Featured bands: skam

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We look at one of Leicester's long established original bands: Skam#

On this page: Band members | EP Killing Time |

19th December 2011

Debut album release party for Leicester's rock icons - Skam

Kevin Gaughan reports:

Skam, one of Leicester's finest and well-established rock bands, held their debut album launch party at the Musician in Clyde street, Leicester, on Saturday, 19th December.

Having originally been called The AID's, the band has matured into Skam, with the line-up we know today: Steve Hill on vocals and lead guitar, Matt Gilmore on bass and vocals and X-Ray on drums and vocals.

They have toured the country, building up a substantial following and a reputation for one of the best live performances around - fun, energetic and entertaining to watch.

These guys prove that rock doesn't always have to be so serious. Saturday's debut album launch party at the Musician was sold out, with fans coming from all over the country to see their favourite rock band.

The atmosphere was electric, the sound was sublime, head bangers were everywhere, with arms legs and feet in the air, as some people took to surfing the crowd; in Steve's words, "it was a true testicle and ovary festival!"

The album is called It's Come to This, which, as the band told me, marks an important milestone in their career. All their efforts to date have "come to this." This is what the band have been working towards and this represents their first chapter of their career.

Complete with pyrotechnics, the debut album release party was a memorable night. I do hope these guys just keep on rockin!

The album will be officially released on Monday, 5th December and can be purchased from Rockaboom and HMV in Leicester and downloadable from Amazon and iTunes.

Watch Skam perform Hold Me Down at the album launch gig

Watch Skam performing Going Away

Watch Skam performing Dead from the Waist Down

Watch Skam perform No Lies

Watch Skam perform Revealing

Watch Skam perform Indignity

YouTube video recordings by Kevin Gaughan

Rockaboom Records on Facebook | HMV Leicester

Visit Skam's website

album launch gig
Photos © Kevin Gaughan

Skam - band members

Photo© Mowhark visuals

Steve Hill (guitar and vocals), Matt Gilmore (bass and vocals) and Ray 'X-Ray' Peverill (drums and vocals)

X-Ray (drums and vocals)

Skam's EP Killing Time

Five killer tracks. From a band that has megawatts of passion and energy. Big rolling distorted bass riffs, sweeping guitar flourishes and stomping drum beats. It's rock at the highest level: tightly played, laden with energy and with top quality vocals and backing.

This is a well recorded album; having seen Skam playing live many times before, I can say that they the recordings capture the passion and quality of the live performance. These guys turn out top notch work whether on a stage or in a recording studio.

The CD opens with Take it Back, a stompingly good song which ably portrays what this band is all about. Totally compelling rock and roll.

Tonight kicks off with a feverishly fast, almost punky intro before getting into the lyrics; it moved along with total commitment, the verses being interspersed with deliciously good guitar passages. It a no-holds-barred approach to rock music. the other two band members add to the vocal layers. It a gutsy, blokesy rock with some sparkingly good virtuoso guitar passages from lead singer Steve Hill.

Touch of Death launches into your ears with some great classic rock guitar riffs. Steve comes in with a set of hugely good vocals, characterful and full of that distinctive Skam sound that makes this band stand out. It stays put in the rock and roll idiom but borrows some big sounds from metal. It's electrifying music. another incandescent guitar solo from Steve brings in that Hendrix-like playing that is just stunning. Its majestic and powerful.

From the first chords of Frustration you know you are in for a real treat. Steve's vocals are crystal clear; his guitar playing exhilarating. Matt is there pounding out the bass line and ... on the drums pushing it all along at a relentless pace. Laced with great instrumentation, it almost impossible to still and listen - you just feel you wanna get up an' mosh.

From the first heavy bass riffs of Killing Time you know you a listening to some really top music. Classy music overlain with ace melodic lines. Huge string playing going on in the background, it is a rockingly good experience. An epic set of songs from three very able musicians. It's exciting; songs that genuinely thrill and playing that is as dazzling as it is ear-pleasing. Touching on all the main idioms of rock, these fives songs show what an outstanding band Skam is.

This band has a strong grasp of what good rock music is all about. They pump it out with considerable fervour. Skam have taken rock to next level. An amazingly good band - their album exemplified what they are all about.

Added on to the end of the main set is Skam's flagship song that they always sing at the end of their live sets: She's a lesbian. It's a rollicking flick rock celebration of angry lyrics with show-off guitar playing; full of balls and vigour, it's triumphant and jubilant.

The album came out on 2nd September 2010