Beckonsale

    Beckonsale, a Progressive Thrash metal band based in manchester, formed in June 2006 with Sam Bartlett (lead guitar, vocals), Christian Parkinson (lead guitar), Matt Evans (bass), and Ryan Ormerod (drums). At the time of the band’s birth, Sam and Christian were 14 years old, and Ryan, undoubtedly one of the most talented drummers on the entire metal scene at the moment, just 12. Heavily influenced by Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Metallica, and Machine Head, the band hit Restrike Studio in April 2007 to record their first EP.

     They have been gigging since; notable events include taking first prize in March 2007’s ‘Haslingden High School Battle of the Bands’, second place at ‘BRGS Battle of the Bands in May 2007′, and their epic performance at Manchester Club Academy on 14th December 2007.

Beckonsale myspace

Gig Reviews

Academy Unsigned 219
Club Academy
A college band, with a large following of men in t-shirts, with ‘Beckonsale’ emblazzened across the front. My anticipation was high as this band marched on, and they came no where near close to disappointing. They call it thrash but it’s more power metal, but played by guys in Dimmur Borgir and Machine Head shirts, which would explain the immense blastbeats of ‘Purify my Hate’…played by a 13 year old drummer. This band are worth watching just to se the little guy work his magic; he’s as good as many metal drummers in well established bands, if not better. To top this, there were swept arpeggios, twin guitars and crunching breakdowns, and even a pit. Good clean fun.

8/10

Matt

Academy Unsigned 232
Club Academy
14/12/07


This was a very special performance. This band are sounding more and more like they’ve come out of the thrash metal hey-days of the 80s and 90s. Technical, fast, brutal and powerful, their almost-10-minute arrangements seem to follow in the same mentality as that of DragonForce; we must have at least 3 minutes of impressive soloing per song. But this band do it well. Combining swept arpegios, tapping, pinched harmonics and plenty of feeling with a Judas Priest-esque twin axe attack, Sam Bartlett led the way for pit after pit, ending with a wall of death for Purify my Hate’, and an inch perfect cover of Davidian. Someone sign this band. 10/10Set list:

  1. ‘Damnation’
  2. ‘Against My Soul’
  3. ‘Purify my Hate’
  4. ‘Davidian’ (Machine Head)

Matt


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