Iron Halo | Seraphyx | Iron Halo Single
This is a friend of mine’s band. They’ve just released this free single. Ya’ll should get it out, it’s good. Also, you’ll be supporting the Sydney Metal scene :D
Interview with Behemoth’s Nergal on Bloodstock and Extreme Metal
Hopefully, I’ll have the time and energy to write them. Woo!
W/ Lab 4, Angelspit, Shivr, & Horrorwood
I was going to write a proper review for this ever-so-disappointing concert, but I decided that I’d never get around to it if I was forced to sit down and actually think about what I was writing.
I attended this gig as a favour more than anything, and it certainly felt as such. It seems I wasn’t the only person with very little interest in this spectacle, because even at it’s climax, the venue was still relatively empty. Rather than being home in my nice warm bed, however, I was sitting outside trying not to suffocate from second-hand smoke inhalation.
The first act to take the stage was local Goth-Metal outfit Horrorwood. Having absolutely no idea who they were, I was pleasantly surprised. Despite the general lack of enthusiasm shown by the majority in attendance, I found myself absent mindedly nodding my head to the music. Was it particularly amazing? No. The band played competently, and the vocalist was strong and clear in his delivery. I felt sorry for their predicament, performing before an audience with no real interest in a legitimate band. Well, I appreciated it, especially considering what was to follow.
After a brief set-up interlude, Shivr took the stage. I walked outside. I can’t bring myself to say anything even remotely positive about this 30 minutes of my life. I want it back, but alas, it’s lost to the archives of nightmarish live experiences forever. To their credit, though, they were slightly less tedious than what was to follow.
You’re probably wondering when the Hell Combichrist are actually going to take the stage. At which point, I should refer you to the very beginning of this review, where you’ll notice there are four fucking support acts. Only two of which qualify as a legitimate band of musicians (Less so in Shivr’s case). Yes, that’s right, Angelspit and Lab 4 are fucking DJs. This is the point where the night begins to become excruciating, and I’m not the only one who feels this way. While a sparse number of mindless drones swing their bodies vacantly inside, the rest of us with a functioning brain are outside, tapping our fingers in agitation as we wait for the main act.
Combichrist were supposed to take the stage at 11:00. This is still impractically late by any realistic standards. Lab 4, however, took it upon himself to continue his DJ set a whole 20 fucking minutes after his scheduled departure. To Combichrist’s credit, they set up swiftly, and were opening with Today I Woke to the Rain of Blood by 11:30. However, it was too late to salvage this miserable night. While the few die-hard’s who remained got down with Combichrist’s unique brand of Aggrotech, I decided to depart, concluding I would much rather get a decent nights sleep than persevere to the very end. Nor could the Venom promoters, as it so happens, because they quickly followed suit.
I feel legitimately sorry for Combichrist’s predicament, because from what I witnessed of their set, they were tight and explosive as a live unit. Frontman (and sole song-writer) Andy LaPlegua stalked the stage with real intent, his vocal delivery sharp and menacing, whilst the touring band’s two drummers threw forth a manic array of synchronised fury. If I didn’t have to wait until 11:30 to get my first taste of entertaining live music, I would’ve been a lot kinder to the hard working performers. Perhaps only one or two support acts next time, yeah?
All was not lost on this night, however, as I stumbled upon the most awesome cab driver I’ve ever had. Perhaps one of two white cab drivers in the entire Sydney area, I talked enthusiastically with him about the magnificent Rock acts of old. On a number of occasions I was more than a little jealous. It’s not often you find someone who remembers Uriah Heep.
As the wise Alf Stewart once said, “Cheers cunts”.
Didn’t see that coming, did you Slayer fans?
Slayer were one of the major disappointments of this year’s Soundwave Festival. Why? Tom Araya fell ill on the day. Besides this, though, Australia’s biggest new music festival went off in Sydney. I mean, with Iron Maiden headlining, how could get any better?
To start the day, I headed off to stage four to catch any and all acts before The Sword took the stage. During this period, I experienced an unexpectedly enjoyable set from US Nu Metallers Nonpoint. Tight? Hardly, passionate and energetic? Yes. If Glam Metal has taught me anything, you don’t need to be note perfect to put on a good show (I’m looking at you Motley Crue). Throwin’ in Bullet with a Name for good measure, I’m happy.
I also had to endure Taking Dawn before I could watch The Sword. I did this from afar, hardly enthused enough to approach the mosh. I can report back that the front-man is a natural, and like Nonpoint, they value energy over efficiency.
