Sigiriya, Urzah, Ironbird & Goat Major, Exchange Basement, Bristol, 22.04.23
I don't even know The Exchange had a basement, but there we go, down the narrow, low steps, avoiding concussion it was into the rectangular room for four riff wielding bands. PA's from floor to ceiling and the "stage" behind them. The basement was the venue to the brutal death metal show that was taking place in the main room, ensuring an odd mix of fans but plenty of tattoos.
It was West Wales trio Goat Major (7) that got proceedings off loudly, I immediately put in my notes that they remind me of Tom Araya fronting Sleep, as they play slow heavy doom with lots of reverb and swirling bass and occult Imagery, the vocals having the pained shouts of the Slayer frontman. They'll be hitting Cardiff with Made Of Teeth and Thunder Horse so I'll be giving them another watch very soon as their satanic ritualism and occult doom was a winner.
Next to throwdown were the Sludgy stoner riffs of Ironbird (7), their first show in 4 years these veterans play a faster stoner sound with a wink to hardcore, distorted riffs and shouted vocals. The groves were increased to the highest level with Ironbird, the guitar being so low on the mix putting a bit f downer on their show, but when you could hear the psychy riffs it was a wild groovy noise. Their frontman filled his limited space by attacking the mic with ferocity. Despite this lay off from live shows they were a well rehearsed unit who know just how to get a crowd on side. After 4 years the Ironbird was flying high in Bristol.
It was local boys Urzah (8) who garnered a full house, friends moving their way to the front of the stage as the heavy four piece cranked out their sludge to applause and shouts. Having reviewed both their recordings live they have the strongly instrumental sections of bands such as Mastodon where the crushing riffage of a dual guitar set up put to whomping bass and adaptable drumming. Long instrumental passages got heads banging as the shouting vocals interjected when needed. Live Urzah lay waste to the stage, the partisan audience lapping up every single distorted riff that blurted out of the speakers.
Thankfully most of the crowd stuck around for the headliners Sigiriya (9) who I've seen a few times and who always deliver exactly what you need. The crowd now boozier, wilder and sweatier, the West Wales rockers fed off the energy with their Sabbath worshipping riffs that bleed a bit of punk and proto-metal with Obsessed, Saint Vitus and Trouble influences of their sound. The Viking basslines of Paul Bidmead clobbering your head as Rhys David Miles' drum skill drives the groove and power.
They played a mix of songs from their most recent records, with a band new wild rager that got Matt Williams on the floor, those killer pipes of his brilliant across their other tracks such as Space Rocking Freedom Engine. The only time he's quiet when Stuart O'Hara peels off reverbed solos occasionally forgoing the riffs for some melody, on slower numbers such as final sermon Crushed By The Weight Of The Sky. This was supposed to be the last song but they were coerced into one more letting the swaggering riffs of Whiskey Song as we headed back into the rain soaked evening.