FELIX 9:
The opening track flew off at all angles - part Smiths, part Cult, part lord knows what else - as the band featured two cooking guitarists and some well solid bass work. The second track is more structured with a good chorus, sung well and played strongly and with a realy dynamic quality. The tracks are original but you'd kill for a kiler song with a killer hook. That said, what they play is angular, solid, twisting and engaging while the twin lead guitar could be used more effectively, the songs delivered with heartfelt emotive conviction. 7 STORY RUIN:
Opened with a decidedly emo-like track before the next one went into a sort of ska-punk with trombione replacing the second guitar. Fast and staccato emo was then folowed by Less Than Jake styled skap punk followed by raging hardcore emo. All played with a huge amount of energy and enthusiasm, but, on first hearing, the songs didn't have the desired effect in such a crowded musical genre.

RABIT:
Indie band like noone else I've heard recently, they played a bre of solid somgs with intelliegent lyrics, laced with fuzz guitar and strong leads. Fairly slow for the first two songs, the third saw them launch into a sort of indie-boogie, replacing volume with dynamics and intricacy alongside an impassioend vocal, easily the best track of the set. They sound more an album band and the playing and singing does engage your attention, but with a light delivery, sod all stage image, they reveal themselves to be a band playing largely slow to mid-paced songs although nothing reaches out and grabs you despite it being a sound performance - maybe a second viewing might help.

LITTLE KICKS:
Aberdeen band taking a classic Beatles/Byrds-esque jangly guitar band template, injecting their own originality into a solid set of songs and topping it off with heartfelt vocals, all very '60's -meet - Long Ryders styled. Track three adds a keyboard and then nods to Jeff Lynne set in. The songs are close to having memorable hooks while the overall band performance is tight, with quality songs well sung.

BLACKOUT:
Think of every classic eighties heavy metal cliche in the book, stick them on stage and watch in wrapt attention. For this is roaring, classic old-skool heavy metal with avocalist who looks like a cross between Edge of the WWE and Saxon's Byf Byford. A quintet with two guitarists, they play loud and energy laden metal with a stage preence that's electrifying. With a great vocalist and hi-energy songs they come across as a mix of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, and don't disappoint.

DIESELBONE:
Although anyone outside Dundee won't get this, the band play a smoking brew of hi-octane indie songs that sound like The Rise and The Law combined. Memorable songs sung well, with insistent rhythms and some great wah wah guitar work adding a dedidedly psychedelic feel as well. They rock their way through an all too short set and really leave their mark, although on a longer set, one hopes they'd have a few more vari-paced songs.

THE JANES:
Female vocal led quintet - at last!!! a female!! - On the evidence of the opening track, an indie band who perform songs with choruses and hooks. Tif the opening track was strong, the second one in was a gem, sort of AOR-indie with a strong hook and insistent playing. The thrid track opens very atmospehirically but with solid drum work as the soft vocal nearly gets lost in the mix, but it rises up and strengthens as the song progresses, becoming a good paced follow-up to the previous, more snthemic track. At this point you're aware that the lead guitarist is having problems - least I presume so - for (a) he doesn't look too happy with the mixing desk and (b) the tones coming oput of that guitar don;t seem to be what the song wants. All of which is a shame as the song itself is excelent and you just need that upfront guitar to come chiming or crashing in for the maximum impact, since it seems to be all vocals and rhythm section. Tracks 4 and 5 are stunning songs with all the right choruses, more forceful drumming and soaring harmonies, the lead vocal rising to ever greater heights. But still you're asking yourself "where are the guitars in all this?" as the 2 guitarists are just not cutting through. A potentially brilliant band who I'd like to bet were given an off night by technical gremlins - but I simply have to see this band again sometime - and soon, please!!

HOT MANGU:
The opening number, with its Metallica like tendencies, just blows you away if you're a rock fan - and hopefully impresses you if you're not! The second track comes across a bit like a supercharged Red Hot Chilli Peppers. A quartet with a stunning lead vocalist, commanding stage presence, plus a wholly original style of playing and arranging that positively transcends normal metal, as red hot lead guitar work and strong playing all round, captivate you completely. It's metal but it avoids all the cliches at the same time time as being totally accessible and enjoyable. The songs are strong and addictive while the arrangements twist and turn but still flow with power and passion. The dynamics are superb particularly the way the end of track 2 just erupts into life at the climax. A truly awesome band.

