Mithras, Absolution, Rend Them Asunder & Deliberate Miscarriage, Hangar 18, Swansea, 22.07.23
Being a promoter in this day and age is a tough business, lack of presales due to covid hangovers, bands pulling out last minute, and the overall cost of touring shooting through the roof, it can be difficult to get bands playing in your local area, then even harder to have people come and see them.
So when Cosmic Sea Bookings announced their debut gig at Hangar 18, the South Wales metal scene had a little trepidation but were determined to support this new venture. Although they didnt make it easy for themselves; securing a headliner who have only played one show since Damnation 2016, and then stacking the rest of the show with OSDM veterans, Scottish maniacs and a local opener playing their first live gig it was a ln impressive feat that deserved a big crowd.
Thankfully the audience was a decent size, but perhaps the room itself made it seem a bit more sparse than it was (especially due to metal fans never wanting to come to the front unless specifically told).
With everyone in and the rain lashing outside the venue South Wales trio Deliberate Miscarriage (8) took to the stage for their debut show. This three-piece play brutal death metal with gnarly lyrics about Splattered Toddlers, being Gutted With A Butter Knife, Intestines In The Midguards and Fowl So Foul.
It was Charlie who growled these horrific images, leading with some techincal bass playing and swinging a mass of hair (most of which he ate) while Adam peeled off distorted riffs in deep concentration (opting to remember the set rather than just return to the root note as promised to me earlier) and Sam tried to emualte Lyn Jeffs who played drums on the album, but seeing as he's a machine did a great job.
Obviously having the crowd onside due to the local connection they were able to warm the crowd well, impressing on their first show.
Next though Glaswegians Rend Them Asunder (7) broke out into some snorting, aggressive, Buckfast fuelled brutal death metal, well that is until the drummer realised he hadn't put up any cymbals up halfway through the first song.
So they stopped apologised, got the cymbals and started again. Juddering the momentum but getting it going again with the restart. A monsterous vocalist snarling and prowling the stage as the band laid down flesh ripping heavy death metal. Inciting pits, these Scots were unhinged after the 8 hour journey to South Wales, the crowd duly obliged, a few kicking the crap out of each other for the rest of the set.
Haunted by a couple of techincal issues throughout, something they apparently always get at their shows, it was fun if a little disjointed but must have been worth the trip for the band and the fans, they also seemed to sell a load of merch on the night. In a sweat drenched room Rend Them Asunder are probably a more potent force.
Next up were Birmingham veterans Absolution (8), employing a groovy OSDM sound that is favoured by fellow Midlanders Bolt Thrower and Benediction. Absolution exclusively write songs about serial killers and exclusively wear camo shorts. They are also the only death metal band I've ever seen use a Gibson SG.
Enough of that though as this five piece are hard hitting, the lyrical content not for the feint if hard as they lay down a thick, tasty riffs that have you bobbing along as if songs about Rillington Place and Burke & Hare were the norm. Little interactions with crowd explained the themes of the songs but mostly it was business as usual for Absoution as they came as masters of their craft.
Speaking of masters, the headliners were truly something special. Using a unique mix of psychadelic wanderings, technically gifted musicianship and extreme metal, Mithras (9) are a trip way out into the furthest reaches of the death metal cosmos.
Just a trio they're sound is expansive and involving, their drummer has a electronic drumset meaning that he, bassist and guitarist can adapt their sound to whatever otherworldly frequencies they want. Impressive on record, their sound is perfectly recreated when playing live.
Band founder Leon Macey easily switches between double tapping and shredding, the use of pedals expanding the soundscapes , while bass player Vic Lochab falls on the line between intricate and heavy, gargantuan grooves and moments of bliss conjured while Ben White goes from expressive percussion to unstoppable speed in an instant.
Perhaps not as immediate as any of the supports, there was a lot to take in with Mithras, but when it clicked, you get transported into the futuristic and forward thinking extreme metal atmospheres of this band.
Releasing their most recent album in 2016, it's surely time for more material, as well as some more gigs on the back of this performance. Cosmic Sea Bookings took a punt on this show and it did a lot to bring back the extreme metal scene in Swansea. Hopefully there is more to come from them.
