Live Review: Mercury Well’s Summer Bash V at The Face Bar in Reading!

It might be pouring with rain outside but inside The Face Bar, the sun is shining as Reading Progressive Death Metal trio Mercury’s Well have redecorated the place to create a Hawaiian beach party themed vibe for the fifth incarnation of Summer Bash. The inflatables are out, the backdrop is up and there are flowers everywhere. The bar is fully loaded with your favourite tipples and so literally all that is missing is the sand… and strawberry’s and cream. No less than eleven bands will take to the stage meaning this should be the biggest and baddest Summer Bash to date. While we wait, we get talking about some Snoop Dogg Red Wine found in a supermarket near you…

The audio violence begins with a vicious set from Perp Walk [7/10] who bring to the stage Sludge Metal fuelled Hardcore Punk and create an absolute ruckus. Heavy and aggressive, the Bristol four piece are the fire starters this afternoon and with cuts like “Dogwhistle” it’s easy to see why. Their sonic onslaught so abrasive it makes wire wool look like a butter knife. A home town show for Reading’s own  Masquerader [8/10] after the release of their long awaited and highly anticipated EP “Nothing Will Change” a couple of weeks back feels like a fresh start for the band who are as energetic as ever despite the early hour. A curious cover of “Barbie Girl” by Aqua is thrown into the mix with a tongue in cheek sense of humour early on before a crushing rendition of “Pressure” turns the venue in to sweaty mess of bodies. It has to be said that their energy is infectious with vocalist Danny Molyneux either battering the shit out of his electronics or in the crowd screaming the lyrics for cuts like “I.Am.Masquerader” and comes coupled with a chaotic sense of not knowing what they’re about to do next. Punk trio Tape It Shut [7/10] change the set list early on to play a new song due out in a couple of weeks time and it’s something special. They may not be he heaviest band on the bill but they are the by far the wordiest as they batter through a set of politically and socially aware tunes that are not only good fun but give you something to think about. The set suffers a little from nervous banter between songs, the band looking a little on edge rather than cool, calm and collected… as if they know the FBI are about to come crashing through the wall at any moment and take them to Guantánamo Bay.

Also embracing Barbie weekend and pretty in pink, the Screamo oblivion of Treehouse [8/10] finds their vocalist stalking the stage from the pit like a floor show with his barbed tongue as he spits blood against a more melodic backdrop than you might expect. They have a pair of brand new cuts (not available anywhere) in the set which hint at the introduction of some Noise Metal flair to their game and there is the concern that someone is going to soil themselves during those guttural lows. Mercury’s Well bassist Tiff drops a couple of lines of guest vocal from the floor before “Bliss” brings the house down. Their future looks bright, even if one of their guitarists is forced to wear a pink ski mask to hide the shame. Introspective lyrics are the stock in trade of Hard Rock quintet One Last Day [7/10] who this afternoon have a drummer playing his last show with the band and a bassist, spit of a young Joaquin Phoenix playing his first. The very nature of the band brings down the intensity a couple of notches but their clean sung material is well received, their energy a little lower than usual due to their vocalist recently having knee surgery. Mixing it up by throwing down a cover of “Breakstuff” by Limp Bizkit, a song which needs no introduction, slapped between their original cuts like “I’m Here To Stay” and “Out Of The Black” is a good move, getting the attention of those on the periphery and keeping it for the remainder of the set. Prior to their set Buds. (that’s Buds full stop) [8/10] unveil a banner that says “F*** Treehouse” as some hilarious kind of faux sibling rivalry that spills over into their between song banter, fuelling energy in the room before they dive into Punk Rock songs about being layabouts. Combining an emotive quality with the fun you would expect at a fairground, they too have a new song in the set in “Medicinal Cathedral” which is pure gold. Elsewhere “Building Blocks” is a classic sing-a-long anthem and there can be no doubt that 2000 Trees Festival beckons for them in the future.

The mid point of the day has been reserved for something special. An exclusive one off reunion show from the much loved Black Emerald [9/10] after two years away from the scene finds the band full of self deprecating humour and riffs galore with cuts like “One For The Road” a reminder of just how good they were. Facial expressions are a hilarious caricature of the band, as they pretend that they’ve not rehearsed and are surprising themselves that they’ve nailed each song. By the end all that’s missing is a cameo from Gutlocker vocalist Craig McBrearty to reprise his guest appearance on “Life Of Anxiety“. Maybe next time. The heaviest band to this point are Leeds riff slingers Pteroglyph [8/10] who decimate the weak and thin the herd with their brand of ferocious Death Metal. They have a tattooed animal behind the kit who sets and insane tempo for the others to maintain, while the rumbling bass makes the floor in front of the stage shake. The fretboards smoulder with intense heat from the callous hands that play the strings, their bassists Deicide shirt a reference to an obvious influence. Arcaeon guitarist Sam Machin is seen watching on, his band an obvious potential headliner for 2024 but we’ll leave the gossip column moment on that cliff-hanger.

It maybe a party hosted by Mercury’s Well [9/10] but they have graciously passed up the opportunity to headline this fifth anniversary year. Instead they hit the stage for a 40 minute set that will give them the option to enjoy the bands that follow if they haven’t left it all on the stage. The Progressive Death Metal trio have played a wealth of shows in the build up to tonight and so are well rehearsed, busting out an avant-garde 60 second burst of “Eyeless” by Slipknot to introduce themselves having already been given a heroes welcome. The seven string guitar and five string bass as in full effect for a blistering rendition of “Fire” gets an impromptu mosh pit before the inception that is the song named after the band from their self titled album gets a circle pit. It’s rich dark melodies are hypnotic before the thunderous heavier parts crush with complete annihilation, even if a broken string threatens to derail the train. They make good use of the re-string time, thanking the bands and fans for their attendance with style, grace and a self deprecating sense of humour.

Watching a live performance from Tribe Of Ghosts [10/10] is something truly different, a cathartic outpouring of raw emotion accompanied by a soundscape of incredible texture. The clean vocals are stunning from both vocalists while the harsh uncleans batter the brains like the sea crashing against the shore during a storm. Painting in light and shade with rich melodies and dark atmospherics, Tribe Of Ghosts tap into the cerebral cortex of those who witness them, changing their perception of what music is and how powerful it can be. They break a guitar strap during the first few seconds of the opening cut but don’t break their stride, finishing the song on the knees before gaffer tape can remedy the situation. That doesn’t stop the wireless pack from becoming detached from the strap on multiple occasions but while it’s still connected to the guitar the band keep playing. Their drum sound is huge, their bass thunderous and the electronics on the backing track ice cold, the four piece set to play Bloodstock this summer and rightly so as they create a unique connection with everyone that witnesses them.

Leeds Post-Metal five piece Hundred Year Old Man [10/10] are tonight’s headliners and as with Tech-Fest their set is full of Sludge laden oppressive atmospheres. It’s as if a monolithic beast is climbing from a tar pit, each moment having a distinctive weight and gravity to it that hangs heavy in the air. They sip from a shared bottle of red wine between songs, a hint at the elegance that lies beneath the rugged surface of one of this Islands most treasured bands. Masters at creating a sense of claustrophobia with crushing atmospheres, theatrical dynamics, dark mood lighting, samples and synths, their wall of noise is captivating. The depth and texture they play with defying the laws of physics and chemistry as they cleave flesh from bone with searing intensity. A fitting end to a day that has inspired with variety being the spice of life, they are the aftermath to the earlier bands arsonism.