Subcyde
Disclosure on the future of metal

Until about two and half years ago I lived under the firm belief that there was no such thing as good "amateur" bands. I always imagined that talented musicians where produced in strange underground laboratories or some such. This was until I moved to Lidingö in Sweden after having lived in Saudi Arabia. To my great surprise there was a seemingly endless supply of musical prodigies on this small island. At the almost deserted gigs a good many rock & metal bands where giving performances that where in short breathtaking. Almost without exception the groups played their own material, something I thought was rare these days. At these gigs to which I'd been lead by my friends to see them perform with their band, Subcyde, I felt rejuvenated. Watching people I know perform with as much skill as these guys makes my adrenaline flow and fills me with pride.

I haven't seen that many "real" groups perform live, but among the ones I have seen few have delivered the same stage presence and intensity as Subcyde. This is mostly due to the raging torrent that is lead singer Antonio. This at first glance humble looking guy goes through a sudden transformation when he takes place on stage. His eyes fill with challenge and as the deep voice shreds the air like a knife he becomes a storm forcing the other band members to cover on the sides of the stage. What the other band members lack in energy they make up for in skill. Bassist Martin has never gotten lost so far and performs flawlessly through every gig. Guitarist Ola looks to be the most passive member of the band but that's just because he uses his instrument to unleash his energy. He delivers solos without hint of nervousness and the delivery leaves everyone wishing they'd spent less time on their computer an more on learning how to play guitar. You wont se Ola or Martin thrashing the stage or doing instrument acrobatics. They do however provide the necessary cool that is needed for all metal bands but they also make a fine contrast to the hurricane singer in center.  Drummer Johan has a hard task in holding the tremendous pace of the songs but does so while making it look easy.

The songs are mostly heavy and rather fast. There are slow songs as well though these still need some work before acquiring the same high level of its faster counterparts. As far as lyrics goes I must admit that I hardly know a single word of any song. This is mostly due to the power of their delivery but also as is the case with most good metal is that the vocals become another instrument rather than being a separate part of the music.

The band has a short demo, which can be downloaded from their homepage or from www.popwire.com. The songs are good, but compared to the live versions and a lot of their other material I can tell you that there is a lot better stuff bond to come. Don't get me wrong I strongly advise everyone to give it a listen, but think of it as a teaser for the far greater things that are sure to come from this group.

I feel privileged to have experienced this band first hand and had the pleasure to be awed by their greatness. I hope this document will serve as an introduction to Subcyde for some of you and for the rest at least get you interested in your own garage bands that deserve and need your support. These people are destined to become our future entertainers so if you're smart you'll give them your support now and hope they remember you when their rich and famous.