FURY AND DAKESIS KEEP THE PARTY GOING IN EDINBURGH Fury/Dakesis: Bannermans, Edinburgh Words: Ian Sutherland, Photos: Mark Holloway 29th November 2017 Birmingham power Metallers Dakesis have been around for a while now and it shows. Coming onto the tight stage in Bannermans after solid sets from Runemaster and Farseer, they ease into 'The New Dawn' with the easy confidence of a band who have been there, done it and sold the t-shirts. It takes a little while before the sound is sorted so you can hear Gemma Lawler's crisp vocals properly but soon all is well sonically and they are firing on all cylinders. The solid rhythms laid down by bassist Amie Chatterley and drummer Adam Harris create a soundscape which allows guitarist Matt Jones to showcase his skills which are considerable. His long fingers make some incredible shapes as he plays but his solos are never aimless shredding. They are full of thought and imagination and the need to carry the song through. Out front, the big voice with the now trademark blue hair commands the stage both during songs and between them. An enjoyable part of any Dakesis show is Gemma Lawler's cheery chat. Always coming across as thoroughly enjoying herself she banters with the audience and members of headliners Fury and this just adds to the good-time atmosphere created by their power Metal leanings. I wondered if they were taking things too far when bringing their merch girl up on stage as a treat for her birthday. Fortunately, Emma Green doesn't just sell shirts and CDs but is a vocal coach too so she is a welcome addition to the party. All too soon it's time for the set-closing pomp of 'By The Fading Light' which shows that there is a lot of depth under the cheery anthemic Metal which dominated their set. A Dakesis gig always has a lot of smiles around it but they're a really good band too and well worth checking out any time they tour. Frontman Julian Jenkins of Fury tells the audience that this is their first headlining tour which is a major deal in itself but made all the riskier for them in that all the band can't make all the dates. Tonight only Jenkins and drummer Alasdair Davis are present with Tony Lang filling in on guitar and Becky Baldwin on bass. Ms Baldwin is a familiar sight on the gigging circuit and a safe pair of hands wrapped around that massive looking bass guitar and Lang does a very good job on his short notice stand-in slot too. Despite the quality of the musicians I thought it took the band a little while to really get into their stride. It wasn't until the epic 'Dragon's Song' that I really got to see what they were all about. Chugging guitars, strong melodic vocals and a love for Metal with an epic quality is where they are at and when they get it right it's a great sound which gets heads nodding furiously if you'll pardon the pun. They are a lot of fun too and can't stop themselves joining in with the party started by Dakesis. After some cheery banter there is an almost inevitable stage invasion and some very interesting dance moves added to the occasion, a lot of fun but maybe not the image the Worcester based Metallers normally go for! Normality is eventually almost restored and the great atmosphere means that despite some trepidation about playing 'Britannia' in Scotland there is no issue with doing it complete with the Union Jack flag waving. It was never going to be an issue though, it's a Metal show and we're all one big international family after all. The night ends with the traditional set closer of 'Drunken Sailor' which lets everyone enjoy a last burst of energy and finish with more big smiles all round. This was a great, fun night showing how strong the UK Metal scene is right now. For me, Dakesis edged it overall but the winner was Metal which is good for all of us. Check out more of Ian Sutherland right here.