With a name like Ice, Sea, Dead, People it’s always going to be hard to live up to expectations.
Really it’s more suited to a garage American band than three weedy boys from Bristol- yet ISDP are clearly more certain of their identity than we think.
Bursting onto the stage half of the audience are left clutching their ears as the trio launch into a tirade of complex rhythms. Name checking Shellac and Mogwai it’s clear this band are focusing on volume rather than style. Resorting to a sea of feedback we’re left half intrigued, half wincing as each song passes us by.
It’s hard to see past the screaming vocals but when forced you can see the many layers added to create such an intense sound. The bassist is left twisting on the floor, while the drummer stares fixated on the offbeat rhythms. Occasionally you find yourself captivated by the show, getting sucked into each song, but with every hit there’s a downside, particularly a new song which is lengthened to no real affect. Finally as we get another rush to our head we realise it’s hard to place ISDP.
With a band so closely influenced it’s difficult to get past that, never mind live up to expectations.
