GORGOROTH, ENTHRONED, TYRANT & ARTISIAN
The Godz it seemed were against us at first this evening, sending plagues of football fans, a torrential downpour and that unexpected dreaded home-grown support band added to the bill. I first caught Artisian with a 3 track demo just as the band were established and have to admit I have done my best to avoid them since. I had noticed that they had been picked up and signed and thought that they must have improved. This was not my thing in the slightest. A plodding morass of hastily thrown together unstructured riffs warped around singer Iain’s necro cluckings. The main-man constantly ranted about monitor sound between songs but what does a warm up band expect? Others fiddled sending mobile texts and looked bored. Well someone out there obviously likes them as not only did they get this show but also seem to be supporting both Marduk and Mayhem next year, the mind frankly boggles.
Tyrant from Sweden had been getting a fair bit of notice due to new album ‘The Rebirth (Reclaim The Flame)’ and you cannot really mess with a band who start things off with an “OOUGH” follow it up with an “AARGH” alongside a bass rumble that shook the venues foundations. This was an unashamed ‘old school’ performance to the very hilt and the band managed to knock back their beer and chug solidly away without missing a beat. This is the sort of band Uncle Culto goes out of his way to tell us to worship and it’s surprising he didn’t sign them; Tyrant on Tyrant Syndicate has a ring about it. ‘666’ was shouted out by these devils rejects and the crowd finally seemed to be drying off and warming up. Surprised that I was the only person taking pictures in the photo pit though!
One song was called “Tyrant” and it started with an “UUGH” this was not rocket science and speaking of projectiles apparently “Armageddon Is Here.” Close your eyes it was almost Hellhammer, grand!
It has to be said that Enthroned and their long running battlement of Flemish filth has never really done it for me on album. Live though a band can project an air that a stereo in the living room cannot reach, In this lots case it can also project some rather nice scented incense, thanks for that. Horns aloft, the slow crushing intro ‘Ingressus Regnum Spiritus’ from new album ‘Tetra Karcist’ volleyed into ‘Pray’ and it was quickly evident that there was character in this performance. Normangest had little time for religion (now there’s a surprise) mocking it as they flung one out at breakneck speed (or according to what my notes say, “Christ that one went like the clappers”). The cries of Hail Satan at its climax were certainly sincere if not a tad cheesy.
The audience seemed a bit restrained here, considering the flesh ripping intensity of the assault but were perhaps holding off for the main event. With the set heavily reliant on the new album ‘Through The Cortex’ and ‘Vermin’ being battered out and with the length of the set many filtered out to the bar. Overall and although I wont be rushing out to get their back catalogue with the final assault of ‘Radiance Of Mordacity’ it was obvious that this was a Bestial Hell that had gone down well with many.
The history of Gorgoroth is legion, the latest instalment being a split with Infernus leaving and Gaahl and King Ov Hell continuing to use the name for these shows (the rights of using the name Gorgoroth looks like a case heading to the courts in the future).
Many do not consider that this was a true Gorgoroth performance. Session members such as the ever formidable Nick Barker were brought in on drums, Teloch and Sykelig on guitar. Apparently they had only had 4 rehearsals before the tour and this was obviously something to take into account as well as the fact that sound gremlins had been apparent all night. In fact there was a long delay before the band finally took the stage at 10.30, a stage I hasten to add bedecked in big candles, so even if it was not a burning pentagram, this ritual was destined for fire.
I believe a couple of songs may have gone from the set list due to the late start, including the most un black metal name of a number ever, ‘Unchain My Heart..’ Romping into ‘Procreating Satan’ and ‘Forces Of Satan Storm’ blasphemy was well and truly in the air. It was difficult to focus on the music at first as time was taken snapping pictures in the photo pit and trying not to get impaled on Gaahls spiked gauntlet. They certainly looked (well err) a picture, with one of the guitarists beards making him look like a corpse painted badger and King Ov Hell bedecked in bullet belts posturing away to the fan boys going crazy behind us. It has to also be mentioned that there were loads of faces never before seen at black metal gigs; I think the band’s infamy brought out the curious b(l)ackpackers tonight.
The candles exuded an interesting scent, almost like smouldering pus filled bandages and it went well with the performance which struck, despite what the naysayers profess as being one that was feral and commanding. When the hammer blows from the unfortunately well hidden behind his kit Mr Barker were eased off a grandiose cadaverous crawl slowly crept out before blossoming into a pustule of filthy contagion.
Can’t say I am an expert on this lots output, which is also no doubt why I was not bothered or going to preach about all the ‘true’ Gorgoroth hullabaloo. This no doubt allowed me to enjoy the show and I have always found this lot a formidable live band even if they did piss me off on 1st encounter in 1995 (supporting Cradle Of Filth don’t laugh and Primordial) at the Astoria when they launched a pigs head which landed at my feet.
Obviously this was a different affair tonight but the likes of ‘Carving A Giant’ and ‘Possessed By Satan’ (he really was almost in the room) kept me interested and entranced by the performance from the side of the stage. To be fair they had the audience and they could have preached, Gaahl did it all with a stare and there were no in-between song announcements, just a rage of bilious filth from beginning to end. This chapter is not closed yet!
Pete Woods
LONDON SCALA 21/11/07