Originally published by L.S. Media. October 8th 2011.

Puressence may come across as a typical Manchester band, full of self-assurance and a drive that would hark back to images of the “Madchester” scene of the 90’s but strip away the preconceptions, the Manchester look and what you are left with is band that on stage really know what they are doing, plenty of talent and a lead singer whose voice is that of real and exciting quality.

On tour to highlight the new album Solid State Recital, James Mudriczki, guitarist Lowell Killen, the superb Kevin Matthews on bass and drummer Tony Szuminski took the collected audience of the Stanley Theatre on a ride that was both thrilling and sensual, hard enough sometimes for a female singer to achieve, darn right impossible usually for a man.

Puressence opened up the night with Swathes of Sea Made Stone from the new album and a mind changing performance of I Supposefrom the band’s self-titled 1996 album. Both songs, new and old alike were greeted like much loved friends with the crowd enjoying the night from the very start and sensing the importance of the occasion.

There is something about frontman’s James Mudriczki’s voice that can make an angel weep with joy, powerful, commanding and full of authority; he feels every single word, it is etched upon his face as he prowls around the stage like a tiger waiting to pounce upon the next moment of human insanity that he sees. It’s all well and good having a frontman who can reduce an audience to self-reflection but you also need the ability of those around you to be just as good, in Puressence the band have that in abundance.

Other tracks played on the night were greeted with the same enthusiasm from the crowd as the openers and it was heartening to see that other so called bigger bands will play at the University of Liverpool over the next few months but few will have the effect as Puressence as they played Cape of No Hope (Waters Edge), When Your Eyes Closed and the effective and well driven Standing in Your Shadow.

Although the band’s album chart placing has not done the Manchester lads any favours, on this kind of performance, it surely won’t be long before the group achieving the success they so richly deserve with the new album Solid State Recital.