Finally The Sword took the stage, and I must say despite their musical ability, their live show was somewhat lacking. Stoner Metal isn’t meant to be played in the midday sun, and it became increasingly apparent as The Sword trudged through their 40 minute set. At best I’d say it was good filler. I couldn’t hear the front-man’s whaling vocals over the wall of sludge laden guitars, further adding to my frustration. I enjoyed it, but not as much as I’d hoped for - now it’s time for Monster Magnet.
“Y U NO LIKE MONSTER MAGNET?” - a phrase I may use more than once in this review, it became apparent very quickly just how few people knew who Monster Magnet were. It didn’t really bother the small group of hardcore fans up the front though. Dave Wyndorf and co. ploughed through material from a range of classic Stoner Metal albums, as well as 1 or 2 songs from their latest outing Mastermind. Most appreciated, though, was the closing Powertrip song Spacelord - generating the greatest singalong moment of the entire festival. Technically, Monster Magnet were efficient veterans of their art, playing competently with few mishaps. I couldn’t escape the feeling they were rather unenthused by the small showing, though.
Next up were the ever-so-amazing Bullet for my Valentine. Say what you will about them being part of ‘teh corez’, but they put on a damn good live show and I’ll vouch for their musical ability any day. Being a festival, they weren’t perfect, and Matt Tuck’s jet-lag forced Rise to Remain vocalist Austin Dickinson to take over for 2 songs. I didn’t approve of this, but I guess it doesn’t matter who’s singing the song when the audience knows every single word. Having seen them on their Headlining tour last year, I can comfortably say they’re more than capable of performing better. They played all the usual material from Poison, Scream andFever, although curiously playing serial closer Hand of Blood half way through the set. Odd. Again, festival…
Following this was always incredible ‘Funk Metal’ band Primus. The boldest statement on the Soundwave bill, they didn’t disappoint. Bouncing into To Defy the Laws of Tradition (how apt) at the conclusion of their carnival-esque introduction theme, the madness didn’t ever let up. Everyone was simply mesmerized by Les Claypool’s undiminished talent. Or at least, I was, and I couldn’t give a fuck about anyone else. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - If God were a bassist, he’d be Les Claypool. Moving on, they played an elongated rendition of Seas of Cheese before blasting into Here Come the Bastards. Other notable highlights include American Life, My Name is Mud and the crowd favourite, closer Tommy the Cat. “Hey baby do you want to lay down by side …” was stuck in my head for the rest of the day.
After this delightful spectacle came the second most awaited show of the day, former Guns N’ Roses axeman Slash. Pity then, that I found his set to be one of the most disappointing and downright boring. It can’t all be blamed on the aging guitar god, though, the crowd response being only slightly more enthusiastic than me getting up in the morning. The set was composed of an array of songs, mostly Guns N’ Roses covers (you don’t need me to list them) complimented by material from his solo effort. All in all the set was OK, and they finished 5 minutes early. Slash played competently, but not brilliantly, and the back up band followed suit. What I will say, however, is that Myles Kennedy has the voice; not a good voice, an amazing voice. If you haven’t, check out his work with Post-Grunge/Hard Rock act Alter Bridge.
On to Slayer then, right? Wrong. Having contracted some unspecified illness earlier the same day, Tom Araya was unable to perform his role as vocalist and forced the band to cancel. A crying shame if ever there was one. Disappointed, I left to see what racket was being made at stages 1/2, what I missed was a full blown riot which ended in arson and abuse, among other things…
I waited around for Zakk de la Rocha fronted One Day as a Lion to stop making such a dreadful racket so I could see Queens of the Stone Age. It blew my mind. QOTSA were tightest band of the day, hands down. I couldn’t believe how perfectly they could play every song, completely fault free. Josh Homme is a natural born front-man and simultaneously plays guitar and sings with the pinnacle of ease. The rest of the band played their part in the most well oiled machine since the Roman Empire. Opening with Feel Good Hit of the Summer, the hits didn’t stop coming with the likes of 3’s & 7’s and No One Knows. The only song I wish they’d played was In My Head from Lullabies to Paralyze, but you can’t win ‘em all. Queens of the Stone Age proved a point to me this day: the gig being a festival doesn’t mean shit.
