Winter Eradication 2019, Fuel Rock Club
It’s difficult to comprehend that a year has already passed since Grá punished those in attendance at Winter Eradication 2018 with a stellar headline set. Another year gone; Some things change, some things stay the same. For example; the filthy weather which had gripped South Wales. Cold rain lashed down Womanby Street for most of the day, people scurrying from doorway to doorway, clutching coat hoods in a futile attempt to stave off the winter fury. The same as 2018. All we needed was a permafrost to blow across the Capital and the scene would have been perfectly set. After last year’s event, what was also assured was a decent line up, courtesy of the excellent Eradication Booking Agency. A slightly truncated line-up in comparison to 2018 but no shortage of quality on offer.
Back in May Devonian five-piece Cistvaen (7) made their Welsh debut at the same venue when they opened the evening for Advent Sorrow. A small but dedicated crowd assembled for 30 minutes of dark brooding atmospheric black metal as the band demonstrated they were not there just to make up numbers. Tight, confident and improved from their previous performance, Cistvaen delivered a three-track set which included the superb Waiting and the climax of their set, Voice Of An Old God. Despite having been ill for most of the week, guitarist Lee Meade and fellow axe master Chris Finch once again demonstrated why there is much interest in the band. Vocalist Guy Taylor’s guttural growls are perfect for the black metal the band play and drummer Ed Wilcox and bassist James Mardon cemented the engine room. Cistvaen will be back in Fuel in April and I strongly recommend catching them.
Travelling across the UK on a miserable December Saturday is grim at the best of times, but for Derby one-man outfit Dark Doom (6), the journey must have been inspirational. Sad black metal is best inspired by those negative events in life and the M42, M5 and M4 are certainly odes to one’s feelings of impending doom. Now, I’m far from the biggest fan of solo projects. Put together in studios with no input from other musicians, their music can feel sterile and unimaginative. This wasn’t the case with Dark Doom, or Alex Wills to provide his true name. Yes, there were lots of backing tracks, clicks and loops, but this didn’t stop a reasonably entertaining half hour. Whether there is much to watch is open to debate; I prefer to watch a whole band, but Willis certainly has talent to go further.
It’s been a matter of mere weeks since Levitas (7) opened for Winterfylleth at The Exchange in Bristol, and once again the Cardiff/Bristol four-piece’s miserable atmospheric black metal slotted neatly on the bill. As usual, minimal chatter between songs, Levitas prefer to let their music do the talking. Of course, it wouldn’t be a black metal gig in Wales without drummer Sam Heffernan pulling double duty and as usual his effortless style anchored the band. With Liam Wolf’s gigantic roars contrasting with the cleaner vocals of guitarist Rhys Williams, those who had not seen Levitas before were no doubt impressed. I wrote earlier in the year that Levitas live is more an experience than an event. I can think of no greater compliment to pay the band.
It was at Winter Eradication last year that I gave Cardiff’s Black Pyre (8) a trifling score of 5. “Nothing special about these guys” I wrote. How times have changed. I’ve had the pleasure of watching the band develop over the past 12 months and how they have progressed. With the addition of guitarist Othigor Doombeard, the band now have the heft to support their tremolo riff heavy songs. Doombeard’s arrival also takes the pressure off vocalist and guitarist Asbjorn Daemonium de Noctis as well as giving the band a much needed ‘thickness’ in their sound. Basing their set from the enjoyable The Forbidden Tomes EP, but with a little Mayhem added for extra flavour, the permafrost swirled through the venue as the four-piece displayed a newfound confidence which will hold them in good stead for 2020. Warriors Of Despair, Aeon and Black Magic Heresy all sounded fresh whilst Summonings is the ideal set closer. This might have been the best that I’ve seen from Black Pyre and with a little polishing the band should move forward in the next decade as something a bit special.
One band I was desperate to see on this bill was the South West heavy weights Deadwood Lake (9). The band’s fourth release, Immortalised In Death has made it into my top 20 albums of 2019 (coming soon - Ed), such was the depth of emotion contained in it. I’d reviewed their debut EP Remembrance way back in 2016 and loved the quality of it. However, despite the band having played in Cardiff late last year, this was the first opportunity I’d had to see them live. They did not disappoint, and a 40-minute set flew by with tracks spread from across their four releases. Highlights included Loss from 2018’s Forgotten Hymns and the concluding duo from Immortalised In Death, Guidance and Vigils. As well as frontman Bruce Powell’s distinctive roar, the band features guitarist Ryan Wills whose playing was sublime and were anchored by drummer Tom Warren who also added superb vocals roars as well as blastbeats a plenty. With touring guitarist Tim Hodgson throwing his lengthy dreads into orbit every time he rolled his head. With the audience now swollen since the sparsity of earlier in the evening, Deadwood Lake grabbed a few new fans (maybe not the Christmas jumper clad crew who lasted about 30 seconds before the blastbeats blew them back into the bar!) and their headline set at Fuel on 5th April deserves a good turnout.
We’ve written about Cardiff blackened metal outfit Agrona (7) on many occasions and they usually blast a hole in the wall with their intensity and power. However, this was not Agrona at full force. With Jonny Foxhall of Incursion stepped manfully into the hole left by absent guitarist Arawn, the band was slightly unbalanced (nothing to do with Jonny who did a great job). Illness had unsettled the outfit as well, and errors crept into their normally polished set. I Chose To Burn creaked, the click tracks caused confusion and just a few little cracks in the blackened chest plate started to show. Regardless, the band have no quit button and their frenzied assault continued. Whilst this wasn’t their best show, Agrona don’t really do average and despite seeming a little flat, there was still much fire in the belly of this beast.
Arvas (7) had the honour of headlining the night but due to a few running order issues didn’t hit the stage until about 10:20pm. Their ferocious assault quickly grabbed the attention, especially with those intent on putting the dance floor through its moshing paces. Led by the intimidating shaven headed V-Rex, the Norwegians played an intense and blistering black metal style. Sadly, the typical restraints of public transport meant that I had no choice but to leave after about four of their songs. What I saw was enough to note that if they head this way again, I’ll be there. And there we have it. Another year, another excellent event from Gavin Davies and his team. Same again next year please brother. It was great.
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