Bloodstock : 30 Bands Not To Miss - Tuskar
19. Tuskar – Sophie Lancaster stage - Sunday, August 13th – early afternoon
In most rock 'n' roll bands the drummer is as far from the focal point as you can get. They are all about chiselled cheek-boned front men or dynamic athletic guitar heroes. The drummer in the main is relegated to the back with the soulless job of keeping time and perhaps smashing out a drum solo now and again when the rest of the band need a wee.
Tuskar not only break all conventions but are utterly relational in the way that they do it. Their sound is based around Tyler Hodges primal drumming as opposed to being based upon it. With an astonishing use of tight and taut rhythms, he drives the tracks forward in a unique and brain-blowing manner. So central is his drumming to their sound, sometimes it feels like guitarist Tom Dimmick is just there to make sure Tyler doesn't get lonely on stage.
It's minimal, it's organic and it utterly astonishing. I'm the man who can't stand drum solos but there is something so utterly savage and seducing about what they are doing I can't help but stand there open-mouthed. It's an apocalyptic dystopian White Stripes where Meg has told Jack to go fuck himself. One of the most extraordinary bands you will witness this weekend. They cannot be missed.
I just love Metal. I love it all. The bombastity of symphonic, the brutality of death, the rousing choruses of power, the nihilistic evil of black, the pounding atmospherics of doom, the whirling time changes of prog, the faithful familiarity of trad, the other worldlyness of post, the sheer unrefined power of thrash. I love it all!