Rarely do I head out for a purely black metal lineup, but given I was visiting Steel City for work it seemed like the right thing to do to was check out a gig while I was there. Record Junkee is a cool little space above an instrument shop; by day it sells records, but by night it transforms into a 150 cap DIY venue. With a small stage at one end, and a tidy little bar at the other, it’s a testament to how you can put gigs on with a bit of space and will power.
Wolvencrown (6) opened the night up, playing melancholy atmospheric black metal for the most part. With long, drawn out passages painting a sombre soundscape, much of the band’s focus seems to be aimed at sounding bleak. A few sprinklings of groove break up the chords, and for me that’s when the band came to life. I’m not one for atmospheric black usually, so it’s likely just my own taste getting in the way there as the crowd appeared to enjoy what was offered up.
My personal highlight was noticing the gradient of intensity on the band member’s faces - from the crazy eyed lead guitarist sporting an Immortal vest and an impressive ‘tasche glaring out into the crowd, through the just about moving frontman, to the look of utter vacancy on the bassist. The keyboard player was unfortunately tucked away behind the PA, but that added to my amusement just being able to see his one hand - allowing me to imagine it was Thing from the Addams Family completing the lineup.
Crimson Throne (8) played next, with half the members and somehow double the volume of the band before them. Samples triggered by the guitarist were almost deafening, roaring over the snarling bass tone and thunderous drumming. The songs had a lot more going on, with buckets of groove and frantic riffing going hand in hand. I was a lot more engaged with this style, even though their stage set up was a little unorthodox - the band members largely facing each other rather than the audience.
Over the course of the night, each act had its own colour theme - Wolvencrown bathed in blue, Crimson Throne understandably drenched in red. Headliners The Infernal Sea (9) graced the stage with an ominous green emanating from their props. With the smoke machine billowing out a hefty fog, the band launched into their set. Much more upbeat than even Crimson Throne before them, The Infernal Sea had a ton of energy right off the bat, inspiring many of the crowd to jump around in time with their riffs.
Crimson Throne (8) played next, with half the members and somehow double the volume of the band before them. Samples triggered by the guitarist were almost deafening, roaring over the snarling bass tone and thunderous drumming. The songs had a lot more going on, with buckets of groove and frantic riffing going hand in hand. I was a lot more engaged with this style, even though their stage set up was a little unorthodox - the band members largely facing each other rather than the audience.
Over the course of the night, each act had its own colour theme - Wolvencrown bathed in blue, Crimson Throne understandably drenched in red. Headliners The Infernal Sea (9) graced the stage with an ominous green emanating from their props. With the smoke machine billowing out a hefty fog, the band launched into their set. Much more upbeat than even Crimson Throne before them, The Infernal Sea had a ton of energy right off the bat, inspiring many of the crowd to jump around in time with their riffs.
Using a great use of both straight blasts and d-beats, it was near impossible to avoid moving in time with the band. The songs had a little more variation in both pace and tone than the previous groups, but thematically it all fit and tied the night together. They had a commanding stage presence, and played to the crowd expertly. I really enjoyed their set, especially as their grooves and riffs have broad appeal - this isn’t some hidden true kvlt band who can’t seem to make anything that doesn’t sound like bees in tinfoil, but a group that can write catchy hooks and infectious grooves.
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