Review by Richard Henry for MPM
A 4-band bill in Belfast, yes please, confession to make here, I don’t really know anything about the headliners so I am looking forward to seeing them, Allegaeon I know and love, Party Cannon are definitely an event, and the openers are like the headliners, I don’t know them, so this should be an interesting night, prepare for me to be drooling over guitar playing as a warning!
Grief Ritual
The guys come on early and let loose, they are an interesting mix of styles, I hear a lot of UKHC bands like Knuckledust or Underrule and then more sort of Kubli Khan sections as well, again with coming on so early the place is sort of 25% full at this point, they get a decent reaction from the crowd but the mix really wasn’t on their side with the vocals getting lost a bit, good energy and I will definitely go back and give them a listen!
Party Cannon
Grass Obliteration (Blazed and Confused) – As is tradition, the dance music hits as the guys take the stage and the beach balls get launched out into the crowd as well as a large inflatable dolphin, honestly if you haven’t seen these guys, it’s an event, the song kicks in with the blasts and the drums are all over the place, these guys despite the party image are a really potent force musically, great drumming, riffs, vocals, when the slower slam part comes in and the vocals drop right down it is savage, few hits in the back from this one, with the Belfast crowd obliging with a bit of circle pitting, brutal track to kick it off!
Weird, but not Illegal – Many things can be described as that, straight in with the blasts and a pinch harmonic riff, its savage, it’s when it hits that slow riff and the brutal breakdown section its juts disgustingly heavy, some really quick flourishes on the kicks in this part before it slows down yet again into a proper slam riff, that fly’s off with some fast guitar passages and the blasts and just goes between the two, before a break for a stinking guitar riff, pig noises, yes please, by the way, watch the video for this one!
Thirst Trap – What I haven’t discussed yet is the 6th member of the band, who helps all of us out with various prompts and items, the one for this song is a big board with the title of this track on it, that is a slab of riff that kicks this in before the double kicks come in, tempo changes galore with the blasts coming in, I love my fast riffs, but see when it goes into the next riff, that’s just savage, as are the vocals that are going along with it, now is the time for audience participation singing back the lyrics on the board to the band, great response to these guys and to be fair they keep coming back to see us so it’s good to see them getting the response!
Soft, White, Gelatinous Body – This is I think the longest song in the set, at nearly 5 mins, love that grinding riff at the start of this one, lots of drum fills and then a lovely fast but slow double bass part comes in over that riff, again great work changing up all the tempos over the same riff, you sort of forget that’s it’s the same one, the next riff really reminds me of beatdown hardcore vibe as well, everything turns into a blast beast hell, the vocals are spat out at you and it’s just got hyper aggressive, almost Suffocation in feel by the time you get to the middle of this song, you feel like you have been hit by a truck by the time Chris comes in with the bass breaks and it slows right down again for the end of the track!
High Tarriff Behavior – A newer song we are told, you just get punched round the face as soon as this one kick’s in with the blast beats and that riff with the little pinch harmonics, it actually feels like it gets heavier when it cuts from the blast beats to the more slayer beat part as well i just noticed, lovely fast bass break there, pit is also in full effect behind me on this one, few people finding that pole in the middle of the floor to get threw against, then it slows way down for the middle section and just gets brutally heavy, the feet are flying on the drummer during those break parts, insane brutality has been unleashed so far!
Duct Taped to a Flag Pole – This one comes straight in with just a slow as hell riff, and it’s sort of a nice break, I mean I know it doesn’t last but it’s a reprieve, yeah there are the blasts and the tempo is furious, keeps switching, there is a really lovely riff in the middle of this one that is all over the place, great switch in the middle to a slower tempo and a really nice harmony riff in there, no stage divers tonight which is weird, but they are making up for it behind me, walls of death, circle pits, they are all going on, it’s only a matter of time before the tempo kicks up and the IQ level goes right down again, cracking track!
Human Slime – Pushups you say, at a metal show, oh yes well clearly you haven’t seen these guys then, last one for tonight, slow grinding riff comes in first and there are bodies everywhere behind me, that double bass riff after the bass break is just savage, that slam part in the middle is just brutal, I love it, and unfortunately we are done, great set from the guys yet again!
Allegaeon
Chaos Theory – Smashing right in with a track from the new album “The Ossuary Lens”, there is the sweeping, I am literally here for a guitar clinic tonight from Greg and Michael, drummer Jeff is flying back there, Erza is savage spitting out the lyrics with venom, the tempo is frantic and the riffs are just constantly moving, little bit of action behind me in the pit, that middle counter point harmony section is fantastic before the solo proper comes in, I will just drool to myself here, great solo, perfect for the song, then a half time breakdown hits in before another solo comes in, nice rhythm work behind it before it again drops in dynamics as another solo continues to let rip, very tasty playing and phrasing though the whole way through it, love that slower grinding riff after that before we slap back into the chorus with the unrelenting double kicks!
