DISMEMBER, DEVILISH IMPRESSIONS & METHEDRAS
LONDON UNDERWORLD, 30/03/08
Methedras were here on tour to set fire to the UK and Ireland according to their MySpace. Now that’s a good description of their name as on first seeing the moniker of this unknown (to me) Italian band I wondered if they had picked their name off the menu of an Indian restaurant. On further investigation they actually cull their identity from that popular bible of band names Lord Of The Rings. It seemed like they were doing a good job of whipping up the audience as we walked into the venue and it was good that there were plenty of people here as just down the road Obliteration and Ramesses were playing as well.
Songs such as ‘Flash Over’ saw the band ploughing out a beefy death-laden stew with an odd burst of tribal drumming in its midst. Although they were going down well with the already drunken audience many of whom had been happily glugging down cans outside and ignoring Camden’s stupid no drinking in the streets rules, they did strike as a bit on the workmanlike side. Perhaps lack of familiarity worked against them for me tonight but the one thing that was instantly recognisable was a cover of Machine Head’s ‘Davidian’ Apparently this lot started out covering the classics and they did a good job of this one and we were all happy to play air guitar along with it.
www.myspace.com/methedrasthrash
Now I was really rather pleasantly surprised with new album ‘Diabolicanos’ from Devilish Impressions it illustrated a huge maturity for the band and one that stylistically had them coming on in leaps and bounds. They replicated this well on the stage tonight and image wise projected a visual flair with their somewhat alien looking corpse paint and vocalist Quazarre’s stunning Geigeresque microphone stand sculpted by Max Murgia.
Romping in with ‘HarMagedon’ they set about building on the atmospheric display with eerie keyboard passages and arcane sounding clean vocal sweeps mixed with more guttural barks, bristling like a dog with distemper. I was kind of surprised they did not open with the album opener T.H.O.R.N.S. and would have been peeved if they had not played it. After a couple of older tracks that have peaked my interest in investigating further, it hit like a brick. It’s one of those songs that is impossible to dislodge once you have heard it and was still there by the end of the drunken night. Before they made way for the headliners, the somewhat too brief evisceration was summed up by a cover too, Emperor’s ‘Inno A Satana’ (Pete Woods)
www.myspace.com/devilishimpressions
Having waited so long for this gig to come around since I first saw the listing, it was with a mighty roar (also from the rest of the crowd) ‘Dismember’ were welcomed to the stage. The small guitar set up gave some folk a good chance to take photos prior to the mayhem commencing. Looking at the amps on stage, it was clear that ‘Dismember’ love their metal. Poster flags of ‘Judas Priest’s – Painkiller’, ‘Iron Maiden’s – Killers’, and ‘Motorhead – All The Aces’ covered the speaker cabinets in great metal style.
Immediately ‘Death Conquers All’, from their stunning new ‘untitled’ album, shatters illusions that this gig would be a peaceful and easy to watch show. The crowd react perfectly and a mighty stage-dive part way through the opening track keeping those at the front on their toes (I only lasted 3 songs then had to retreat a few rows back!) and certainly makes some entertaining viewing, ‘Dismember’ themselves were all smiling like Cheshire cats from the start. The punters are then treated to the classic number ‘Skinfather’. It’s hard to ignore that this is a death metal show with real class and out and out balls; no pig squealing, no triggers, just metal, perfect!
Surprise tracks just keep on coming. Dismember do not usually have a planned set list as such, this DIY approach is just what is needed, and keeps the band better challenged with a rotating set list from day to day. ‘Collection By Blood’ and ‘Of Fire’ are a welcomed change; the expected ‘Skin Her Alive’ keeps things mighty interesting. More people appear to be joining the stage diving ranks, this sends the band into more of a frenzy playing harder proper Swedish death metal. I do seem to remember a big “smack” sound, I guess some poor person made it right to the floor the hard way upon stage diving. One rule; always check someone will catch you! Support bands come out on stage and do a bit of improvised hand banging with the band, just before your patience is waiving they do the decent thing and jump into the crowd (with the exception of one band member who runs back behind the drumkit).
There is so much enthusiasm from the band, especially Tobias on bass, at some point you just think that he may lose his balance and fall into the crowd, thankfully, not on this occasion. Some frantic headbanging from Martin on guitars coupled with Thomas on drums bashing the skins like an octopus on speed, make the show even more enjoyable. It is always a pleasure to see a band having fun on stage, these guys clearly are. Matti on vocals just looks and smiles at the crowd between each track. David on guitars teases the crowd with a small rendition of the intro to ‘Iron Maiden’s – Running Free’ (backed up by Thomas on drums).
‘Combat Fatigue’, another new track, and the soon to be classic new track ‘Under A Blood Red Sky’ (preceded by the aforementioned ‘Maiden’ teaser) close the show. I don’t think any fan could walk, or stagger away for that matter without being impressed by this show.
The “masters of death” came to London and conquered all.
If you’re in the mood for more ‘Dismember’ this summer, check out the European Festival appearances. (Paul Maddison)
www.myspace.com/dismemberofficial
Paul Maddison & Pete Woods
Click here for photographs
MTUK HOME
