One of Metal's many beauties is its blurred edges. Yes, at its heart there is a core that is all metal and nought else. However, as you travel to its furthest borders there are territories that seem to simultaneously exist within numerous other genres. Both of tonight’s acts blatantly use metal as a tool in their artistic endeavours, but would not fit its more conservative definitions or templates. Let’s just say Five Finger Death Punch, this isn’t.
Read MoreUnfortunately, thanks to a crash on the M56, I miss the opening act on tonight’s bill (sorry Portrayal of Guilt!). I put a positive spin on the situation by thinking that it might help the cause; co-headline gigs, especially those with intense bands such as Touché Amoré and Deafheaven, can sometimes be hard work. How wrong I am, as both bands tonight deliver masterclasses in their art.
Read MoreDue to children and trains I miss the first ten minutes of openers Inter Arma, given that they manage to traverse a good twenty-odd genres and musical touchstones in the four tracks I do see (it could have been six, they did rather blur into each other), I could have easily missed their takes on Nu-country, Bolivian folk and Hi-NRG dance. What I do see is a collusion of Doom, Black, Post and Prog metals with a splash of Faith No More and generous glug of Pantera. It's not bad at all and the introspective Prog breakdowns (which see vocalist Mike Paparo reverentially kneel in front of the drum kit) makes it stand out from other identikit Blackened Doom acts I could mention.
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