Archive – Gig review: Eyefear + Blacksmith + Stormtide + Mattersphere at Bald Faced Stag (2015)

Live review: Eyefear, Blacksmith, Stormtide and Mattersphere at Bald Faced Stag, Sydney, Friday, August 28 2015

By PERRY GRAYSON

OPENERS Blacksmith are a very young Sydney band with plenty of promise. Sonically they are a mixture of eighties metal and seventies heavy rock swagger. Riot girl guitarist Sam Barker is a standout, attacking her axe with her fingers as opposed to a pick. Though Blacksmith often wear their influences on their sleeves, they still rocked steady. Expect greater things to come for Blacksmith in the near future.

Stormtide from Victoria were next. Stylistically they are a semi-melodic death metal band. They are very capable, but not suited to all heavy rock ‘n’ metal tastes.

Canberra’s Mattersphere were third on the bill. They played a set of melodic hard rock and straight-up metal, which was pleasant on the ears after the extremeness of Stormtide.

Veteran Victoria progressive/power metallers Eyefear headlined the evening, their last Sydney gig of 2015. With a history that dates back to the mid-1990s, Eyefear are a force to be reckoned with. Despite a low crowd attendance Eyefear pulverised the Sydney patrons with their keyboard-infused metal. Vocalist Danny Cecati is a highly skilled and charismatic with hair flowing to his ankles, leading the tight five-piece to heights of metal majesty. Guitarist Kosta unleashed salvos of chunky rhythms and delay-flooded leads, while Ax-Synth wielding Seb Schneider dominated the mix.