Gabriel Rios brought his mellow tones and Latin vibes to Y Plas on the 3rd November. Puerto Rican born Rios has been making a name for himself over the past decade in Belgium, where he has lived since the age of 18, and now heÔÇÖs bringing his fresh sound to the UK. Since the release of his debut EP, ÔÇÿGhostboyÔÇÖ, in 2005 RiosÔÇÖ sound has … Continue reading Live: Gabriel Rios – Y Plas – 03/11/15
After bouncy pop-rock openers WITTERQUICKÔÇÖs cover of ÔÇÿWrecking BallÔÇÖ that went down surprisingly well with the crowd, and an aggressive set from Merthyr teen rockers Pretty Vicious that was somewhat impaired by technical issues, Nothing But Thieves hit the stage for the Cardiff leg of their sold out UK tour. Just a fortnight after the release of their self-titled debut album, the crowd were up … Continue reading Live: Nothing But Thieves – Clwb Ifor Bach – 1/11/15
Grace Hathaway sat down with Nothing But Thieves on their recent jaunt around the UK and this is what they spoke about… Quench Music (QM): So firstly, congratulations on the album! How does it feel for it to have gone straight into the top 10, with the UK leg of this tour all sold out? Dom Craik (DC): It seems like a really good strong … Continue reading Interview: Nothing But Thieves
Remember, remember the 5th of November the memorable saying goes, and frankly it would be impossible to forget the evening spent watching Preston and the boys rock out spectacularly at little cult venue, The Globe on Albany Road. ItÔÇÖs always enjoyable watching music here, as the atmosphere is intimate and personal, and itÔÇÖs easy to nab a great position in the crowd to view the … Continue reading Live: The Ordinary Boys – 5/11/15 – The Globe
ThereÔÇÖs only so much hype that music media can use to convince you that a bandÔÇÖs worth their salt. Yet, on the last date of a tour with both Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes and Blackhole, the real proof is right there in the flesh. ItÔÇÖs a cold October evening, a fine mist of rain in the air, itÔÇÖs an hour before the doors open … Continue reading Live: Creeper – Clwb Ifor Bach – 28/10/15
So, LISS; probably haven’t heard of them before right? ┬áWell if things pan out the way they should everyone and their mum will know exactly who this Danish four piece are within the next 12 months. ┬áOh and they’re all still in their teens! Quench are heading down to one of their first ever UK shows tomorrow and if you want to hop on board … Continue reading Preview: LISS – Bristol, Crofters Right – 03/11/15
Hothouse Flowers had the honour of opening CardiffÔÇÖs new Tramshed earlier in the week, but Skindred have just as enviable a date to play at the venue: Halloween. Ticket holders in costumes ranging from Captain Jack Sparrow to Wayne & Garth pack the venue the day after the release of SkindredÔÇÖs sixth album ÔÇÿVolumeÔÇÖ. Kicking off ÔÇÿNight of the Living DredÔÇÖ are support bands The … Continue reading Live: Skindred – Tramshed – 31/10/15
ItÔÇÖs the first day of the clocks going back and the first day of Killing JokeÔÇÖs UK tour. The early darkness is appropriate for a band like them, whose gothic sensibilities provided inspiration to many of musicÔÇÖs darker artists, be that Metallica or LCD Soundsystem. Two days after the release of new Killing Joke album ÔÇÿPylonÔÇÖ, Cardiff Student UnionÔÇÖs, Y Plas, fills up with an … Continue reading Live: Killing Joke – Y Plas – 25/10/15
A band that bridged the gap between the 80s gothic rock sounds of The Cure or Siouxsie & The Banshees and the 90s industrial sounds of Nine Inch Nails or Ministry, Killing Joke have always held a fondness for the darker sides of music. Their previous album, 2012ÔÇÖs ÔÇÿMMXIIÔÇÖ, was a concept album that dealt with themes of the apocalypse, and where do you go … Continue reading Album: Killing Joke – ‘Pylon’
Enter ShikariÔÇÖs January opus ÔÇÿThe MindsweepÔÇÖ brought the rock and electronic worlds into the New Year in fine style. Never ones to keep their fans hungry, nine months later Enter Shikari have decided itÔÇÖs time for another project. This time the same songs as ÔÇÿThe MindsweepÔÇÖ, only reinvented with emphasis on the electronic side. Hospital Records, the label that brought us the Hospitality club nights … Continue reading Album: Enter Shikari – ‘The Mindsweep: Hospitalised’
