Live Review: Sunfall w/Akkadian and Break Fifty at The Lounge Bar, Alton!

It’s with heavy hearts we descend upon The Lounge Bar in Alton like vultures to pick the bones of Sunfall clean as tonight is their swansong. A farewell show to bring the bloodstained curtain down on seven years and seven deadly sins despite only releasing their debut album “Les Morts Sont Nés Ici” via Out Of Line Music in the summer. On their social media they pointed at financial pressures, their other option being to go on hiatus while finding a new line up before returning, something they don’t have an appetite for. For those that know their story that will come as no surprise as original vocalist Sam Worsfold departed for Australia before returning and departing again, Ben Mason of Bound In Fear joining the ranks in between times and now former MTXS drummer and guitarist Aiden Cooper is front and center…

Bathed in pale blue light the Wolves that are Akkadian [8/10] howl at the moon with furious minds. After a waterfall release of singles they achieved critical acclaim with their debut EP which took them to Bloodstock in the summer and tonight they take the stage despite injury to their frontman who stands on a crutch. Like a true hero that doesn’t stop Danny Thurston from snapping his neck between the verses, risking further injury by losing his balance. As a group the Cambridge quintet tear are a hole in the space time continuum with their weighty material, the dirge laden groove of “The Devil Has Evolved” feeling like dragging the lake in search of a body, dredging up everything with the gargantuan might of a sea beast in soul stirring fashion. The twin axe attack prove that you don’t need more than six strings to reach the down tuned lows they achieve although having a five string bass definitely helps the brutal assault on the senses. At some point they may pull out a face melting solo but not tonight, the atmospheric “Mirror Soul” taking them in the opposite direction. A lively rendition of “Agenda” is a magnificent moment, the pounding almost tribal drum patterns and blistering rhythm guitars a lethal dose that never gets old. Before the end they pull out a new song, set for arrival in the new year which pushes their boundaries a little more, painting with yet more atmospherics before bringing back their trademark crush.

Going off like a nail bomb in a confined space Break Fifty [10/10] bring out the two steppers from the very start of their high energy set packed with spicy Nu-Core sounds. A few sparingly used electronics enhance the muscular riffage as Angus Roberton vents his spleen, bouncing around on stage and encouraging everyone to get involved. They may have started out around the same time as Sunfall but this is a fresh line up who returned almost a year ago with EP “Every Scream Became A Whisper In The Dark” and on this evidence their bloodlust is stronger than ever. “A Familiar Face (Of Someone I Never Knew)” is blistering, the four piece somehow managing to squeeze more energy out of an already scalding tune while keeping the musicianship incredibly tight. 24 hours ago the band released a pair of fresh cuts in “Pillbox” and “Under The Dirt” and both violently turbulent cuts go down a storm. One of those rare special moments then happens as Ben Mason of Bound In Fear and Pintglass fame enters stage left. He reprises his role on a brutal rendition of “Dreamland” that sees both vocalists go toe to toe in a blood curdling scream off to the Death, the constant barrage of staccato riff breaks that accompanies them hitting like machine gun fire at close range. A rousing powerhouse set comes to an inevitable conclusion with “Second Skin” which is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Flooding the venue with dry ice Sunfall [10/10] take to the stage and play an hour long set of wall to wall riffs, pulverising percussion and rumbling bass as if they were playing the Sophie Lancaster stage at Bloodstock. They keep things tight, Aiden Cooper barely pausing for breath between the tunes other than to shout “Let’s f***ing go!“. At the end of the set he thanks the other members of the band for convincing him to join them two years ago, their friendship pulling him out of the mire when he was at his lowest ebb. It’s a touching moment and a wonderful way to say goodbye as parting is such sweet sorrow. Before that happens it’s all blood, sweat and spilled beers as the four piece smash their way through a lethal rendition of “Toxicant“, the spin kickers get in the pit for the brutal “Reapers” and the violent chug of “Bloodmoon” infects our brains. “Infinite Violent Potential” is another glorious moment, the packed venue loving every second as the unrelenting Nu-Core quartet keep the train rolling with dark atmospheres and heavy rhythmic battery. Running out of time Sunfall cut the title track of their album out of the set and instead finish a with a barnstorming version of “Quiet Kid“. By the end you can’t help but feel there is more to this tale than meets the eye and given time they might be back. Never say never. One thing is for certain, they have made their mark on this crazy world with their high calibre output enough to leave a hole in your chest and they will be sorely missed.