Download in 2012

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did attend the Download Festival at Donington Park, England, in June 2012, arriving just in time to hear Opeth phone in their last song and complain they had travelled from Sweden for 10 hours to play for forty minutes. Well, some of us travelled for  8 hours from London and if they have this attitude and continue writing self-indulgent jazz then the conceited quilt-smuggler will find himself playing for twenty minutes after an intercontinental flight to Guam, where the Steel Panther's album has reached quadruple platinum, so the leotards informed us, having sold 500 copies, which I think might be an overestimate, since second-rate cod-80's metal is superior only to, say, third rate cod-80's metal, speaking of which the Black Veil Brides rather bravely appeared on stage to the most hostile reception I have seen for a long time, though I do not think any of the mud actually struck them; to be fair numbers of supporters were also present and I did get the impression they were the real deal with a rock and roll attitude. These latter bands bookended Trivium, the step up in performance being quite embarrassing, they do seem to get better, or at least I get more accustomed to them each time they appear; indeed the day started off with As I Lay Dying sounding rather like, well, Trivium. And after Opeth I had heard Nightwish, a rather operatic production, might be nice to watch from the balcony of a peristylum hall somewhere, rather spoilt by the lead singer's Swedish accent sounding rather like a headmistress of one of the better schools. Sylosis romped in the murky acoustics of the Max tent, out of tune to start with and the guitar remaining rather low in the mix throughout, probably not their best performance, and the vocals a bit weak, compared to many of the other bands in similar style. Suggest they find a vocalist who can sing and write some lyrics, leaving the lead guitar free for concentrated shredding. Then let them continue to carve their brutal sonic cathedrals in the darkest mines of Moria. The Butcher Babies have a fair old chop to go to reach this level, screaming incoherently to metalcore backing. They said they would be in Aberystwyth next week, but did not specify the street corner. After the Biffy Clyro, no idea what they were doing there, played Metallica, sounding rather like... Trivium. I suggest they get an extra guitar or a synthesizer if they don't want to remain a novelty act.

Saxon played a very well received set early Saturday to a large crowd, looking rather more lively than I had seen them a week or two ago in London; the same could be said of Kobra and the Lotus who started Sunday. Devildriver and Lamb of God delivered their punishing thrash to fearsome pits. The softer sounds of  Sanguine were rather lost behind the pummelling rhythms of the nearby stage. A rare treasure was Mechanical Smile, playing an angsty rock entrancing the bedroom jam stage. The singer might work on looking at the fret board rather less when picking out her chords. The ritual of Ghost was exceptional in type among the performers at Download, and not at all bad in form either, and I wonder if there is not more room for the theatrical or prog approach on the modern scene.

Oh, and the last act were Black Sabbath, with an excellent bassist, fine guitarist, very physical drummer and an odd but very effective front man. They played almost entirely the earlier, blues-based material, rather a curious choice in such a large venue, and sounded quite different to all the other bands.

Wall Trips

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did read Mick Wall's "Paranoid: Black Days with Sabbath and Other Horror Stories" (1999) in June 2012. The narrator claims to have been a music journalist and the book is about his use of heroin and other drugs, while interviewing various metal bands in the late 1980s. He repeatedly says that he was only interested in drugs and that everything he wrote was nonsense. Such a pronouncement may not be the best advertisement for the book; but I can confirm that he indeed has nothing interesting to say on any subject whatsoever, particularly the music itself. He appears contemptuous of everyone, and very much on the fringes of the bands he writes about. My copy ends suddenly on page 222; I do not know if this a manufacturing error, or is supposed to represent something sinister. Sudden overdose? Sudden sobriety? Fascinating, I, Melachi, am sure.

Metal Gods on Repeat

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did attend the Judas Priest concert on 26 May, 2012, at the Hammersmith Apollo, London. The first band, Kobra and the Lotus, did not provide any enlightenment as to their curious moniker, playing fairly standard metal of the traditional style, indeed sounding quite similar to Judas Priest themselves, though the generally fine lady vocalist singing about an octave lower. The lead guitarist was also quite notable, but I would have to hear a few more of his solos to finally pronounce on that point; they were not on for long, though, since the sound was a bit sludgy in the lower midrange, they were  rather difficult to listen to. The second band, Saxon, were quite well-known in their time, and played in a similar style. I thought the rhythm guitar attack most impressive. The Metal Gods themselves played I think the same set as in London last year, which was a bit of a disappointment. Under Blood Red Skies was in my opinion the best, though no-one else seemed to like it. Having seen Rammstein recently, the flames were not terribly exciting. The music of the style of this era is not my favourite, being rather simple and poppy (except for Iron Maiden, obviously), but who can resist a man in hooded silver cloak, together with trident? He said that the Priest would be back, and if they are, so will Melachi.

