12 Ton Method – CD Release Party
16 February 2008
The Intrepid Fox, London
The story thus far…
Following the demise of Needleye in December 2006, frontman Duncan Wilkinson and guitarist Ray Holroyd stuck together and revisited one of Holroyd’s fascinations - Arnold Schoenberg’s Twelve-Tone Method from the 1920s. Holroyd had christened his updated version the 12 Ton Method and the pair decided to form a new band under this moniker, which Holroyd had used a few years earlier.
Drafting in Joe Copcutt on bass and the infamous Adrian Erlandsson (ex-Cradle of Filth / The Haunted / At The Gates) on drums, the quartet recorded debut EP “The Art of Not Falling” last Summer. Unfortunately, due to prior commitments and time constraints, Erlandsson had to bow out and has since been replaced by Pat Lundy.
Tonight was the launch party for that EP at London’s famous Intrepid Fox metal pub. Entering the upstairs room where the party was taking place, we were immediately introduced to the unsettling world of Arnold Schoenberg, with his piano compositions being played over the PA.
To save you doing a quick Wikipedia search, essentially the technique is a means of ensuring that all 12 notes of the chromatic scale are sounded as often as one another in a piece of music while preventing the emphasis of any. All 12 notes are thus given more or less equal importance, and the music avoids being in a key. Got it?
Well the dissonant music certainly gave a fitting background to the Creepshow Sideshow that were here to entertain us. The manic clown like Big Grey was first up with some crystal ball balancing, though his dexterity was less evident when he comically knocked Johan’s pint over. He more than made up for this later, with incredibly accurate use of a whip whilst snapping roses from fellow entertainer Missy Macabre. Missy herself performed a burlesque strip tease that pleased the male contingent. Other performers included Rubber Ritchie and his contortion skills and Baron De Chainsaw, who hung his heavy chainsaw from various piercings on his body. A mention must also go to tattooist Andrew May who was providing, free of charge, 1920s style miniature paintings to order.
By the time it came for 12 Ton Method to play, the room was fairly packed and standing on a chair at the back was the best I could do to gain any vantage, given the practically non existent stage. Mirroring the 1920s theme, the band were wearing clothes of that era, with Holroyd looking decidedly working class compared Wilkinson’s pimp regalia.
In a Mike Muir style monologue, Holroyd invited us to “Roll up, Roll up” for the show, explaining his theory of the birth of metal in 1923 under Schoenberg’s dissonant technique. Launching into Mark These Words, the material was certainly a world away from Schonenberg’s piano music earlier in the evening and packed an aggressive punch.
As this was my first experience of the band’s music and the venue is not strictly cut out for live music, intricacies were somewhat lost, but the energy was undeniable. Joel Levy, who had been the Compere earlier in the evening and was in fact the original singer of the first incarnation of the band, took to the stage to add some roaring to Justified.
A new song, Hear My Cry, hinted that the band have further good material up their sleeves and Crucify Me brought a conclusion to the short set. Whist there was a lot of aggression in the material, Wilkinson’s ability to shift into a cleaner style added melody and at times brought to mind Slipknot – with obviously a lot less members!
Certainly ones to watch, I look forward to hearing the debut EP.
12 Ton Method set list:
Mark These Words / Justified / Hear My Cry / Crucify Me
LINKS:
12 Ton Method
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