A night of pure extreme metal was to be had on the first show of The Chaos Raids tour with Norweigian black metallers 1349 making their debut on Australian soil. The show was also special in that it marked the very final performance of local extreme metallers Malignant Monster who recently announced this show to be their last one. With those 2 factors, it became a night for all lovers of heavy music.
The Furor opened the night and showcased their brand of black metal and beyond. Many of the regulars of the local scene certainly knew these guys despite the band not being super regular on the live circuit. But it’s always good to see them when they do a show and there wasn’t anyone more fit to open the night for sure.
Malignant Monster have been a staple on the extreme metal local scene for a number of years and still to this day, I consider them to be the heaviest band in Perth and one of the most extreme on the planet. Seriously heavy and always spot on, the band kicked off their final show with more than just an intensity that’s found on past shows, the band were here to leave a trail of destruction and forge their name forever as one of the better bands in the metal world. Their last album “Yours In Murder” was filled with some of the band’s best and most darkest tracks ever and it was good to hear songs like “Back In The Icebox” performed one last time.
Frontman Cain Cressall always delivers a full on performance and never waivers from any “characterisation” he may play on stage while drummer Louis Rando is simply a machine behind the kit, certainly one of the best drummers in the business without a doubt. It’s sad to see this band go but at least they did it with a bang and made a serious mark on the metal scene.
The black metallers collectively known as 1349 jumped on stage quickly after and kicked off a fury of pure, unadulterated extreme metal. Displaying a tight performance and speedy riffs and melodies, the band sounded on fire on the first show of the tour. Focusing primarily on the new album “Massive Cauldron Of Chaos”, the low-fi sound of their albums was captured brilliantly on the live set as the band brutalised the crowd with their massive intricacies of fast riffs and tempos. “Chained” was a highlight of the show with a very catchy and hooky riff that spun out an old school rock n’ roll vibe harking back to the innovators of early black metal like Venom while “Slaves” with it’s slightly more complex timing tore the crowd apart who by this stage were heavily into the craziness of a full blown moshpit.
Frontman Ravn did not say a whole lot and it wasn’t really missed as the band tore through the set relentlessly, song after song with very little breaks. That’s not to say his interaction with the crowd was missing as he had the crowd eating from his hands and riling them up at every opportunity that certain songs called for. “Atomic Chapel” was another stand out track, off their previous album “Demonoir”, it’s evil sound blending well with the smokey interior and dark lights of the Amplifier Bar venue. By this time the crowd were tiring from the onslaught of the show as the band continued to pummel the audience but a second wind caught on as 1349 ended the set with the finality of “Cauldron” which could be deemed the title track off the new album, Ravn getting the sweaty fans fist pumping and chanting the chorus together. There was no doubt about it, 1349 kicked the Perth crowd’s ass and as the band abrutply left leaving the crowd wondering if the set had actually finished, the realization of what the crowd had just witnessed slowly dawned on everyone. A true black metal experience indeed.
Catch 1349 on the rest of the tour in Australia and New Zealand:
Thursday, February 25: Brisbane – Crowbar
Friday, February 26: Sydney – The Factory Theatre
Saturday, February 27: Melbourne – Max Watts
Sunday, February 28th: Auckland – Valhalla
Tickets and tour details can be found at Direct Touring.
PHOTO GALLERY
Photos by Tammie Molotov – Molotov Enterprises And Photography
