As a champion of indie and new alternative music for Penistone FM, I’m often immersed in new and exciting sounds from South Yorkshire and around the UK. For the past two summers, I have been introduced to new and emerging music from a unique source; a source so unequivocally surprising, that for a least a month afterwards, I am still lost in a plethora of sound. Barnsley’s ‘LIVE IN’ festival has proven to be exactly that – a wealth of new talent and where I discovered post-grunge quartet Antesaint.
I hosted a live session with the band on my radio show and was treated to three live tracks from their latest bandcamp ep Hold On.
The opening title-track certainly packs a punch. Melodic vocals and powerful thrash guitar blow throughout the track. It’s a driving force of a song, beginning with an unexpected fade-in intro. The intro is the last thing to fade though, in a song musically tight and rhythmically fiery. It’s a studio polished production without losing any of their naturally dark edge.
Track two is simply entitled Falling. It’s a sombre lament that loses none of the Antesaint sound. I say ‘simply entitled’ but it’s a song full of intelligent lyrical depth delivered by Hayley’s impassioned vocal, and characteristically driving rhythm guitars, crashing percussion and complimentary melodic lead riffs.
Closing track Downfall is similar in mood to Falling, capturing the band in more of a sombre post-grunge lamentation. The pounding percussion is present, the driving rhythm is present and THAT voice from Hayley ends this ep with all the hallmarks of a consistently strong, professional produced and lyrically thought-provoking piece of work. It may sound clichéd but it left me wanting more.
I may be an Indie DJ but I can tell you this, Barnsley has a burgeoning Rock scene which is equal to that of Sheffield’s electronica scene of the 1980s. Antesaint are definitely peerless in their genre.
Hold On is now available from antesaint.bandcamp.com/releases
Find out more about Antesaint by following facebook.com/antesaint
Words by Ryan Oxley
To find out more about Ryan Oxley’s Indie Show on Penistone FM, check out the programme’s facebook page facebook.com/TheIndieShowOnPenFM or follow him on twitter @rybazoxo
Alternative Barnsley 