[LIVE REVIEW] DARK HORSE album launch of 'Bomb Thrower' + HOSTILE OBJECTS + MICHAEL CRAFTER + BLACK RHENO

at BLACKWIRE RECORDS, SYDNEY, 31 March 2017

Review by Derek J. Huckel
Photos by ZK Photo, and Restricted Photography. 

Live Dark Horse, and Hostile Objects footage by Jayradikal Productions

Black Rheno kick off the album launch for Dark Horse with their second album ‘Bomb Thrower’, and they really kick it out! There's no messing with Black Rheno! They bring it from the start with their groove metal that has a sludgy stoner blend. The singer is prowling the floor (no stage here – the band is mixing with us plebs) like some sick tiger. This band is nuts for a three piece, I mean their power is intensity personified. They’ve more grunt in them than some five pieces could even dream of! Dirt, Lock the Gate were some tunes played, and two newies were road tested. They ended their set with the single No Time for Numb Nuts. A great start to one of the final nights of Blackwire.

Black Rheno bringin' the stoner groove!

Blackwire Records, 31/3/2017 - ZK Photo

It's a shame Blackwire Records is closing. I've seen only top notch shows here - I can't think of a bad one of perhaps the ten plus times I’ve been here. Bands I've seen here have included I Exist, Clowns and Chinese Burns Unit, Hostile Objects, Hygiene, Nunchukka Superfly, Damage Zone, Vigilante, and Shackles. Overseas acts too, like American Sharks, Lecherous Gaze have graced this venue, I wish I'd seen Canada's Burning Hearts here, sadly missed D.R.I here recently, and even people like John Dyer Baizley of Baroness have performed and shown his art at Blackwire. Council laws in NSW, and persistent complaining new neighbour/s – not a good mix sadly. In other states this law has been changed apparently, in favour of the long-term businesses, like pubs, instead of the new disgruntled neighbours. Bittersweet is a word to pin point this, and pissed off might be another…

Michael Crafter were up next. They seemed to be faves of many of the near capacity crowd here. The singer, who started the set dressed in his best TLC t-shirt, joked a lot and the crowd bounced off him. The rapport seemed well rehearsed, good fans I’d say. Not having seen them before this reviewer enjoyed them a lot. Michael Crafter are like, you might say, Napalm Death but with more silly themed tunes, but some poignant ones too. Quick short, crusty and thrashy grind blasts. One song, it was announced, was about puppies, which got roars of laughter. Other ditties tonight were called Crew Poo, Bong Breaker, Vegan Bake Sale, and a more serious tune Fear and Doubt.

Micheal Crafter - not like TLC

Blackwire Records, 31/3/2017 - ZK Photo

The Meanies were a great interim sonic entertainment prior to Hostile Objects hitting the 'stage'.

Hostile Objects began with Weed, hit Money (aka. Eat Your Money) and went straight to Turkish Knives, Sounds like a recipe for a great night eh. Well the Hostiles easily helped that happen with their brand of thrash. If you don’t know them, think Poison Idea and The Accused mixed with a dose of Black Flag. Waiting to Drown ratcheted up, and up by singer Hunt and his troupe, then sprung loose in a fury. Hoax went off! Young Gods was mammoth, and brought punters in the first few rows to a crazy mosh. Their last song Wrong ended in a wall of feedback - which was a perfect close for their last set here at this fine establishment. The songs' irony wasn’t lost on many here tonight, the fury conveyed in this tune was also a great metaphor for the anger of the loss.

Rod Hunt gives it back! Hostile Objects, 

Blackwire Records, 31/03/2017 - Restricted Photography

Jimmy Fatal feedsback, Hostile Objects

Blackwire 31/03/17 - Restricted Photography

Dark Horse feed the frenzy

Blackwire Records, 31/03/17 - ZK Photo

Dark Horse opened their set by bass-player Kieran paying respects to the traditional owners of the land first, thanking the guys running the shop here for all they’d done having bands here in their time, supporting them and the scene, as well as to the other bands who played. Pulling Teeth was the choice cut to kick off their set showcasing the bone crunching new album 'Bomb Thrower' here tonight. It sent the place right off! The band, like a savage mix of Discharge, Exploited, and Bolt Thrower, have such an intensity and are on fire with the occasion of the launch, they kicked total ass and took no prisoners!! One guy was hoisted up and crowd surfed to the front of shop then nearly perfectly back to his position at the front. The present scene in front of me brings a tear and huge smile to this reviewer’s face. Sad that it's the third last night here at Blackwire Records before it closes, and that people here are loving what’s been presented to them here tonight, and three quarters of the joint just rocking the fuck out in near 'perfect harmony'.

Dark Horse deliver! Blackwire Records, 31/03/17 - ZK Photo

The ominous intro of Bomb Thrower and its ratcheting d-beat thrash was a sight to see the band play, and hear of course. The singer had the crowd in his palm, all the stance commanded the music, and it him. The band all poured their guts into this show, sweating, slamming – it was a sight to behold.

It was a great group of bands to give a send off in their own styles to a fine establishment. Thanks guys, you've done us proud. And no thanks to it perpetrators.

DARKHORSE website - get 'Bomb Thrower'

DARK HORSE - Live at Blackwire Records
‘Bomb Thrower’



DARK HORSE 'Bomb Thrower' off their new album

Hostile Objects website and Bandcamp

Hostile Objects - Live at Blackwire Records

'The Hoax'

Hostile Objects - Live at Blackwire Records

'Young God' and 'Ruins'




Hostile Objects - Live at Blackwire Records
'Wrong'

Michael Crafter band website

Michael Crafter - 'Bong Water', 'My Name Is', 'Mosh Dawg'

Black Rheno website 

Black Rheno - 'No Time For Numb Nuts'

***Thanks to Blackwire Record - Salute! - the bands, ZK Photo, Restricted Photography, Jayradikal Productions and Rod Hunt for helping pull this review together. for it to be a part reminder of this night, last of a few at this memorable and essential venue Blackwire Records***

Tasty feediack, - Jimmy Fatal Hostile Objects

Blackwire 31/03/17 - Restricted Photography

Jimmy Fatal Hostile Objects
Blackwire 31/03/17 - Restricted Photography

Review of Roundtable, Hawkmoth, Summonus, DAWN, & Netherhell - Sydney, 29 October 2016

Roundtable, Hawkmoth, Summonus, DAWN, Netherhell

The Factory Floor, @Marrickville, Sydney

Saturday, 29^th October 2016

Review by Derek J. Huckel

Photos By Rod Hunt

Roundtable were hitting Sydney for the first time, on their second date up from Melbourne. They were planning to get Medieval on our asses, literally, with their Medieval brand of stoner doom. Their concept album Dread Marches Under Bloodied Regalia, reviewed is said to be visceral in its use of mythology. They caught my interest only a weeks back and I was looking forward to seeing what they were like live as I like similar bands like Boltthrower, who create worlds, fact or fictional, landscapes and emotion.

First up were Netherhell. This was two guys, drummer and guitarist, dooming out. They sounded great and if more people were here, I’m sure a pit might have started to go off. Plenty of the present people here loved it, dutifully nodding heads.

DAWN

DAWN were great as a support act, they seemed to have some sound technicality problems but creating a hypnotic wall of sound was their aim and were doing well. The space sound effect background in the first song was super cool. The Halloween theatrics were very good and welcomed, with the corpse bride guitarist, candy striped drummer, and other gothic gals. In their genesis, with some more volume, I'm sure DAWN will rule more.

The Game kicked off the Summonus set. The Journey was third with its brooding slow burn intro, its sludgy bass and guitars. They kick in with the opposite of a breakdown, the tight riffs building up with the stage prowling vocalists’ menacing growl vocals, and drums, all building – until a grind madness ensues! A killer rendition of Burning Times closed their set ‘Strike a match, burn it down, burn it downnn...’ Sublime.

Hawkmoth were up next - a band I'd been wanting to see as I’d seen their name on gigs happenning in Melbourne for some time. They took those present on a ride, from periods of ambience to big heavy riffs that were effect-laden. There was lots of craft here, but I was left not engaged while many loved their tunes. 

Meaty and visceral is Roundtable. The drumming initially wasn’t heavy, folk-like but it provides atmosphere, an earth for the guitars & bass to build and layer, to create the kingdom of olde on. Corpulent Warlord did harken back, the modern take was made to sound well and tales of Arthurian time regaling. The bands were running late so sadly Roundtable’s time was to be cut severely, only having time for three tales. But they played on. Their last two tunes, including Abarath Pass, were more meaty and heavy. Vocalist Rhys Walmsley’s voice is suited for their tunes, sounding like a throaty bearded knight but isn’t, not in person

The encore Encircling Demons was mesmerising, unusual for a closing number but it was a winner!

Roundtable manage to take several styles and merge them into stoner/doom, folk and prog rock, just in the right portions and make it sound brutally honest and somehow proper.

DAWN

DAWN

DAWN

DAWN

Summonus

DAWN

Hawkmoth

Hawkmoth

    

Hawkmoth

 Hawkmoth

Roundtable

Roundtable

Roundtable

 

Roundtable

Their music and profile:

Roundtable

Hawkmoth

Summonus

DAWN

Netherhell

Doomsday Festival, Sydney - Windhand + Beastwars + more, Friday 3rd October

Doomsday Festival – Windhand + Beastwars + Summonus + Witchskull

3 October 2014

Hermann’s Bar, Sydney
Review by Derek J. Huckel

Originally on the SF Media website...

With bands such as CHURCH OF MISERY and THE ATOMIC BITCHWAX being some of the past headliners of the Doomsday Festival, I was looking forward immensely to tonights leg of this annual tour.

WITCHSKULL, a Canberran three piece, opened the proceedings tonight and a mind blowing opener they were indeed. They were as if KADAVAR, MONSTER MAGNET and BLACK SABBATH had been blended together, then baked with a pinch or two of doom and feedback. These guys were only playing their second gig! Hailing from bands such as ARMOURED ANGEL and LOOKING GLASS and their time in them explains some of their agility on these chords and constructing such awesome tunes heard tonight. They closed with ‘The Vast Electric Dark’.

SUMMONUS kicked off with three killer new epic tracks, one called ‘The Journey’ clocked in at six minutes and lost no vitality throughout. Their gig hiatus hasn’t made them slouches at all, as evidenced on the Hermann’s Bar stage tonight.

Another newie was tried out tonight, four in total, and it was really good! These guys seem to have a stoner groove recipe they rework or build around which is always a winner. The mighty SUMMONUS, the only Sydney band playing tonight, played a few oldies too including a favourite called ‘Black Sun Dying’. They announced they are recording a new album and that they have a few shows before years end.

One of the two headliners BEASTWARS kicked off a little while later and the response from the sizeable throng now present was instant. The New Zealand bands near hypnotic sound along with the bearded Messianic-like singer Matt Hyde had the crowd in a whirling dervish state, nodding and swaying, for their entire set. Their brand of heavy stoner rock grooves just held you and wouldn’t let go, but you wanted to be in its grip. Some described them once as a marriage of KYUSS and THE CULT but I think they are much more than that now. Check out their album ‘Blood Becomes Fire’, in my top 2013 albums, which several slabs came from tonight. I think that if tonight was a battle, these guys might’ve won.

WINDHAND delivered their doom laden rock to an appreciative audience. The music’s intensity was crushing and the band a sight to witness! It was just head down hair out and the low tempo music was the prime objective with no banter. This Virginian (USA) five piece built layer upon layer of guitars and drums into this brick wall sound of rock/psychedelic/metal which became a sludge doom sound. Tunes here served up were largely off their 2013 LP ‘Soma’, they were ‘Orchard’, ‘Woodbine’, ‘Feral Bones’, ‘Forest Clouds’, ‘Winter Sun’, and ‘Cassock’ ended the great night.