The release of a new Delilah Bon track is always a big event for me. Delilah Bon (super alter ego of Lauren Tate) is by far one of the world’s most talented and passionate performers today. The new song is “Witch” and it stems from Delilah researching the Salem Witch Trials some months ago. After a few listens, it feels like a song that parallels the infamous witch trials with the misogyny that is so prevalent today. The power, anger, and passion are full-on and that is one of the things that makes it such a great track. Can this be the springboard to burning misogyny at the stake and heating things up so much that the glass ceiling will start to melt? Let’s hope so. Delilah Bon is at her very best here and this, in my opinion, is her best single to date. I have said that before and every time she throws something even better to the world. Not only is Delilah at peak performance but she is supported by none other than the rather amazing ALT BLK ERA. If ever a match was made in music heaven it is this one. Get “Witch” in your ears and on your playlists now! Tell your mates, everyone needs to listen to this.
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The Mayhem Monthly charts return for a second month. Regular readers know the chart is based on my Spotify listening habits over the last month. But I have kept it to contemporary/ contemporaryish artists. The top three “Legacy” artists are David Bowie, Paul Simon, and the Clash. There is a top ten artists chart and a top 5 songs chart. As expected there is quite an eclectic mix of artists including three that were in the top ten last month (ALT BLK ERA, Ren, and Anchor Lane). The top five songs features just one artist that also appears in the artist top ten, that is the Lambrini Girls who sit at the top of both charts this month! So without further ado here are those charts! Click on the header of the song chart for the playlist on Spotify.
MAYHEM ARTIST CHART SEPTEMBER 2023 1Lambrini Girls 2 Bleach Lab 3 Slayyyter 4 Taylor Acorn 5 Stuart Pearce 6 ALT BLK ERA 7 Ren 8 Anchor Lane 9 Hawksley Workman 10 Fall Out Boy
MAYHEM SONG CHART SEPTEMBER 2023 1 Boys In The Band – Lambrini Girls 2 Ripples In The Ether (Live) – Public Service Broadcasting 3 Perfect Picture – Hannah Diamond 4 Choices – Tennessee Holy Water 5 What Did I Say – Fendry
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After six monumentally exciting heats, we have had two of the three semi-finals. I was there as a judge for semi-final 1 but unfortunately could not make the second one. But I will be back in my judge’s wig and robes for the last semi-final on Friday, 6th October, and then the grand final on Sunday, 22nd October!
In the meantime, I can tell you that the first semi-final was, for me, the most exciting night so far and also one of the closest as far as scoring goes. It was won by HÆrtstrings, first band to qualify for the final. It was an unlucky night for Vaquelin, Attacker TV, and I Tell Lies, who all performed great. Don’t forget there will be a judges wildcard again this year so one band that missed the cut in the semis could still make it through.
I heard from my judicial colleagues that the second semi-final on Saturday was another very closely fought contest with Hunter-Gatherer coming out on top at the end. While Belle Velvet, Manic Calm, and Heavy Bloom missed the top spot, there is still the judge’s wild card to be awarded. That will be after the final semi-final. The last semi-final will feature sets from Ømmis, Fervent Red, Offbeat, and Frantics. I suggest that you be there or be a plane figure with four equal straight sides and four right angles!
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I have never been a huge fan of tribute acts and I have only seen a handful over the years. Some that were very good and many that, let’s say politely, weren’t. As far as David Bowie tribute acts went I really wasn’t interested, but then I went to Fibbers in York in January 2017, a year after David Robert Jones’ death to see Absolute Bowie. Let me be completely honest, I really didn’t want to enjoy it, but I did. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I have now seen Absolute Bowie four times including this 2023 show at the wonderful Crescent in York. To paraphrase the words of the Dame himself I had drunk a lot (well a couple of glasses) of wine and I was feeling fine and ready for a night of Bowie nostalgia. I was lucky enough to see the real David Bowie 13 times. That is never going to happen again, so I am happy to accept a classy show from Absolute Bowie, fronted by one of the best Bowie tributes in the world, John O’Neill.
This tour consisted of two sets. The first was a celebration of fifty years of Ziggy Stardust, a character that Bowie famously, or perhaps infamously, killed off back in 1973 and the second was a a great selection of mostly 80s hits. The costume changes in the first set were truly spectacular and included facsimiles of many of Ziggy’s weirdest and most extravagant costumes. All the classic Ziggy period tunes were there. Highlights for me were “Moonage Daydream”, “Time” and “Life On Mars”. The Spiders costumes were spot on too, especially Mick Ronson a.k.a Andy Marr. But it wasn’t just Marr’s costume that was perfect, so was his emulation of Ronson’s greatest riffs. I have never been the biggest fan of Bowie’s 80s output, although I do own everything he ever released, so I wasn’t expecting to be wowed as much as I was by the second set. Kicking off with “Look Back In Anger” was a master stroke. Even “Blue Jean” sounded very special. But my favourite part of the whole night was “Young Americans”. The singalong opportunities with that classic from 1975 almost brought a tear to my eye! I would urge any Bowie fans who feel negative towards tribute acts to get yourselves along to an Absolute Bowie night. We know it’s not the real thing, but it is certainly the closest you are ever likely to come. A truly maximum rock ‘n’ roll night and immense fun remembering the Dame in all his glory!
