Artist: Florence Black
Venue: London, The Dome
Date: 10th January 2024
'At this point in the review I am running out of superlatives to describe the singer’s astonishing vocal ability, but the performance on this song was absolutely breathtaking.'
The first time I heard the name Florence Black was when they replaced a band due to illness at the 2023 Stonedead Festival. I was taking photographs that day and I remember walking to the pit wondering what Florence would look like. So I was a little surprised when three men dressed head to toe in black walked onstage and greeted the Stonedead faithful. It took less than thirty seconds for me to realise that I was not watching some run of the mill Heavy Metal band. At first I couldn’t believe they were only a three piece, I kept looking around for the other members. I asked myself how could this amount of power be coming from so few people. What followed was a fourty minute set that for me was the highlight of the whole festival. I took some pictures of them backstage, congratulated them on a killer performance and left hoping that I would see them play again one day. Shoot forward five months later and I’m heading into central London to watch them headline their own show at The Dome in Tufnell Park.
They are currently on tour promoting the release of their new album ‘Bed Of Nails’ and tonight’s show was the penultimate gig before finishing with a hometown finale in Cardiff. I arrived a little later than I had intended, but even though the support band was still to go on stage the venue was extremely busy. As I jostled my way to the front of the stage I noticed that the audience demographic was pretty wide. The older generation of Classic Rock fans and younger generation of Metalheads were both represented in strong numbers and were evenly divided between male and female. As the lights went down an enormous cheer erupted from the band’s loyal fanbase. The tension continued to build as the intro tape reverberated around the venue. One by one the band made their way onto the stage. First on was drummer Perry Davies, followed by bass player Jordan Evans and finally vocalist and guitar player Tristan Thomas, who strode on to the biggest cheer of all.
Without any showboating the band opened with the title track of the new album ‘Bed Of Nails’. The power was overwhelming and the sound was pristine. The first thought that sprang into my mind was “This band really should be playing in an arena”. I thought they were impressive at Stonedead but this was on a completely different level. There is no weak link in this band. Individually and as a unit they are ferocious. Musically they are incredibly powerful, the kind that you associate with bands like Metallica and Alterbridge, but in Tristan Thomas they have a singer whose vocal power is equal to their musical power. A combination that is extremely rare.
The opening song sounded like a timeless classic. In years to come I suspect it will be promoted to a place much later on in the set, but at this moment in time its positioning is a masterstroke. It sends a clear message of intent to everyone that a new contender for the crown has just stepped into the ring. Next up is ‘Start Again’, the opening track from the new album. A monster of a song that pours more fuel onto a stage that is already ablaze. The audience are loving every second of it and I’m surrounded by a sea of smiling faces. ‘On The Ropes’, taken from the band’s first album ‘Weight Of The World’, pulverises the audience into submission. The relentless intensity of the first three songs is breathtaking. Not many British bands have the firepower to compete with their US counterparts, but Florence Black are unquestionably one of the few that can.
‘Solid 9’, taken from the new album ‘Bed Of Nails’, with its heavy groove shows off the watertight rhythm section of Evans & Davies. Both are playing as if their lives depended upon it. Every note and beat is executed with total commitment. The infectious groove of ‘Don’t Hold Me Down’ gets everyone in the crowd moving. Its deceptively melodic verse leads to a rip roaring chorus which has Thomas belting it out with the best of them. The opening riff of ‘The Deep End’ triggers a mini mosh pit and the intensity continues to build with each song. Very few singers are as convincing as Thomas when he issues the command “scream for me London”.
‘Look Up’ for me is one of their most commercial songs and I can imagine it being played on US radio all day long. Its construction is perfect. A catchy opening riff, a singalong verse melody and the all-important anthem of a chorus. It also contains a blistering guitar solo that highlights what an accomplished player Thomas is. It would be easy to overlook the quality of his guitar playing because he is such a phenomenal singer. A man with no need for fancy arpeggios or string skipping techniques because he plays from the heart. Like all the guitar greats he can connect to everyone in the room with a single note. ‘Taxman’ is a fun song that kept the tempo high and featured a scintillating “wah wah” guitar solo reminiscent of Brian Robertson in his Thin Lizzy days.
We are now about half way through the set and the band have shown they can match anyone when it comes to sheer power. But Florence Black are not a one trick pony. ‘Warning Sign’ sees a total shift in dynamic. A beautifully haunting melody built over a dissonant chord structure that shows the depth and soul of Thomas’s songwriting ability. If ever you needed proof that this is a man of extraordinary talent you need look no further. This is another song that will be listened to for decades. The mellower side of the band’s writing continues to be showcased with ‘Back To The End’, another brilliant song that shows off the Welshman’s incredible vocal range. Not many singers have the ability to go from all out balls to the wall power to soft and gentle with such dexterity. Chris Cornell, Chester Bennington and Lzzy Hale spring to mind, but Tristan Thomas should also be added to this list.
The only word I can use to describe ‘Black Cat’ from ‘Weight Of The World’ is epic. At this point in the review I am running out of superlatives to describe the singer’s astonishing vocal ability, but the performance on this song was absolutely breathtaking. I will take this moment to add that drummer Perry Davies also has a fantastic voice and could easily be a lead vocalist in his own right; bassist Jordan Evans is no vocal slouch either. ‘Can You Feel It’ sees the start of the big build-up to the climatic finish that every well-structured set should have. The symbiotic relationship between a band and the audience is a magical thing. The energy exchange between the two entities is what makes a live gig so special. One simply can’t exist without the other. The band have been firing on all cylinders from the very first note, what is remarkable to me at this point is that the intensity has continued to grow throughout the whole show.
The ferocity of ‘Rockin Ring’ has to be witnessed to be believed. When you watch a band so committed and fearless in their mission the only thing you can do is stand and watch in awe. I will confess that I wasn’t familiar with ‘Breadfan’ by Budgie until I heard Metallica’s version. It’s easy to see why it was such an influential song in the evolution of Metal. What I’m about to say isn’t meant to be controversial, but the version that Florence Black played tonight is by far the best version I have heard, it’s unquestionably the heaviest. The band left the stage to rapturous applause and encores were a foregone conclusion long before the set was officially over.
At this point in the evening both the band and audience were drenched in sweat. To the uninitiated it may have looked more like an exorcism than a music concert. But this band were far from done. Sounding like a hybrid of White Zombie and Nickleback, the juggernaut riff of ‘Bird On A Chain’ sent the crowd into a frenzy. If that wasn’t enough, a barnstorming version of ‘Zulu’ laid waste to all that stood before them. But like all great bands they saved the best until last. ‘Sun & Moon’ is a bonafide Florence Black classic. Its hypnotic verse is a stark contrast to almost everything else in their musical repertoire, but it serves as a platform for one of their soulful melodies. The roof is literally torn off as band and audience sing the chorus at the top of their voices. A moment that sent shivers down my spine.
I left the venue thinking three things; 1) Florence Black are a phenomenal band that should be playing much bigger venues. 2) Tristan Thomas is one of the best vocalists to ever come out of the UK. 3) ‘Bed Of Nails’ is a guaranteed contender for album of the year. I urge you to check this band out the next time they tour.
Review & Photos: Myke Gray
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