Finally, I laid my eyes on the god-like presence of Iron Maiden for the second time in a week. This could be the most epic finale any festival manager could hope for - and it was. Taking the stage for a whole two hours, Maiden showed pride in their most recent musical output, playing heavy on the Final Frontier. Amongst this, they played a variety of classics spanning their entire career. 2 Minutes to Midnight was the first of these to fly out the gate, and soon we heard the likes of The Trooper, Fear of the Dark and Iron Maiden. Along with this, they played a variety of more recent epics including Blood Brothers and When the Wild Wind Blows. At which point, I asked myself one question: “Y U NO APPRECIATE FINAL FRONTIER?”. I must’ve been the only fucker in the mosh singing every word to When the Wild Wind Blows - so quiet, was the rest of the crowd, that I could actually hear myself singing. Confusion aside, I was delighted to hear the triple encore of The Number of the Beast, Hallowed be thy Name andRunning Free. I only have two quarrels with the set list - they failed to include Run to the Hills or Aces High AND they played a practically identical set to the one they played several days earlier at the Sydney Ent. Centre. Technically, Iron Maiden were as beautiful as they’ve ever been, blowing my mind with their harmonic mastery and sheer bravado. Bruce Dickinson’s voice never fails to impress, perhaps only out-shined by Myles Kennedy. All three guitarists traded off riff after riff like only true veterans can, while Steve Harris and Nicko McBrain provided a solid rhythm section that never skipped a beat. Were they as tight as QOTSA? No. Did it matter? Fuck no. Iron Maiden were the star of the show and they proved it. Heavy fuckin’ Metal.
All in all, it was an excellent day - far superior to the last 2 years, in fact. I think the venue change to The Sydney Showground was the best decision the festival organisers could’ve made. I’m disappointed I couldn’t see ‘Fuckin’ Slayer!’, but the festival was more than made up for by the other amazing acts. Iron Maiden were unbelievable, and I’m sure Slayer will be back. At least, they better.
Award for Best Vocal Performance: Myles Kennedy (Slash)
Award for Best Bassist: Les Claypool (Primus)
Award for Best Guitarist(s): Adrian Smith, Janick Gers, Dave Murray (Iron Maiden)
Award for Best Drummer: Joey Castillo (Queens of the Stone Age)
Award for Tightest Band: Queens of the Stone Age
Award for most Entertaining: Primus
Award for Most Mindblowing: Iron Maiden
Award for Best ‘Gang’ Vocal: “Space Lord Motherfucker!” - Monster Magnet
Award for Best Song Introduction: “This next fiery ball of semen is Tommy the Cat” - Primus
Award for “Why don’t I have any of their music on my iPod?” : Nonpoint
Award for Most Devastating: Slayer dropping out at the last minute
Award for Most Expected Disappointment: One Day as a Lion
Metallica
W/ Lamb of God & Baroness
Acer Arena, 13/11/10
I have something to confess: I’m a huge Metallica fan-boy, so this review will almost certainly be biased - but you know what? I don’t care. Being so madly in love with such a high profile band is entirely acceptable from where I stand. I had been waiting for this moment for years, and only being 18, I had reason enough to believe this day would actually never come – and then not only did they announce a tour, but I was also blessed with the news that Lamb of God and Baroness would be supporting – two bands I am also madly in love with (If not as much as Metallica).
After obtaining my ticket - which I made sure was in the mosh pit – I waited several months for this glorious day to arrive and I wasn’t disappointed. This was – without a doubt – the most amazing gig I’ve ever been to, period. Metallica owned it, drawing predominantly from their magnum opus, Master of Puppets, with Lamb of God and Baroness providing killer, energetic supporting sets that blew my mind. I only wish I could’ve gone to all three Sydney shows. It was that good.
After waiting several hours to get in, we were let in to the designated mosh area and I rushed to the barrier to which I clung the entire night; I was not about to give up such a prime position, even during the supporting acts. Baroness took the stage to a mostly empty Acer Arena, but it didn’t seem to bother them too much as they ripped through their own brand of stoner-influenced progressive metal. Although some of the atmosphere was inevitably lost, Baroness still pulled off a competent set which showcased their undeniable talent as musicians. Blasting into Bullhead’s Psalm, the band knew why they were there, and performed their duty admirably. I was probably one of very few people in the room familiar with their music. Drawing inspiration predominantly from The Blue Record, highlights included the aforementioned Bullhead’s Psalm, Jake Leg and A Horse Called Golgotha. The only real downsides to their performance was their inability to accommodate such a large stage, and the bass tuning problems they incurred halfway through the set which led to a rather dull 10 minute improvisation.
