soil live

A turbulent decade on from their last Norwich appearance, most of the original Soil line-up find themselves back at a Waterfront just as packed and just as hungry for their volatile brand of metal as the first time.

That last gig was in support of the breakthrough Scars album. This show finds original members Adam Zadel (guitar) and Tim King (bass) reunited with vocalist Ryan McCombs and ably supported by former Staind drummer Jon Wysocki, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Scars and once again show why the record has gained a place in the hearts of so many.

It must be gratifying for the band to see so many familiar faces looking back with them, eager to re-live the old days, but the vast number of younger fans ensures this is more than a mere exercise in nostalgia and suggests an on form Soil still has the potential to reach out to new audiences.

Onstage where it really matters, the battering ram of an opener Breaking Me Down instantly proves the last ten years have done little to dampen either enthusiasm or musical prowess and from the moment the first crowd surfer is unceremoniously yanked out by security, the band has the crowd in the palm of their hand.

With a set predictably focused on Scars, the band finds time to dip into its 2004 successor Redefine and barely puts a foot wrong, although some annoying technical glitches and meandering between song banter does test the patience of some just wanting to rock the hell out.

But the time comes to rock, songs like Unreal and Wide Open don’t waste their opportunity to show just what powerful, enduring anthems they’ve become, while the rousing sing-along closer Halo is simply immense, whatever the year.

There is a theory that says you should never go back. There were several hundred here tonight who believe that theory should be buried deep under the Soil.

by Marcus Jervis