Angels with dirty faces

T0 SOME people Seraphim is but  a celestial body gifted with love, light and purity, indeed one of the highest of the angelic hierarchy. In Lancaster, however, the name is synonymous with a particularly hard working, ambitious and very hairy rock outfit who are dedicated to taking their brand of Brit-grunge to the highest branches of the Kerrang tree. Since forming in 1999 the band have seen numerous members come and go but Seraphim seem to have finally settled on a line-up which exudes confidence and compatibility best sampled on their latest     CD release 'Heights Of Oblivion'. The band have been courting interest from some significant quarters of late and have been working with Sanctuary Records UK and are currently in talks with Wyvern Records with a view to signing a deal. Okay, so this may be the darker side of Lancaster's, and indeed the nation's, musical youth and while at times it seems aggressive, introspective and equally melancholic it does at the very least pulsate with an energy and passion missing in so much of today's mainstream crap so beloved of the masses. There are a even few moments that could masquerade as deep sensitivity, for example 'Chinese Food Mind Games' and the title track 'Heights Of Oblivion' have more than a liberal scattering of tasteful musical flourishes that even my mum would find tolerable. It's not all guitar-washed rock though, the CD also contains the odd surprise with 'Oblivion High Trance Mix' being more than a slight, though nonetheless worth-while, diversion from the full-on metal that generally dominates this locally recorded collection-.- To promote the new album, which has   been released due,  in part, to support  from Lancaster Market's  Play It Again Records' Chris Stanley, the hirsute foursome have been trawling the depths of the country's rock- friendly venues, playing to ever enthusiastic spectators and will be continuing to do so in the coming months with a string of dates including appearances at festivals in Scotland and London as well as gigs in Lancaster at the end of August. On the whole Seraphim know exactly who their audience are and who they want their audience to be, which is just fine as the crowds of appreciative adolescents that. seemingly adore the band are more than happy to fulfil that role. Heights Of Oblivion will be released on Monday (29) and will be available from Play It Again Records in Lancaster. Market. For further information on Seraphim, including some lovely pictures and Smash Hits-style   'my     favourite colour' type stuff, cheek out the   band's     website     at www.seraphim.iwarp.com