It is now less than 7 weeks to go until we get to invade the fields of Castle Donnington again, rock out to a whole host of rock and metal music in a field, and get drunk with friends. To celebrate the countdown to one of the UK’s biggest rock festivals I have decided to highlight a number of smaller or less well known bands that you may have missed on the line-up.
The Charm The Fury are one of a small list of bands who can boast at being a very good female-fronted metalcore band. I don’t know the reason why, but female screamers have been a rare sight. Caroline Westendorp on the other hand has a truly violent voice behind her, and is one of the best new screamers that I’ve heard in a long time. It’s a voice that she consistently puts into each and every track without faltering and without even a hint of strain being put on her vocal cords. Not just Caroline though, the rest of the members are all musically fantastic. The guitar work of Mathijs Parent, Rolf Perdok and Lucas Arnoldussen is subtle in its simplicity, quick but very effective. Yet it’s the drum work of Mathijs Tieken that is the glue that holds the entire body together. You get the feeling that each part of The Charm The Fury is a cog that only once they’ve been placed together everything just runs so smoothly.
Formed in 2010, the band from Amsterdam has managed to construct some truly incredible tracks. With only two releases out, you can already tell that they’ve crafted a sound that they’re very much invested in. Their first release, two years ago, was their EP ‘The Social Meltdown’ and the sound may be audibly rawer, but that’s not to take away from the quality of the tracks presented. Arguably two of their most popular songs are present. ‘The Social Meltdown’ is equal parts brutal and melodic. ‘Virtue of Leadership’ is similar in sound, but with some heavier beats behind it to create what is very much a metalcore track, but with a heavier punch behind it. More recently, the band has released their first full length album. Titled ‘A Shade of My Former Self’, the album brings with it the same feel as the EP, but coupled with a more refined feel. ‘Carte Blanche’ is probably the best track they’ve created thus far, and is a benchmark that they need to use for future tracks.
The Charm The Fury is certainly a sound that should be translated easily in the live situation, but we have seen a few bands in the past that have never really lived up to their recorded sound. The Dutch hardcore newcomers have only received fantastic reviews from their live show. Although rawer live, yet with how polished their album is, isn’t that difficult to understand, still packs a massive punch to all those who have seen them live. Their tour at the end of last year, with Heart Of A Coward, only received positive reviews, and it is something that the quality of this band only deserves.
Release to own: ‘The Social Meltdown’
Three tracks you must listen to: ‘Virtue of Leadership’, ‘The Social Meltdown’ ‘Carte Blance’
You can catch The Charm The Fury on the Pepsi Max Stage on Sunday 15th June at Download Festival.