EXPERIENCE:
Sort of indie-pop with a touch of Calling-meets-Beautiful South to it. They started with quite a good song then for track 2 the keyboard player takes the lead vocal and it's not quite a s strong, the song too being a tad disposable. But track 3 is pure inddie-pop with hooks, choruses and every boy-band appeal known to man. Problem is there are lots out there doing this sort of thing and although it's not my field, I imagine there are many who do it better. But the playing is tight, the arrangements are pretty good for the style of songs while the main lead vocalist and the harmony vocals are really rather excellent. Trouble is, it felt dated - or is that just me!

FALTER:
Oddly enough, after last week, the first punk-oriented band of the night. Now I've seen this band before and they played a hi-octane set of thrash punk that really blew me away, although song-wise it needed something more memorable. Well, tonight we got something more memorable as the band had clearly been working on the set which took on a much greater dynamic role, as songs went wild, dropped back, flowed and erupted. With an electrifying stage presence, the trio tore through a spectacular set of nuclear force cohesive thrash-punk but with invention and originality, the bassist tearing around that stage more than most of the previous bands put together. The second track typified things - opening as a kind of punky ballad with jangly guitar and slow solid bass over slowly rolling drums, then erupted into a holocaust of raging punk-core. Quite superb!!

TRABECA:
A kind of varied indie-pop band, they have a very good vocalist, well arranged songs in a dynamic set but somehow it is those very songs that let them down as you feel there should be addictive hooks there, but they're nowhere to be found. Strong enough and well played, but either there's something missing or I'm just not getting the vibes here.

D'RANGO ROCKS:
Looking every inch the part of some cross between Aerosmith and The Cult with a touch of Ministry on the side, - cowboy hats, wide-legged poses, tassles on the mic - they also sound the part - attacking heavy metal with a sleazy bluesy vein, dumb-ass choruses, a slight looseness in the harmony vocals, a singer who claims the stage as his own, his high pitched vocal cutting right through. A mix of '80's "hair metal" and decades of division 2 Euro-metal, you imagine that this band would be huge in Germany and Eastern Europe, but for now they can but improve - and when that happens, look out world!

MAGMA CHILD:
My notes for this band were not complemantary. They read superbly, but I'm not here to put a band down just 'coz I didn't get it. Just to say that I found the songs seemd a bit full and faceless with little to latch onto. The singer can sing and the band can play, but you get the feeling that this sort of thing died a natural death 20 years ago - still, as they say, everything comes round again.

ALFONZO:
The opening song reveals a kind of power-indie band with a vocalist who lets rip, shouts slightly, while the band burn away on a song with no obvious identity. But the second track really picks up - memorable riffs and driving rhythms verging on indie-boogie, while the song has a decent hook and the vocalist turns in a powerful performance, a bit like a looser version of Dundee's The Rise. The third track increases the pace and energy and at this point you're thinking that the band has a master plan after all, as the set is rocking and then some! He still "overdoes" the vocal a bit. The set is hotter as it goes on, although perhaps a bit "samey" if you're gonna be picky, with - bizarrely - the last track returning to the slightly faceless status of the first. Promiosning for sure, a full set may reveal the real story.

SALTINE:
Sort of jangly guitar styled indie band to start with, then increased the pace to become a hardcore jangly guitar styled indie band. The songs seem well thought out and have interesting lyrics, although lacking any obvious hooks. Holds your attention for a while then wanders a bit. Interesting band, though - worth another shot.

ATP:
Sadly, time ran out and no notes were made of this band - I do believe that they had a press pack, so that willl be reviewed with the rest when that happens.

Click here for the review of the first of the Scottish finals of Emergenza's Battle of The Bands competition.

Click here for the CD reviews of most of the bands that appeared over the two finals -should be completed around end August