Review by Richard Henry for MPM
Well, it’s been a while since the guys last rolled into town, new album about to drop and a single just out before Halloween, a stacked bill hitting us tonight, 4 bands no less, first up tonight hailing from New York is….
Black Satellite
The 4-piece come onto the stage, they have been about since 2017 and have done some pretty decent touring so far in their career, first time seeing them and I was definitely in for a treat!
Dead Eye – Clean guitar intro and then into a slab of a riff, really cool drum part in the sort of pre chorus part, sort of jarring but really nice with the riff following it, pretty sure there are some tracks in the chorus as I can hear more than one vocal, enhancing the chorus part, lovely growls in the middle of this one!
Broken – Bang into this track, it’s a really low tuned riff that kicks in to start it before it backs off to an industrial sort of vocal part in the verse, really nice mix of vocals in the verse between clean and scream, another great track!
Far Away – Clean guitar intro then into a really swinging heavy groove with that first riff, now that I am 3 songs in, this band really remind me of Korn and the Deftones, like the heavy riffs of Korn and the vocals of Chino, really enjoying these guys for not knowing any of these songs, really catchy as well as heavy!
Here it Ends – Now for whatever reason that guitar intro reminds me of the Police, nice sung vocal over the top of it as well before the rest of the band kick in, this one is a lot more laid back, even when it drops in for the pre chorus, I love the vibe of this song as well as the chorus of it, it’s so catchy even after a first listen, favorite track so far!
Void – Straight groove in this one, with a clean guitar and the low sung vocal, you see when it gets to the “there is something wrong with me” part, it’s like some of the other songs so far, they are so catchy, I am loving the vocals, nice mix of distortion and clean and bouncing about all the time, Larissa just prowling the stage back and forth for the tracks, really loved this one!
Don’t Remind Me/Decay – Unfortunately as these are new tracks, I can’t find any footage of them, but they were awesome!!
Sonne – Yeah, it is what you think it is, added a little more chug to that main riff as well I noticed, it’s a really good version of it to be fair, I wasn’t expecting to be as good as it is, and if you haven’t heard it, then go check it out, in fact go check these guys out, I was really impressed with them!!
High Parasite
So, I have a confession to make, this album passed me by a bit, I love Aarons work in MDB, so I don’t know how I missed this one, all I have to say is wow, it’s like 90s Paradise Lost with more aggressive vocals, absolutely amazing, and also, rocking a white suit onstage, oh yeah!
Parasite – First track and straight away I was like this is One second era Paradise Lost, super catchy melody from Jonny on the guitar gets tight into your ear first, loved the double vocal and it was used to great effect, Aaron on the clean vocals, I think the term Death Pop probably is pretty accurate as despite how heavy the band is, this song has stuck in my head ever since I heard it, banger of an opening track!!
Concentric Nightmares – Little synth intro buzzes in before the band launches into this one, again that solitary guitar melody immediately getting in under your skin right at the start, again massive PL vibes, then a slamming chunk of a riff comes in, Aaron really screaming this one out, lots of heads nodding to this one, really driving bass riff from Tombs in the verse part, bit of double kick to drive that chorus before it breaks into that melody part again, absolutely slamming!
Grave Intentions – Straight in with this one, again a real bouncy riff and melody to kick it off, great use of the twin vocals right at the start of this one as well, love that straight groove on this, really just driving that riff right along, Sam in front of me being the riff meister general all night just hammering away, love the solo, it’s just pure melody as well, ever track so far tonight will absolutely stick in your head, these guys are outstanding!
Wasn’t Human – Chugging riff to bring this one in and a laid-back guitar part then adding to it, a real lumbering groove as well for this, before it just starts driving into the verse part, Aaron singing over the top of the verse clean vocals, I love that double bass groove part before the chorus comes in a soaring guitar melody and more clean double vocals, I can’t get over how good these guys are, honestly, as catchy as the Misfits as heavy and melodic as PL and MDB, all put in a blender and this is what happens!
Hate Springs Eternal – Dirty bass groove to start this off, again its really just a simple driving verse, this time with Tombs singing the verse before when the band kicks in for the chorus Aaron is screaming over the top of it, lovely contrast between the two of them on this one, when you get into the middle and you have the melody and then a melodic solo it really breaks up the song so well, another stunner of a track!
