Brighton was in its typical winter mood on Monday evening, spitting rain in fits and starts, trying to convince everyone that staying home was the better option. Hardly an ideal night to pop out for a gig in a room that fits 60 people. But the buzz around the show at The Pipeline had been building for weeks. The four-band bill sold out, even with BIMM’s end-of-term show at Chalk. Anasfaszia were set to play their first booked gig.
Savannah (vocals), Archie (guitar), Ben (bass) and Lytton (drums) had been in rehearsals preparing a set they hoped would spark their entry into the Brighton music scene. They huddled together in the small space with the crowd during the opening set, waiting in anticipation for their own chance to take the stage.
The space upstairs emptied between sets but filled again in a rush the moment Anasfaszia stepped up. Dim lighting, cramped space, and a PA system held together with hopes and gaffer tape created the perfect atmosphere for Brighton’s newest grunge band to flourish. Their nerves were evident until that first count-in when everything locked into place.
People climbed onto the leather benches lining the walls for a better view of the show. Volume, speed and electric chemistry defined the energy in the room. Archie brought the perfect grunge distortion; Lytton nailed every beat with joyful precision; Ben anchored the sound with confidence; Savannah threaded through the noise with stunningly charismatic vocals. Every moment, every mistake laughed off, Anasfaszia radiated connection that comes from genuine love of sound and performance.
The only named song of the set, ‘The Whale’, brought the vibrant mix of shoegaze and grit, exactly the sound the band is going for. The otherwise unnamed tracks? An intentional choice. Savannah explained the titles often reference the places the songs were written, not always the mood of the song.
Anasfaszia’s sound landed in the realm of Stone Temple Pilot’s confidence and the bright tones of Collective Soul, while also nodding to the band’s biggest influences like Smashing Pumpkins and Soundgarden. Thick distortion wove through edgy vocals and the entire set shifted between tension and energy.
I was able to catch up with the band post show, soaking in the adrenaline rush. When asked how they’d felt before the show, Savannah admitted, “I think we were all a little nervous.” Lytton added: “It was a mix of being really gassed and like, ‘Oh shit, it’s our first gig.’ You’re like, ‘Okay… it’s getting kind of serious.’”
The friendship is unmistakable. Savannah, Archie and Ben have been playing together for a while, with Lytton only joining last May. The band recalled his audition – remembering the moment they were supposed to take a break and decide later. Instead, as Ben put it, “We were all like, ‘So, he’s the drummer now.’” Lytton laughed, “I loved the way it sounded. I loved everything about it.”
A standout moment of the night was the final song – written just the night before. “Our set was short,” Ben said, explaining the decision to play a new song, “and at the end of rehearsal, he was noodling”, gesturing to Archie. Archie explained, “It was a riff I’d had for a while and didn’t know where to go with it. We played it for five or ten minutes, threw stuff over it and suddenly it sounded like the song to end on.” Savannah added: “The song is primarily instruments… noise and speed.”
“After ‘The Whale’, we got a very big reception,” Ben said. “It felt really good – just pumped all that energy into the last song.” Lytton agreed: “It boosts your confidence when you know everyone likes what you sound like.”
When it comes to the genre of the band, they settled somewhere around grunge-meets-shoegaze. “I always imagine playing our songs in small venues,” Archie said. “It’s more personal. You get a bigger emotional reception.”
What comes next? Recording, as soon as they can manage it. “Definitely gassed to get into a studio,” Lytton said, “to see how our songs sound after they’ve been mixed.” They have dates lined up for BIMM Refreshers and a support slot with Cinnabar. Their goal for the year? They agreed on headlining Green Door Store.
As far as young grassroots bands go, Anasfaszia hit the perfect mix of heavy, distorted, grunge mood. Their authenticity, explosive energy and absolute joy brings an aura to their performance that every fan craves. Keep an eye on this young Brighton band. They’ve only just begun.
Photos: Elizabeth Pritchard
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