26 November 2014 (gig)
08 December 2014
Following a hiatus from the live scene to concentrate on writing and recording, London Alt-Rock outfit The Survival Code are back, and entertain the Barfly tonight with a new single and forthcoming album to promote.
A modest but enthusiastic crowd is treated to a set of well-crafted songs which are delivered with eye-opening intensity and sense of urgency. It doesn't take long to get completely locked in to the live performance and averting your senses isn't really an option.
The Survival Code are a no gimmick, straight up guitar-led Alt-Rock band consisting of drums, bass, lead and rhythm guitar. FX pedals are about as hi-tech as the live set up gets, with no sequencers or laptops in sight. This suits their wall of anthemic guitar-drenched sounds, and their direct delivery enraptures the grinning spectators. In Gary McGuinness they have a steely frontman who clearly believes in every syllable he’s belting out.
Fans of Mallory Knox, You Me At Six and Theory of a Deadman will appreciate The Survival Code and their raucous musicianship. Mixing up the tempos helps them build up excitement, the audience is kept on their toes waiting to see what’s coming next. Set list:
Burning
This Feeling
Centre of the Universe
Gave it all
Never Let Go
Living a lie
If The Survival Code can stick their heads above the noise without the use of digital effects and the latest technology, they may well just make an indelible mark on the rock landscape in a packed marketplace. Survival indeed, but at the moment with killer hooks and roaring riffs, they seem to have all the tools they need.
'Living a Lie' is the first single from the new album ‘MMXV’ (out 2015) and is available as a free download. Get it here: https://soundcloud.com/thesurvivalcode/living-a-lie
And see the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd9XVcla4oI