Let it Fail – Now that’s a brutal riff to start this, probably the heaviest part of the night and as soon as I say that it breaks, now you tell me, could you not hear that verse being the Misfits, then Aaron comes in with the harsh vocals and the whole tone changes, but the melody is never lost as it transfers over to the guitar at that point, love the main riff coming in again during the middle section before we get another soaring solo, then back into that catchy chorus!!
Forever We Burn – Last one of the night, bouncer of a riff right there when this one kicks in, good sized crowd in here now and the band have had a good reaction, this one has a sort of AC/DC sort of riff in the verse before Aaron screams in the songs title for the chorus, but yet again there is Tombs singing the melodic part, that’s the great thing, there is always a melody to be had, either in the vocals or the guitar, these guys were outstanding tonight and every song I heard I loved, if you haven’t checked them out, do yourself a favour and go do it, you will not be disappointed!!
Butcher Babies
It’s been just over one year since i last saw these guys in this venue supporting Fear Factory and at that point Carla had pulled out of the tour for surgery, well one year later and there is one Babie up there but God damn is she more than enough!!
Tennessee –Well I mean you need to make a statement, and this is it, without doubt this is as aggressive as an opener you’re going to get, blast beats, grinding riffs, although that solo, Henry has without doubt being listening to Fredrick from Meshuggah with that one, there are nasty riffs in this, never mind the vocals they are just all out aggression from the off, that middle eight though with the syncopation with the kicks is just a kick in the head, what an opener!
Red Thunder – It reminds me of a horror movie when that intro rolls in, then, the double kick onslaught hits you, by the way, lovely little fast guitar part from Henry, before the growls come from Heidi, the song though opens up when it gets to that chorus as Heidi switching vocals and soars, her voice sounds so much stronger than last year in all areas, that riff after the solo is proper circle pit time, and oh look, right behind me, well there is one, well timed Belfast, the ending of this one as well with the breaks between the riffs is heavy, loved it!
Monsters Ball – As I said last year, Heidi is trying to outbang Corpse Grinder at the start of this one, so much movement form all three guys on the stage, I always thought this was a blast beat before I saw it in front of me, lots of movement in the crowd for this and Heidi asking for more, crowd participation is a must on this one, it is not an ask, by the time you get to the breakdown and back into the song again the pit is in full effect, so much energy from the crowd and from the stage tonight, it’s great to see!
King Pin – Thats nearly like a Slayer riff tuned way down, real headbanger and then when the thrash tempo kicks in its slams then you hit a brick wall as it goes half time into the chorus part and then the double kicks come at you, I love the riffs in this one, lots of people headbanging away to this and the guys in the pit are getting their steps in tonight, that is for sure, sledgehammer of a track!!
Sleeping With the Enemy – Change of pace straight away, this one is a deliberate slow riff, then an almost industrial sounding verse with clean vocals, it’s actually a really well-timed breather in the set, love the chorus in this one, Heidi really showing her vocal power off on it, and again she was good last year, this year completely different person, vocally and just frenzied energy on the stage, engaging the crowd at every opportunity, love this track, hits the middle and just gets more aggressive and builds!
Sincerity – Ooh what is this, it’s a new track, that is what it is!!
Killin Time – That riff, so ultimately Djenty, that’s a real Meshuggah/Monuments one right there, this is getting people going for sure, love the aggression on the vocals on this, before it hits the chorus and Heidi is wanting everyone in the place to sing with her and I don’t think its optional, Henry and Ricky constantly moving across the stage, there is always something going on, these guys are so entertaining to watch, when that drop happens though it is brutally heavy!
Beaver Cage – The dance beat comes in and then that off time beat comes in on this one, with that grinding riff, then it breaks back again to the vocals and drums, as i said the last time, it’s like SOAD only even more manic, then a huge chorus and a really soaring vocal before it breaks back down again, I think the word for this track is schizophrenic, and I love it!!!
Spittin Teef – That riff and the drums following it is heavy as anything on this one, right from the off its aggressive, especially the chorus, there is nothing subtle about this one at all, massive slabs of riffs and then alternate picked fast parts in between, its pure bouncing groove for this!!