Not long and Lamb of God, whom I’d seen twice before, took the stage – and by God did they deliver, putting on a spectacular show which more than simply ‘warmed up’ the crowd. Randall Blythe worked the stage like a madman possessed, more energetic than any of the front-men that would take the stage that night (Yes, including James). The rest of the band played tight and heavy, assaulting the now growing crowd with their own brand of ‘Pure American Metal’, reinforcing their position at the forefront of modern metal. Leading the charge with Wrath highlight In Your Words, the band never let up the intensity, blowing the roof of the arena. Lamb of God reminded me once again why they are, and will remain to be, one of my favourite live bands. Call it subjective, but you’d be hard pressed to argue that Randall Blythe isn’t one of the best Metal vocalists of the twenty-first century, or that there are many more ‘brutiful’ guitar duos than Mark Morton and Willie Adler in metal to date. Not to be left out, of course, are the supremely skilled bass player John Campbell and drum god Chris Adler, who complete this fucking amazing band. Highlights included my personal favourite Walk with me in Hell – a track which always gets the entire crowd moving. Now you’ve got Something to Die for, Redneck and obligatory closer Black Label were also definite crowd pleasers, showcasing the brilliance that can be found in any given record. That said, I’m still on a mission to see Blacken the Cursed Sun live, even if I have to stalk them.
Finally, the true stars of the show would take the stage. They truly are an amazing band, and it was obvious from the very beginning who everyone was there to see; the one and only Metallica. Marching onto the stage to the obligatory ‘Ecstasy of Gold’, they ripped straight into ‘That was just your Life’ and the madness began. All of Metallica appeared to be in form, all playing tight and clean, perhaps the only one lagging behind being the ever-so-sloppy Lars Ulrich.
From there, it was all about Master of Puppets, playing 6 of the 8 tracks from their magnum opus (the only two songs they didn’t play were Orion and Battery). This can only be described as an old school Metallica fan’s wet dream, If only they’d also dedicated a similar amount of time to Ride the Lightning. One choice which struck me as odd was the inclusion of Bob Seger cover Turn the Page; delightful for those who crave rarities, but something of a let down for everyone else. I would have much preferred Fade to Black, a far more fitting piece of beautiful acoustic and epic metal. Also making a slightly undeserved appearance was the singleFuel from their critically panned ReLoad. While I enjoyed the song, again I wish it had been replaced by something else. It’s nice to recognise its existence, but that doesn’t change the fact that it sucked. Only a single nod was given to Justice, with the inclusion of MTV breakthrough hit ‘One’; this also struck me as odd. I was hoping to hear Harvester of Sorrows, to no avail. The usual Metallicastaples were present, in Sad but True, Nothing Else Matters and Enter Sandman, along with obligatory closer Seek and Destroy. I never quite understood why they always finished with this song, but I’m not going to complain – because it’s awesome.
Sonically, the band was brilliant, with only minor technical trip ups along the way; during Fuel, James Hetfield’s MIC stopped working forcing them to forgo the second verse. The acoustics were great, allowing each instrument to shine its own unique way. James’s voice was brilliant, singing clearly over the metal onslaught; Kirk and Robert were brilliant, Kirk with his face-melting solos and Robert with his tremendously skilled bass shredding; even Lars appeared to be on-song, even if “He couldn’t keep time” – but seriously, if you’ve got enough free time to assess the accuracy of Lars’s drumming, perhaps you shouldn’t have turned up in the first place. I mean, this is Metallica, not Missy Higgins.
All in all it was a brilliant performance; the best gig of my life, hands down. My only regret is that I didn’t get tickets to all their Sydney shows. I’ll make sure to do this next time, even if I have to kill someone. Metallica fucking killed it, proving to me why I love them as much as I do, with Lamb of God and Baroness kicking ass to boot. I think I got my money’s worth.
· “Metallica rules!”, Otto (The Simpsons)
By Michael Sturtridge
So, I’ve been incapable of doing any in-depth reviews of late thanks to the HSC. I’ve come to the conclusion that it would be more appropriate at this point if I provided a brief overview of my thoughts on the various gigs that I’ve attended since I last wrote a proper review. With the conclusion of school, I hope to be writing more comprehensive reviews more frequently.
