Vader / Aborted / Bonded by Blood / Adimiron / Fhobi

"Tonight's Vader show is sold out." The sign that hangs at London's Underworld Box Office has turned away several death metal fans tonight, but for those with tickets, an onslaught of death and thrash metal awaits.

Newcomers Fhobi and Italian death/black metallers Adimiron having come and gone from the stage, the crowd is already packed tightly for Californian thrashers Bonded by Blood, one of the many bands formed during the revival of thrash metal in the mid 2000's.

For Bonded by Blood, a 25 minute set awaits and no time is lost with the opener, 'I Can't Hear You', followed up by favourites from their superbly received 2008 LP; 'Feed the Beast'. Unfortunately the band's vocalist since 2010, Mauro Gonzales seems to struggle to meet the energy and aggression that his predecessor Jose Barrales and the remaining songs - from 2012's tepidly received LP 'The Aftermath' - fail to substantially invigorate the crowd. A handful of fans vigorous headbanging and screaming give Gonzales' and his bandmates encouragement with the closer 'Left Behind' but the peak of energy from tonight's death metal loving crowd is the response to the immortal question of how badly we are all itching to see the headliners.

Aborted, Belgium's answer the brutal death metal scene in the States take the stage shortly after, uncompromisingly whipping the crowd into a frenzy with favourites 'Global Flatline', 'Coronary Reconstruction' and 'Expurgation Euphoria'. The response from the audience now considerably more energy-filled, Aborted's deafening riffs and guttural vocals are extremely well received, and encouragement from the band sees a few of the die-hard front row fans scramble onto the stage, followed by a full scale stage invasion.

Aborted are left with a very positive response, before handing over the stage to tonight's headliners, a pinnacle of the Polish death metal scene – Vader.

And make no mistake, the crowd is clearly here tonight for the Poles. Vader's blasting opener, 'Sothis', is the first of a predictable but thoroughly enjoyable setlist that focuses heavily on their 1997 LP, 'Black to the Blind'. A splattering of tunes from their most recent offering are also hotly received, the keyboard introduction to 'Return to the Morbid Reich' met by a wailing crowd and rapidly followed by several hundred sweaty metalheads chanting lyrics in unison with the band.

Stage invasions and divers are met with much less enthusiasm than Aborted, at least from the band's security and those who climb onto the performance area are thrown quickly back into the crowd – although this doesn't stop many from trying.



Whilst the reception from the crowd and the setlist itself from Vader are both clear positives, the most noticeable fault with this gig is the sound. Not from the bass, guitars or drums, which can be heard as clearly as could be expected given the size of venue, but the vocals, which throughout the show are far too low in the mix, rendering many lines incomprehensible for even those fans who can easily follow the guttural vocals of Piotr Wiwczarek.

Finishing with a haunting cover of Black Sabbath's 'Black Sabbath', and the all too familiar 'Raining Blood' from Slayer, the crowd's euphoria is a clear indication that whenever their return comes, Vader will be met with another sell-out show.

FUTURE GIGS

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