at Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice, Sydney, Sunday, 15th October 2017
Frankie’s is a great live venue though unusual but maybe that gives it that certain something, its ‘jena se quois’ - appealing quality. You have the serious gig goers – there to see the music, then the blow in tourists staying nearby at a hotel, or in the city for the day. The mix of people makes it fun but odd. And ya’ gotta love velvet curtain that is opened and closed at the start and end of each band on the small stage.
Burden Man describe themselves as ‘existential doom folk’ and that nails them quite well. I unfortunately missed some of their set but what I saw was quite riveting.The three-piece played ‘Shadows of the Dying’, ‘Trenches’, and ‘Burden Man’. Their tunes are like a dream state, very thoughtful slow doom, each note seems well thought out and precise. Vocalist and guitarist Justin has a voice that is quite sonorous with a most striking timbre. The bands imploded into wall of feedback, just as guitar strings were breaking, so it ended on a pretty good note (no pun intended).
Lord Sword are heavy duty riffage! If you’d like your face grinded and smoked, then these are your band! It’s a heady mix of heavy stoner rock that grooves a cool sludgy jam.
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| Lord Sword - www.rodhunt.com.au |
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| Lord Sword - www.rodhunt.com.au |
Jimmy Fatal wields the monster guitar, Mr Stooks stool was taken tonight by Andres (from Sumeru) on drums, and Luke is their master on bass, and vocalist Cory has a throat that growls somewhere between Ian Astbury, Danzig, and Chris Cornell to loosely coin a few popular bods for an idea of his sound. Their set comprised of ‘Wings of the Devil’ ‘Earth OD’, ‘Destroy Mankind’, ‘Tombstones’ and ‘Blood Moon Tide’. ‘Blood Moon Tide’ is a slower number but most atmospheric while still heavy as! ‘Dopethrower’ was the penultimate tune but ‘Rats’ closed the show, epic in its span of stoner groove within this tune.
One heckler (tourist? It’s that kinda place) yells ‘play some Sabbath’ and was flatly told with a wry smile by Cory ‘no covers’ before diving into their last tune. They play no covers – and took no prisoners.
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| Lord Sword - Restricted Photography |
Mental Cavity were to headline tonight but due to a drive back to hometown Canberra for some band members, they got Summonus to headline. It didn’t matter, they still did what was needed, blow the punters minds, and left. ‘Suffer’ off the new album was the opener and is a mad serve of thrash metal in yer’ face with a double serve of vocals it was! (thankfully very unlike post hardcore vocals). Three of the four Cavity members were from I Exist.
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| Mental Cavity - www.rodhunt.com.au |
Their mix of sludge and doom sounds stirred with some crust and hardcore is quite unreal, monstrous! This reviewer is a big fan of I Exist and this new morphed band of theirs didn’t disappoint!!
The set was a mix of material from their self-titled album (‘Subservient’, ‘Frailty Incarnate’, ‘Deconstruct Fools’, and ‘Abuse’), released in January this year, and others from the new album Aneurysm out later this month, such as ‘Closing In’, and ‘I Am Death’.
‘Bleak Outlook’ was particularly a mammoth sounding tune that was totally crushing! Like someone said in a promo – Mental Cavity are as heavy as fuck!
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| Mental Cavity - www.rodhunt.com.au |
Summonus were up next and a great end to the night that’s been on show. Once the curtain was rolled back they dived into 'Burning Times'. The fuzzed-out tone and riff was unmistakable. Tonight, both tunes from their album Zeichen Der Hexe, and some new ones being road tested were on show. Mostly were the latter, newbies, and they didn’t disappoint! They carried their stoner sludge signature sound but sounded fresh simultaneously. The gratuitous throaty growls of Rod’s lyrics over the bands thick pummeling sound that envelopes one in soundscapes.
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| Summonus - by Restricted Photography |
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Summonus - by Restricted Photography
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The new tracks included ‘The Game’, ‘Deep Red’, and ‘Before The Fall’. The large audience were lapping them up. The title tune from ‘Zechen Der Hexe’ closed the intense set, and a great night!
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| Summonus - by Restricted Photography |
Bands Music and Websites:
MENTAL CAVITY - music & merch at their bandcamp site, and here for gigs'n'stuff
Mental Cavity 'Bleak Outlook'
SUMMONUS - music & merch at their bandcamp site, and here for gigs'n'stuff
Thanks to:
- Both Rod Hunt of www.rodhunt.com.au & Mel Meek of Restricted Photography for use of their great photos.
- The bands for their music, and setlists!