Last December – I heard the story for this song last year, and still, hearing Heidi talk about how she was in a dark place and that is what inspired this song, the message was very clear, there is always a reason you should want to still be here and the world would be a better place with you in it, get out of that dark place, speak to someone, I’m not even going to write about the song, go and listen to it, and just read what I have wrote again, that’s the important part!
Magnolia Boulevard – Last song of tonight, we are going to end with a banger, lovely riff and the double kicks are in for this, last chance for the pit and we have some crowd surfers tonight, always good to see, and as ever the fellas doing the pit are excellent with the guys coming over the top, love the chorus on this one as well, I have to say the crowd did themselves proud for these guys tonight!!
Now here is hoping they come back next year as headliners and get a bit of a longer set!!
Cradle of Filth
The Fate of the World – First track from 2021’s Existence is Futile album, well i say first track, its actually the intro to the next song, orchestral parts swaying around us in the venue as the lights turn red on the stage as Dani makes his way onto the stage…
Existential Terror – Slow driving double bass to kick this off with the octave riff and the huge orchestral sways behind it, like an ominous Omen style choir, before we kick into a driving riff from Marek, there is some awesome drum work from Martus back there, unfortunately with the stage setup I can’t see what he is doing, Dani switching vocals in his trademark style, Daniel just holding it down on the bass solid and headbanging away, then the break in the middle with Zoe up on her Pearch behind the banks of Keys, the thing these guys have in spades is the atmosphere on a song like this, also there is some seriously intricate guitar work in here, watching Marek and Donny, lots of harmonies and interchanging parts in this one, nice moody one to start the night off!
Saffrons Curse – Off to the Midian album for this one, funnily enough the first tour i saw these guys in this venue back 24 years ago, love it when the D beat comes in and the harmony guitars come in, seems to be sound issues for sure with the vocal as Dani isn’t too happy, Zoes vocals are sort of hard to hear as well on this one as she narrates her part of this one, the crowd are well into it though, few brave souls trying to have a crowd surf but not quite making the barriers, that middle with the keys and Danis spoken/whispered vocal is so atmospheric live before he comes in with a mid-voice for the next part, then a lovely guitar harmony, before it starts to drive again with the kicks ramping up then the blast beats come in, how does he actually do these screams, I have no idea, haven’t heard this one in years, great to hear it live again!
The Forest Whispers My Name – Back to the debut for this one, I secretly was hoping for the title track from the debut but oh well, that synth part is sort of hard to hear, I know it’s there but it’s very low, love the groove of this one before the fast tempo comes in, then it changes into the D beat part, and Dani starts spitting out the vocals, you sort of forget how raw the songs are from this album as well and how far the band have changed in a way since this one, it’s all still there, the spoken vocal, the growls and the highs, that trem picked riff near the end of the track is just perfection, it takes me back to first hearing it around 95/96, love this track!!
She is a Fire – Off to the live album from last year and the only studio track on it, this one has a different feel completely and if anything, it actually reminds me of what High Parasite were doing earlier, definitely a more Goth sound that’s crossed with Cradle in the instrumentation, again I would love to be able to watch Marthus change through all those tempos, I love that double bass part with the guitar harmony counterpoint riff dancing around it just before the blast beats come in again, lovely solos come in on this one, handled Donny/Marek/Donny then a classical piano break from Zoe, which is actually a lovely chord progression with Dani singing over the top of it, epic track!
Summer Dying Fast – From Bitter Suites, I always loved that drum intro on this one, then the stop, snare hit and the blast beats with that high scream, then that savage trem picked riff, just pure aggression from the off and all the tempo changes, this one is like a brick to the side of the head, even the synth/bass/drum break doesn’t tame it at all, I had however forgot about that nasty riff at the half way mark before the harmony guitar part, few more people decided the pit would be a good idea, then comes the break with the synth, really nice bass line from Daniel in there as well!
