Adelaide seems to have something happening in the underground, it seems to be breeding some of this country’s finest young death metal bands over the last few years and Freedom To Fear are no exception to this. Unaware of this band until tonight I became hooked in everything they brought to the stage tonight.
Vocalist Jade Monserrat was incredible in performance and vocals, she delivered some of the finest guttural vocal you will hear. The band were technically tight and effortless as they shredded their way through a thirty-minute set of beautiful brutality.
Guitarist Corey Davis and Matt Walters stood either side of the stage as they traded parts and seamlessly integrated their proficiencies and abilities, creating some truly magical instrumental pieces that simply took each song along a journey. The smiles on the bands faces tonight were beaming and engaging. The rhythm section were on par with the excellence in musicianship from Davis and Walters.
Bassist Georgina Kittel was both parts ability, power and groove, locking in with the drummer whose name unfortunately slips my mind (I’m so sorry). Beyond the first three songs in the pit it was a pure joy to watch these guys perform. Where and when you get the chance to see them, please do.
The stage cleared as The Black Dahlia Murder backdrop became illuminated and the final touches readied the stage for their set. There was just an energy in the Northcote Theatre surrounding these guys. Anticipation was more of the feeling present in the room and sure as the first note rang out the room exploded. The pit came alive and the figures on stage before me that make up The Black Dahlia Murder simply lit a fuse. Energy feeding energy.
Vocalist Brian Eschbach paced the stage while delivering his gunfire lyrics to a technically amazing band performance. The opener of ‘Verminous’ saw a few eager fans already deep into the throws passed through the crowd and over the pit barricade. This was the just the beginning. For the next hour we would be treated to a fast and furious set of frantic melodic death metal which simply lit up the floor as circle pit formed after circle pit each time picking up more participants.
The way these guys play is just a treat to watch, and in all honesty felt more like an old school thrash/speed metal set. It had that kind of energy to it. Fans were rabid and rowdy for what was being offered and at times I found myself smiling to myself at what was being a witness to, if it wasn’t for having my camera gear on me I’m sure I would have been lured into the energy front and centre of the stage. Damn it looked like fun.
With bodies and energy so high the room quickly warmed up so I headed to the back of the room to gain a different perspective for the last couple of songs. The intensity was deep within the room. As I headed for a breath of fresh air at the end of their set I noticed a somewhat unusually large dispersion of the crowd. Were these the people who only came for The Black Dahlia Murder or were they just doing as I did grabbing a breath of fresh air?
The Black Dahlia Murder : Verminous, What A Horrible Night To Have a Curse, Kings Of The Nightworld, Sunless Empire, Carbonised In Cruciform, Statutory Ape, On Stirring Seas Of Salted Blood, Everything Went Black, Nightbringers, Miasma, Funeral Thirst, I Will Return, Deathmask Divine.
It was the later thankfully as the dispersion returned to the room for Carcass. Carcass are one of those bands that I first heard when their debut ‘The Reek Of Putrification’ in 1988. I was working in a record store when it came through and like everything that came through I tried to listen to it just so I knew whet it was all about. While I had listened to heavy stuff before, Celtic Frost, Metallica, Slayer and Venom captivated my 1984 along with what was happening in LA, Motley Crue, Ratt, Bon Jovi, Iron Maiden, WASP and that whole hair metal movement sat me firmly in where my tastes would sit for many years. I would still listen to the heavier more extreme stuff of the time but it wasn’t my go to. How the divine blends of music interweave in our lives.
Fast forward to 1993 when I rediscovered Carcass again. My flatmate at the time brought home Carcass’ ‘Heartwork’ album and from the moment it blasted through the stereo I was again hooked and intrigued. The decade of good time rock n roll had lost some of its shine and I again found myself diving into heavier bands. Carcass were one of those bands that just resonated with me and the ‘Heartwork’ album today is still a masterpiece. 1996’s ‘Swansong’ is immaculate too, it still gets a frequent revisit when the mood suits. 2013’s ‘Surgical Steel’ was a big album for me too again inspiring a deep dive into the back catalogue. I have to admit a seven year break between albums was quite the wait but one I’m glad resulted in another slab of incredible metal.
To wait another 9 for the incredible ‘Torn Arteries’ album, and now finally three years after that we get to see them live in support of the album. How were they? Simply sublime. Being the forefathers in what they do for the last thirty-six years it’s so refreshing to see one of the most influential extreme metal/grindcore bands out there still giving a performance that is fresh, dialled in and heavy as. The new material blends so well with that classic catalogue it’s as if it’s always been here. How do I pick a stand-out moment? Well; I simply can’t. Make no mistake this band is a powerhouse live. This is my first time seeing them live and all I can say is WOW. A packed Northcote Theatre has been perfectly warmed up and raring to go. The opener of ‘Buried Dreams’ had the crowd surging and moving.
Guitarist Bill Steer has a swagger and presence about him, a cool as demeanour that is just captivating. Frontman Jeff Walker is a commanding figure whose vocals are gritty and on point, he plays his bass as if it is a natural extension of himself, the power is on point. James Blackford has a completely different approach to his guitar playing, he has this cool as hell demeanour but plays like an absolute beast taking care of all the solos. Drummer Daniel Wilding is an absolute powerhouse behind the drums. The band are in complete synchronicity when it comes to digging and driving riffs and musical hooks into you. The brutal power is hammered into you as these songs are injected into the core of you live. The brutality and lack of remorse from tonight’s set is completely captivating. This power and precision continued through the bands 90 minute set. Tonight was not only to celebrate “Torn Arteries” but to celebrate the whole Carcass catalogue. The precision in which they play tonight’s set is effortless and powerless.
Fans left very little if anything of themselves as they moved, slammed into each other banged their heads and threw the horns high song after song. The encores were possibly my highlight as a fully revved up crowd just gave it their all one last time. Intensity mirrored from music to fans and back just put a special sauce on the classics ‘Exhume To Consume’ and ‘Reek Of Putrification’. I can safely say if tonight you weren’t moving, banging your head or mixing it up in the pit to this set of song you clearly need your vitals checked. I will go on record and say it, I think I just saw the greatest band to come out of Liverpool live. This was my first time and it certainly won’t be the last seeing Carcass live.
Carcass Setlist : Buried Dreams, Kelly’s Meat Emporium, Incarnated Solvent Abuse, Under The Scalpel Blade, This Mortal Coil, Tomorrow Belongs to Nobody, Death Certificate, Dance of Ixtab, Black Star/Keep On Rotting In The Free World, The Scythes Remorseless Swing, 316l Grade Surgical Steel, Corporal Jigsore Quandary, Ruptured in Purulence/Heartwork, Tools Of The Trade – Encore : Exhume To Consume, Reek Of Putrefication
Photos by Shot by Slaidins Photography
With thanks to Maric Media for the media access