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Regular readers will know that I was invited back to judge this year’s Battle Of The Bands competition at the Fulford Arms in York. It is a fabulous honour to be chosen to judge such a great contest! As I am on the judging panel, I do not think it is fair to review the shows. But I thought you might like a few updates, this is the third one and covers the final two of the six heats.
Heats 5 and 6 took place on Wednesday, 20th September, and Thursday, 21st September. The lineup for Heat 5 was Red Recluse, Manic Calm, Ømmis, and 5 Or 7. It was yet another close contest, and Manic Calm, along with Ømmis will be in the semi-finals! Heat 6 had another great lineup with Trent and the Crickets, Hunter Gatherer, Gents and Ginger, and I Tell Lies. The two acts going through to the semi-final from Heat 6 are I Tell Lies and Hunter Gatherer. Gents and Ginger initially made the cut but were unable to make any of the dates. Get yourself to the Fulford Arms on Friday, 29th September for the first of the three semi-finals! The other two semi-finals are on Saturday, 30th September, and Friday, 6th October. Check out the semi-final lineups below.
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Regular readers know that I was invited back to judge this year’s Battle Of The Bands competition at the Fulford Arms in York. Obviously, as I am on the judging panel, I do not think it is fair to review the shows. But I thought you might like a few updates, and this is the second one.
Heats 3 and 4 took place on Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th September. The lineup for Heat 3 was Frantics, HÆrtstrings, Chased By Machines, and Uncultured. It was a very close contest, and HÆrtstrings and Frantics will be in the semi-finals! Heat 4 had another great lineup with Belle Velvet, Offbeat, Robo, and Darted. The two winners of Heat 4 were Belle Velvet and Offbeat. Get yourself to the Fulford Arms on Wednesday 20th September and Thursday 21st September for Heat 5 and 6!
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I am incredibly honoured and pleased to say that I have been invited back to judge this year’s Battle Of The Bands competition at the Fulford Arms in York. This year, it is a much bigger event with six heats, three semi-finals, and the final. Obviously, as I am on the judging panel, along with some fine people who are all a part of the music scene in York, I do not think it is fair to review the shows. But I thought you might like a quick update, and yes this one is a bit late.
The first two heats took place on Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th September. The lineup for Heat 1 was Heavy Bloom, Attacker TV, Anthea Drive, and Someone Else’s Radio. It was, as usual, a tight contest, and Heavy Bloom and Attacker TV made it through to the semi-finals! Heat 2 had another great lineup with Fervent Red, Rockbreath, Vaquelin, and Stageminus. The winners of that heat were Vaquelin and Fervent Red. Look out for a brief post on Heat 3 and 4 very soon. Get yourself to the Fulford Arms on Wednesday 20th September and Thursday 21st September for Heat 5 and 6!
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Nottingham sisters Nyrobi and Chya a.k.a. ALT BLK ERA are rapidly becoming Mayhem favourites. This follows them being included in the Mayhem Virgins series, a review of their incredible BBC Introducing Stage headline set at this year’s Leeds Festival, a brief interview with them in a noisy press tent at Leeds in August, and an appearance in the Mayhem charts. Well in amongst all that action, they released their first EP, ‘Freak Show’ which contains five stupendous tracks, some of which have been heard before, along with some excellent new stuff. The opener “I’m Normally Like This” has been available for a while and is a sublime anthem for those who dare to be different. This is for all the misfits, the misplaced, the weirdos, and the oddities, We love you all! ALT BLK ERA is the perfect support act for Delilah Bon. Compatible tunes and parallel passion! “Misfits: SOLAR” has been out there a little while too and is another perfect ode to the outcasts and the unaccepted. This is your call to arms, embrace your originality and shout a big FUCK YOU to the world if they don’t accept who you are!
The title track “Freak Show” does exactly what it says on the tin and so much more. It has shades of full-on dark industrial rock, gorgeously twisted vocals, and hooks that stun you into submission and would not be out of place on the soundtrack to a Tim Burton movie. Perhaps a sequel to ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’. The alternative version of the previously mentioned “Misfits”, known as “Misfits: LUNAR” is the synth and string-laden take of the tune which oozes Gary Numan’s darkest moments and achieves a stygian dark mood that Trent Reznor would be proud of. The EP closes with “Oggy” which on paper should not really work, but on record, it is petrifying in its horrific, twisted beauty. As a live track, it is unsurpassable. That “oggy oggy oggy” chant possibly originates from Devonian Tin-miners’ wives or pasty sellers who apparently shouted it to their men, mostly miners. The firm response from any hungry miner was allegedly “Oi Oi Oi”. Is there a merch opportunity for ALT BLK ERA pasties? Maybe not, but pastry-covered meat treats aside, this is a monumentally fucking awesome EP. ALT BLK ERA has the potential to become planet-straddling huge rock stars!
