little power metal vibe to proceedings with Nightvision, a band that last year we only caught a briefly so this year we set out to catch the entire set, and the Lincolnshire boys didn’t disappoint.  The band of brothers Daryl and Dean Hocking, Neil Wallis, and Dave McKee came out fighting and pulled no punches mixing hard rock with melodic metal with rip- snorters like ‘Mine All Mine’, the thumping ‘Nightmare’, even the new song ‘So Many Lies’ showed the band were really not holding back on iota today.   The band impressed all that stood mesmerized by their set before rounding things off with ‘Post Tour Blues’, which was the cherry on the cake.   Next up were local hero’s Greater Manchester’s Babylon Fire who like Nightvision before them were appearing again after their triumphant appearance last year, and again the Manchester boy gave a great account of themselves with their own breed of intense metal.

Mark D and the band really took to place by the scruff of the neck and threw every inch of themselves into putting on a great show with ball busting anthems like ‘The Cycle Of Addiction’, the rapid fire metal of ‘New Day’ and the fantastic ‘The Day The Angels Died’.  We even saw the first mosh-pit of the day appear during their set with the crowd well up for it and totally on their side.  Even throwing in new song ' Shattered Crowd’ didn’t throw a spanner in the works and the crowd lapped them all up. Another band that we had to call time on was esOterica who again were a little heavy for my taste but again this was a day that really mixed things up and with the metal world now having many paths you cant like everything but that’s what SOS is all about mixing it up and that’s why we like this festival the variety is just second to none.

Well to say the crowd had developed into a mighty throng at this point in the day would have been an understatement.  As the time rapidly approached for Saturday headliners the mighty Fury UK to hit the stage so did every person from every corner and every room.  Ah yes it was now time for THE band everyone had waited all day to finally take to the stage for their performance.  

This is a band that I can't praise enough and one that has grown in stature over the years and are, in my honest opinion, Britain’s premier Metal trio on the circuit today.

These three guys, Chris and Luke Appleton and Martin McNee, give 110% in each and every performance they do, no matter whether it be in the small clubs or the larger venues, their shows are always of the highest quality and tonight would prove to be no exception.

The band went for the jugular from the off with ‘I See Red’, during which the guys performance was tighter than a fishes whats-it (I mean water tight), with Martin really looking the part behind his newly endorsed Dualist drum kit, while Chris powered out the licks and Luke threw out those big ballsy bass lines like a demon.

Taking songs from the ever growing back catalogue and mixing it up with the thumping ‘Call To Arms’ and the melodic ‘Athena’.  Even when the guys were joined on stage by the Polefire pole dancers twirling like their very lives depended on it during ‘Manslaughter’, the guys never missed a beat.  I bet there's not many hot blooded males out there that could have pulled that one off.  While at this point in the proceedings the younger members of the audience were ushered further back in the crowd, the older male population could be seen surging forward and frothing at the mouth.  Obviously must have been a favourite song of theirs!

The band turned up the heat with the mighty ‘V.R’ before the slow burning spectacle of ‘The Remainder’, but what really sets this band apart from the average Joe metal band is the sheer depth of talent the band has behind it.  Not only do they have the goods musically but their stage craft is just getting better and better and what better way to show off this tremendous talent off than with the storming ‘Death By Lightning’ and the set closer ‘Fall From Grace’.

This band are the real deal and that place at Wacken or Grassop can’t be far away.  They would go down an absolute storm with the European festival crowd and then the world would surely be their oyster.

Again a storming day of pure metal in all its shades and variations.  My feet might be hurting but I for one can't wait for tomorrow to do it all again on Rock Day.  I just hope my ears and liver can take the pace!

All content copyright of The Mayfair Mall Zine unless otherwise stated.