Document, Yes (Pink Room), 13th December 2021

So here we are, I’ve crammed in some 60-odd gigs this year, since things opened again in the summer and tonight I’m concluding the year with Document. I don’t just love the way this lot sound, but the way they look too. They take the stage like a flock of black sheep at a family wedding, smart in long coats and leather jackets but ready to kick off at the first smashed glass. That’s to say they’re dangerous, believably so. It’s not just posturing. As those deep basslines test the Yes speakers, drums explode, guitars squeal with a lounge like menace and Alex wrestles the mic. I’ve made the comparisons before so I won’t repeat myself, but I don’t think they hide their influences. They’re a badge of honour, but it’s clear having seen them a few times now that they’re building. The sound was always thick and heavy, but I swear it’s getting darker and heavier. There’s a lot of post-punk around at the moment and a lot of bands making great records. Document are definitely carving their name deep into the more brutal end of the scene. They’re a five piece, guitar shredding, hip thrusting, brutal bass assault on the senses and it’s magnificent. Alex looks close to orgasm between verses. Charlie lost between his guitar, keyboards and oblivion. He’s like a young Jonny Greenwood. So much of this though is about the rhythm. The bass and drums are rock solid. You could build anything on it, Document have just chosen to go with post-apocalyptic destruction. It’s the soundtrack to getting drunk as the world burns. Quite apt really. The new songs I heard last month are already sounding huge, building on that near flawless debut EP. I’ll admit it’s songs like Uncle Sam’s Daughter and Pity that really get the blood pumping and possible flowing as the pit flexes. After just under an hour, the room floods with its pink lights as the guitars are left wailing. What a year, with so many great bands. The UK live music scene is in rude health, let’s hope that it can keep growing and rebuilding in 2022. Support the bands, support the venues, buy a ticket and get your ears rattled. SoundCheck x