Capital Chaos
La Belle Angele, Edinburgh
November 17th 2023
Brought to fans by Red Crust and Fleshmarket Promotions, Capital Chaos is home to the heavy riffs in Scotland’s historic capital. Hosted in the legendary La Belle Angele, which infamously was once victim to one of the largest fires in the UK in decades, it has since risen from the ashes and for tonight, hosted undoubtedly the sickest Metal show on any stage that evening upon its bonnie shores.
We cover the first of three events which went on to the wee hours. Six bands including the mighty Evile who made their first appearance in the city in over a decade dis-graced the stage with their larger-than-life brutal Metal mania. If you have never visited, like many venues in the area of Edinburgh’s Old Town, La Belle Angele has a quirky and unique charm. On entry, you follow the corridors leading to the bar and then downstairs to the stage area. Doors were at 4pm and with its spacious surroundings and boasting 100 capacity it was the perfect location for those to congregate and party into the late evening. Without a doubt Scotland loves its Metal music, it was nice to see local talent, and fans get together for a night, which proved popular with everyone involved.
Kicking off the night we had two-piece Ophanim who were a late addition to the bill but they did not disappoint. Donned in corpse paint you would think they were more of the black Metal ilk but they would surprise you as they fuse different genres together to give a truly unique sound. Ewan Marr on guitar and vocals and Joplin Meredith on drums would make you wonder how two people could create such a racket. In only a year, they have climbed their way up stages with their skills and on-stage presence. Their energy is infectious as Marr is on the prowl while Meredith’s ferocious skills light up the stage on that drum riser. Sadly, this gig marks the final foray for Ophanim.
Repping the Kingdom of Fife we have the five-piece Fallen Ashes from Kirkcaldy. Vocally not the heaviest offering of the evening but there is nothing wrong with that. It is refreshing to be at an evening of Metal where the styles are shaken up a bit. Sean Blake’s vocals are very melodic and quite alt-rock/classic metal in style and the instrumentals at times are sprinkled with some nu-metal influence. They’re not short on some killer riffs however, and that seems to be the general rule of the night!
Edinburgh’s own melodic death metal quintet Extort know how to demand a crowd join in. Vocalist Seb donned in white, blood splattered and with black face paint cuts a formidable figure. Equally, each member looks the part, which we love to see. With Seb’s guttural growls and hair flowing in the air, his and his band mates showmanship had the crowd echoing back the energy spilling off the stage. In only half an hour they managed to put on a stellar performance that we and many in attendance won’t be forgetting too soon.
The last time we saw Dog Tired was at Bloodstock a few years ago and what a joy it is to see them again playing on their home turf. The lads hailing from Penicuik absolutely never fail to disappoint. They are a band of unforgettable characters on and off stage and once you get your ears around these guys there is no going back. Whether a big or small show you will always get the same unapologetic and relentless heavy riffs and some of the wildest and impressive drumming you will hear. Born almost 20 years ago and with their new album, ‘The Red Verse’ released earlier this year these guys have no signs of slowing down and we say hell yeah to that!
The first time we had the privilege to catch Edinburgh’s Disposable was many moons ago at Scotland’s Wildfire Metal Festival previously known as Les Fest. With much experience under their belts and a few line-up changes, they have continued to evolve into the powerhouses of the tasty thrash groove variety they are today. With a substantial following new and old fans were throwing themselves into the crowd and the atmosphere was electric. These guys know how to shred the guitar, you can barely see their fingers for dust as they rip up the stage with their fervent talent. Three vocalists on guitars and bass front and centre of the stage really gives an edge to their high-energy stage show. Jack Batcharj on guitar and vocals who was one of the people responsible for organising Capital Chaos put on an amazing show to which he should be proud of both on and off the stage, as did everyone involved.
A moment metal heads across the country have been waiting for with bated breath the legendary Evile end the night off at La Belle Angele. It’s their first show in Edinburgh in over a decade and the fans went absolutely wild. Although they played only an hour set they managed to fit in songs from various albums including their newly released ‘The Unknown’ much to the delight of the crowd. With a band with a following like Evile it’s always a balance to keep everyone happy and from where we were standing it appeared they did just that. The lighting effects at La Belle Angele really gave an extra pizazz to each of the shows on that night creating a real aura capturing each performance just right.
Capital Chaos put on a great balance and variety of Metal. There was no leaning into just one sub-genre which kept the fans on their toes even if fans may not have been familiar with every act. Each band brought something different to the table and each left a positive impression. The venue, sound, lights and organisation definitely didn’t go unnoticed. Capital Chaos and their love of producing a top night of Metal shone through. This event is bound to continue to grow and we look forward to see it return in the future.
Review and Photos by Aggy Gillon