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In 2019, Promethium, a gang of talented metal heads was featured as the seventh artist in our Mayhem Virgins series. Since then there have been reviews and a few appearances in the Mayhem charts. So obviously when I heard that they have an upcoming album I was very interested indeed! It will be released later in 2023 and is called ‘Bleeding The Ghost’. The band has undergone a lineup change in advance of this, their fifth album. The introduction of James on vocals, Andy on Guitar, and Stu on drums has not taken the quality down at all. Plus Ace guitarist Dan and Bass God, Gentle Ben, are still around to provide riffs aplenty and bass notes that have the power to act as a defibrillator if needed. The album is produced by Promethium’s Dan with Mick Armistead. The lyrics are all by vocalist James Candlin, and I love this bit from the sleeve notes, “Except some bits where it needed to get proper 80s“. These exceptions were provided by axe maestro Dan Lovett-Horn. Sadly you don’t get that level of detail on steaming services, do you?
The album opens with an instrumental, “Goat”. A tune that kicks off in a relatively light acoustic way and powers into a gorgeous crescendo of metal guitars. It almost lulls you into a sense that this might be a slightly softer-sounding album from Lancaster’s finest metal band. But then, the title track kicks off like a proper heavy bastard of a tune. “Bleeding The Ghost” is dark and has an undercurrent of menace and I bloody love it! Just when you might think the massive riffage could not get any bigger, along comes “Priest” which is shaping up to be one of my favourite tracks on this album. At times this evoked memories of both Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden. The lyrics on “Priest” are exceptionally good. In particular “lonely girl was talking to a broken Ouija board” is chilling and fits the song perfectly. If she listened to “Murder She Wrote” I imagine that Angela Lansbury’s head would explode. For in Promethium’s alternative universe, I think Jessica Fletcher, who solved all the murders in Cabot Cove, was actually the murderer!
The band is tight on every track here, but I should give a special shout-out to Stu Gordon whose drumming on “Healing Your Sin” is mountainous and magnificent. The hook in the chorus stays in your head long after it ends too. “Knives Out” has a feel of Ice Nine Kills to it, especially the slasher film tropes in the lyrics. The song is full of electrifying and frenetic energy. The timing for the release of “Manhattan” is perfect, as it is about J. Robert Oppenheimer. Is there a Barbie-related song in the Promethium archive? We need to know! Incidentally Promethium are in good company in using Oppenheimer’s name in their lyrics. Billy Bragg, Nik Kershaw, and most famously Sting. Linkin Park used a sample of Oppnheimer’s voice back in 2010. The gang vocals on the “Catfish” and “Snakebite” choruses are something I can imagine being screamed at mega volume at a Promethium gig. The guitar solos bring back the perfectly formed ghost of some of the greatest NWOBHM bands. To the younger readers, that means the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, a phrase first used in UK music paper ‘Sounds’ in 1979. Ask your Grandparents about it! The album closes with the deep, dark, epic and anthemic “My Fate”. The strings add a film score, cinematic quality to a stunningly good tune! Do everything in your power to get this album, you will not be disappointed! In fact why not pre-order it here?
All images are taken from the band’s social media pages, if one of them is yours and you would like a credit, give me a shout!
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After a long sabbatical, the Mayhem Monthly charts are back, in a slightly revamped form. As regular readers will know, the chart is based on my Spotify listening habits over the last month. But I have kept it to contemporary artists. The top three “Legacy” artists are David Bowie, George Michael, and Alice Cooper. There is a top ten artists chart and a top 5 songs chart. As expected there is quite an eclectic mix of artists including five that I saw at the Leeds Festival last weekend. The top five songs are all by artists that feature in the artist top ten, including four that I saw at Leeds Festival. The two acts at the top have never appeared in previous incarnations of the chart. The number one artist is AL BLK ERA and the number one song was “How Will I Know” by the Amazons. So without further fuss here are those charts! Click on the header of the song chart for the playlist on Spotify.
MAYHEM ARTIST CHART AUGUST 2023 1ALT BLK ERA 2 The Amazons 3 AP Tobler 4 Mothica 5 Ren 6 The Streets 7 Anchor Lane 8 Public Image Limited 9 Antony Szmierek 10 Part Bat
MAYHEM SONG CHART AUGUST 2023 1 How Will I Know? – The Amazons 2 Misfits: SOLAR – ALT BLK ERA 3 The Words To Auld Lang Syne – Antony Szmierek 4 Sleepwalk – Mothica 5 Too Much Yayo – The Streets
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