Since I last wrote, I’ve attended Hellyeah in July, Bullet for my Valentine in September and Alexisonfire in October. Two of these were great; one of them left me slightly disappointed. I also discovered that putting one’s faith in Sydney’s public transport system was a big mistake.
On the 29th of July, I attended the Metrotheatre for the eagerly awaited return of Hellyeah. Seasoned professionals of the touring circuit, Hellyeah would go on to blow away the relatively small crowd with one of the most energetic sets I’ve ever witnessed – as they should, comprising members from both Pantera and Mudvayne, both of whom are veterans of metal music.
My only criticism is the lack of a second support act, making the show a short and sweet experience, ending before 11:00. What support there was, however, was very impressive. Black Asylum are an Australian heavy metal band from the Gold Coast, and they kicked the ever-loving shit out of the small – but eager – crowd. Sounding like an unholy combination of Slayer and Pantera, Black Asylum ripped through a small, energetic set comprised from material off their 2009 EP Anthem of Disorder. The band left a distinct impression on all in the room, proving their worth as one of the up and comers of Australian metal, and their EP gaining a well-earned spot on my ‘to-get’ list.
Interacting with the appreciative crowd, Black Asylum showcased a level of musicianship not often seen in bands so early in their life cycle. The music gelled, and the sound was fucking awesome. Only one or two people knew the words, but the rest of us were content headbanging mindlessly to those heavy-as-hell breakdowns. If you haven’t heard of them, I urge you to check Black Asylum out.
The lights dimmed and ACDC’s ‘For those about to Rock (We salute you)’ accompanied Hellyeah as they took the stage, creating a level of anticipation unheard of in such a small crowd. To this day, I still don’t understand why people would pass up the opportunity to see such a great band. Vinnie Paul sat behind his drum kit and Chad Grey stormed onto the stage as the band ripped straight into ‘Hellyeah’, the small venue erupting into a fist frenzy as Chad screamed ‘If ya don’t give a shit, get ya Hellyeah!’.
Hellyeah’s setwas explosive, giving material from both Hellyeah and Stampede equal time in the limelight. Highlights includedMatter of Time, Goddamn, Cowboy Way and the practically made-for-drunken-sing-a-longs Alcohaulin’ Ass, every note they played glorious in its own redneck way.
If I had to nitpick, they don’t quite equal the sum of their parts, but they are all seasoned live performers, and it shows. Chad Grey wasn’t always 100% on vocals, but small gigs never really provide the necessary acoustics to create a clear sound. Perhaps the fact they didn’t play a Pantera cover?
Next, I attended the Hordern Pavilion for Metalcore juggernauts Bullet for My Valentine. This would come to be the highlight of my year thus far, as they totally blew my expectations out of the water and reminded me how much I truly love this band.
The first support act of the evening was Metallic Hardcore band Cancer Bats, unfortunately I was denied from seeing most of their set thanks to my unenthused comrades; I did, however, get to see them perform a few songs including the epic closer ‘Hail Destroyer’. From what I witnessed, they put on a great show for all who were willing to see them. They were tight and frontman Liam Cormier was enthusiastic in his attempts to get the crowd involved. I’m sure both the band and their fans were happy with this performance.
Up next were modern metal’s latest and greatest fad, ‘fringecore’ band Bring me the Horizon. Bursting onto the stage after a short interlude, they assaulted the capacity crowd with their brand of shoddy power chord abuse. The crowds response to this mediocre performance was ecstatic, something that struck me as pants down retarded.I just wanted to know where Oli Sykes keeps his on stage hair straightener. Opening with the first single of their 3rd studio album ‘There is a Hell…’, ‘It Never Ends’, they were met with a visibly brutal (the good kind) reaction. I didn’t really care, as I was yet to hear their new song. Even if I had, I doubt I would’ve enjoyed it; their performance was sloppy and uninspired. The end result was a seemingly impenetrable wall of incoherent noise. I was highly amused by Jona Weinhofen and Lee Malia’s attempts at ‘playing guitar’, and Oli Sykes couldn’t scream to save his life. More than anything else, this set left me confused, particularly considering the universal praise they appear to be receiving right now on the touring circuit. Maybe I just don’t ‘get’ it, but I stick by my opinion. Bring me the Horizon suck live.