It has been three years since the release of Canadian electro-rock band, MetricÔÇÖs last album, the well-received ÔÇÿSyntheticaÔÇÖ, but the band, now in their 17th year, are back with their sixth album ÔÇÿPagans in VegasÔÇÖ. The album sees the band take a step away from their rockier roots and moves towards a slower vibe, moving from the electro fused rock sounds that defined their early … Continue reading Album: Metric – ‘Pagans In Vegas’
A gig at the Thekla is always a treat to behold; there is something unique about seeing a band perform in the bilge of a boat. ThereÔÇÖs a buzz when embarking, an excitement in the air. It says something however, when a band formed in 2011 and once hailed as ÔÇ£the UKÔÇÖs answer to The KillersÔÇØ is just selling out shows for 500. When Spector … Continue reading Live: Spector – Thelka, Bristol – 13/10/15
Five years on from their last studio album ‘All You Need Is Now’, Duran Duran had left fans ‘Hungry Like The Wolf’ for their timeless New Romantic flavour, until now. With a musical career spanning almost four decades, this powerhouse synth-band from Birmingham, known notably for their heavy success in both the UK and the States in the 80s, have just recently put out ‘Paper … Continue reading Album: Duran Duran – ‘Paper Gods’
After┬áchatting to CreeperÔÇÖs frontman, Will Gould, this transcription could have been written up into a feature thatÔÇÖs main aim would have been to implore you to listen to a band who for some peopleÔÇÖs money are the most exciting band on planet Earth right now. But rather than that, WillÔÇÖs words have been left to do the talking. HeÔÇÖs an incredibly inspirational man with his … Continue reading Interview: Creeper
After a very favourable review of The Ordinary Boys eponymous comeback album, Rachael Hutchings has a chat with lead singer, PrestonÔǪ Quench Music (QM): What encouraged you to release another album 9 years after the previous? Was there any reason why you waited so long? Preston (P): All of us in the band are so busy with real life that I didn’t ever think that … Continue reading Interview: The Ordinary Boys
For many of us, it may seem like a lifetime ago that the self-assured Preston and his gang of merry indie men were all over our screens with classic noughties tracks such as ÔÇÿBoys Will Be BoysÔÇÖ and ÔÇÿI Luv UÔÇÖ. Arguably, The Ordinary Boys disappeared from the EarthÔÇÖs surface around 2006, following the generally average reception of the album ÔÇÿHow to Get Everything You … Continue reading Album: The Ordinary Boys – The Ordinary Boys
Recorded at SheffieldÔÇÖs Yellow Arch Studio, ÔÇÿHollow MeadowsÔÇÖ is Richard HawleyÔÇÖs love song to the best of ballroom ballads; he touches on romance, on days gone by, and on growing old. The album reflects HawleyÔÇÖs clear maturity in the studio with elements of country in ÔÇÿSerenade Of BlueÔÇÖ and a more ballsy rock feel to ÔÇÿWhich WayÔÇÖ, he spans the genres and does so with … Continue reading Album:Richard Hawley ÔÇô Hollow Meadows
Bring Me The Horizon are going to get a tonne of shit for this album; but they donÔÇÖt care, and nor should you. The opening track ÔÇÿDoomedÔÇÖ sets the tone nicely and frames the albumÔÇÖs pop sensibility, whilst retaining Bring MeÔÇÖs bite. Yes, this is very much a pop-orientated album, which will shock people. Where the four absolutely monolithic singles, ÔÇÿDrownÔÇÖ, ÔÇÿHappy SongÔÇÖ, ÔÇÿThroneÔÇÖ and … Continue reading Review: Bring Me The Horizon – ‘That’s The Spirit’
Quench Music’s insightful contributor, Oli Richards, chatted with Battles’ enigmatic, Ian Williams. Have a read of how it went below. Quench Music (QM: One striking element of new record ÔÇÿLa Di Da DiÔÇÖ is its lack of vocals and/or vocal samples. What triggered this stylistic departure after 2011ÔÇÖs ÔÇÿGloss DropÔÇÖ? Ian Williams (IW): Vocals have always been a garnish to the dish; not the main … Continue reading Interview: Battles
Quench’s┬áMark Sweeney called up the busy man that is Ciaran Lavery last week and this is what spoke about…. Quench Music (QM): Hey! ItÔÇÖs great to speak to you! YouÔÇÖre just off the back of a pretty big tour and youÔÇÖre starting Switzerland and Germany, before the UK tomorrow. ┬áHow is the tour going? Ciaran Lavery (CL): The last few weeks have been a blur! … Continue reading Interview: Ciaran Lavery
