A post-hardcore band to put hairs on your chest. Like hopping onto a bucking bronco after ten shots of tequila. Like wrestling with a shark and knowing you're going to win. Like rescuing a basket full of mewing kittens from a burning apartment block. Alexisonfire is all of these things, all bundled up in a shroud of pure melodic perfection.

A Canadian export that would leave Terrance and Phillip lying battered in the dust, the incredibly talented quintet of musicians are still going strong after almost a decade. They burst into the light of critical acclaim with the production of 2002's self-titled debut album. Describing their own music as being like "the sound of two Catholic high-school girls in mid-knife-fight", they set their own benchmark extremely high with outstanding and memorable songs like '.44 Calibre Love Letter' and 'A Dagger Through The Heart of St Angeles'.

Their sound, a unique and enthralling experience that you can really sink your teeth into, continued to develop into something truly special. With the release of 'Watch Out!' in 2004 it was obvious of what the band were capable of. Their music can thoroughly submerge you in sound, engaging you with their music in a way very rarely seen.

The schizophrenic effect achieved by the two vocalists grabs hold of every shred of your being...Dallas Green's beautiful voice full of melody brims with emotion; and George Pettit's gravelly bellowing adding some fantastic muckiness. And that's not to overlook the level of technical skill shown by the band as musicians. The guitar work and furious drumbeats are so adept, no other form of nocturnal activity *wink wink* will ever be able to compete again. Yes, it's orgasmic. (One listen to 'Hey, It's Your Funeral Mama' or 'Boiled Frogs'... that's all it'll take.)

To seal the deal, Alexisonfire just happen to be truly incredible live. The atmosphere at one of their live shows is like nothing you will have ever experienced before, and the showmanship really reflects the way the music is affecting the crowd. They think its pretty f***ing awesome. With four albums and so many exceptional songs in their discography, any set of theirs is guaranteed to be utterly captivating. Quite frankly, if you choose not to go to this show, I don't know why I bother with you. Tut and shake of head indeed.

Alexisonfire come to Manchester Academy 2 on Sunday 7th November.