The Sinking Teeth, Ceres, Damn Terran @ Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne (06/12/2013)
The comfortable booths, retro artwork and low stage are just some of the reasons why the Ding Dong lounge is my favourite small venue in Melbourne. All week I was excited to see an awesome lineup of rising rock bands for The Sinking Teeth’s White Water EP launch.
First off the ranks were Melbourne based Ceres. I liked these guys instantly; as their music blends together the best parts of 90’s emo, punk-pop and grunge. Frank Morda’s drum skill and speed were very impressive alongside Tom Lanyon’s ability to express the emotion of the song with clean vocals and coarse screams.
Damn Terran were up next, and my god did they put on a good live performance. They played a style of the grungey/post-punk, a little like the sound Violent Soho have been popularising around Australia, but heavier and more instrumentally focused.
Visually, they just looked really cool. Lachlan Ewbank’s energy and guitar skill were absolutely insane as he bashed his beat-up guitar and had a strong and calm presence. Although a band I probably wouldn’t listen to regularly on my iPod because of a little lack of melody and lyrics, I’d definitely see them again live. Their music is a passionate emotional mess, which really needs to be seen live to get the full effect.
Compared to the first two bands that really blew me away, I found The Sinking Teeth a little underwhelming. I don’t think the post-hardcore style screams work with their slower style of rock, I much prefer the clean vocals. I also listened to their EP and I think it sounded a little too generic, nothing really jumped out and hook me.
However, the band did move around stage very well and were very musically talented. I think they have the tools to mature into a very strong rock band if they can add something unique and different to their setlist.
Ryan Hyde
First off the ranks were Melbourne based Ceres. I liked these guys instantly; as their music blends together the best parts of 90’s emo, punk-pop and grunge. Frank Morda’s drum skill and speed were very impressive alongside Tom Lanyon’s ability to express the emotion of the song with clean vocals and coarse screams.
Damn Terran were up next, and my god did they put on a good live performance. They played a style of the grungey/post-punk, a little like the sound Violent Soho have been popularising around Australia, but heavier and more instrumentally focused.
Visually, they just looked really cool. Lachlan Ewbank’s energy and guitar skill were absolutely insane as he bashed his beat-up guitar and had a strong and calm presence. Although a band I probably wouldn’t listen to regularly on my iPod because of a little lack of melody and lyrics, I’d definitely see them again live. Their music is a passionate emotional mess, which really needs to be seen live to get the full effect.
Compared to the first two bands that really blew me away, I found The Sinking Teeth a little underwhelming. I don’t think the post-hardcore style screams work with their slower style of rock, I much prefer the clean vocals. I also listened to their EP and I think it sounded a little too generic, nothing really jumped out and hook me.
However, the band did move around stage very well and were very musically talented. I think they have the tools to mature into a very strong rock band if they can add something unique and different to their setlist.
Ryan Hyde