LIVE REVIEW: Sepultura @ Eventim Apollo, London
“Wow, I can’t believe it’s been forty years”, can be heard mumbled whether waiting in the merch queue or in between bands tonight, as a sold out Eventim Apollo is heaving with metal fans of all generations. SEPULTURA not only have this huge feat to celebrate reaching as a band so influential to the scene, but it’s also the farewell tour, so theirs mixed emotions in the air that this be the last time we witness them live in London.
The line up on this tour is stacked, with something for everyone further going to show the headliners’ influence across genres. Kicking things off are current hardcore favourites JESUS PIECE who unfortunately play to a half-filled room thanks to the very early start time and many metalheads still suck on the beloved London Underground. This doesn’t stop them from giving their all though, with the five-piece taking advantage of having a far larger stage to throw themselves around than usual. Flying through a set heavily splattered with latest album …So Unknown, tracks such as FTBS, Tunnel Vision and Fear Of Failure sound big but the mix is slightly murky compared to previous shows witnessed and at times it’s difficult to work out track from track.
The second half of the set feels a little clearer as the sound team adapt to their level of heavy and vocalist Aaron Heard is fully warmed up, shirt lost and rallying up the first circle pit of the night – a pretty impressive success considering a lot already in attendance are thrash fans. Closing off with old favourite Conjure Life, JESUS PIECE do a stellar job in getting the evening started and have hopefully caught the attention of some new potential listeners.
Rating: 7/10
A band with almost as much experience under their bullet belts as our main event, are death metal daddies OBITUARY, who feel like a much more expected fit on the line up on this dreary Tuesday. Coming out to the incredibly catchy, beefy instrumental of Redneck Stomp, the crowd are already hyped before frontman John Tardy comes crawling out to start his iconic raspy vocals. OBITUARY’s discography spans eleven full-lengths alone, so trying to condense their greatness into such a short set feels like a bit of a shame, with many in the crowd wondering why they weren’t higher up the bill but they make the most of their time as they speed through old favourites such as Slowly We Rot and Chopped In Half.
Their sound is groove-riddled and traditional in its death metal approach, with a very “if it aint broke ‘don’t fix it” vibe that is lapped up by the audience as more hustle and bustle emerges up at the front ahead of the next acts.
Rating: 8/10
Next to the stage are Ukrainian quartet JINJER, who despite maybe looking slightly out of place on the bill, are welcomed to a rammed room and huge applause as they enter the stage to their country’s colours in lights. Rather than sticking to one particular genre, the band are loved for their way of mixing technical death metal, djent and melodic elements and tonight, whether its your cup of London tea or not, they show why they continue to grow in popularity. It’s been a few years since they released a record, which allows them to showcase a variety of eras including 2021’s Wallflowers tracks including Colossus and Copycat alongside fan favourites such as Teacher, Teacher!
The musicianship and sound is flawless across the board, bassist Eugene Abdukhanov’s pick-free playing hypnotizing those on his side of the stage but the star of the show is frontwoman Tatiana Shmayluk. Not only is her stage presence powerful as she conducts her audience, but her insane range of vocals sound pitch perfect live, from harmonious cleans to deep, gnarly growls.
Rating: 7/10
Everyone is wary of not being in a bar or merch queue as the main event begins and its satisfying to witness so many generations bundled together to watch four decades of influence. SEPULTURA are icons for a reason, and whether this is your first (and unfortunately last) time seeing their live show, or you’ve seen it through the ages, one thing guaranteed is you are in for a treat of a gig and tonight is no exception. Opening with absolute bangers Refuse/Resist and Territory might feel like they’re pulling out the big guns too early but solidifies just how impressive their back catalogue is, as there is no break from classics.
From the moment he steps on stage, Derrick Green’s beastly stature and growls are felt as he pounds his chest and works the crown up into a frenzy whilst the Brazilian quartet’s sound is epic and every detail is heard. Guitarist Andreas Kisser’s love for metal has kept him young – he hasn’t aged a day and shreds through more thrashy tracks like Attitude and Arise as the crowd air guitar in unison and the circle pit is opened up regularly. Drummer Greyson Nekrutman may have only joined the fold this year and with big boots to fill (you know, just Igor Cavalera and new SLIPKNOT drummer Eloy Casagrande) absolutely crushes the job, blasting the tribal tom fills that are signature to SEPULTURA and capturing everyone’s attention every time he gets to do a solo on the big screen.
This also leads to one of the most wholesome moments of the night, where the band are joined by family members, friends and fans to have a jam across different instruments and a lot of percussion to perform Kaiowas, leaving goosebumps as you realise this is the last tour. Its truly admirable that the band are on stage for over an hour and half and whilst many of the crowd may complain that its time for bed, we’re all waiting for the encore regardless, as the night concludes with Ratamahatta and the one, the only, Roots Bloody Roots. If this is a genuine farewell tour, then SEPLTURA have gone out with a bang but lets be honest, we’re all a little hopeful they’ll resurrect again on a festival bill later down the line.
Rating: 9/10
Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in London from Sarah Tsang here:
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