Filter - Are better than they have ever been!

August 28th 2013

London, Islington o2 Academy, UK

*****

We all trip like Filter do!!!

Filter ***** have always been a band that I have always admired, so I was so happy when they came out with an album that saw them back at their best 'The Sun comes out Tonight'. This album saw Richard Patrick who was one of the founding members in Industrial mega gods Nine inch Nails and Jonathan Radtke one of the masterminds behind Kill Hannah. The bond between the two really works well and they have together brought back the classic sound of Filter.

Opening up show with mega hit in America 'Welcome to the Fold' you can see their sound has been enhanced from where it was a couple years previous, you can see why this band are so admired in their genre. The sound is really beefy and Richard launches into vocal duties casually but with determination. Jonny hides in the shadows a bit but is very effective with his guitar playing setting a great scene to the show, he comes out thrashing songs like new hit 'What do you Say' which is a great furious new song that has some amazing intensity to it. This continues with 'We hate it when you get what you Want' and a very trippy version of '(Can't You) Trip like I Do' which both are highlights of the evening for me.

'Take a Picture' as got a Psychedelic feel that is similar to music by bands like Jane's Addiction and Jefferson Aeroplane and starts off a sing-a-long in the Islington Academy. I think it is amazing that this band never got bigger in the UK because their songs have been used in films and video games and they are equally as good as the band Richard left all though's years ago to form Filter, which was Nine inch Nails.

The real surprise of the set is a song that is simply entitled 'Surprise' the beautiful melodies of this song really brings a new depth to the band, Filter show you don't have to always be heavy to be a Metal band and that their fans enjoy a good melody as much as a heavy riff or scream. Filter are a band that can put a topical topic into a song like in 'Soldiers of Misfortune' and not seem preachy they just bring across their message strong and clear in a well put together song. Richard's stage presence is also very commanding and he really does have the audience in the palm of his hand as they perform a greatest hits set.

Most of Filter's songs are about things that have happened in Richard's life like the song 'Skinny' which is about him being bullied as a kid for being skinny, he gives out a few secrets about his and Trent Reznor's past before he delivers what could only be an amazing version of the old fan favourite. It's been far too long since Filter have been in the UK and this is a crowd that have been waiting politely for the band to come back and now are getting into the set like it might be their last chance to see them on these shores. I am sure it won't be thou after the reaction the band get at the London Islington o2 Academy tonight.

When they come on for the encore they delight the English crowd with 'So I Quiet' that goes into the classic Black Sabbath song 'War Pigs' and a great farewell with the mega hit 'Hey Man, Nice Shot' which is a song that launched Filter into most peoples CD collections. This was a brilliant night with a brilliant Industrial Metal band and I can't wait to do it again "Hey Filter, Nice One!!!".