MASSACRE & EXTREME NOISE TERROR
After a move upstairs to the rather cosier, smaller, sister venue of the Islington Academy, we were presented with the nice surprise of facing six bands on the bill rather than the advertised four! Always a nice treat I guess, although I imagine some of the artists would have appreciated the lengthier stage time afforded by the advertised line-up!!
As soon as the first gulps of the much welcomed amber nectar hit my throat, opening act Exterminator roared into life. Not bad at all. A good, solid stage performance of old school death metal, heavily influenced in places by the likes of Morbid Angel and Pestilence. There were some good slower moments in some of the songs and although the music was close to being generic at times, it was still a nice way to warm us up!
French band Ashura were the next bunch up, and to tell you the truth, this was the first that I had heard of this lot. An impressive amount of energy was on display from this youthful outfit, and the first track came across well and at times reminded me of the immediacy of some of the more recent grindcore bands that have been spawned. Ashura played their five tracks for the night in a straightforward fashion. Breakdowns being the order of the day in between crushing riffs, but it’s all a little too metalcore for the majority; the vocal style and some of the “stomping on stage” not in line with what was expected from many of the crowd who had come anticipating old School death for the night! Still. A good performance for what they ply, and I’m sure when placed on a bill that more suits their style, they will go down very well.
The one thing you could definitely say about tonight, is that it’s varied! Suicide Angels approach was from the thrash precinct of metal. This conclusion pretty much vindicated with a Slayer cover thrown in for good measure at the end of the short, five song set. A passionate outfit fronted by a Mille Petrozza sounding vocalist. Suicide Angels play well enough, are tight, and even get the first pit of the night going for the song “The Prophecy”. “Vomit on the Motherfucking Cross” thumped away with a rumbling riff before the nod to the Slayer boys ended their set.
Kam Lee’s “other” band Denial Fiend come across like a bunch of guys that are having a good time, but also like a group of musicians that are having a jamming session live on stage for all to see. A little confusing at times but interesting viewing certainly! Second song “Flesh-Eater” sounds a bit Napalm Death like with the vocals certainly coming from the Barney camp. However, it’s the final song “Legion of Doom” – an old Mantus song, which is a highlight of the evening. When listening to this and then comparing to current day Six Feet Under, you know where Terry Butler’s heart lies – in the mid-paced skull mangling demolition that this song provided – excellent!
Performance of the night for me had to be our own Extreme Noise Terror Seven blasts of....erm......well.......blasting music!! Both “Deceived” and “Religion’s Fair” liven the now swollen crowd and E.N.T. are the first outfit of the night to be able to hold the crowd’s full attention. The blistering “Lame Brain” again showcases this band to be excellent live performers. “Bullshit Propaganda” helps round things off with an aggressive and accomplished vocal assault; leaving the mob attending reeling from a precision performance that leaves you to conclude: Less groups equals more ENT is the correct equation for the night!
On to the main event, and why a majority of the metal fans were in attendance – Massacre. An enigma in the old school death world, and hugely influential in how this style of metal developed. The “imprinted in the brain” Massacre track of “Dawn of Eternity” roars from the amps to announce their arrival. A tight performance from experienced musicians and this song in particular gets me reminiscing of when death was the new kid on the block! When “Cryptic Realms” hits the ears, it hits home just how influential this band have been. The groove and power which are on display impressive indeed; Terry Butler is assured on bass and Kam Lee (although looking like a crim from Dog the Bounty Hunter) commands the stage well. “From Beyond” and the groovy “Defeat Remains” continue to keep the crowd interested, and you can’t help but like the affable Kam Lee and his rapport with the crowd tonight. The band’s stage presence is excellent and the tightness of the performance is impressive.
An enjoyable night at the Academy, if somewhat piecemeal with the many bands on tonight’s set. A pity that we may never get to see Massacre play live again but it was good to see them for one last time!
Andy Duke
LONDON BAR ACADEMY 18/11/07