Live Review: Faces of Eve w/Values & Weaponry @ Facebar Reading

We’ve promoted this show, the last of the Weaponry August run and the middle one of trio of co-headlining shows for Faces of Eve and Values about as much as we could have in advance of tonight. The Facebar in Reading is where it’s at and it should need no introductions so without further ado and on a prayer that at least one of the bands makes the really obvious 36 Crazyfists pun, it’s time…

Jumpman [7/10] are a Nintendocore duo of guitarists and a laptop who include in their set a Zelda song reworked in full on Metal style. The dudes could not be more physically or stylistically different, with one playing loose and fast while looking like he belongs in Raging Speedhorn and using a wireless pack. The other looks like he’s in Between The Buried And Me running a cable and playing tight and controlled. It’s a fancinating style with some hints at Godflesh and Ministry and some seriously brutal live vocals.

Weaponry [8/10] are a live force to be reckoned with and as they approach their 30th show together this year leave it all on the stage. Vocalist Al Bristow becomes a schizophrenic sweaty mess as he rants and raves, wondering the stage and the floor and even utilizing a ladder to reach the famed Facebar Disco Ball during a high energy set of early Deftones esq material. The likes of upcoming single “Search For Life” and “Hard Place” set the tone and by the end the whole band are on their knees.

Tales Of Autumn [7/10] are a band in the mould of The Raven Age and come across as being influenced by the likes of Iron Maiden. Rich in clean vocals it’s when the uncleans from their 5 string bassist come in that the melody gets lifted into heavier territory. The Brighton quartet have played Bloodstock and Mammoth Fest in the past couple of years and the experience shows.

Leeds Melodic Metalcore meets Hardcore 5 piece Values [8/10] are over joyed to be in Reading tonight with frontman Baker constantly all smiles as he dances around the stage and brings between songs banter as well as a heart warming speech about Mental Health. Songs like “Conscience Cleared” are high energy fun with a decent amount of both chug and uncleans to balance out some of the more melodic touches.

Last time we saw Faces of Eve [9/10] was at this summer’s incarnation of UK Tech-Fest, where we joined them for shits of Fireball Whiskey after their set on the stage of the same name. This time around, they play a longer set both harder and faster than we’ve previously witnessed and the beefed up aggression in their sound goes down very well. Benjamin Black is a live wire bundle of energy, bouncing around the stage like he’s possessed during the Tech fueled riffage while his beautiful clean vocals are simply masterful. New songs “Lower Than She” and “Sleeper” sit well around the likes of “Feed” and we hope for more new material from them soon!