After a successful inaugural year, all ages metal festival Rising Force is back for round two in 2018, attracting metalheads of all ages to Vision Studios to enjoy a variety of local metal, bad jokes and hot dogs that rival your local Bunnings snags.
Rock Scholar winners Veridian, who played the 2017 festival, are back this year under a new name, Planetary. They played Metalcore tunes with confidence and a good effort was made to engage the gig goers by jumping off the stage and getting up close and personal, however the between song banter is still very awkward indicating this young band requires some improvement in showmanship skills.
They could learn a thing or two from veterans Psychonaut, whose band members often spoke complete drivel, but delivered with such confidence that it was made entertaining. Their energetic stage presence, engaging lyrical content and thrash tunes packed with fast, technical riffs and solo’s attracted a healthy audience who headbanged their way through the set.
Deadspace also possessed a unique quality that drew gig goers to the stage like flies. They created a very dark atmosphere with songs that were often melancholic but never really lost that heavy metal edge. The stand out feature being Chris Gebauer’s vocals who effortlessly alternated between cleans, haunting black metal groans and ferocious, ear piercing screeches.
Black Metallers Wardaemonic stormed on stage looking prepared for a dark war covered in various sharp objects and corpse paint; Drummer/vocalist Maelstrom literally opened their set with a war cry! Maelstrom’s and guitarist Lord Bane’s inhuman screams were at times lost within the blast beats and brutal riffs which sounded as though a million notes were being played at once!
“Wardaemonic will be around signing body parts… or whatever… I’m talking to myself aren’t I?” lamented today’s DJ, RTRFM’s Cam Crimson, as everyone in the room headed out the door at the conclusion of the set, most likely to satisfy their hunger with those tasty hot dogs.
Not to worry, everyone returned in time to catch Perth’s premier power metal band, Silent Knight, who keep the stage banter to a minimum and allow you to get lost in the soaring melodies, shredding guitar solos and thundering drum beats. “My daughter gave me hell for not including this in the set last year” guitarist (and event organiser) Stu Mcgill laughed as the band launched into a cover of Europe’s ‘Final Countdown’ to close out the set. All the young kids in the room were invited on stage to experience what it is like to be in a metal band, and understandably looked as though they were all having the best time of their lives.
After some so bad, they’re good jokes (Thanks Cam) and announcement of the raffle winner (Congratulations to the winner of the brand new guitar- It pays to buy tickets early to events!), 4 Horsemen and Edforce1 closed the night with two hours of Metallica and Iron Maiden covers.
Another successful year showcasing the strength of Perth’s metal scene for people of all ages to enjoy. Bring on Rising Force festival 2019!
PHOTO GALLERY
Photos by Shadow World Photography
