LIVE REVIEW: Ulcerate @ The Star and Garter, Manchester

ULCERATE have been reigning supreme in the underbelly of death metal for some time now. For near two decades now, the New Zealand trio have forged an unorthodox, technically demanding brand of death metal and it has established the band as a white whale in death metal’s vast ocean. With the sun beaming and the Easter weekend commencing, the band hit The Star & Garter in Manchester, looking to kickstart the long weekend in fine fashion.

The weather outside may be pleasant but DEUS VERMIN are hell-bent on making everyone feel the polar opposite. The Leeds-based quartet proceed to dispatch a cacophonous wall of sound that is as explosive as it is transfixing. Guitarists LM and CG are relentless in their delivery of razor-sharp riffing that continuously pummel the ears, GH puts in a hell of a shift behind the drums, and AS‘s deep bass tones adds extra weight to the band’s already mighty sonic racket. At the heart of their twisted musical maelstrom, AL cuts an imposing figure on stage. His body twists and turns with every devilish riff and his delivering of ear-splitting shrieks and rumbling lows sound clear as day in the mix. Unfortunately, the abrupt end of the set as a result of the fire alarm going off, thanks to an abundance of smoke to heighten the atmosphere, takes the wind out of the band’s sails, but this but only puts a blemish on a bold and intimidating opening performance.

Rating: 7/10

With the smoke, quite literally cleared, LUNAR MANTRA take to the stage and proceed to give a solid performance. The Scottish quartet’s mix of black metal and ambience conjured a sinister atmosphere and this was maintained throughout their set. Powerful blasts from the drums intertwine with the dual riffing from guitarists P.T. And R.C. that keep the pace flowing in the top gear whilst the former dispatches his vocal deliveries to great effect. Moments of ambience integrate nicely with the typical ferocity found within black metal, allowing the performance to feel organic and dynamic whilst also helping the band punch all the more harder. It’s a gripping performance and one that showcases that LUNAR MANTRA are a fine addition in the UK’s healthy black metal scene.

Rating: 8/10

Much praise has been directed towards ULCERATE for their non-conventional approach to death metal. Whilst their soundscape is highly technical, to just disregard the New Zealand trio as yet another tech-death band would indeed be doing them a disservice. And with that, as they take to the stage in Manchester, the band proceed to remind those in attendance why they are such a revered band in extreme metal.

A dense wall of sound is forged right from the get-go by the trio, as guitarist Michael Hoggard combines with drummer Jamie Saint Merat to create a frantic and relentless passage of heaviness whilst Paul Kelland‘s thick bass tones and rumbling gutturals further bolster their already explosive sound. With a tight mix on stage, each element to ULCERATE‘s complex sound sounds mightily impressive here. The drumming from Merat is frantic yet organic, Hoggard contentiously impresses with his skill on the guitar as the chugging riffs crash all over the place and the lead work is simply jaw-dropping and Merat‘s work on the bass compliments his bandmates well, helping keep the pace of their performance flowing. At the heart of their vast soundscape Merat‘s explosive growls sound as explosive as they do formidable, it’s a well-drilled performance from a band at the top of their game.

Rating: 8/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Manchester from Sabrina Ramdoyal Photography here: