Live Review: Upsurge Festival Day #1: Sheer Terror Warm-Up Show!

London’s New Cross Inn is the venue for this weekends Upsurge Festival, combining a fine selection of underground Metal and Hardcore talent with a sprinkling of bigger names and UK Exclusives for 2018 across the Bank Holiday. Saturday is billed as the “Sheer Terror Warm Up Show” and sees 8 bands take the stage…

…Victim of Reality [7/10] smash through an old school hardcore punk set closing with “Find A Way” and several massive pick slides. It’s classic, in your face and DIY. The heart of what this venue is about! Imposter [7/10] smash the backline drum kit to within an inch of its life in a short sharp 14 minute set, soaked in feedback and fury. Eat Dirt. [8/10] take it to a new level with their frontman stalking the area in front of the stage and delivering a powerful house display. Inhuman Nature [8.5/10] give the likes of Power Trip a run for their money with a whammy bar crossover thrash hybrid before closing out with a Metal version of Sex Pistols “Pretty Vacant” before the mic cuts out. Last Wishes [9/10] are a phenomenal Metallic Hardcore band from Belfast. They absolutely destroy The New Cross Inn with a set of new and older material. xServitudex frontman James Fisher even hops up onto the stage to snatch the mic for a verse! Who Cares? [7.5/10] blast through their set in such fine form that not only do they need not pause for breath but their frontman can consume several bottles of Newcastle’s finest Brown Ale. xServitudex [8/10] have a live reputation that they live up to and do so in some style. 2017’s “Path To Amnesty” EP has given them the opportunity to share some bigger stages and they’ve grasped that with both hands. Sheer Terror [8/10] take the stage as a four piece, a guitarist light, something they have done previously and that experience shows. Despite issues getting into the country they make it in plenty of time and send the pit crazy with some big sing-a-longs. They do lose some of their energy with some of the talking between songs but being in their 50’s and being able to play these shows they deserve a break and have plenty of war stories to tell.