Being a promoter in this day and age is a tough business, lack of presales due to covid hangovers, bands pulling out last minute, and the overall cost of touring shooting through the roof, it can be difficult to get bands playing in your local area, then even harder to have people come and see them.
So when Cosmic Sea Bookings announced their debut gig at Hangar 18, the South Wales metal scene had a little trepidation but were determined to support this new venture. Although they didnt make it easy for themselves; securing a headliner who have only played one show since Damnation 2016, and then stacking the rest of the show with OSDM veterans, Scottish maniacs and a local opener playing their first live gig it was a ln impressive feat that deserved a big crowd.
Thankfully the audience was a decent size, but perhaps the room itself made it seem a bit more sparse than it was (especially due to metal fans never wanting to come to the front unless specifically told).
With everyone in and the rain lashing outside the venue South Wales trio Deliberate Miscarriage (8) took to the stage for their debut show. This three-piece play brutal death metal with gnarly lyrics about Splattered Toddlers, being Gutted With A Butter Knife, Intestines In The Midguards and Fowl So Foul.
It was Charlie who growled these horrific images, leading with some techincal bass playing and swinging a mass of hair (most of which he ate) while Adam peeled off distorted riffs in deep concentration (opting to remember the set rather than just return to the root note as promised to me earlier) and Sam tried to emualte Lyn Jeffs who played drums on the album, but seeing as he's a machine did a great job.
Obviously having the crowd onside due to the local connection they were able to warm the crowd well, impressing on their first show.
Next though Glaswegians Rend Them Asunder (7) broke out into some snorting, aggressive, Buckfast fuelled brutal death metal, well that is until the drummer realised he hadn't put up any cymbals up halfway through the first song.
So they stopped apologised, got the cymbals and started again. Juddering the momentum but getting it going again with the restart. A monsterous vocalist snarling and prowling the stage as the band laid down flesh ripping heavy death metal. Inciting pits, these Scots were unhinged after the 8 hour journey to South Wales, the crowd duly obliged, a few kicking the crap out of each other for the rest of the set.
Haunted by a couple of techincal issues throughout, something they apparently always get at their shows, it was fun if a little disjointed but must have been worth the trip for the band and the fans, they also seemed to sell a load of merch on the night. In a sweat drenched room Rend Them Asunder are probably a more potent force.
Next up were Birmingham veterans Absolution (8), employing a groovy OSDM sound that is favoured by fellow Midlanders Bolt Thrower and Benediction. Absolution exclusively write songs about serial killers and exclusively wear camo shorts. They are also the only death metal band I've ever seen use a Gibson SG.
Enough of that though as this five piece are hard hitting, the lyrical content not for the feint if hard as they lay down a thick, tasty riffs that have you bobbing along as if songs about Rillington Place and Burke & Hare were the norm. Little interactions with crowd explained the themes of the songs but mostly it was business as usual for Absoution as they came as masters of their craft.
Speaking of masters, the headliners were truly something special. Using a unique mix of psychadelic wanderings, technically gifted musicianship and extreme metal, Mithras (9) are a trip way out into the furthest reaches of the death metal cosmos.
Just a trio they're sound is expansive and involving, their drummer has a electronic drumset meaning that he, bassist and guitarist can adapt their sound to whatever otherworldly frequencies they want. Impressive on record, their sound is perfectly recreated when playing live.
Band founder Leon Macey easily switches between double tapping and shredding, the use of pedals expanding the soundscapes , while bass player Vic Lochab falls on the line between intricate and heavy, gargantuan grooves and moments of bliss conjured while Ben White goes from expressive percussion to unstoppable speed in an instant.
Perhaps not as immediate as any of the supports, there was a lot to take in with Mithras, but when it clicked, you get transported into the futuristic and forward thinking extreme metal atmospheres of this band.
Releasing their most recent album in 2016, it's surely time for more material, as well as some more gigs on the back of this performance. Cosmic Sea Bookings took a punt on this show and it did a lot to bring back the extreme metal scene in Swansea. Hopefully there is more to come from them.