FIELD RECORDINGS

This may be only just a tad over twenty-eight minutes long, but is a blast and a delight from start to finish. The band have certainly grown a lot since I first came across them, and to perform instrumental complex music to a group of people who haven't come across them before takes balls. Taken from the band's incendiary set at last year's Ramblin' Man Festival, 'Field Recordings' captures the band in their element ? performing live on stage in front of a crowd who very quickly warm to them. The album features two previously unreleased songs which may (or may not!) feature on The Fierce And The Dead's third solo album, currently in production.

Sometimes the bands are cranking it hard, almost out of tune, and others it is incredible dual harmony guitars with Matt Stevens and Steve Cleaton knowing exactly where the other is going to be. Add to that the dynamite rhythm section of Ken Feazey (who has one of the dirtiest bass sounds you're ever likely to hear) and Stuart Marshall (who knows his way around all aspects of his kit), and here we have a band that are revelling in the experience. They close with "666?6", and the intricate, almost delicate, introduction provides no hint of the change in style that is to come as firstly the guitars blast, before the bass takes the lead and brings the band back into the melody. There is a back and forth style through this, but it is the guitar distortion that really makes it special, turning it into an epic monster, which really lifts the crowd as they segue into "Brainstorm" in honour of Hawkwind who are headlining the festival.

My only complaint is that this is just too damn short! But it has certainly whetted my appetite for the next full release, and if you have never come across these guys before then here is a great place to start.

I've been following TFATD music for some years, mainly due to my knowledge of Matt Steven's music, and it has been a band I've always enjoyed and would love to see live someday soon. I attended to the Ramblin Man Fair 2014 and remember it was a wonderful experience with such a formidable audience, I mention this because I imagine they hit hard on stage at that fest where this live album was recorded.

The music they bring has touches of heavy prog, some Crimsonian elements and of course, post-rock atmospheres. Despite it is short, you will surely enjoy what the quartet can offer with only six songs and less than 30 minutes. Starting with "Magnet in Your Face", a two-minute blast of energy that has both the heavy prog and the post rock sides of music. "Ark" starts with a raw bass sound that later is complemented (and maybe contrasted) by delicate guitar sound and an always accurate drums play. There are some heavier and powerful slices that make the music explode, however, they slow down themselves with softer passages.

"Dancing Robots" is a piece I didn't know, I assume is a non-album (or soon-to-be) track. It has a post-rockish start but later it becomes rockier, with a sound that is easy to remember and enjoy. After two minutes the chaos appear! The four musicians create a heavy prog atmosphere (far from metal, just to clarify) that will make you shake your head. "Verbose" has a very nice interplay between bass and guitar, while drums and the other (post-rockish) guitar work together as background. It is a nice track that can be easily enjoyable, catchy for a festival audience.

"Palm Trees" could be my favorite track here, I like it a lot and would love to listen to it in concert, I would get excited. Though the rock and the heavy hints are present, the post-rock term works here wonderfully, in a very emotional song that in the end becomes so powerful. The performance finishes with "666?6" which is a very good track to finish a cool performance. Raw bass and delicate repetitive guitars creating wonderful rock atmospheres that I assure left the audience wanting for more.

Enjoy it!