Following a summer touring across Europe, Jex Thoth tonight find themselves in the Black Heart, Camden Town, on a drizzly and overcast Saturday night. The weather is befitting; an eager crowd awaits the American psychedelic doom metal quartet in what will be their first headlining tour in the UK since a cancelled London show in 2010.
At first, one could be forgiven for thinking that the turnout tonight might be subpar. Across the road in the Underworld, Norwegian progressive metallers Leprous are promising an interesting show, and even some time after the doors open, attendance in the pub below the venue is not above what might be expected on a typical Saturday night in Camden. However, any lingering doubts and memories of a previously cancelled show fade very quickly after support band The Death Letter (not to be confused with Dutch duo The Death Letters) take the stage, and any remaining stragglers quickly cram themselves into the venue.
Announcing the start of their scheduled 30 minute set, The Death Letter, who seem relatively unknown to the audience, thrash out a somehow eclectic mix of blues, country and rock. A mixture of original material and covers follows for the next 45 minutes, pulled from their 2012 EP 'Bad Blood', as well as a well-timed Tom Waits cover; which is very well received as is the 15 minute overrun of their set.
Next up are the headliners themselves, but not before the room has packed to capacity, leaving this reviewer wondering given the current popularity of doom acts such as Thoth, would the promoters have not been more prudent to book a larger venue? In either case, the somewhat cramped, hot conditions of the venue confirm earlier suspicions of a sell-out show. Clearly this was not a show to miss for London's doom metal fans.
Jex Thoth arrive on stage with little announcement, opening the show with 'To Bury', itself the opener to their well received 2013 sophomore album 'Blood Moon Rise'. Less than 3 minutes long, the audience know what is next and the band duly oblige, launching into the popular 'The Places You Walk' with crowd participation as plain as day, an enjoyable show is inevitable.
Acoustics in the Black Heart are surprisingly good for such a small venue, a feature clearly taken advantage of by the support act. Regretfully, though, the sound is not perfect for Jex Thoth thunderous bass drowns out most of the sound from other instruments, especially the guitar. Luckily, Jex's vocals are very prominent in the arrangement, and these manage to rise above the on-occasion overbearing bass guitar.
Nevertheless, this imperfection cannot hide the enchanting vocals of Ms. Thoth herself, who glides around the stage effortlessly, singling passionately and almost hauntingly in 'Keep Your Weeds' and 'The Four Of Us Are Dying' both from the band's psychedelically focused 2013 LP. When audible, the distorted, atmospheric guitar melodies are not to be missed, with the four musicians certainly being greater than the sum of their individual parts.
Generally speaking, the remainder of Jex Thoth's setlist draws prominently from their 2013 sophomore album and their 2008 debut, the self-titled Jex Thoth LP. A couple of songs from the EPs 'Totem' and 'Witness', released in 2009 and 2010 respectively, make a welcome appearance.
On a final note, a stark omission from the band's performance is interaction with the crowd themselves, with the band saying almost no word to the crowd before, within or after their set. Given the fact that beyond the fourth row a view of the band is almost impossible, it leaves for a rather distant feeling (perhaps intentional) that leaves that feeling of something missing from the show.
Nevertheless, an overall solid, talented performance to a packed out venue will likely secure Jex Thoth a very welcome return to London.
FUTURE GIGS
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