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This particular cold Friday night is a tricky one for metalheads, with death metallers Vader and Aborted playing the Underworld and stoner metal veterans High on Fire occupying the O2 Academy Islington. Nonetheless, the turn out for grindcore supergroup Lock Up is a strong one, given the rarity of their performances in London.
Since London extreme metal favourites Akercocke split up/went on indefinite hiatus, Voices are attempting to fill the progressive black/death metal void. Having formed last year and a full-length debut due for release this year on Candlelight Records, Voices are composed of former Akercocke members, namely bassist Peter Benjamin, drummer David Gray and live keyboard player Sam Loynes, although he is absent tonight. The band's music is drawn directly from improvising, with a focus on atmosphere rather than composition. Despite this, comparisons to Akercocke are unavoidable. The darkness of black metal combines with the sonic intensity of death metal with progressive off-shoots that admittedly feel less naturally inserted compared to Akercocke. Benjamin handles vocals in addition to his bass work and his growls are ferocious.
The tiny stage limits the amount of movement possible leaving headbanging at the core of their stage presence. Unfortunately, the guitar sound is muddied with the drums soaking the other instruments detrimentally. The audience are slightly reserved but appreciative of the spectacle with the venue filling out admirably. Voices may be one to watch in the future but they may be forever confined to the shadow of Akercocke if they continue to emulate them so closely.
Lock Up's line up of stellar musicians is without bassist Shane Embury whose Napalm Death schedule conflicts with Lock Up's tour. Embury's replacement is Nuclear Assault guitarist and original Anthrax member Dan Lilker, a worthy replacement indeed. Leaping straight into the extremity, the band proceed to beat out a solid set of ear-shattering grindcore in the vein of Napalm Death and Terrorizer flecked with uncompromising death metal, arming the music with a modern sound. Tempos vary from a rhythmic bounce to breakneck belligerence with the Nick Barker from Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir fame beating the skins very cleanly.
Vocalist Tomas Lindberg from Swedish melodic death metallers At The Gates rasps and growls alongside Pentagram guitarist Anton Reissenegger's chunky riffs. Songs clock in after a minute or two in traditional grindcore style, with selections from all of Lock Up's three albums on display. Heads bang violently to the likes of 'Castrate the Wreckage', 'Detestation', 'The Jesus Virus', 'Brethren of the Pentagram', 'Stygian Vibrations' and 'Vomiting Evil', among others.
Lindberg is a humble frontman, thanking the crowd twice for choosing to see Lock Up over the other options in London tonight. He also makes an announcement for his iPod and headphones which are somewhere in the venue. A fan returns it to him to which he asks the fan to find him at the end of the show. Interestingly, Sodom's 'Witching Metal' is the song on the iPod. A track is dedicated to original Lock Up guitarist Jesse Pintado who passed away in 2006 and this tribute is met with strong approval from the crowd, understandably.
When the band vacate the stage, the set feels stunted, bearing in mind grindcore headlining sets are understandably shorter than other bands considering the lesson in stamina. However, the quartet return for a final flurry of fury before sending those present into the cold weekend with a smile on their face.
Definitely worth taking this show over Vader and High On Fire's considering how rare this show could be.
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article by: Elena Francis
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| published: 11/02/2013 12:09 |
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