The sole enjoyment I received from their show was the inclusion of Football Season is Over and closing song Chelsea Smile. The former produced an admittedly unexpected cameo by Deez Nuts frontman JJ Peters, for the epic tag-line ‘Party till’ you pass out, drink till’ you’re dead!’ which had the whole mosh pit moving. Chelsea Smile produced a similarly epic sing-a-long with the line ‘I’ve got a secret; it’s on the tip of my tongue, it’s in the back of my lungs. I’m going to keep it; I know something you don’t know! ‘. My fondness for these sparse enjoyable moments allowed me to look past the horrid musicianship on display, if only for a moment.
Finally, it was time for Bullet for my Valentine to take the stage, and they blew my mind. They played clean and hard, proving to be a far more diverse proposition than Bring me the Horizon. Playing every song the crowd wanted to hear, they knew how to please their rabid audience. The crowd was at capacity and the band belted out all their greatest material, beginning the set with Feverstandout Your Betrayal. This would define the atmosphere for the rest of the night as some kind of beautiful mayhem.
From here, they burst straight into Fever which the crowd met with unsurpassed enthusiasm, drowning out lead vocalist Matt Tuck as they screamed every word. The guitars wailed and cried with absolute precision the entire night, truly proving their position at the top of the bill.
Every song was a highlight, giving little to no reason not to mention all of them, but sadly I do not have the space to detail every shimmering moment of awesome. All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me), Tears Don’t Fall, and Say Goodnight allowed for several quieter, sing-a-long friendly moments. The feeling of singing along every word with a united capacity crowd cannot be understated. Throughout this, heavier numbers brought the house down, including Waking the Demon, 4 Words (To Choke Upon) and Scream Aim Fire. Even in the absolute chaos, every single person in the crowd could be heard screaming the words back at Matt Tuck and his crew. They finished with 3 encore songs, including the staple Bullet song, and ultimate fan-favourite,Hand of Blood.
I had been waiting several years to see this amazing band perform live, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. I’d be surprised if anyone was. If you didn’t get the chance to see them this September, and you’re a Bullet fan, you cannot miss their next performance,period.
Last, and unfortunately least, was the rather disappointing Alexisonfire. I really love this band, and I’d been eager to see them for several months, but they just failed to deliver. Although, perhaps it’s not their fault; if the sound technician still has a job after that woeful performance I will be incredibly surprised. Seriously.
So, before we get to this horror story, we have to get through Perth rockers Break Even. I have to hand it to them, they love what they do, and they sound an awful lot like the band they were supporting. This was definitely a good thing. I wasn’t expecting much but I was delightfully surprised by the energy this band had on stage; the only real quarrel I had with this set was the lengthy abuse of Sonics and the poor acoustics. Again, this can be attributed to the aforementioned sound technician. He is the sole reason I left feeling rather indifferent, and somewhat annoyed – after all, I didn’t get home till 3 in the morning, and I hardly feel I got my money’s worth. At any rate, Break Even pleased the crowd and did so admirably.
After a short interlude, Alexisonfire took the stage and I was in the centre of the capacity crowd. I wasn’t there for long, though, soon losing interest and going to the bar. Sure, they played all the songs you’d want to hear, but the acoustics were genuinely depressing. As a result, the set sounded like nothing more than a wall of cement mixers. I called Bring Me the Horizon an incoherent wall of noise before, and Alexisonfire had the same problem. After having watched this genre defining band rip the crowd a new arsehole at their ‘10 Soundwave performance, this lacklustre show left me irritated and thirsty. I was also now stuck in the city waiting for a train at 2 in the morning. I will, however, commend them for their cover of Midnight Oil’s ‘The Dead Heart’. It managed to put a smile on face, even if nothing else they played could.
I can only hope their next visit produces a more fruitful experience, whenever that is.
All in all, it’s been a pleasing last few months of music - and now that I’m free from the shackles of the HSC, I should be able to write reviews more regularly. In the words of ACDC, ‘For those about to Rock, we Salute you’.
Amity Affliction
W/ Misery Signals, Confession & Flood of Red
9/7/10
Touring in support of their highly anticipated sophomore album, Youngbloods, The Amity Affliction were set to tear the populace of Sydney a new arsehole. Totally blowing my expectations out of the water and into a nearby billboard, they put on a show that showed us why they’re in this game. It was a pity the support couldn’t do the same. Even so, for just 30 bucks, it was well worth the money.
Playing at the Roundhouse is a big step up for The Amity Affliction. In the space of 2 years, they’ve released 2 great albums, and gone from playing gigs as small as Hypefest to headlining their own nationwide tour. I was quite surprised at the turnout; the venue was near capacity when Amity took the stage, their pit easily dwarfing that of their international comrades Misery Signals. This was definitely a triumph for the local music scene.
