From Disaster To Triumph
The last thing you really need before you make your Download debut is for all your equipment to break before you go on stage. But that was the fate that awaited British rockers Slaves To Gravity as they took to the Gibson stage, broken equipment and all.
Apologising early on for their technical problems, Slaves To Gravity soon shrug off any signs of disaster as their blend of post-grunge hardcore wields a set charged with hook laden beats and crunchy guitars. Brooding and anthemic, lead singer Tommy Gleeson’s voice dominates throughout as the sinister menace of ‘Heaven Is A Lie’s guitar charge is broken by his husky near on whisper that rips around the tent before breaking in a blast of anthem grasping wails. Sticking mostly to tracks from their recent album, ‘Scatter The Crow’, the London based band offer up the crisp richness of previous single ‘Big Red’ complete with a melodic hook to draw all in before previewing their new single. Despite technical difficulties its actually a polished set that the band deliver, highlighting the fruit of their excessive touring and giving weight to claims that this is a band to keep a very close eye on in 2008.
Gathering momentum and confidence as they go, the band soon start to reveal grins, clearing relishing their Download slot. And although there is nothing earth shatteringly new offered up today, STG somehow provide a refreshing break to the other new bands that have graced the stage earlier, upping the ante and proving that just because you’re not hardened Downloader’s doesn’t mean you don’t know how to get the tent buzzing.
Dedicating the final song to the crowd, Gleeson remarks how he hopes this is only the beginning for the band, and as ‘Mr Regulator’ jangles and stamps its way into the Donington crowd, you can’t help but hope he’s right.