LIVE REVIEW: 3Teeth @ Rock City, Nottingham
If there was ever doubt that the blackened heart of industrial metal had ceased to thump over recent years, the filth-laden aural maelstrom of 3TEETH certainly proves that this genre still retains its thundering pulse. Boasting a twisted melange of vicious grooves and post-apocalyptic soundscapes offset by EBM flourishes, sophomore record <shutdown.exe> was not only chock-full of anarchic anthems but drove home a conceptual statement that resonated with an ever increasing fanbase. And with German teutonic monoliths RAMMSTEIN selecting the outfit as the support for their only two US shows of 2017, that future-noir pull has continued to attract fans in very high places. Following a riotous co-headlining jaunt across the States with HO99OR, the LA industrialists are back on UK soil. Having already annihilated both the capital and Manchester, tonight is date number three of the European leg of the tour – and Nottingham’s Rock City is braced for sonic detonation.
Having spent the afternoon sitting in on the pre-gig soundcheck and shooting the breeze with some of the 3TEETH camp, Distorted Sound learnt that it was very much a proverbial brofest when it came to supports CREEPIING, with both bands already knowing one another. With our own previous knowledge being less than au fait and curiosity piqued by that social media summary, “the sound of Brexit Britain united by division”, it’s reassuring to say that this London duo don’t just step up to the stage, but instead they stamp all over it. The mechanised furore and hypnotic synth-drenched beats of songs like Predator and The Pinch walk the line between NITZER EBB-esque slamming EBM and retro industrial sneer, whilst vocalist Rhys Dawney goes from sounding like Dave Gahan one minute to letting out Manson inspired wails the next. Wrapping himself around the mic stand, he shows off this range whilst guitarist Sebastian Bartz surveys the crowd in between heady riffs. CREEPIING put 110% into this provocative performance and it’s clear they’re determined to ensure that people go home with their name on their lips eager to continue the spread of their self-coined brand of “sonic terrorism”.
Rating: 7/10
The combination of a lengthy delay between bands and the club-night that’s simultaneously running upstairs in the main room has resulted in curious punters wandering down into the basement to see what’s going down. By the time the hedonistic strains of eastern-tinged Divine Weapon begin filtering around the heaving basement, the aesthetically jarring mix of folks gathered to see 3TEETH lay waste to this room is bloody wonderful.
Decked out in studded leather and oversized shades (despite being plunged into near total darkness) frontman Alexis Mincolla is utterly resplendent tonight. Sauntering and writhing right to the edge of the cramped stage, he oozes the type of effortless charisma and verve that can be replicated but never duplicated; he is quite simply the type of guy who was born to perform. Blinding red strobes and rising temperatures give adage to his admission of “it kind of feels like a cave in here right?” – in fact, we’d go so far as to say that it’s rapidly taking on a glorious Satan’s dungeon kind of vibe. Sadly, there are some minor housekeeping issues that arise from the sound desk during X Day, but the twisted metal and scabrous screams coursing through Slavegod alongside the dissonant yet sensuous grind of both Insubstantia and fan favourite Atrophy give this crowd no choice but to surrender to the pummeling beats and razor-sharp riffs. Shifting seamlessly between harsh and clean screams underpinned by a bone crushing bass tone, Pit Of Fire showcases this band’s versatility but the set truly reaches its raging climax during closer Nihil. With his back turned and body swaying to the irresistible thump, Mincolla’s energy verges on almost indecent and practically lifts the shaking roof. It’s a 3TEETH performance of combustible proportions – and an unequivocal masterclass in industrial metal.
Rating: 9/10
