Eternal Damnation
These Damned Things is a bit of a supergroup, featuring two members of Fall Out Boy (Joe Tronham and Andy Hurley), two members of Anthrax (Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano) and Keith Buckley of Every Time I Die on vocals. This is their first show outside the USA and with their reputations preceding them they get a good slot on the second stage.
The material is generally fast paced and tuneful rock/metal but despite the riffs and energy they put over it’s all lacking edge and if anything it’s a bit too nice! The longer they play the more it feels as though are trying their hardest to sound commercial and yet they never quite make it. Buckley is OK but he doesn’t have the greatest voice or stage presence and after Napalm Death’s performance just twenty minutes earlier These Damned Things are rather dull by comparison.
They get a good reaction from the crowd at the front but further back people don’t seem to be getting into it. After four or five songs it all becomes a bit one paced and ‘Bad Blood’ in particular is pretty substandard. It’s unlikely that they will emulate the success of their main bands on this evidence and proves that just because you have distinguished musicians in your band it does not guarantee a winning formula. Disappointing.