Biomech – Vals No. 666 – Well we are going way back in time to 2010’s “Fragments of Form and Function” for this next track, head down deliberate slow double bass over a really notey riff, that’s just absolutely savage, then the first solo creeps in, the verse is slow with some absolutely nuts guitar work between the vocals, then it starts to pick up the pace into the next part, absolute neck breaker after the cymbal chokes, there goes the pit, good work there, there is a double bass part in the middle that is just savage, before the vocal break and into a solo, lots of cool phrasing and some very Jeff Loomis sounding lines before we crash back into the half time part before the tempo changes again into a very thrashy riff, love that drum break sort of part before a very neo classical sounding part, Jason Becker/Cacophony style, loved that, the back in with that nauseating riff after it, there is so much to listen to in this track it’s hard to take it all in, absolutely outstanding musicianship from the whole band, this is an epic track!
Driftwood – Back to the new album for this one, the double kicks blast in and then change, the tempos are all over the place and there are changes every couple of bars, cool riff and rhythmic parts in there, Erza standing spitting the lines at us all, love the way this one changes to more melodic but never loses the intensity, the drums are insane on this Jeff controlling it all from the back, the solo comes in and its really melodic and catchy i the first half before the technicality come sin and the sweeps for the second half of it before a really abrasive riff comes in for the next section and then the song sort of lifts back into the chorus again, shorter track but right to the point, these guys are watertight!
The Swarm – We have gone all Arabic for the riff on this one from the new album, it’s just brutally aggressive with no letup, you’re in the verse and it’s just driving at unrelenting speed, Micheal and Greg are just battering the riff, love that change into the flying double bass and then faster beat in the chorus before a quick drum break and back into that dizzying riff again, that’s a nasty staccato riff against the flying drums, almost a groove riff there the way the drums went in that next part, that’s a real slap in the face song, from start to finish there e is just no let up!
Of Beasts and Worms – Back to 2022’s “Damnum” album, I loved this album when it came out, when it kicks in with the growl and the double kicks it’s like getting slammed into a wall, or the pillar in the middle of the venue as has happened already tonight, this one just grinds through the verse and then when it does go more half time it’s still just down and dirty, I love that riff as well, you never feel like there is technicality for the sake of it, and this track has a great chorus part as well, it’s actually super catchy, that middle section where the drums are catching that trem picked riff is a thing of beauty, before Greg gets a chance to solo, and its beautiful phrasing and packed with lovely technique, again I hear that Loomis and Hauch sort of feel in there as well, before the blasts hit after the solo, nice drum work yet again as it transitions into the chorus again, i already said, I love this album and this track so getting top hear it live, its exceptional!
Proponent of Sentience III – The Extermination – From the Album of the same name from 2016, that guitar part that comes in with the drums, it’s so gorgeous, beautiful playing, it’s a more mid-tempo double bass driven riff and some nice off time beats in the verse, but that next part with the clean singing is so uplifting, then more sweeps, really nice tempo change after the second chorus and the solos start, again what can I say the two guitarists are absolutely phenomenal, I knew that anyway but getting to see it live he is so watertight, the double bass syncopated riff that comes in next is savage, some disgusting riffs come in on this middle section, then a very cool guitar riff almost “Message in a Bottle” style come in as the next solo hits, sweeping, tapping, melody, it’s all there, this track is in a word, epic!
1.618 – Off to 2014’s “Elements of the Infinite”, love that riff, its dizzying and it’s just thrashy with the slow double kicks propelling it along, the bass line is really cool there providing a melody to the main riff, when you hit the chorus you get two riffs as well, I love the way these guys do all this counterpoint stuff between the instruments, the solo slides in and again, lovely melodic parts then little flashes of technique, would be so easy just to let rip, but it’s really refined and then when Greg does let loose I just think Jesus, almost a Djenty riff comes in next, love that little pull off melody part, again listen to the bass guitar from Brandon doing counter point to it, so god damn cool, and the crowd are loving them, I could quite happily have heard a set twice as long, love these guys as you can tell, please remember to come back to Belfast!
Nekrogoblikon
Darkness – Kicking off with one from 2018s “Welcome to Bonkers” album, weird is the first thing I would say, it’s like a circus music crossed with a real groove feel to the riff, it’s a really bouncy track to open with, going between the clean vocals and the more screamed vocal, that middle goes into a Maiden gallop feel, good breakdown at the end!
Dressed as Goblins – From the same album, this one just kicks off with a real slap in the face with the vocals being spat out, some nice drumming in there as well, tight as anything, crowd are loving it, some nice guitar melody parts in there as well, this one has a frantic pace, that middle section where it half times is beautiful with a great riff and a really tasty solo full of trem work and lovely scale runs, then a cleaner singing part hits in, another great track!