After arriving just on time, I entered the venue as Flood of Red wasted little time getting into their brief – yet impressive – set. I was genuinely surprised by this little known Scottish punk band. Whilst their music sounded a little disjointed and their stage presence definitely left something to be desired, the vocalist shone through with his impressively strong vocals. Singing clearly over the top of your fellow band mates and their collective noise is no small feat, and Jordan Spiers did it with ease, improving the otherwise lacklustre set. They weren’t awe inspiring, but worth checking out if you enjoy good clean pop-punk. Flood of Red are definitely one of the bands to watch in the near future.
Following this was local band Confession fronted by the notorious Michael Crafter (Ex-I Killed the Prom Queen). If you know Michael Crafter, you know what you’re in for; half an hour of breakdown happy metalcore divided by the sound of a Bogan telling his audience they’re a “bunch of cunts”. Confession’s set was as predictable as ever, but you knew that from the beginning, so you should quit complaining if you were at all disappointed. I’m not familiar with much of Confession’s material, so I chose to sit this one on the side line, but I could see enough to tell that Crafter and his crew pleased their target audience. Their execution wasn’t bad, and I can see some real potential within the creative body of the band; at any rate, there are definitely worse places to be on a Friday night.
Up next were Misery signals, who were perhaps the biggest letdown of the night. Prior to the day of the gig, I’d heard many who were confused as to why Misery Signals weren’t headlining, and while they weren’t bad, they definitely provided an answer to that question. Their set up time was irritatingly long, and when they finally took the stage I had already half lost interest. They did manage to regain my attention, but I wasn’t about to rush out and download their complete back catalogue. Whilst their presence on stage was definitely felt, their musicianship was a little underwhelming. I couldn’t distinguish between the songs I knew and everything else; it was just one giant blur of overwhelming noise. Frontman Karl Schubach’s vocals were sub-par, to be kind. His growls were a run-of-the-mill affair and his unclean vocals were woeful (When you could actually hear them). On top of all this, Signals were content to leave us hanging for minutes at a time with mind numbingly tedious interludes. Nice fucking try.
House lights dimmed, music ceased, and the Youngbloods banner was unfurled behind the stage – “about fucking time!” I had been waiting all night to see The Amity Affliction, and I was not going to be disappointed.
Opening with one of the highlights of the night, ‘I Hate Hartley’, the band never let up their intense sound. Redefining the wordHardcore, they put all who played before them to complete and utter shame. The crowd responded in equal measures of outright insanity, providing one of the most enjoyably brutal mosh experiences I’ve had in recent memory. Ripping through prime cuts from both their full length releases, they also played a select few from earlier EPs. This was epitomised when the crowd erupted to the deafening ‘I Heart Throsby’. Other highlights include the Youngbloods title track, ‘Snitched Get Stiches’ and ‘Fuck the Yankees’. The band proceeded to play a blistering encore which included Severed Ties favourites ‘I Heart Roberts’ & ‘Stairway to Hell’. Overall, it was a very competent set that pleased the mental crowd. My only quarrel lies in the absence of my personal favourite ‘Dr. Thunder’, but it was amazing nonetheless.
Technically, Amity definitely put on a relatively competent show. They’ve garnered a reputation for being better partiers than musicians, but that doesn’t stop them from treating their audience to a fucking great time. Personality often loses out to technical proficiency in today’s music scene, but The Amity Affliction defies this depressing trend; they never lose sight of who they are and why they play.
Having said this, their musicianship does leave something to be desired. Clarity is something I hold dear to my heart, and it is something Amity lacked. I couldn’t hear any of the synth very clearly, if at all. Axemen Clint Splattering & Troy Brady aren’t the cleanest players around, either. Vocally, I feel that main man Joel Birch struggled increasingly throughout the set to deliver his growls. His performance was salvaged by Bassist Ahren Stringer who surprised me with his clean vocals, which were clear and concise. Only towards the end did his voice begin to wain slightly, drowning in the distorted mess that is The Amity Affliction – albeit, a fucking awesome distorted mess.
Overall, though, Amity & co. put on an amazing show well worth the $30. I wouldn’t hesitate to see them again the next time they tour, and neither should you. If you’ve heard about The Amity Affliction and aren’t sure what to think, going to one of their live shows should sort that out for you; Awesome.
