The Palm House plays host to tonight’s proceedings.
An 8pm start whilst the sun is shining is the making of a slow start to any evening, but the die-hard metal heads from Belfast are inside ensuring a tan free evening and a guaranteed pasty white complexion.
First up are local band Cursed Sun. A five piece with a savage sound – drummer and vocalist on ground level while the rest of the band throw down an onslaught of sound from the stage above. These guys have a groove laden backbone that shakes the room, brutal vocal delivery that adds further angst to their set, a savage intensity to bring the walls in around us and a performance that says “We’re not just here to make up the numbers” A kickass performance, Cursed Sun have forged a reputation locally as one of the hardest hitting bands out there, check them out yourself to find out why.
https://www.facebook.com/cursedsunmetal/
L.A based band with a twist, Techno-infused beats with an industrial vibe that adds a flavour of cinematic quality to the Palm House Belfast. A seriously tight outfit due to the nature of the band, you get a raw intense performance that is mesmerising to watch, stunned silence at the end of the first song before rapturous applause means the Belfast crowd are a tad new to this. It doesn’t stop Jason Alacrity & friends doing their thang though. A consummate professional he delivers waiting an L.A swagger to keep the Belfast crowd in tow and on their feet until the end. A powerhouse set by the duo with special mention going to Alacrity’s drummer who performed like a machine it made for a lesson in technical precision! Well done sir I tip my hat to thee.
https://www.facebook.com/theAlacrity/
9:40 pm and shizzle gets real, the crowd is baying for blood calling out “Combichrist” over and over again and cometh the hour cometh the band. Two drummers and powerhouse vocalist and a guitarist make up one seriously gnarly live band. Their industrial-techno infused metal makes for both a visual and auditory sensation that blows the mind.
The strobing lights against the warehouse vibe / backdrop of The Palm House is fitting as their hefty riffs and thunderous drumbeats shake the foundations. The crowd screams in unison as if backing vocalists along with the band, both drummers add a little drama to proceedings behind the front men of the band but in no way in the shadows as their antics make the show also.
The thumping bass lines pouring out of the bass bins against the pummelling grooves have the crowd bouncing from front to back with contrasting crisscrossed purple and green lights make for a fantastical sight. Vocalist Andy LaPegula reminds the Belfast crowd that “it may be Wednesday, but we’re gonna party like it’s Saturday night” and this crowd is here to Par-tay! The band is on fire, on form and in the mood for a rager. Tossing out savage track after another they produce a set packed with heavy hitters that live batter and bruise the crowd down below.
Relentless Combichrist take no prisoners and yet again deliver a brutal range of tracks that live deliver way beyond the recorded versions ever can, the angst and guttural vocals Live are thrown out like Grenades and you can feel everyone as they rip Belfast a new asshole. Andy bounding across the stage as he delivers song after song with his legion of fans in unison where they can, orchestrating them like puppets it’s a fine sight to see.
A seriously powerful performance, topping off a Behemoth nights music, all on a school night in Belfast, naughty naughty, but worth the detention anytime. With a handful of dates left in the UK snap up those tickets folks, you’ll not regret it.
https://www.facebook.com/combichrist/
https://www.facebook.com/thepalmhouseclub/
https://www.facebook.com/shizznighpromotions/
Review by Mark Mcgrogan -Editor – Rock ‘N’ Load Mag http://rocknloadmag.com
Photography by metalplanetmusic
