There is something particularly joyous about watching a fledgling band take their first faltering steps into this world that we call rock 'n' roll. Deathbloom are both ridiculously young and also hedonistically cavalier in their attitude to metal’s tight templates. They take an irreverent approach, purloining the trappings they desire but also abandoning with disdain those cultural touchstones that they have no truck with. What we are left with is a raw and raucous amalgamation of influences from across the genre and out into both punk and Goth. There is definitely something here, but it is still very much in its proto-state, with many months’ worth of development to come. But if any band deserves the tag of one to watch, then it is them.

You can describe Pijn as cinematic but only if you concur that the film they are soundtracking is a bleak Nordic affair about the tragic decline of a remote fishing village. You see whilst they do operate in the usually upbeat and optimistic confines of post-rock, their take on the genre has a distinctly dark and caustic underbelly. ROCKFLESH’s Imperial overlord (and my photographer for the evening) spends most of the set sending me electronic notes proclaiming the simple legend of "not metal”. The point is whilst not in the traditional sense metal, Pijn possesses plenty of shared DNA.

They create claustrophobic soundscapes that are full of maudlin beauty. Where they are wholeheartedly "metal" is that instead of the euphoria that you usually find in post-rock, there is a malignant and malicious dread. Pijn means pain in Dutch and that more than anything summarises the subject matter and aesthetics of their musical venture. They create a wondrous but ultimately sorrowful and evocative blanket of ever-transcending sonic convulsions. The use of cello and violin (the latter provided by a moonlighting Simon Bar from Liverpudlian black metal anarchists Dawn Ray’d) create a mournful core to their music that the others build a fluctuating tapestry around.

The other extraordinary part of their infrastructure is Jon Vernon’s drums. For most of the tracks, they stay in synchronization with the rest of the band but then as the songs reach their crescendo, they wander off into their own rhythmic spasms, creating wild and hypnotic loops of pounding beats. For all my companion’s protests, it doesn't actually matter whether Pijn are metal or not. What they are is both astounding and distinctly unique. Post-rock/metal can be perceived as an identikit genre, what they have managed to do is develop a sound and approach unlike any of their peers. Affecting, emotional, passionate, and just utterly extraordinary. 

Not even Johann would try and argue that Dvne aren't metal. But what is not in contention is the fact that they are doing something very very different with a now distinctly middle-aged musical template. You see for all its outsider stylistics, metal has very stringent and structured rules. What has been most invigorating about Dvne is the fact that it is obvious that they have read and understood those rules but then decided to wantonly ignore them. Allan Paterson's bass (the Internet tells me it’s Allan Paterson, if it's not so sue me) shouldn't operate as a third guitar but it does. Its rumbling cavortions gives their sound an additional level of depth and resonation. Keyboards are meant to provide regal flourishes but with Dvne they provide the rhythmic backbone, allowing both the aforementioned bass and Dudley Trait’s pounding drums to go off and weave sonic vibrations.

Things don't actually start particularly well as Victor Vicart has to curtail their first attempt at the first track in its infancy because he's not getting anything in his monitors. But once that mishap is out of the way they hit their stride with ease and is obvious to even newcomers why they are so fancied and revered. The bulk of the set comes from 2021’s sublime “Etemen Ænka”, a stunning and peerless record that saw them bring a level of intelligence and sophistication to sludge and doom metal that it frankly previously lacked. There is also a couple of older tracks thrown in, in the shape of ‘Thirst’ and set closer ‘Of Blade and Carapace’. 

The only complaint about an overall astonishing performance, is the fact that there is no new material at all. The assumption would have been this tour was an opportunity for them to escape the studio and test out in a live environment some of their new creations. But it is very obvious that if they do have new music brewing, they are keeping it very much under their well-tattooed sleeves. But this is a small grumble about what is an utterly wonderful performance. Dvne skilfully manage to entwine corrosive aggression with unassailable beauty. There is anger and frustration here, but it is tempered with a melodic and optimistic sheen. They may have decided against giving us any inkling about where they go next but if it is exciting as where they are now then boy are we in for a treat.

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
Dvne, Pijn, Deathbloom