Uprising of Angels

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being a man of wealth and taste, did read Marc Baldwin's novel "Uprising of Angels" (2011) in May 2012, since it deals with a topic of interest to me. It is the story of some residents of a ghetto area of Los Angeles involved in the 1992 riots. It is written in a modern narrative style, from the point of view of the characters, though in the third person, using the language they might have used, had they been inspired to write down what they were thinking, and thus some sentences are rather long, no doubt  to give the impression of immersion, a bit like this, but with simpler words. Sections dealing with one of the gangs are written in what I believe may be an African-American patois, and in the present tense. Sections dealing with the Koreans are in Korean. Despite this, it seems quite well-written and these artifices did not bother me too much. There is some bad language and violence, though not as explicit as you might expect. The plot is quite similar to a police action movie, though there are rather too many characters for it to be a screenplay. It doesn't seek to analyze the city or the riots in depth. I would perhaps have liked fewer characters looked at in more detail, as the book is not very long. Though you could argue that the people of that area are not very interesting anyway, or they would not be rioting. I did find the premise that a white family would move from La Jolla to South Central Los Angeles rather hard to believe. And one of the gang members has an ex-wife who says at one point "I am a full professor of literature at USC and Deacon at the Church" which seemed to stretch credulity. Some more detailed description of the environment would have been nice, and a map.  


How this compares to other action literature, I cannot say, for I do not read such literature. Whether the black dialogue and dialect-narrative is realistic I will not comment, for I do not know any such people, though it would be interesting to hear from them on this point. Whether the book would be admired by fans of the film "Crash", as is suggested on the back cover,  I do not know, because I have not seen this film. But I quite liked this book, and was joking about sections being in Korean. 

Hackett Still Wired

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did attend a concert of Steve Hackett, at the Assembly Hall, Islington, London, on Sunday 20 May, 2012. He is best known as the former Genesis guitarist with a distinctive pianistic style, involving muting the strings after each note is struck, giving an effect very like a synthesizer; and for an extraordinarily chromatic solo at the end of the 1973 live recording of "The Knife".

Forty years on, neither chromaticism or pianism were much in evidence, the guitar work being rather conventional, and he really needs to work out to be a bona fide guitar God. The show had an interval, and I had a comfy chair at the front. The first half was 70s material from his old group and first solo album. Highlights were Watcher of the Skies and the outro section from the Acolyte. The drumming vocalist is best not remarked upon, though the original bar was set rather low. The lower string of the bass was slightly out of tune at the beginning. There was a backing guitarist I could scarcely hear, who also sang pleasantly enough. The second half was newer material neither I nor most of the audience had previously heard, a bit like Mostly Autumn crossed with King Crimson. The male vocals sounded taped. The saxophonist was excellent, though to turn the tension up a further notch some phrases could have been bluer (flatter). Rock guitarists who try to lead their bands have always struck me as an oddity: Slash, Schenker, Rutherford; Hackett also. I suggest he let someone like the lady vocalist ("Amanda" I believe) reinterpret the Genesis songs, if not all of them, and make the show more of a collective affair. Where is the shame in playing the guitar? Particularly when it is still connected by actual wires. Melachi has spoken!

Primordial Prime in Islington

6 May 2012, 00:13

Sat 5 May – Primordial, Hell, Winterfylleth

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did grant an audience to Primordial at the 02 Islington, London, on 5 May 2012. I heard most of the first band,Winterfylleth, and was impressed. They played much in the brisk shamanic two-step of the pagan style, which I had last heard from Wolves in the Throne Room, though with their songs nicely structured and decent variations. My only query was whether the shamanic two-step was entirely suited for "English" pagan metal, is it not more a Nordic or Eastern structure? I was sorry not to pick up their vinyls after the gig.

