Behemoth + Arch Enemy + Carcass + Unto Others
O2 Academy Brixton, London
Tonight’s onslaught is brought to us by no less than 4 bands all promising to bring one hell of a show, and boy do they deliver!
It’s an early start with first offering ‘Unto Others’ hitting the stage at 6.10 and unfortunately due to travel issues I miss the first few songs but do manage to catch a glimpse of their set. The room is swathed in red light and smoke and there is a great atmosphere. On stage there is a dark and moody vibe it’s a cool mix of Goth and mellow metal. Front man Gabriel Franco produces an impressive soaring vocal that bursts through the air and elicits a great response from the audience. It’s clear that their earlier headline run of shows has garnered them respect and a decent following and after tonight’s performance it’s clear to see why. A very good start to the evening.
Veterans Carcass with their long standing career and reputation have little to do other than to simply take to the stage and blast out some great metal – and that is exactly what they do. It’s a straight forward no bells and whistles approach and it does the job as always. They command attention and the crowd are fully invested raising their fists and their voices in unison showing just how popular and respected they really are even now. It’s a relentless powerful set list and their newer material such as ‘The Scythes Remorseless Swing’ fits perfectly alongside older tracks including ‘This Mortal Coil’ and ‘Buried Dreams’ proving that their reign is far from waning.
There is a definite shift and rise in excitement as Arch Enemy’s Screen emblazoned with ‘Pure Fucking Metal’ adorns the stage. The room heaves and screams fill the air as the bands silhouettes appear before the screen drops and the explosive sound of opener ‘Deceiver, Deceiver’ sets the wheels in motion for what is a truly magnificent performance. Alissa White-Gluz orders attention, the stage is her kingdom and she has complete control of the space. The set list is a blistering collection of hit after hit and Alissa’s vocal is gutteral and musical all at once, the whole band have a great stage presence. Add into the mix a hefty amount of pyro, and impressive lighting to really drive home their message – that they are on top form and truly know how to bring a killer show.
The time comes for the mighty force that is Behemoth to finish off our night – quite literally in a blaze of glory! This is their biggest headline show to date and they come fully equipped to blow the roof off in true Behemoth style. Brixton Academy is full to capacity and the air is absolutely electric.
A darkness descends upon the crowd, silencing the din of anticipation, until a dark and foreboding video introduction announces the bands imminent arrival. After a few minutes of prophetic visualisation, Behemoth storm the stage in an inferno of orange glow and smoke. After roaring to the crowd, Nergal, Behemoth’s frontman and guitarist, takes his place stage and centre and rips into the night with ‘Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer’, summoning the crowd into a murderous frenzy. The band of demons have come to do a job, and they have come to execute it well. Running through tracks at a devils pace, including ‘Ov Fire and the Void’ and ‘Bartzabel’, the Polish Extreme Metal band leave no moments for breath beneath a monstrous thrum of guitars and pyrotechnics conjured straight from the pit itself.
Costume changes, backdrops, smoke and fire, all intricately placed and thought provoking, make for as much a feast for the eyes as their music does for your ears. Ending their tremendous reign of terror for the evening with ‘Versvs Chirstvs’ and ‘Chant For Eschaton 2000’, Behemoth thank the crowd for their support and throw in a hail Satan for good measure. The band exit the stage, the pyrotechnics begin to cool and the smoke begins to dissipate, yet still the fans cheer and applaud their masters.
Review and Photos By Rebecca Bush
Carcass
Arch Enemy
Behemoth
