LIVE REVIEW: The Great Old Ones @ Rebellion, Manchester
The nights have drawn in and there’s a cold bite in the air, winter has arrived. The perfect backdrop for black metal, as the double header of THE GREAT OLD ONES and AUÐN rolls into Manchester’s Rebellion, the scene is set as to whether their icy riffs can match the chilly climate.
First though, DAWN RAY’D take to the stage and serve up a brief but intense opening salvo that kicks proceedings off in the best possible way. The anarchist black metal trio have been enjoying a wave of building momentum this year and it more than shows in their performance. Fabian Devlin‘s solitary riffs are laced with aggression and power, complimenting the barrage of blastbeats from Matthew Broadley‘s drumming whilst Simon Barr‘s energetic movements on stage only enforces his powerful delivery of shrieking vocals. The subtleties of Barr‘s use of the violin adds moments of soothing respite through the set, allowing DAWN RAY’d to move through the motions organically. Interaction with the crowd is practically non-existent, save for a brief speech on the current political and social shitstorm in the closing moments of the set, and instead, the band let their music do the talking and it leaves a solid impact. A solid opening bout from one of UK black metal’s brightest sparks.
Rating: 8/10
Iceland has become a hotbed for black metal in the last decade and AUÐN proceed to give a performance that will only solidify that foundation. As the stage basks in dense smoke and the suited up quintet take to the stage and dive into opening number, Veröld Hulin, their brand of atmospheric black metal instantly strikes a chord with the audience and kicks their set off in the best possible fashion. Guitar play from Aðalsteinn Magnússon and Andri Björn Birgisson dance from the intricate melodies of Þjáning Heillar Þjóðar to the big dissonant walls of sound found in Lifvana Jörð that strike hard whilst vocalist Hjalti Sveinsson controls the crowd’s attention thanks to his solid vocal shrieks and captivating stage presence. In slow orchestrated movements, he switches from staking around the stage to getting up close and personal, there’s air of pretension sure, but it’s visually striking to watch and the impressive lighting, which colourfully captured the mood surrounding their sound, only proved to bolster this. Iceland’s black metal scene is one of the strongest on the planet right now and after that performance, AUÐN can rest assured that they are in amongst the best.
Rating: 9/10
The work of H.P. Lovecraft and black metal seems to be a match made in heaven. His contribution to horror unmatched, his work makes for a perfect lyrical template for black metal and this is something that THE GREAT OLD ONES take in their stride. From their name to their cloaked apparel on stage and a striking metal centrepiece in ode to the cosmic entity Cthulhu, it’s clear that the French quintet’s appreciation to Lovecraft acts as the backbone to their identity. Whilst that alone may be enough to warrant a cursory glance, the band ensure that attention is rooted towards the stage as they deliver a performance of solid black metal. Riffs from guitarists Benjamin Guerry, Aurélien Edouard and Alexandre Rouleau offer a triple-pronged assault, packing ample amounts of groove and ferocity whilst Guerry‘s leading vocal deliveries pack enough power that keeps the atmosphere crushingly dark and the backing chants from Edouard and Rouleau help maintain the band’s cult-esque image. Material from last year’s EOD: A Tale of Dark Legacy features heavily here, and whilst more material from 2014’s Tekeli-Li would have been welcome, the newer cuts sound very impressive in the live setting, with both The Shadow Over Innsmouth and When The Stars Align proving to be highlights in the whole set. Throughout, the nightmares and harrowing world of Lovecraft was brought to horrifying life as THE GREAT OLD ONES deliver a set of quality, demonstrating their class and one which more than solidifies their position as a band that demands your attention.
Rating: 8/10
Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Manchester from Sabrina Ramdoyal Photography:
