Some time has elapsed since experimental progressive metallers Arcturus' reunion London show in the Winter of 2013, a very well attended affair for such a rare band. So it comes as a surprise that the show originally scheduled for The Dome shrinks to the downstairs Boston Arms, particularly given Arcturus' frequent trips to London throughout their live existence. This UK exclusive appearance is on the eve of the release of the Norwegian's new album 'Arcturian', the first Arcturus studio effort in a decade.
Fellow countrymen Vulture Industries are supporting tonight, offering up an amalgamation of the bizarre. Characterising their avant-garde music with unusual melodies, interesting time changes, a healthy dose of metal and sounds imported from the circus, these Norwegians offer a surprisingly accessible and coherent take on the unconventional. The venue is packed with attendees that seem to heartily applaud at the close of each song. Greeted with selections from their third and most recent full-length output The Tower', exploring dark and emotive topics. Closing number Blood Don't Eliogabalus' is a reformed version of Blood Don't Flow Streamlined' from their debut album The Dystopia Journals', which extracted heavy influence from Arcturus and explores particularly schizophrenic territory, encapsulating the sound of the band sublimely. Vulture Industries in London is always a fantastic show.
Bedecked in curious attire that confirms their astronomy fascination, headliners Arcturus waste no time launching into the cosmic Evacuation Code Deciphered', armed with harpsichord keyboard decoration, atmospheric guitar work and ICS Vortex's bold vocals. Combining progressive metal, black metal, classical music and the down-right strange, these Norwegians' music is intensely compelling. The marriage of atmospheric, technical and heavy is also particularly commendable and in spite of the motley plethora of styles, the band remains idiosyncratically sophisticated. The talents behind each musician is almost as if they are competing for the audience's gaze while ICS Vortex maintains an almost spaced-out presence on stage, corroborating the Norwegians' lyrical content.
With Arcturian' not officially released yet, the setlist harbours just two new songs -The Arcturian Sign' and Pale', attaining strong responses from the punters and holding steadfast to the Arcturus identity. La Masquerade Infernale' and Sideshows Symphonies' are represented dramatically, with such selections as the contemplative Alone, the storied Painting My Horror' the upbeat The Chaos Path' making the cut. The earliest Arcturus material makes the cut with an incredibly satisfying medley of Wintry Grey', Du Nordavind' and Morax'. The intricate and highly proficient drumming of Hellahmmer, the punctuating keyboard work of Sverd and the meandering guitars of Knut Magne Valle cluster together to breathe life into Arcturus' out-of -this-world extrapolated take on metal. The set flies by far too quickly as the band evacuates the stage following the dynamic Shipwrecked Frontier Pioneer' to a hail of applause.
Tonight's proceedings were nothing short of spectacular. Once again, Arcturus' have put on a spellbinding show of innovative metal in a world where metal acts struggle to fabricate their own sound, preferring mimicry. Hopefully these space pirates will sail to London very soon once the new album is deployed.
FUTURE GIGS
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