Sometimes in life all you need is a heavy riff, a fuzzy vocal and songs about Conan. Thankfully that's what tonight was all about as Greek doomsters Acid Mammoth (9) played their first UK show outside of London at The Gryphon while on their way to Cosmic Void Festival.
Gaining a sold out crowd in Mr Ashby's front room, for many me included it was a very rare chance to see the band in an intimate surrounding but with all the building levelling heaviness of a runaway Mastodon.
Speaking of just as an aside I was saddened to learn that the metal world had lost the genius that is Brent Hinds formerly of Mastodon (the band) in a vehicle collision as I was making my way to Bristol another sad day for the rock/metal community after so many recently.
Speaking of just as an aside I was saddened to learn that the metal world had lost the genius that is Brent Hinds formerly of Mastodon (the band) in a vehicle collision as I was making my way to Bristol another sad day for the rock/metal community after so many recently.
No sombre mood at The Gryphon though as the riffs being slung with abandon, heads nodding, arms throwing in the air and hair whipping all over the place. Before the mammoths though it was support from Outback (7) a Brighton trio who began the evening with psychedelic stoner doom riddled with fuzz and some otherworldly spookiness.
It was loud and heavy and just what the crowd needed ease into the right groove. A slightly curtailed set vocalist/bassist Will Graves, guitarist Jet Mosseri and drummer Archie Lea were a perfect choice to get the riffs flowing.
Then it was back to Athenians and with their new drummer pounding the drums at the back of the room, though I was disappointed in not seeing the inflatable Jesus, it was already loud before any of the guitars kicked in, when they did though you could feel Dimosthenis Varikos' bass, using a plethora of effects to make it fuzzy, groovy with rawness on a track such as Berserker where their odes to the Cimmerian stories are at their strongest.
Up front Chris Babalis Jr. has just the right style of vocals for the band, they're yelled but clear on as things started with Supersonic Megafauna Collision. He cranks out the riffs while his father Chris Sr. completes the foursome with explorative, classic prog/psych style of soloing, that expands the sonic bludgeoning onto cosmic realms.
As this was their first show outside of London, the anticipation of the set was high and each song was greeted like it was a stadium classic, a few claiming different songs as their favourites, the band obliging with the likes of White Hag, Tree Of Woe and Them!
Heads were banged, riffs were played, homemade flags were waved, but more importantly Acid Mammoth were welcomed by The Gryphon, Bristol and the wider metal loving community. We were hungry for Mammoth riffs and yet again The Gryphon provides. More soon please!
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