FIVE STAR PRISON CELL Live in Katoomba

Hotel Gearin, Katoomba
May 6, 2010

"Frankenbok never did this shit!" Adam Glynn joked as Five Star Prison Cell's set was interrupted for the second time by technical issues. After just two songs, Mark Holain's guitar busted a string and at the end of the third bassist Cam McDonald's wireless gave out. Some wag had yelled at support band Red Bee that they were a hard act to follow and in front of a small but hardy (and vocal) Katoomba crowd, it looked for a moment like Melbourne's technical metal monster was going to rue making this trip.

But you don't get to the top of Australia's metal pile easily, and like a consummate professional Glynn kept the crowd entertained with wisecracks and jokes at his bandmates' expense while they got their shit together. Then they just blasted the place into submission with a combination of showmanship, brutality and technical wizardry that has likely never been matched inside this building. In the end, the mishaps and the need to win over a new crowd so late on a weeknight helped Five Star Prison Cell turn on an even better show than usual. Glynn in particular was in fine form with a constant stream of jibes and light-hearted banter coupled with his astounding range of vocalisations: grunt, screams, bellows, roars and the occasional croon. The rest of the band was a blur of energy, especially McDonald who almost wore a circular groove into the stage.


Much of Slaves of Virgo was highlighted tonight, but it was also a showcase for some incredible new songs. "Modus Operandi" left my jaw hanging open in amazement and "Lamia" was almost terrifying in its technical precision and sheer heaviness. It wasn't only me who was impressed as not just one encore but two were demanded; Five Star finally ended the show with "Do the World a Favour" and no doubt made a new roomful of fans.

A roomful of fans is something that Red Bee already had when they played earlier. These local lads pretty much own this room whenever they appear here, and with good reason. Fronted by the towering and affable Dan Silk and armed with a bunch of catchy, groove-heavy songs, Red Bee are an engaging and energetic live band. Like FSPC, they were showing off some new tunes tonight but their parochial fans ate them up as if they were old favourites. The Bee clearly enjoy playing live and generated almost a party atmosphere at the Gearin, with Silk's brother Jim dragging a pot plant into the centre of the stage at one point to join in the fun.

Being a prominent local act, they were urged on to two encores and probably would have done more if there hadn't been another band on after them and if the show wasn't already running an hour late. Gigs always seem to run overtime at Gearin's, but apparently no one cares.

New local doom band Myraeth opened the night on a rather more sombre note than what would come later. Less than a year old, they've only been playing live a couple of months but they have considerable experience in other bands (two members are ex-Lycanthia) and it showed. While their doom-death style wasn't to everyone's taste tonight and their current take on the genre is pretty formulaic, they play it well and their set seemed to be over rather quickly even though they got a full forty minutes. Myraeth is a nice new addition to an under-populated niche.

An all-round good quality night of metal mayhem on the mountain. Hopefully there will be more!

RED BEE: EP

Produced by Red Bee and Clayton Segelov

Released: 2009

I had the president of the radio station I work at tell me about Red Bee some years ago now during a band competition he was judging. At the time I didn't take much notice because, to be honest, they were called Red Bee. How good could they be with a name like that? As it turns out, this Blue Mountains trio isn't too bad at all. Having spent a few years conquering their local live scene, Red Bee now has their sights further afield. The guys have just unleashed this six track EP, which I picked up during a well-attended launch at Gearins in Katoomba.

These guys are in a similar vein to Mammal, playing heavy rock that isn't quite metal but would appeal to sectors of the metal audience. Red Bee are heavier and less funky than Mammal, with more of a Helmet-like groove going on instead. Certainly Daniel Silk can lay down a mosh riff to rival Page Hamilton when the mood takes him. They also play around with progressive influences like Primus and TOOL, creating an all-rounded alternametal style. Silk's vocals have a Helmet-like quality too. Imagine Hamilton snarling with an Aussie accent, and that's close to what the singing on this is like.

Strangely-titled opener "Hot Titty" comes in on a bouncy staccato riff that establishes the inherent catchiness of the entire EP. They're a tight unit and the riffs and grooves are intersperced with some nice space and noodling passages that they never let get out of hand. "Loaded" has a seriously mean groove and hook, and is easily the highlight of the CD. If there is a criticism it's that there seems to be a bit of an over-dependence on the same similar riff pattern, making several of the tracks sound rather similar to each other. With only a timely nuance of melody or a secondary motif separating one song from the next, this tends to make it drag a little toward the end. Regardless, this is quite an auspicious debut that should find listeners from a rather broad cross-section of the heavy music crowd.

1. Hot Titty
2. On Top of the World
3. Skippy
4. Loaded
5. Light of My Life
6. Team 88

Rating: 72%