Entertainment

Noise Annoys: Derry's Making Monsters unleash their Bad Blood EP

Making Monsters (l-r), Brian Doherty, Paul Monk, Emma Doherty, Gary Todd
Making Monsters (l-r), Brian Doherty, Paul Monk, Emma Doherty, Gary Todd Making Monsters (l-r), Brian Doherty, Paul Monk, Emma Doherty, Gary Todd

NOISE Annoys is back in the saddle this week and enjoying the new release by Derry's premier melodic metalcore outfit, Making Monsters.

The Bad Blood EP is a six-track release that finds the screamy yet commercially appealing Emma Gallagher-fronted quartet in fine, vitriolic form.

The band have been plugging away for around five years now, during which time their signature blend of soaring melody and sonic malevolence has evolved over the course of a couple of EPs and many, many gigs utilising a succession of exploding bassists.

Quick, someone check if current incumbent Gary Todd is ticking.

2012's imaginatively titled debut EP1 introduced Making Monsters to the world as a tightly wound post-hardcore-informed outfit with an ear for a good hook, a singer blessed with a startling vocal range and, in Paul Monk, a guitarist quite capable of shredding and chugging.

The Monsters attempted to get even heavier with next release, 2014's Attention EP, which found Gallagher switching off between her powerful 'natural' singing voice and a disturbingly gutteral death metal 'wuuuuurgh' that would have given Cookie Monster the chills.

You could see (hear) what the band were going for in terms of playing up contrasting sounds and creating powerful dynamics on the likes of their tellingly titled crusher Nosebleed, but that was kind of the problem – it was all a wee bit predictable and 'metalcore 101'.

On the Bad Blood EP, Gallagher has now developed a much more naturalistic manner of incorporating her impressive singing, screaming and roaring abilities into Making Monsters' angsty, mosh-pit friendly fodder.

The quartet have also adapted a somewhat leaner, meaner approach to their songcraft: the opening title track finds them ripping out a simple, effective riff and pummelling it home in a groovy manner enhanced by former Evangelists drummer Brian 'The Skitter' Doherty's punishing, creatively deployed beats.

This one is guaranteed to get the Making Monsters crowd moving in a full-contact fashion as Gallagher aggressively hollers herself hoarse.

The mid-tempo 'n' moody Call Me Out is a quiet/loud/quiet number that slinks along seductively on Mr Todd's thudding bassline before erupting into a gang vocals-backed chorus and, eventually, a power solo and screaming enhanced outro.

Better has landed the band a fair amount of radio play recently, probably because it's the most straightforwardly 'rock' number on the EP and equipped with a big chorus that shows off how Gallagher's startling vocals can blow your hair right back.

However, the very next song We Aren't Living features maybe the catchiest chorus the band have crafted to date.

In many ways, it's also much more musically interesting than the EP's main 'attention getter', what with the unexpectedly sub-ska guitar bits, off-the-beat drumming and one of their singer's most impressively overwrought performances.

Gallagher also lets rip on the final two tracks, Rose and Noodle Sync: the latter, double-kick- propelled chuggernaut is something of a throwback to metalcore aggro of the band's earlier Attention EP (Cookie Monster vocals and all), while the prog-grungey Rose finds the band locking into a driving, mosh-friendly groove, occasionally spinning out into slower, spiralling choruses and pretty passages where the frontwoman gets to croon unaccompanied.

Mr Monk also busts out an excellent spacerock-esque guitar solo on this one, which he will no doubt enjoy replicating at the Top of The Town in Omagh tonight as the band continue to play out live on their current Bad Blood tour.

They're back on hometurf tomorrow for a pair of shows: first up is a free instore performance at Trash in Derry from 3pm – an all-ages appetiser for the Bad Blood EP launch proper at Sandino's later in the evening, featuring support from Geneva Experiment and Revival.

You will of course be able to purchase the new release direct from the band in CD form at both events, but those who need it in their ears right now should hit Makingmonsters.bandcamp.com and pony up £3 for the download.

In other words, if you want Bad Blood, they've got it.