Melachi at the feet of the Electric Wizards

Melachi at the feet of the Electric Wizards, 31 March 2012

2 Apr 2012, 19:29

Sat 31 Mar – Electric Wizard, Witchsorrow, Age Of Taurus, Purson

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did attend the Electric Wizard Concert at the HMV Forum in London on 31 March, 2012, and hereby bring my judgement. I had not previously heard of the 3 support bands.

The first act, Purson, most mighty merchants of the metal-riff, were befittingly bearded. The lead guitar could have been higher in the mix towards the end -- to more fully manifest the majesty of such a regressive woolly mammoth of an axe-wielder! I will most certainly be seeing them again.

The second band, Age of Taurus, I originally thought were all female, but upon closer examination it became apparent that probably only one was female, the others merely wearing coloured clothes, though who knows what a still more thorough investigation might reveal! They were accompanied by an odd sitar-like instrument, but to my ears were neither fully witchy or properly progressive, nor well-structured, nor even free-jazz, in the neo-Opethian sense, but merely rather confusing. I would say I was rather puzzled by them and not too inclined to repeat the experience.

The third band, Witchsorrow, all 3 members, had an extremely loud bass playing rather banal riffs so that at times the feedback drowned out the rest, though there was in truth not much more there to hear in any case. I suggest in my mind that they write some more interesting riffs.

The Electric Wizards themselves played from 9:35 to 11:05, against projections of Italian and Dutch horror films. There were three guitarists, backed by a splendidly lugubrious drummer. They were almost static, and I hope at their next seance to see them staring down, upstanding on pillars, in the manner of the ancient stylites. After a few songs the music was turned up to an acceptable level, and the riffs became too distorted to hear clearly. The overall effect was not unlike Hawkwind, back in the day.

Aye to neo-psychedelic experience, and Italian girls banging and lighting up all around me (I was near the front). Nay, that I could not recognise the tracks, as the music fundamentally sounded all the same. Be warned - all bands played extremely loud, and I wore earplugs throughout except at the end. Also, the clear 7" single on sale at the back turns, preferably, at 33rpm.

Behold, ye mighty! For I, Melachi, have spoken!

Melachi and The Acacia Strain, who were not pretty

Melachi survives a band that were not pretty                                           

Sat 17 Mar – The Acacia Strain, TRC, Brutality Will Prevail, Honour Is Dead, Chorus of Nine

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did attend a concert of The Acacia Strain at the Underworld, in Camden, London, on 17 March 2012, and hereby bring my report. I missed all the support bands, having to see a man about a dog in the nearby Burger King, a filthy place where they were refusing to give trays even to customers dining in. Furthermore, although I ordered an Aberdeen Angus burger, there was nothing on the packaging to suggest the unfortunate creature had grazed in the highlands, and was not actually from Uruguay.

On wandering to the Underworld, I found that there seemed to be a party going on outside, where the enterprising youth stood around upended crates sipping a weak beer. A strangely early curfew meant that the gig was almost over. The venue itself was only partly filled, but with very old people, including grannies and crusties with walking frames. My companion ordered a Guinness, it being St Patrick's night, which was decanted into several glasses before arriving, and the taste of which, he remarked, left anything Irish much to the imagination.

We ventured to the pit, where the band began to play. As they announced, they were not a pretty band, and I would not disagree with that. I was not familiar with their oeuvre, which resembled a sort of punky music but played on detuned guitars rather than the nasty jangly ones. I did not notice any guitar leads and the songs all sounded quite similar. Among the bands I know, it was most similar to Lamb of God, but less dynamic rhythmically, maybe. The volume level was rather low except at the end. They also said they were all about aggression and nihilism; I could not hear the lyrics (although many of the audience were singing along to them), but I have no reason to doubt that either. There was some dancing at the front of the stage, and quite a lot of stage diving. Unfortunately, I had damaged my knee in the Cannibal Corpse mosh-pit the previous weekend (what nobler reason could one give for such an injury?), so was unable to take part on this occasion. There is also a pillar in front of the stage in that venue, which may as well have been expressly designed to break the neck of any stage diver. Though there were some flailing fists (or at least windmills) I would not say the atmosphere was particularly aggressive, though I understand someone twisted his ankle.

I say yea to... well, not a lot really, though I quite enjoyed it. Nay to random fists, however well-intentioned.

Behold, ye mighty, for I, Melachi, have spoken!

A-le-storm, and the Vet

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did attend the gig of Alestorm and associated Pirate Metallers on Saturday, 18 February 2012, at the Islington Academy. The first band I heard were "Claim the Throne". They were intoxicated before playing their first note, and continued to drink through large funnels, which they passed among the crowd. Their tunes were folkish, though they seemed to lose their way and guitar strings somewhere in the middle. The band Alestorm sounded quite similar, and were greeted by a great waving of plastic cutlasses and eyepatches from a youngish and equally intoxicated crowd. I could hear every word they said, and the lyrics were indeed quite witty. Very much a party band, then, and I would not mind another party, though cannot imagine actually listening to their records in my living place.

Returning to that place, at the bus stop I met a young lady, returning from the concert, dressed in black, with folded head kerchief, saying that she had been to see "A-le-storm", which she pronounced in three syllables and in an American accent, as though she were unaware that "Ale" is, in England, a common beverage, a bit like Coca-Cola; and there she encountered two others, but dressed with colours, indeed stylishly, and it transpired that they had known one another before, in Hong Kong, and had not met for many months. Finding myself seated alongside this latter couple onto the bus, they announced how much that first lady had changed, that she used to dress like a normal person, but now looked like a freak; that they had never heard of where she had claimed to go to Veterinary college (London Met) and that she had always been strange, though that it was good she had adopted a strange and new character, in a strange land.

