The Deaf Institute in Manchester needed to prepare itself for a good thrashing last Friday night from modern Punk pioneers Metz as they delivered their own Blood, Sweat and Beer-stained brand of Hardcore all the way from Toronto, Canada.
Now, having only heard about this band from a friend, I didn’t know what to expect from the three guys who took to the stage – (Alex Edkins, Chris Slorach and Hayden Menzies), but its fair to say that they really don’t look like you’re average modern day Punk band, but more your everyday chemistry students which is appropriate as vocalist Alex used to study it!
The beauty of Metz (as I found out) is that they are as careful and intelligent with their use of big, poppier melodies in their songs as they are brutal and shattering with heavy guitar and bass-led riffs that leave you fighting to contain yourself, especially when a couple of hundred other fans around you are letting themselves rip. As expected, when they took on the Manchester crowd, they played several from their very well received self-titled debut Metz, which is true American Hardcore (via Canada) at it’s very finest. It screams of the angst and pain of the 90′s punk-grunge that has clearly so heavily influenced the very nature of this band.
The introduction of ‘Wasted’, a persistently annihilating anthem from beginning to end, brought a serge of energy through the Institute which was timed perfectly in the set to keep the crowd well and truly on their toes. This track should do just that, as described by one particular YouTube minion: ‘Its the track that Dave Grohl has been trying to write for years’. A big statement indeed but listening to it, I don’t think they’re far wrong.
The carnage continued appropriately with crowd favorite ‘Wet Blanket’, which is every bit as visceral as a punk song should be, but as well put together as anything you’re likely to hear on the radio. The videos that accompany them are as twisted as the music itself which seems to be a recurring theme for Metz!
Maybe what sets Metz apart from the ever expanding crowd of angry punk bands is that they can deliver knock-out blow after knock-out blow in the style of any heavyweight band out there today, but pick you up again and again with little hooks, melodies and drop downs that just leave you wanting more of it. Sometimes you come across bands that just get it, who acknowledge a progression from the old school punk to what works in the modern day, and its brilliantly refreshing to see. Metz definitely get it.