Mishkin

Live at Empire on Saturday, 20th August 2011

The stage is set, the crowd is ready and the atmosphere is heavy with anticipation. It's time for Saturday's headliners at the inaugural Metal Fringe to deliver.

With an entrance build up worthy of a sell-out stadium tour, the mighty Mishkin arrive on stage to cheers, screams and joyful whoops. Kicking off with 'A Good Day to Die' they set the tone for a high energy, top quality set of melodic metal.

It is refreshing to witness a true front man at work in Ben Davy. He demands respect and attention with a confident and compelling stage presence. His roaring rock vocal deliciously delivers melodies that swirl around the contrapuntal guitar hooks, while seamlessly switching to a satisfying scream ripping through the heavier sections.

The newer material exhibits the band's top notch song-writing skills, in particular 'On Your Sleeve', a catchy, rhythmic revolution which attacks your eardrums harmoniously and makes sure you can't stand still. Also worthy of note from their recent EP 'Row Away From The Rocks' is 'Waiting For The World To Change' which has hit written all over it, with its emotive, anthemic chorus and classic rock ballad feel. Judging by the crowd's reaction tonight they agree!

Having followed Mishkin's progressive ascent in the local and UK metal scene for the last five years it is a real pleasure to watch them steadily evolving into real contenders for superstardom. This may be a bold claim, but I challenge you to disagree; go and watch them live and you'll find it difficult to argue!

Much to my delight a couple of old favourites make an appearance in the set list; the brilliant 'Elevate' gains a euphoric reception, and rightly so- this song has all the ingredients, both light and dark to feed the metal hungry mass. The first song I ever saw Mishkin play, back at The Brudenell Social Club a good few years ago 'The Lesson' is a triumph too and performed tonight just as passionately as it was when I first heard it. It is one of those songs that will have you bursting into song as you walk down the street, and sticks in your head until you pay it the attention it deserves- listen to it loud and enjoy.

Mishkin's music is addictive. It matures with every listen and the live experience will leave you soaked in sweat and sound and yelling for more. The musicianship of all the members is equally matched and the raw love of what they do is written across every Mishkin Man's face. Power ballads, heavy metal anthems and a magnificent mesh of everything in between; Mishkin have it all.

• www.mishkin.co.uk

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