I, Melachi, have no comment to make, other than such is many a mosher's lot. But this is a tale told by Melachi, and it is a true story.

Melachi Dreams of a Theater at Wembley Arena

Melachi Dreams of a Theatre

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Fri 10 Feb – Dream Theater, Periphery

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did attend the Dream Theater concert at the Wembley Arena on 10 February 2012, and hereby bring my report.

First, the tickets were somewhat expensive and the Arena was only a half full, and I was rather far from the stage. It was also rather odd standing in a seating zone, as it was not thereby possible either to sit in a disinterested manner or to move forward in a natural manner. I would recommend this band to book a smaller venue in future, particularly if they charge these prices; I for one would be reluctant to go to the Arena again. It was also rather cold.

The support band were Periphery, most sat to listen to them. I had not heard them before; they sounded remarkably like Dream Theater with some guttural vocals. They started and finished rather neatly and their last song did sound quite interesting, I would be happy to see them again. They might have played for longer, maybe started earlier.

The popularity of Dream Theater themselves is rather a mystery to me, with guitars and keyboards without a heart and a singer like the fabulous Freddy without the tunes. I have seen them three times; on this occasion they were I thought rather slow off the mark, however after a silly acoustic section they seemed to warm up, or perhaps turned the volume up, and it took off more. I, Melachi, am a great enemy of drum solos, and invariably use them to get a few drinks; however their drummer, whom I had never heard of until he appeared on stage at the High Voltage festival the previous year, then produced a splendid and listenable-to drum solo, and this evening was the same. He is without doubt the finest drummer I have heard. And I have even heard Phil Collins! Now I just have to learn his name. The final track the band played in the main set, Breaking All Illusions, did move towards the sublime, particularly the guitar solo, though one might have hoped for this level throughout the evening. So finally I walked the causeway to the station not dissatisfied.

Aye to the more relaxed compositions, leaving the performers and audience some room to breath. Nay to lack of opera glasses.

These are the words of Melachi!

Melachi and the Blood Ceremony

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, dd attend the gig of Blood Ceremony at Monto The Water Rats, in London, on 10 October, 2011, and hereby bring my report.

The venue is basically the back of a pub, which had the advantage of beer being served in glasses actually made of glass, at least in the first hour. I sat on the comfy sofa and read the Evening Standard until the first band began, led by a young lady in a hat with a large, round brim, which a person more stylish than myself could probably name more accurately. The music was pleasant enough, in a folksy style with a bluesy feel. There was also a synth/computer player, who seemed a bit redundant.

After a break, and dodging the smokers of the tiny pipe in the expedition to find the gents behind the building works, the Blood Ceremony themselves came on stage, the drummer clearly finding the space a little constrained. However, this did not affect the sound quality, which was very similar to the record, which I had thought was excellent (which is quite rare for me). As is commonly said, like Black Sabbath with a flute. Their lead singer does a very neat thing with her head, like a bat. The audience were receptive but not wildly enthusiastic and clearly not very familiar with the band, who I think would have been wildly successful forty years ago, but now? Who can tell, but I, Melachi, have spoken!

   

Melachi and the Prince of Panto

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did pay obeisance at the Ozzy Osbourne concert at the Hammersmith HMV Apollo on 21 June 2011, and have brought back this report. The support band Revoker played a short thrashy set that was well received. I would not mind hearing them again.

Mr Osbourne played a not very long greatest hits set from 8.30 to about 10. He seemed on excellent form, in good voice and to be enjoying himself. I was in the front standing area and the crowd were from the first song energetic in a non-aggressive way and clearly pleased to be quite close. There was a little surfing, though by rather old people. In fact, crusties and many young people and girls were present, though few in their 30s, I would say. The sound quality was terrible and I do not think it would have been possible for anyone not familiar with the material to follow the melodic lines and chord progressions. This was not such a big problem as everyone seemed to be familiar with them. I had the impression that the guitarist, introduced as Gus, was quite good, but I could barely hear him except in the long solo section. The drum solo was painfully loud. Musically I would say the earlier Black Sabbath material with the heavier riffs was most effective in this acoustic. Whether this was strictly a metal concert I am not sure, as the weight of the lyrics and music was not really reflected in the rather bouncy performance. More a Prince of Panto than a Prince of Darkness, then, but a good time was had by all.

Unexpected Sounds

Progressive Nation 2009

Dream Theater, Opeth, Unexpect and Bigelf

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, did attend the concert of Unexpect, BigElf, Opeth and Dream Theater, at the Forest National in Brussels, on 17 October 2009 as part of the Progressive Nation tour. There seemed to be rather a lot of people in the first band, however, I could not hear them, it was like trying to listen to a violin on a building site. The second band looked quite stylish with mellotron and Top Hat, but I could not hear them either. Opeth played very crisply and very well, showing that it was something to do with the mixing rather than the acoustic. The only problem I noticed was that the difference between the "loud" and "quiet" sections was so extreme it was as though someone had thrown a switch. A  more gradual progression in volume levels would have been preferable from time to time.  Dream Theater had a strange man twirling a keyboard around, a singer waving his microphone stand, and even a bit where some people took out their lighters and waved them in the air. Might as well have gone to see Tatu (their last album is rather heavy, no, really!). And I hate elves. These are the words of Melachi!