Row – Still on the same album, quick drum fill and the first time we hear blast beats from these guys tonight, this song reminds of a more mental System of Down, the guitar riffs are so good though with that groove, few people bouncing about to this one around me in the pit, that chorus is immense though, almost a dance sort of feel in the more melodic middle section of the song, then it batters you back down again at the end!
Bones – Changing albums to the last full length, “Fundamental Slimes and Humours”, does that little intro thing not remind me of Rammstein, that’s a bouncy fun riff that comes in straight away, take it away in the pit for the one, i love the breakdowns where the guitars leave and then it builds back up into the chorus section, good sing along there for this one, few people knowing the words, that middle section is bizarre, very cool but weird, love the addition of the double kick as the last chorus comes in as well!
Fiend – B side of the latest single out in April of this year up next, in again with the synthy intro parts, that is a real sort of ATG sort of riff and that double bass hits it is savage, love this one that is a brutal verse with the double kicks and guitar following each other before the chorus really lifts the whole song up, the drumming is fantastic in this one, lots of people circle pitting behind me, that solo though, lovely, great trem bar work and some really nice phrases and playing, loved that, favorite song so far for me!
Going to Die – Back to the “Fundamental” album again, they are atmospheric, as i say i didn’t know anything about them before tonight but these songs are class, love the blast beats with a happy sounding riff, why does this remind me of a heavy metal Queen, just me, then it sounds like Madness in the next part, its gone all ska, that middle section gets all gothic on us, it’s such a blend of styles and it’s all nuts, and it all works so well together!
The Many Faces of Dr. Hubert Malbec – Back to “Welcome to Bonkers” again, it’s like a Russian dance at the start of this one, these guys and bonkers, that’s for sure, a real headbanger of a riff in the verse, again adding those more orchestral elements as the song ramps up, before we go all Russian again, I am half expecting people down on their honkers doing that Russian dance, that middle breakdown is savage when it goes half time, great solo comes in there, lots of technique on show, another banger of a track!
Bring us More – First track from 2015’s “Heavy Meta” album, this one is weird from the off, sort of piano led groove, and it is the chorus when it kicks in, then it sort of hits a Maiden gallop again, there is a really cool little piano part going on as well, it’s sort of hard to catch with the mix but very cool, the solos are great, if you are a guitar player the whole night has just had great players after great players, great track!
Show me your Goblin – Newest single from April of this year, that’s a real head down groove for that one, then it breaks into the verse, which is like a lot of the songs, really twisted and then the guitars join us halfway through, the clean vocals in the chorus just lift the track so much, that main riff though just makes me think of Savatage or a more power metal vibe, did someone say sweep arpeggios, yeah we have those before a break and a key change into the last chorus!
No One Survives – Off to 2011’s “Stench” album, this one has a real power metal vibe to it, apart from the vocals, love the little key’s part running along with the main riff, then a nice tempo change that gets a few people moving around behind me, that chorus is pure power metal, if it was clean vocals, love it though with the double kicks pounding away, even that counterpoint solo part after it is so cool, is that accordion I just heard, the song changes feel all the time on the drums, I love this one so much!
Powercore – Going way back to 2013’s “Power” Ep, that’s a brutal double bass led riff to kick this off, probably the most aggressive song tonight, so fast tempo in the verse, even when the clean vocals come in for the chorus the double kicks still keep the momentum going on it, was not expecting a synth solo on that, but the change over to the guitar solo and then the double solo is just absolute class, great track!
The Magic Spider – Ok, that piano intro sounds like Elton, just putting it out there, from 2018’s “Welcome to Bonkers” album, lots of tracks from that album tonight, then ok, that is weird as hell that clean happy singing part, before the heavy riff and the screamed vocals come in, this is borderline prog rock, when the heavier vocals come in proper you’re a good minute and a bit in, then the kicks come in as well, but before you know it your back to happy land again for the next part, bizarre as hell song but it’s so god damn catchy!
This is It – Finishing with a track from the 2022 album “Fundamental”, piano chords and a flute part greet us next, then a slow sort of off kilter riff and drum part comes in, that chorus is massive as well, the crowd are loving these guys that is for sure and it’s a real spectacle for sure, load s singing back the chorus refrain back at the band, i love the little counterpoint part of this is my time vocal part, it’s so cool in the background there, the end breakdown part is so savage, and that is it over!
What a gig, 4 band line up, you still have a chance to catch the on the mainland as they have 4 dates left over there, this review will come out as they are playing Dublin, do not miss this show if you are a guitarist, honestly, some great playing and bands on display, and if you love brutal death metal, slam, weird asylum music, then this will be right up your street, go grab a ticket!
