Dissonance has become a buzzword in the Metal community. Known for its cacophonic tendencies the word tends get thrown around to enrich a band whos sound maybe be somewhat lacking. Returning back in 2013 an enriched line up ushered in the phenomenal return of Gorguts. Having released one of the most truly dissonant albums of their time, the classic Obscura to say the band are pioneers of the genre would be an injustice. Now shortly before unveiling their brand new EP Pleadies Dust our Canadian brethren roll into town to deliver an unlistenable sermon.
[date]30th March 2016[/date]
[venue]The Dome[/venue]
[city]London, Tufnell Park[/city]
[support_bands]Nero Di Marte, Dysrhythmia, Psycroptic[/support_bands]
As always however before that there is the small matter of support bands. With a line up truly being around the world tonight first up are italian Nero Di Marte, unbeknownst to many of the audience here tonight this band have been around for fair while now. Releasing multiple albums the most recent of which sees the band retaining their progressive nature yet inflicting more of a drone style hit. Tonight however the band are working surprisingly well to the ever timid audience. Delivering choice cuts from new record Derivae allows for some musical introspection before a barrage of drums greet our audience, having had half an hour to state their case these italians have done an exemplary job.
Round one for two thirds of this band following up from the Italian rumpus is instrumental act Dysrhythmia. Forming a part of tonight’s headliners the band are a sound yet to be experienced here at The Dome. Their delivery of atonal acrobatics goes down a treat with the slowly filling crowd. Hardly speaking a word the band perform admirably showcasing their examples of avant garde instrumental sections leaving punters scratching their heads just as much as banging them to the erratic time signatures. Though perhaps sometimes a little convoluted there are elements where the finger tapping bass lines of Colin Marston truly come to the fore momentary alluding to a sense of melody quickly dispelled as another arrival of barralling drums from Jeff Eber. Challenging to perform of course, at a stretch difficult to listen to but tonight’s crowd soak in the Dysrhythmia.
Having previously appeared last year as main support during the return of our jefe’s Brujeria, Psycroptic return once again tonight to deliver the pin point accuracy. A shorter haired Jason Peppiatt stalks the stage once more as the ominous spanish guitar of “Cold” seeps into the venue before the smackdown of distortion coming from not only Joe Haley but bassist Cameron Grant who’s thunderous tones come through particularly on follow up “Carriers of The Plague“. Despite his lack of long hair Jason delivers a headbanging that would make Corpsegrinder blush, however London doesn’t quite reciprocate with the same intensity. Sure there is a pit but perhaps its owing to a Wednesday night but people simply aren’t as rabid as they have been. This takes nothing away from the performance being delivered as cymbals crash in new number “The World Discarded” which level Tufnell Park with THAT outro ensuring that everyone’s heads are banging.
Quelling a heckle of “play something off Scepter” Pepiatt responds with a “Well how about we play Observant?” which all of us here are glad for. Followed later by a devastating “The Sleepers Have Awoken” enrapturing the crowd with the bands brilliant balance of minute accuracy yet an energy not possessed by many making for the stage to be far more interesting than usual. Ending on “Initiate” receiving yet another seal of approval of nodding heads from our audience tonight. Once again delivering an air tight set complete with more energy than our first two bands collectively Psycroptic will always blow the roof off anywhere they perform and I would strongly advise given the opportunity you should witness it.
Moving from the merch stand to the main stage we see the modest and truly humble Luc Lemay begin the fumbling of a changeover. Once all is said and done and the intro track rolls, our friendly Death Metal veteran takes on an entirely new persona. Unleashing the inner demons with Colored Sands intro “Le Toit Du Monde” the band go full pelt into their absolutely obliterating sound. Cognitive in its delivery the works of Colored Sands truly immerse our audience tonight despite their longevity move the room as one on more than one occasion returning with destructive force of “Forgotten Arrows”.
Known for our polite etiquette Lemay states he has had such a nice time in London that the band will be performing a new song. For those who are unaware this new “song” entitled “Pleiades Dust” is the length of their entire EP. Clocking in at half an hour the track is a musical tour de force. Building on the ground set by previous album the coming record sees even more new ground broken for the band. Ambient sections both bassist Colin Marston and ring leader working with some incredible effects during the lulling moments. Though unexpectedly drummer Patrice Hamelin’s drum stool throws in the towel and slight momentum is lost as the song comes to an abrupt halt. Nevertheless with a little factoid from Lemay stating this particular riff is an ode to Paradise Lost along with Lemay jokingly reassuring us that the broken drum stool will be also on the record alleviates the mood. A minor hiccup as we return to the trance inducing lethargy of our riffs before the finale of the track finishes of with bombast the likes only a seasoned performer would be able to conjure. Come May 13th we have a serious amount to look forward to.
Reaching back into the bands past we’re shown the brilliance of title track “From Wisdom To Hate” dedicated to all the fans of the band throughout the years. Before reaching further back for title track from one of the most experimental metal albums released “Obscura”. Seeing fans muscially convulse as we’re led down the path of true darkness in a sound that should be unfit for ears but as the tones of “Inverted” crash through ensures us that these are definitely the right sounds to be hearing. Packing up amidst chants for more the band politely request one more track. Granted their wish they perform an absolutely monstrous rendition of title track “Colored Sands”. Which courtesy of our PA sends harmonics ringing for miles. As the final chords are stuck by Kevin Hufnagel its clear that tonight was an avant garde triumph. Pioneers of Death Metal, Gorguts may well be celebrating their twenty fifth anniversary of Considered Dead but with new material immininent are more essential than ever in the Metal world and have more than proved it tonight.
