LIVE REVIEW: Visigoth @ AATMA, Manchester
Whilst heavy music’s broadening of horizons has spawned a cohort of genre-defying, innovative bands, sometimes you can’t beat good old fashioned heavy metal fun. VISIGOTH pride themselves on that. Although the Salt Lake City shredders may be considered a new act, having formed in 2010, their adoration and execution of traditional heavy metal has won crowds over time and time again. Now, the band hit a packed AATMA in Manchester in what would be a glorious worship to the fundamental principles behind the music we love.
First up though, come ASCALON and their NWOBHM-worship worked a treat to the rapidly filling venue. The quartet spend their limited time on stage powering through a set of galloping riffs, thunderous drums and a delightfully pleasing vocal performance from frontman Matt Gerrard. Whilst, at times, the mix threatened to lose the impact of his soaring vocals, this was only a blip in an impressively strong performance. Throw in his natural stage charisma and a good-working relationship with his bandmates, the quartet operated like a unit on stage, and ASCALON will have left a lasting impression for the uninitiated. A solid start to the evening.
Rating: 8/10
Similar to ASCALON, ELIMINATOR bask in the style of the bands of old and proceed to give an energetic and enjoyable performance. Given the quintet hail from Lancaster, a stone throw from Manchester, tonight feels very much has the mood of a homecoming show as lyrics are belted back at vocalist Danny Foster throughout the set. As admirable as that may be, ELIMINATOR still have the task of putting on a good performance and they achieved just that as Foster continuously displayed his impressive range of vocal pitches whilst the dual riffing from guitarists Matt Tomas and Jack MacMichael encourage many heads to bang. A tight and enjoyable performance that whet appetites for the rest of the evening.
Rating: 7/10
Given that both ASCALON and ELIMINATOR worship the traditional characteristics of heavy metal, BEWITCHER injected a bountiful dose of grit and aggression into their set. Drawing comparison to fellow countrymen MIDNIGHT is an easy comparison to make but don’t let that take away from their identity. Boasting tenacity, aggression and a whole lot of bite, the trio proceed to lay the stage to absolute waste in a frenzy of black metal-tinged riffing and venomous vocal snarls from guitarist/vocalist Mateo Von Bewitcher whilst new boy Aris Wales beats the drums to one inch of their life. It’s a ferocious but captivating performance, one in which harkens back to the days when heavy metal was considered dangerous and the work of Satan. A truly impressive performance and one in which should establish BEWITCHER in metal’s booming underground.
Rating: 8/10
Given the quality of BEWITCHER, the stakes are considerably higher by the time Utah’s finest take to the stage. VISIGOTH have been enjoying a wave of momentum prior to this tour, as last year’s excellent Conqueror’s Oath broke the band through to the scene and Bells of Awakening (written specifically for this European run) demonstrates that the creative juices are still flowing, the band take this momentum in their stride and it shows on stage. Oozing with confidence, the quintet show utmost proficiency in their craft, combining organically to create a frantic and triumphant live sound that the crowd eat up with sheer delight.
From the bombastic opening number that is Dungeon Master, giving a glimpse into Jake Roger‘s terrific vocal abilities, the band never let the momentum dip. Instead, they power their way through their headlining set and it’s exhilarating. Warrior Queen paves the way for the first major singalong of the night amidst flurries of frantic riffing of guitarists Leeland Campana and Jamison Palmer whilst a the material from the aforementioned 7” Bells of Awakening (Abysswalker and Fireseeker) sound absolutely colossal in the live environment.
Throughout the headlining set, Jake Rogers seriously impressed, displaying that he not only has an impressive set of pipes in a studio setting, but that he can display it on the live front as well. Consistently throughout the headlining performance he hit every note to utmost perfection and his eagerness to get up close and personal with those in the front row was a nice touch, bridging the gap between band and fan. With Rogers excelling in leading VISIGOTH, his bandmates equally excelled, each performing as if their lives depended on it. Campana and Palmer‘s guitarwork was staggeringly good with each harmonious solo or galloping riff hitting the mark whilst bassist Matt Brotherton and drummer Mikey T. provided ample skill to ensure that VISIGOTH‘s rhythm flowed naturally. We touched upon that heavy music is expanding into a whole host of varying avenues but VISIGOTH proved that, sometimes, nothing beats good, honest traditional heavy metal. A performance of quality and downright entertaining, VISIGOTH are keeping the spirit of metal alive all these years after its first emergence.
Rating: 9/10
Check out our photo gallery from the night’s action in Manchester from Christopher Ryan Photography here:
