This is a gig that’s divided the London doom community this evening, as Satan’s Satyrs are playing across town at the Boston Music Room. However, despite the clash, there’s still a decent turnout for tonight’s gig at the Black Heart. This could be down to curiosity, due to the recent departure of TWK singer Sharie Neyland who left the band earlier this year, or because Satan’s Satyrs are fucking guff. Who knows?
Nottingham’s Mammothwing open the show; the trio have been gaining immense popularity in their hometown by opening for the likes of Purson and Beastmilk. Their set begins with what could easily mislead their audience to believe that they’re a desert rock or stoner band; a fuzzy, heavy on the bass first song with gruff sounding, smoke charred vocals assaults the senses, before the rest of the set takes on a decidedly bluesier feel. Both guitarist and bassist take on an equal share of the vocals which sound like a happy medium between Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell and Alice in Chains’ Layne Staley. This is the band’s first jaunt to London and, based on this performance, will hopefully not be their last.
Landskap haven’t made an appearance on London’s live circuit since they impressed the crowd at Ouch My Generator’s June show at The Underworld. In the last four months, the five-piece have become even more refined and put on an incredibly tight and fluid performance, featuring some new material that shows how far they’ve progressed in a relatively short space of time since the release of ‘I’. Vocalist, Jake Harding, provides a near flawless choral display against a backdrop of measured yet skilful drumming and notable keyboard playing.
Tonight welcomes the return of original vocalist George Birch to The Wounded Kings. Despite George occupying the role of original vocalist, it’s still with marked anticipation that we wait to see how he will handle the vocals for numbers on this year’s release ‘Consolamentum’, where the vocals were initially provided by Sharie Neyland who joined the band in 2011 and left a few months ago. Interestingly enough, the band actually open with ‘Gnosis’ from this very album – which is also the track the band opened with the last time they played this very same venue with Neyland on vocals. While Sharie added an air of mysticism to the song and charm in a similar vein to that of Jex Thoth, George strips away the smog and turns this track into something that is devastatingly heavy. The chemistry apparent between all members on stage makes it feel as though their newly returned vocalist has never been away and, with George opting to pick up a guitar for the parts where his voice isn’t required, this just adds to the crushing feeling of heaviness that’s immersing through the venue. Those that possess earplugs are thanking their lucky stars, as the bass and drums can be felt right in the pit of your stomach. An absolutely outstanding performance and the perfect way to welcome George back into the fold.
(Review: Angela Davey)
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