Malignant Perfection – So this is the new single, video came out a week before the gig, dare I say this is super melodic, from the guitar lines to the actual vocal, it has real melody all over it, sort of reminds me of a song coming up soon “Nymphetamine”, also real Fleshgod vibe from this one as well, it only really picks up in the middle section in tempo where you get two tempo changes and again I can hear what is happening on the drums I can only see his left leg and hand but he is flying back there, then it comes back down in tempo again as the song plays its way out, interesting track!
Heartbreak and Seance – Off to Cryptoriana for this one, its instant Cradle as soon as you hear that intro with that guitar melody over the drums, its instantly epic sounding, before the double kicks come in, and then I see the riff and immediately I thought of Riot in the Dungeons by Yngwie, just in the way Marek was playing it, love the almost choir part on the chorus, bit of action from the crowd on this one, not any massive pits as I think everyone is just watching the spectacle on the stage, couple of really nice solos fly by before the blast beats enter the song, I love that ride out part, now what do you do after a song like this??
Nymphetamine Fix– You slow down the tempo, off to the album of the same name for this track, and if ever these guys had a single or hit so to speak, it really is this song, slow and broody right from the start, Zoe getting to the mic and the sound has gotten better as she is crystal clear on this one, Dani with that low spoken vocal and really carrying the melody even with the distortion on the vocal, I can see a good few people mouthing the words with Zoe on this one, before it kicks in for Danis vocal part, again its live that things like the guitar harmonies in the verse really pop out as in the recording they are down in the mix, classic track!
Born in a Burial Gown – Back to Bitter Suites for this one, double bass onslaught with that counter point riff thrashing around with it, the high screams and breakneck tempo is back for this one, really thrashy verse riff the grooves switching as well behind it, the keys peppering in and out of the chorus part, the floor staff are called into action as a few guys are over the top for this one, this is definitely the stuff I like the fast and brutal songs!!
Malice Through the Looking Glass – Oh yes, back to the Dusk and Her Embrace album, kicks in with that huge synth intro, before that driving groove comes in, this brings back so many memories for me, I adored this album and the next one, those vocals are insane live, Dani right in front of me on one of the risers, and I still even looking at him can’t figure out how that sound is made, I love the breaks in this one with the keys and the vocal before that slow guitar figure comes in, these guys where mid 20s when they wrote this and how complex is this song with all the sections, absolute treat to hear this one live! Then we have the going off stage for a few mins before we are coming back for the encore!
Creatures – The Monstrous Sabbat – From Hammer of the Witches, the guys much like the opening come onto a synth keys, orchestral intro to get them back on again!
Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids – Now again like the last song, I adore this album, and I have heard this one live so many times, and still, it gives me goosebumps, from Zoes intro to when that high scream kicks in, then that trem picked riff, I love the song, the way its constructed and all the parts, it’s a masterclass, now let’s be honest, there is one part that I love, and that is that drum break from Mr. Barker, and Marthus nails it, then the little double kick part under the insane bass line that’s going on, then into that slamming chuggy riff with the little splash fills, then it picks up again and the next set of drum fills, absolute perfection for me, my favorite track of the evening!
Scorched Earth Erotica – Lot of cuts from Bitter Suites, synth heavy intro to this when the guitars kick in, just a real goth metal feeling driving rhythm to it, I have to admit I had actually forgot about this track, love the tempo changes and the diminished descending riff in it, now that middle section, Alice in Hell anyone, it just caught my ear as they played it really easy to miss the keys in the background as they have been up and down all night, but some really nice arpeggiation going on back there, Marek leading out with the clean guitar figure that takes us into the last song of the night!
Her Ghost in the Fog – Back to the Midian album for the closer tonight and yet again this is probably among the most well-known songs that these guys have, I love that Adrian drum part with the 16th then 32nd note double bass pattern, we also have a narrator on the stage for the start of this one, Zoe filling in the background vocal as Dani screams out the lyrics to this one, I love the two in harmony on this one, before it breaks into the songs title and the tempo ramps up, the last chance for people over the top tonight and they do oblige, awesome track to end with!
I think what I loved the most tonight was just the variety, no two bands sounded the same, they all had their own interesting points, but it worked so well, rather than 4 bands the same which can get a bit monotonous a bill like this always keeps your interest over what was nearly 5 hours in the venue, what a gig!!!
