Fivemiledrive
Since playing their first gig in November 2004, Fivemiledrive have achieved an awful lot. Having met at Portsmouth University they embarked on their musical quest to display their talents to the unsuspecting city and, later, to the rest of the country.
The band comprises of Irish frontman DD, guitarists Matt and Dave (who uncannily bear the same surname 'Nicholson'), Elliott on the bass and Pierce on drum duties. Unlike other current melodic metal bands, who tend to rely on increasingly extreme metal styles to get give their songs weight, ‘Fivemiledive’ utilise their sheer songwriting skills to connect with the listener. They have the much-envied ability of embedding a song so deeply within the listener's mind that they will no doubt find themselves humming it in the shower in the morning, on the way to work and most probably for the rest of the day. Musically, they leave no stone unturned. Incorporating harmonised guitars, key shifts, off-kilter key signatures and even the odd cowbell, but manage these elements in such a way that the accessibility of the music is not diminished. This also means they are not shy of a good honest ‘rock out’ when it’s needed. Having gigged relentlessly since their inception (including two UK tours), released a self-funded and produced 4-track EP ‘Has Just Signed In’ - and another in the making, they have gained a reputation for being one of the hardest working bands in Portsmouth and it certainly seems to be paying off. Their profile is rapidly growing; their live shows are always met by an enthusiastic response, helped by DD’s impassioned performance and the rock-solid machine that is the band behind him. If they keep going at this rate, who knows where they will be in a few years to come?
