Abbath, 1349, Vlitmas & Nuclear, Islington Assembly Hall, London
When Abbath Doom Occulta teetered off the stage in Buenos Aires in mid-November last year, there was understandable anxiety. Firstly, for the man himself of course, and the demons he was fighting, but also because if we didn’t get this gig, the only alternative was Girlschool in the Underworld. Thankfully, as the man himself shouted later in the evening, “it’s great to be sober” and Abbath and his band pulled off a show that two months earlier would have been dead and buried.
A return to the Assembly Hall where I last saw Demons & Wizards in the Summer of 2019. Slightly different temperatures and although the crowd was slightly smaller this time, at least the smell was better. Black metal fans clearly know what soap is. 20 years and showing no signs of slowing, Chilean thrash outfit Nuclear (7) were in no mood to make up numbers and although the crowd was sparse when they hit the stage, their ferocious style of blackened thrash soon raised the heat in the hall. The band’s line-up has been stable for over eight years, with the core of the band locked in place since 1995 when they were Escoria. Vocalist Matias Leonicio has been front and centre since 2005 and the despite the limited space, there was a cohesive attack as the band made their London debut. A six-song set full of raging thrash opened with Confront, and the band was sufficiently pumped to throw in new song No Light At All. Like most South Americans, hair isn’t a problem and under ample lighting and with decent sound, Nuclear resembled a demonic hair advert at time, locks shaken to the core. Their straight on approach won them many new fans and as they left the stage generous and deserved applause rang out. A cracking start before three heavyweights collided.
If you missed the debut from death metal monsters Vltimas (8) last year, you really should address it immediately. Something Wicked Marches In was brutal but with gothic tinges. The band’s nucleus is of course the trio of Dave Vincent, Rune Eriksen and Flo Mouriner. Playing their set in true headliner style, there was a buzz of anticipation as the band hit the stage. Red spotlights drenched the stage, and the lighting remained a combination of reds, blues and greens for the rest of the set. Vincent decked out in full length leather coat and trademark cowboy prowled the front of the stage, his drawling guttural roar effortless after so many years. Eriksen immediately reminds you why he has been around for so long with his jagged riffing and searingly hot solos whilst Mournier’s delivery of insanely fast blast beats was a demonstration in precision and speed. As the set wore on, there was little time to breath, the nine-songs drawn from that debut release monstrously heavy and impressive in the flesh. As the crushing Marching On ended the set one felt privileged to be present.
Norwegian Black Metal legends 1349 (9) took to the stage. Three years since Ravn, Frost, Siedemann and Archaon had been on UK shores and it was clear that many in the audience had been drawn by one band. Having never seen them indoors, 1349 proved that they are one of the massive black metal bands of the time, with a sumptuous set which was a mix of songs from last year’s The Infernal Pathway as well as several other tracks. Clever use of the dry ice and red spotlights allowed 1349 to generate an atmosphere fitting for their set, with pillars of steam blasting skyward at regular intervals. Opening with Sculptor Of Flesh, 1349 pushed forward and for 40 minutes didn’t stop. At times Frost’s drumming was overpowering, his thunderous double bass drums and huge fills threatening to dominate. The sound team were having none of it though and Archaon’s satanic riffing soon cut through with some relentless soloing. Tremolo riffing slowly cut through, the red lighting settled on double studded arm chaps that Ravn wears on stage and 1349 simply astonished. The band finished their magnificent set with a majestic Abyssos Anthesis, to rabid applause.
As the blue spots settled on the large carved ‘Abbath’, a hush descended on the expectant crowd as an orchestral version of Manuel de Falla’s Danza Ritual del Fuego was played. The intro to Hecate was summoned, a deep breath was taken, and we plunged into an hour of Abbath (9) who was in devastatingly good form. Powerhouse drummer Ukri Suviletho was positioned high, stripped to the waist, his sculptured, muscular torso propelling his blistering delivery.New bassist Rusty Cornell and guitarist Ole Andre Farstad entered the stage, Abbath emerged and we were off. With Abbath on good form, his vocals as impressive as I’d ever seen, Hecate was quickly disposed of as the set unfurled. Abbath looked fit, clad in his battle armour and stalking the audience from the stage. Whilst his unique vocal style makes him instantly recognisable, Abbath was clearly working hard to keep it going. Blue, red and greens lighting dominated the stage show, whilst the set list pleased all by including the double Immortal tracks Against The Tide (In The Arctic World) and In My Kingdom Cold, and also a track by his side project I (Warriors from the album Between Two Worlds).
Six tracks from the fantastic Outstrider linked with a solid four songs from debut release Abbath worked superbly. Closing with Winterbane and a massive To War, the four-pronged attack of the Norwegians ensured that this evening was one to remember.
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