Review and Photography: Stephen Brophy for MPM
It doesn’t happen very often but when it does you are left with that feeling of elation when you walk out the doors of the venue and you just have to say WOW.
Tonight was one of those cases as Bleed From Within’s ‘The Dying Sun Tour’ hit Dublin’s Academy for the sole Irish date. This is a band continuing to raise their game and retaining that brilliant energy they have always had.
With three bands on the lineup tonight we get Danish Death Metal machine Baest to kick things off. It had been far too long since I saw them live, so was really looking forward to this set, had hoped they would be main support to have a longer set, but the reality is that this band could make a two song set an enjoyable experience, that’s how good they are. Guitarist Lasse has had to sit out this run of dates with some very important family business at home, so in stepped Christian Trebbien to answer the call.
Opening the set literally was the “Colossus” from last years Colossal album, it’s a hell of a way to get up and running. For me alongside the great songs it’s the engagement the guys have with the audience, which is obviously reciprocated by a noisy involved crowd, and the melodic groove in music that make this band that bit special live.
Simon’s vocals are excellent and he has the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand, the band a excellent musically and Christian fell in seamlessly.
Baest are a band that to me are always a bit overlooked but they never put in less than 100% and for tonight this is as good an opening performance as you will see, of course the set is way too short, but hopefully the guys will be returning soon.
Next up all the way from Missouri are Disembodied Tyrant, a four piece no nonsense Deathcore band that plough through their set.
The band use little lighting throughout the set which I think matches their music, very heavy, brutal and to the point. The set runs quickly, still plenty of movement in the pit and that is no surprise with the aggression coming from the stage Vocalist/Guitarist Blake Mullens has a presence roaming the darkness and growling but is the image of calm and normality while interacting with the audience.
He was also impressed that the crowd knowledge of some American history relating to the powerful ‘8.6 Blackout’ and the reaction the band received from the crowd tonight, I’m sure they will be back again to visit us, check them out when they do..
Finally the Scottish titans Bleed From Within hit the stage with sheer energy, ready to absolutely smash through a set that would include some songs either rarely or never played before and suggested by the fans, a great idea, but something that can often throw off the balance of a live set, that’s certainly not the case tonight, songs like ‘Invisible Enemy’ slotted in perfectly and exploded live. Something that was very evident throughout their fourteen song set was both the enjoyment the band and crowd were having and the building atmosphere, gig of the year so far in my book. Looking around the room, both upstairs and down the venue is moving, be it the mosh pit, headbanging or just raising the horns in the air and a lot of singing along, it was great to be there.
The last time I saw the band live was last year at Download and that performance was just awesome on the main stage, they blew me away for the first time, it was quite obvious that BFW are on top of their game and tonight in Dublin that was quite obvious.
A lot of vocalist Scott’s time was spent running around the platforms and showing appreciation to the crowd, and of course the links between our Countries. At the end of the day though it’s the crushing music, a lot of which comes from last years excellent album Zenith, that makes the show what it is.
From opening with the title track to the pummeling ‘In Place Of Your Halo’ closing out the show and everything in between there is not a filler anywhere. The guitars scream, the drums (we have been very lucky to have Ali playing in Dublin twice in a few weeks) are just incessant and the mix of extreme and clean vocals work perfectly.
Having Baest vocalist Simon join in to sing on one of my favourite tracks was a real treat, ‘The God Complex’ is a really cracking song.
That was an absolutely savage night, Bleed From Within are just getting better and better, the effort and energy in their live show is just off the scale. You never really leave a show like this happy as you want there to be more, the time just flies in and you know we are nearly at an end when the mighty ‘I Am Damnation’ blasts your face off. They need to make a return visit soon, a show like this deserves a quick follow up, and I for one will be there.
Bleed From Within Setlist –
Zenith
The End Of All We Know
Pathfinder
Alive
Violent Nature
A Hope In Hell
Invisible Enemy
Dying Sun
Levitate
Leech
God Complex ( With Simon from Baest sharing vocals )
A Depth That No One Dares
I Am Damnation
In Place Of Your Halo
