::Set List::
01. Slow Song **
02. Out Of Sight
03. I Can Climb Mountains
04. Joe Starts **
05. Five Kids Go
06. Cut Down
07. New Tune **
08. Ice Walking
09. Night Vision
10. You Drove Me To It
11. Sick/Happy

** - New song that's untitled.

::Review::Kerrang! (Jan '02)::
Phoenix From The Flames
Hell Is For Heroes: ex-Symposium men perform incendiary headline show.

THERE ARE two reasons to celebrate tonight. Firstly in a little over a year in their first show in a Hounslow pub, Hell Is For Heroes are playing their first real headline gig in London in front of a small army of already devoted followers. Secondly, in a couple of days they’re off to LA for four months to record a debut album with the same producers as Refused, probably the best hardcore punk band of the last decade. Things, it must be said, are looking good. Kids Near Water are damn impressive too. Clearly influenced by the Dischord Records back catalogue of chest-beating fury, the Exeter quartet play complex songs with ease and sound like At The Drive-In doing The Cure songs (which is much better than the other way round). Live favourite ‘Anniversary’ and the band leaves the packed venue wanting more.

Hell Is For Heroes may be in the thick of the thriving post-hardcore movement, but they’re already signed to a major label, share management with Papa Roach and are threatening to do more than merely appear on the latest teary emo compilation. In fact, while the quintet may share dynamics with the likes of Rival Schools, their sound is just an reminiscent of some of the best alternative bands of the early ‘90s; singer Justin Scholsberg’s powerful, guttural croon recalls Afghan Whigs’ Greg Dulli while Will Mcgonagle’s riffing hits as hard as Helmet. This is ants-in-your-pants metal, make no mistake.

It takes two songs before Schlosberg is hanging upside down from a ceiling pipe while the band move like they’re putting out spontaneous fires across the stage. Singles ‘Sick Happy’, ‘Cut Down’ and a throbbing ‘You Drove Me To It’ are greeted like life-long friends while ‘5 Kids Go’ is exactly that. Quite simply, Hell Is For Heroes sound hungry.

KKKK

by Ben Myers

::Fan Review::
After another long drive to see this lot (I've done about 800 miles seeing them so far, what's WRONG with me?!) I was glad to see the place was so packed. I hadn't heard much by KNW before the gig, and I was impressed by them, I couldn't quite see the guitarist on the left (I was behind the pillar) but his shadow was very entertaining. Come to the midlands soon lads!

I played my 'old bloke' card and decided to stay out of the HIFH pit and watch for a change, and I was glad I did!

Will in particular was top entertainment, thrashing around like he was covered in ants and generally behaving like a little rock monkey. Justin was also on form, in between his constant side-to-side walking/glaring at the floor (What IS he looking for? Contact lens?). Dangling from wobbly pipes is NOT sensible behaviour sir, bravo! Fin still has his amazing talent for preventing Bass headstock/headbanging singer type accidents, and I had never noticed Tom's 'shoulder shrugging' thing before, but I'm a big fan now -he was at it all gig! Was he being fed hard questions through his monitor? Joe was doing his normal sweaty face pulling/teeth gnashing thing, but this is hardly unusual behaviour for the lad - be it on stage or off.

The new songs all sounded superb, esp' the first one which was the stuff of spine-tingles, gorgeous. The others are a bit vague now, but I was mightily impressed at the time. Justin's little speech about the 'HIFH family' was a nice touch, especially as a lot of folks had travelled a long way for the gig. In a way it's a shame the gig was such a belter, because it made a three month plus wait for the next one unbearable- Hurry back lads! I was hoping for an encore of some kind (I don't care how cheesy they are!) but, alas, when they trooped off they didn't return. Except to sign anything people poked at them of course, bless 'em! All gone for months now *sniff*.

I don't know about everyone else, but I'm bored of twiddling my thumbs already. ROLL ON EASTER!

by STIJ

::Photos::Ryan_77uk [ iccm.2ya.com ]
here soon...