When I got the show Colossvs had already started and seemed to be midway through their set which was a bit disappointing. This was the first time I got to see these guys and I had heard so great things. They lived up to the hype they were great. I really wished I caught the full set and I will be definitely checking them out in the future.
Up next were Earth Rot who were good solid death metal band from Perth. They didn’t mess around quickly tearing through their set with ferocious wind milling from frontman J.P.Bridgeman. The band has a lot of classic death and black influences and they clearly wear them on their sleeves. I enjoyed their entire short set and checked them out online as soon as I got home.
Then was the disaster that was Aversion Crown, there guys were awful. They were this breakdown filled death core band that just stood their on stage looking tough while their loops of wacky samples finished before they started the next song which sounded the same as the last. I’ve never seen a whole venue full of metal heads look so bored except for one dickhead who started flail his arms in the pit like he was having a seizure and then he started doing some kind of martial arts to nobody. There must have been at least 50 people just staring at the guys in disbelief. Thankfully it was over quickly and no one got karate kicked.
Co-headliner Goatwhore then took the stage and erupted upon the sleepy crowd whipping them into a frenzy. Telling the crowd they didn’t care how we got a hold of their latest album “Constricting Rage Of The Merciless” weather we bought it, downloaded it or stole it as long as we listened to it. Playing a great mix of classic tracks like “Apocalyptic Havoc” and “Alchemy of the Black Sun Cult” along with new ones like “Baring Teeth For Revolt” and “FBS” they also threw in a few quick nods to the “Metal Gods” as they referred to them with some quick Sabbath and Priest riffs. The bands perfect blend of doom and black metal is something to behold live. The heaviness and the distortion tears through you in a way that a lot of metal doesn’t. You can feel each riff punch you in the chest and it doesn’t stop. The band were so charismatic on stage telling us tales of drinking at the corner hotel last time they were here and travelling across the country. I was genuinely sadden when their set finished I could have listened to them play for another 45 minutes.
As it was the day of the release of their brand new self titled album it was quite a big moment when Pyscroptic finally took the stage. Opening with brand new song “Echoes To Come” the band completely ruled the stage. The devils from Tassie were truly a force to be reckoned with amazingly owning the live crowd so quickly and effortlessly after how fantastic Goatwhore were. With very little banter between songs the band were unrelenting as they hammered out their entire setlist with the technically and precision that they are known for. There’s a reason that Donald Tardy of Obituary told me that “Joe and Dave make for one of the most punishing and technical brothers combo I’ve ever witnessed.”. Technically these guys cannot be touched and the crowd just ate it all up. After the show came to and end and the tech death kings took their bow the crowd left completely exhausted but so fulfilled
