Other reviews:

Steven Mccreery wrote:
Well, the sound man rules have been clarified, and with both bands looking good on paper, this should be a much less controversial and enjoyable week.

Tempered Elf play nothing but originals, which in view is great. Some good songs in their set too. All the musicians were very competent, and all certainly looked the part! I think because of their set being widely unknown, the crowd were never fully into them, but still, they went down well – respected a lot for their talent at song writing. A decent sized mosh pit formed midway through their set, especially during the Rage Against The Machine styled song, which was greeted with a loud ovation. A lot of the intricate riffs, and belting solo work from the two guitarists in all the songs were really grabbing, backed by a solid rhythm section including a pvc clad bass player! The band always seemed to promise more, however, but I felt they never really delivered it. I was waiting for an explosion of life and energy but the set continued at pretty much the same pace throughout. This is my only real critism of this very good band, im sure they will come up with maybe a slightly different set for upcoming gigs to maximise their songs. Certainly should there for a second round place.

Resolution. There seemed quite a bit of anticipation in the air as PJ announced this band; people were expecting something from these guys. Many had made their way to the mosh pit before the band took to the stage, and during the intro to their first song (which seemed to be well known) brought the crowd to life. The band looked confident, with the singer/guitarist immediately playing to the crowd, getting them going even more. The first song was a very ambitious one, guitar harmonics, stretching vocals, extravagant drums, and a piano outro, but it was played very well. This band also played a lot of their own songs – some heavy, one or two a bit mellower, all of which went down very well, constructed of monster riffs, whammy guitar solos, excellent vocal work and even strings in one song. Their song writing talent is very high. Some of the sound levels weren't quite right, i.e. the keyboards, but everyone knew the potential problems that faced them. The second guitarist seemed a bit distant; he never had the energy of the other members. This aside, it was great all round performance and in my view could even live up to the ‘dark horse' label attached to them!

Tempered Elf were up first and really looked the part – quite visually exciting from the start! They began with an original which was not particularly hard hitting, but comfortably done all the same, as the band members shook off any nervousness they may have felt.

The lead singer talked naturally and confidently to the crowd and the scene was set for the rest of their performance. The sound was much improved again – the guitars could have been louder, but on the whole it was a good full sound with excellent strong vocals from the lead singer.
Another original “ Perfect Place ” was well polished and the band started ‘rockin', quite clearly enjoying themselves! Their enthusiasm was contagious.

The only detraction from total originality came with the RATM style "You Still Affect Me", and was done superbly, with the visual centrepiece (yes, the leggy bassist!) really going for it. Lots of smiles between the guys took us to my favourite number – Real Things, which certainly has real potential.

This band, essentially rock based, may not be your thing (I sensed a little disinterest from some of the younger members of the audience) but no one can deny that Tempered Elf were technically very good, visually brilliant and that they certainly had heaps of character.
It was a tight, well rehearsed performance from a new band, with strong originality, and although I will be very surprised and disappointed if they don't go through, there is at least solace in the fact that they have the potential to go far.

Resolution, starting with a Muse cover “Citizen Erased” was a brave start, but Muse fans, if looking for faults, may have found a few. It's a very ambitious song, and some of the main, very important riffs and solos didn't quite come off as well as they should have.
However, the lead singer clearly relished the opportunity to emulate his hero. He soon settled into it and relaxed, and spurred on by the crowd gave a theatrical and entertaining performance, which continued throughout.
The ‘Sunny Afternoon' cover was conveyed in a unique way and The White Stripes number that followed it was tight and well practised.

Resolution turned out some good originals, heavily influenced by Muse, I felt. The stand out original for me was Dragon of Autumn, which I thought the band looked most relaxed playing. Another Muse song, “Small Print” was covered well and with obvious passion.
On the whole, the set was performed confidently, the lead singer and bassist looking particularly at home on the stage (and the on the amps!) The lead guitarist looked the least comfortable and, although competent, was fairly static throughout, which was a shame, compared to the energetic antics of the other two up front.
The lead singer had a tricky job to do and his vocal performance was not 100% all the time – there is a little room to improve, but his stage presence (and trips to the keyboard) made up for that. I felt that one thing which would enhance their performance would be a backing vocalist and that may be something they could look into for the future.
Resolution should do well - they had plenty of good quality originals and really got the crowd going. They are fascinating to watch and they'll get better with each performance. If they beat the very tough competition and make it through to the next round, I think there's a chance they could become a contender for the finals.

Photos:

Tempered Elf :
Resolution:
The reviews listed are an opinion by the individual carrying out the review which happens to be a personal and honest account. These reviews are displayed on this website for the bands to obtain some truthful feedback on their performance. There is no point in us posting dishonest reviews here, as this will not benefit the bands who are looking for advice and constructive feedback.