The Abraham Project

Spread the world, people: Bristol is fighting back. In an era of trip-hop and lucid ‘Skins’ style raves, there is one act who are putting two fingers up to the norm musical genre of this great city. The Abraham Project, formed in the green Bristolian suburbs, have all the raw, untapped potential that you’d expect in a young band. But alongside the gritty, penetrating lyrics and the soaring, emotional live performances, there’s a unique youthful exuberance to this quintet that is quite endearing and makes you believe they really are destined for greatness.

Formed of Tom, Matt, Jamie, (Matt) Bates and James, The Abraham Project are set to lead the revival of rock music in this part of the country. Their one-of-a-kind, explosive yet harnessed sound has been heard in many a local venue in this neck of the woods and, sure, they’re rough around the edges but should their voice be spread to pastures new, they will surely be in a perfect position to usher in a new generation of Bristol rockers.

Ask anyone of their already staggeringly large fan-base; they’ll all tell you of lead singer Tom’s scintillating omnipresence on stage. They’ll wax lyrical over Jamie’s relentless and rhythmical drumming. They’ll enthuse over the captivating way in which these boys deliver their message; they’ve arrived and they expect to go places so get used to it.

There’s a mature swagger in which they carry themselves. Be it in the manner in which they blast out Tales of a Wilton Nightmare (their usual opening song) or in the way in which they know and understand just how good they really can be. Frontman Tom is clear when he states the band’s ambitions. “We’ve got nothing to be afraid of. We know how far we’re going to go and we’re fine with it.” Pure arrogance, without a doubt, but in an industry that chews you up and spits you out, it helps to have a mean streak.

They have an eclectic range of influences, citing Arcade Fire, The Cure, Portishead and Cypress Hill as some of their favourites. And if you listen closely enough, it is evident that their musical education has featured heavily in their song formation. The melodies are brutal in their sheer originality and in the way they force themselves into the audience’s psyche and transform the feel and atmosphere of the occasion.

The Abraham Project are destined for greatness - and they know it. Once you fall in love with the songs and the lyrics and image of this band, then it’s just the rule-the-world attitude that's left to disarm you. And believe me, it will.

(Unsigned band review, 2009)