Tonight in London sees the convergence of tours underway in the UK – the technical death metal alliance between Cryptopsy and Psycroptic and the old school death/grind bandidos in Brujeria. The result is a co-headlining effort between Crytpopsy and Brujeria with Psycropitc as a cherished support. Given the tickets for this show are a hefty £27 on the door and the first day of Chimpy Fest is on elsewhere in the capital, this line up does splendidly in attracting the London death metal faithful.
Australian technical death metal quartet Psycroptic were last spotted in the capital supporting Obituary in 2012. With their new eponymous full-length effort under their belts, the band proceeds to discharge 'Cold',a technical assault prevalent in guitar melodies and memorable constructions. The combined efforts of brothers David Haley working intricate patterns on his drum kit and Joe Haley providing fretboard gymnastics on guitar is astounding and demands high levels of attention. Vocalist Jason Peppiatt dominates the entirety of the stage as he thrashes around while barking his vocals. He likes of 'The World Discarded' and 'Echoes to Come' from the new album are less engrossed by speed than previous Psycroptic fruits and a cleaner guitar sound compliments the complexities better. The slightly more ferocious 'The Sleepers Have Awoken' and grislier '(Ob)Servant' bolster the set and provide a compelling soundtrack for the mosh pit. Peppiatt announces that the band are returning in October for a headlining appearance and considering they have been playing support slots in London since 2006, this upgrade is long overdue.
With the number of punters swelling just before CaliforniandeathgrindMexican patriots Brujeria take the stage, it is evident for a lot of attendees tonight that they are the centre piece of the event – understandable since this is Brujeria's first sojourn to the capital in 8 years. The opening song is 'Raza Odiada (Pito Wilson)', a gritty bone-crushing anthem with an emphasis on hard-hitting rhythms. Bedecked in face-concealing bandanas, Brujeria eat up the rabid response they have elicited. With a twin vocal attack, a veritable metal supergroup as their backing band (El Cynico A.K.A. Jeff Walker on bass, Hongo A.K.A. Shane Embury on guitar and ElPodrido A.K.A. Adrian Erlandsson handling drums) and catchy metal to dish out to the fans, the audience's excitement is rightfully justified.
With a sizeable portion of Spanish-speaking metalheads in attendance, most of the stage banter is in Spanish but for those with no knowledge of the language, it is straight-forward enough to follow. Even some of the Spanish in the songs are easy for a non-Spanish speaker to shout along to and remain involved in the festivities. Pulling tracks from all three albums get hearts pumping at inhuman levels. The likes of 'Anti-Castro', 'La Migra (Cruza La Frontera II)', 'Mantado Güeros' and 'Brujerizmo' exhibit a variety of sounds including old school death metal, chaotic grindcore and slower headbanging tempos that the audience takes no reservation in moshing to. The theatrical side of the show sees female vocalist Pititis lend her shouts to a couple of tracks and interacts with vocalist Brujo while 'Brujerizmo' sees machetes wielded on stage. After the final note dies, the outro tape of 'Marijuana' plays and wraps up a thoroughly entertaining yet aurally violent set. Cryptopsy will have an enormous challenge in eclipsing Brujeria.
The crowd thins dramatically by the time tech death metal maestros Cryptopsy hit the stage with 'Defenestration', and this reduction in punters is not what these Canadians deserve. Having only played this city less than a year ago, it is a treat to see them so soon. Technicality is the order of the day as far as instrumentation is concerned with growler Matt McGachy's severe stage presence a stark contrast to Brujeria before them. His intensity incites mosh pits as the four-piece storm through staples such as 'Carrion Shine', 'White Worms' and 'Graves of the Fathers'. Drummer Flo Mounier is one of metal's most talented drummers by a country mile, attaining the perfect balance between technicality and lightning ferocity. The angular guitar riffs have hints of fellow countrymen Voivod engrained in them with generating eerie tones when fingers are not quite dancing along the fretboard.
McGachy thanks the attendees and proudly claims that Cryptopsy are a fully independent band, free from the imposed constraints that are strapped with a record label. New songs from the forthcoming 'The Book of Suffering' EP'Halothene Glow' and another are aired to the audience, featuring traditional Cryptopsy ideas and receives a positive response – undoubtedly the result of these Canadians learning the cost of straying too far from what they are talented at doing. When the band vacates the stage following the perceived end of their trail of devastation, the audience clamour for more and the four-piece return with a 'None So Vile' one-two punch of 'Slit Your Guts' and the merciless 'Phobophile', rounding off a night of unbridled aggression.
Tonight was a certifiably outstanding night out with a range of international death metal acts worth witnessing. Brujeria's appearance is an extraordinarily rare one and who knows when they will return to the capital. Undoubtedly all of those who dragged themselves to this concert did not regret it.
FUTURE GIGS
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