Ελληνικά
After a pretty tough week, what better than a special concert for the weekend? With the recent changes in our country, in general there is a new impetus in the air for something different. So, something different, we were able to watch on Saturday night at Fuzz Live Music Club.
The time was just after 8, when the new Athenian duo Holt climbed on stage, in front of a few people that were there. Wearing hoodmasks, unfolded at once, an obscure horror aura, with the electric contrabass and the dark vocals that were sometimes screams, other whispers and / or dark poetry recitations. Holt is Lambros from Slavebreed and John from CTS Prod / Afformance / Ghone / HEARTH. Playing extreme music, a patchwork of experimental drone-noise-post black metal, for a specific audience. Surely, you cannot but take an interest on them. Their first live performance was characterized by a particularly “nightmarish” atmosphere and music reminiscent of horror movie soundtrack. Personally I enjoyed them, although I would want more people there.
Then it was the turn of Athenian duet, Omega Monolith, with drummer that I had seen live again with: Skull& Dawn:, and guitarist with (really) many pedals around him. Very good musicians overall, with obvious influences from many with post-metal / doom / sludge elements they presented us their brand new instrumental album titled “Fungus”, undoubtedly gaining the best impressions from the audience that had begun to fill the space of Fuzz. Their sound was grandiose and stocky, with heavy guitar loops building gradually and the drums, insightful and monolithic, to keep compact and synchronized their endeavor. What we heard, I think will easily be one of the best releases of the local scene for 2015. See them live! It’s totally worth it.
French mystics kraut-rockers Aluk Todolo were the main reason I was expecting this concert. The trio climbed the scene with only one lamb to light in the middle of the stage that was connected with the guitar and depending on the track it was changing its brightness. The French, playing exclusively from their new, non-recorded material entitled «Voix», proved far more chaotic than everything I had heard on their latest releases. They did not disappoint me, but they neither impressed me, as they would if they had played more known songs, especially from the terrific «Occult Rock».
Heavy doom psychedelic sound, raging riffs of the guitarist and the dynamic drums and bass, created a shockwave that made the crowds chest pulsate altogether vigorously. The more, the merrier. Rhythmic and chaotic at the same time they won the show. The Post-black metal aesthetics left us with quite a good impression.
Stephen O’Malley (Soma) is a founding member of several bands (Thorr’s Hammer, Burning Witch, SunnO))), Khanate, KTL, Nazoranai, etc.) having also contributed significantly in the broader heavy scene (Southern Lord, The Aina Offensive) was the bet of the evening. The time had come. A wall of amplifiers was raised onstage, which foretold what was about to follow. Those who attended were lucky enough to live a unique experimental experience. Soma in pitch dark with his guitar and pedals positioned to the right of the wall. Behind, on the video wall began the projection of artistes project «Unground», an audiovisual installation, which is the result of cooperation of O’Malley with artists Gast Bouschet and Nadine Hilbert. Originally, it was presented only in galleries but then became accompaniment of his drone / ambient / depressive music concerns. Of course, the orchestration in several points did not match the image however, it was a great presentation. Dark and somewhat seductive, accompanied the deafening sound that engulfed Fuzz Club for over an hour. Closing my eyes during the set allowed me to immerse myself in his music, more than trying to follow him. The deep and heavy drone captured you without a doubt, but nonetheless it was a rather monotonous approach, that without the video installation, it would be rather tedious.
In conclusion, I have to say it was a completely successful event and generally an enjoyable concert-show. An experimental night, pessimistic and apocalyptic, an implicit communication with the public,that did not leave anyone untouched.
Congratulations to 3 Shades of Black for what they managed to offer us.