Next were a band "Hell", strangely I had never seen them before. The cross of thorns borne by their singer was interesting, and the crow-mask when he moved to "bring out your dead" even more so; and when we got to the auto-flagellation, this was perhaps excessive... I last saw blood in Islington from the lady of the Theatre des Vampyres, perhaps they should get together. Strangely I had complained only last week of the lack of synchronism in the headbanging of Insomnium, here we actually had choreographed headbanging, with the heads moving to the back and the side in order. My question with regard to these gentlemen was I think relating to the music, always important for a band, I feel, and here not entirely exceptional. Their song about Macbeth was perhaps not at the same level as the rest (being a rather odd topic). I hoped they would do a metalled-up rendition of "Gethsemane" towards the end, but was not to be. But very interesting, and I would like to see them again, though perhaps not buy their records, if any. And I do not think I would go as far as the young lady in front of me, with a tattoo of pitchforks, possibly their emblem, in a circle between her shoulder blades.

Then the headliners, Primordial, as they said, from Ireland, Republic of. I thought he asked rather too frequently whether we were alone, since the answer was not altogether unclear. But a very impressive vocalist, who could perhaps add a little menace to his repertoire, and with actually meaningful lyrics, quite a rare thing in the metal scene, possibly the Irish influence. If only Opeth could write a lyric at least once in a while! Had many epic, powerful and memorable songs, I recall Coffin Ships, Judas, and Empire Falls, and one about Slaves of Rome, - and to remember this never having previously heard them is great credit to them. A few more guitar solos and a greater moshing would have improved matters still further. Hope to see them back in London soon.

Aye to a great line-up of bands, one of the best I have heard. Nay to early curfew; in fact my companions and I took revenge by staying on for the subsequent Club de Fromage disco and got thrown out for excessive slam dancing. Which was not a sorrow.

Melachi out of the Zone of Dovlatov

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being a man of wealth and taste, did read Sergei Dovlatov's novel "The Zone" (1982), in May 2012 (in an English translation purchased from the rather nice Russian Bookstore at Waterstone's Piccadilly). The book comprises short stories about prison camp life in the former Soviet Union, linked together with brief letters to a putative publisher. The stories deal with relations between guards and zeks (prisoners), the author having been a prison guard. Nothing really happens in any of the stories, and it is rather difficult to keep track of the characters, who are numerous and all very similar, or why the paragraphs follow one another in the order they do. Although in simple language, and apparently without literary pretensions, I could not understand what was actually meant to be implied by many of the sentences. Such as, at random: "The girl's lips were warm and rough as a small leaf warmed by the sun" (p. 85).  "The over-laundered flag hung limply,"... etc. The book is not satirical, unless it is a great surprise to you that relationships exist between people in prisons. The list of "shocking" things he says he "could have written about" is rather unlikely to shock anyone.  Unless it is a sort of double-bluff. Who knows? Who cares? I would suggest the book would have been better written as a classical novel with a plot, and some well-defined characters. If the book is not a critique of the specifically Soviet prison system, admittedly a well trodden path, it is not easy to gather its purpose. These are the words of Melachi!

Paradise indeed Lost, at the Scala

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did grant an audience to Vreid, Insomnium and Paradise Lost, at the Scala, London, on 29 April 2012, and hereby bring my report. Of Vreid, I saw but a little, having been delayed by an extremely long queue, the Underground, and an entirely new station having been erected at Kings Cross. They were playing a little marching music when I arrived, with growling vocals. I could not make much of it. Next up were Insomnium, a melodic death metal band, melodic being a relative term in this sort of company, referring to the inclusion of audible chord changes and lead guitar solos, both of which this band did include, and rather well. I thought they were extremely good and particularly crushing towards the end with a number "one for sorrow". They did not get to the joy, but this is also not unusual. I shall certainly look them up in future, though their headbanging could be better synchronised.

The main act were Paradise Lost, who seemed to take a long time to get on stage. They were OK, though I would not have known they were a "doom metal" band had I not so heard previously, since a surprising number of the songs resembled covers of Depeche Mode. The singer appeared to have a sore throat, and was not projecting very well. I heard them once before, when they were outclassed by the support band (Ghost), here I am afraid I also felt it was Insomnium's night. Paradise Lost suffered from a lack of killer numbers, which, considering how long they have been around, is probably irremediable. I have four of their albums, and can only remember one track, actually, "As I Die", which isn't really very good either. Here they played it somewhere in the middle, which left the audience audibly musing what they would finish with. Also this was one of the few times I have known a crowd stand in bored silence waiting for the band to return for the "encore". Could be everyone's favourite support, though.

Let you kneel before the ears of Melachi!

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!