Fourwaykill / Allerjen / The Inbreds / Demagogue
21 March 2007
Electrowerkz, London
It`s a good few years since I last visited the Electrowerkz. Indeed back before it even had an alcohol licence and you had to carry your booze around with you all night in a plastic bag. Hidden away down a side street in Islington, the club brings to mind the type of underground cyber-goth venue that pops up in Hollywood sci-fi/horror films - see Blade. Apparently lacking a heating system, it was bloody freezing all night and definitely the first time I`ve worn a coat and a beanie at an indoor show and still been shivering.
Tonight`s gig is part of a short tour headed Believe... Chapter One and is put on by the Damnation Festival organisers. A noble venture to showcase UK talent. Added for the London show, it was a pleasure to catch Demagogue again. Since I last caught the technical/prog/deathsters, a debut CD, Ruin, has been released and had proved a popular selection on my ipod this week.
Opeth is the obvious reference point, with Revenant in particular recalling the Swedes. Vocalist/guitarist Frank Allain announces the song as "a bit of a change of pace", with its mellow opening, overlaid with fluid bass work from Mark Harrington. The song gives way to staccato riffing and harsh vocals switching to clean singing. Allain`s harsh side recalls Chuck Schuldiner and indeed his short guitar strap and neck pointing upwards also brought memories of the late Death frontman.
Cold Ashes possessed a mid pace hypnotic opening and was perhaps the most immediate song of the set which it closed in fine style.
Demagogue set list:
The Wound Forever Open / ? / Revenant / Infest / The Last Betrayal / Cold Ashes
The departure of Demagogue from the stage seemed to coincide with the departure of an audible guitar. Maybe the lack of bodies in the venue didn`t help, but I was left to question whether this is the worse venue in London for sound.
Allerjen were the first to suffer, though ignoring the sound, it appeared the lighting engineer had gone AWOL as they played have their opening number in pitch black. Once illuminated, a three piece was revealed, with a very direct approach bordering on hardcore. The band seemed to be putting everything in to making things as aggressive as possible, but what was coming out of the PA was causing each burst of fury to sound the same as the last. Despite Allerjen`s apparent best efforts, my attention began to wander, as did my feet towards the bar.
It`s 2½ years since I last saw The Inbreds, then supporting Mastodon at The Garage and not much appears to have changed. Perhaps I just don`t get The Inbreds. I like their music, but frontman Joe Smith does my head in. Though I`m aware that is most likely his intention. Last time I reviewed them I commented that he needed reigning in, but tonight he`s further out there than ever, turning The Inbreds into the Babyshambles of metal. Staggering around out of his face, banging on about doing crack and telling the audience to f**k off, it`s all so tiresome.
Ignoring the wayward frontman for a moment, if we strain to hear the guitars, and The Inbreds have three so it`s ridiculous how bad the sound is, the juxtaposition of swampy sludge, doom and metal is highly entertaining. The tunes often emerge from quicksand mire with sudden sweet harmonies. However, fronted by the self proclaimed Asbo Joe, it seems The Inbreds will remain an enigma to me.
Fourwaykill are back in London with a new line-up featuring former Seasons End sticksman Paul White. Rounding out the revamped rhythm section, Dev Alexander now looks firmly at home on the left of the stage and in fact, looking at Fourwaykill, they now seem to present a more cohesive unit.
Whilst the band gives their all, unfortunately, sound issues took their toll. Jay Walsh`s guitar was very low in the mix and Dev constantly had to complain about having no bass in his monitors. Chris Neighbour was as animated as ever, surprisingly, given the man is unwell. Whether there`s thousands or a few at a show, Fourwaykill can always be relied on to give 100%. With no control over what was coming through the PA there was little they could do to match previous experiences despite the strength of the likes of Speedball, Trigger and 24 Hours To Die
Fourwaykill set list:
Speedball / Pull The Trigger / Hangmandown / Discipline / The Legalities Of Formal Hatred / Anti-All ./ Human Killing Kind / Aggressor / 24 Hours To Die
LINKS:
Fourwaykill
Allerjen
The Inbreds
Demagogue
Damanation Festival |
