Imagine taking a sip of the best energy drink known to man that is packed with every amount of caffeine and sugar that gives you the highest buzz. This was the vibe that was passed around the whole vicinity of Southampton 02 Guildhall Wednesday night when the infamous Reggae/Metal outfit SKINDRED tore up the venue with powerful allies CROSSFAITH, (HED) PE and YASHIN. With this line up you didn't just get a Metal show; you get a huge dance party that no one ever wants to leave.

Upon arrival fans were queued up already to make sure they could secure a spot to watch their idols; Glasgow Alternative Metal group YASHIN kicked off the proceedings of this Metal Dance party. Even with members of the crowd settling into the venue at this point by either buying their first drink or putting heavy coats into the cloak room; this did not stop the growing crowd engaging with YASHIN's strong, energy fuelled performance. There was a great deal of interactivity coming from one of the vocalists Harry Radford jumping into the crowd and joining in with the moshing. They were a great choice to kick the night off.

 

Californian based (HED) PE's fanbase has been growing since the early nineties when they first formed; with their eccentric, full of life stage presence and tight sound at live shows it is easy to see why. Frontman Jared Gomes made his way onto the stage in the usual fashion wearing a mask as he belted out those crucial first notes. From that moment on (HED) PE had the crowds literally at the palms of their hands, if fans' dancing by the bar in a separate room at the side of the stage doesn't reinforce this statement who knows what will.
 

Japanese Electronic Metal group CROSSFAITH received a more than welcoming reception, those who hadn't seen them before were about to find out why; their exhilarating set consisting of a spectacular light show, a ground breaking sound and an energetic stage presence won the whole of the Guildhall over. This energy was completely contagious as even those at the back were showing their appreciation for their revolutionary resonance by bouncing, fist pumping and head banging.  Their show was completely exhilarating and out of this world, anxieties of them topping headliners SKINDRED were looming as CROSSFAITH proved to be a tough act to follow.
 

SKINDRED are one of those bands that don't need an introduction; their unique infusion of Reggae and Heavy Metal has secured them many fans over the years whilst being an active band. Each revolutionary band needs an outstanding live introduction and this came in the form of AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" and a Dubstep remix of "Imperial March" on the sound system bringing power and pumping energy.

"Under Attack" started off the proceedings in such a dominant fashion; those first few minutes gave the audience a glimpse of their ground-breakingly tight sound, their contagious liveliness and impressive stage set up. Vocalist Benji Webb looked like the man in power with the pile of speakers behind him and wearing a long coat; he was in control of that crowd, alongside his force provided the riffs, beats and bass lines. Together they were unstoppable; they belted out a great collection of music from across their discography, from new songs such as "Sound The Siren" and latest anthem "Volume" to modern classics such as "Kill The Power" and the hip shaking "Nobody".

 

Nobody really gets out alive when SKINDRED take to the stage; they are honestly one of the best live bands around and it's recommended you watch them conquer your home town before the tour is over.

*Photography by Chris Green