So, this fine November evening my gig buddy and I find ourselves in the belly of a raging mosh pit to celebrate a most decadent five band bill of deliciously dark Deathcore.
Openers Viscera, approach the audience, unabashed and ready to start what will be a boneshaking bonanza. They bear the torch to light the way through a night of brutal fun music – see I just created a genre- We have lockdown to thank for the absence of shows, Viscera are here to support their album ‘Obsidian’ released in March 2020, then banished into the lockdown chamber with their fellow artists. Finally, having found our way out, we scream and shout and cry as we to aim to destroy all that has ruined us. They deftly peel back our ‘Layers Of Skin’ to reveal our world weary insides. The lads are happy to see a healthy crowd arriving early. Set closer ‘Lamb To The Slaughter’ adequately describes the sentient, seething mass that has its eyes locked on the stage.
Next up are our Dutch cousins Distant, and singer Alan Grnja, wild eyed with oscillating, saucer-like orbs and slightly mad looking, but that’s ok all the best people are a bit mad. It all adds to the feeling, the character and moment that we find ourselves in. This is where we get down to business as Alan politely requests -ahem- that we split the room, what follows is a classic wall of death, yes, I got charged at, it was nerve wracking, to say the least. We encounter the ‘Vermilion Rivers’ and spend ‘Aeons Of Oblivion’ worshipping ‘False Gods’ but for a band that are new to me, I was suitably impressed.
Oceano are up next, positioned neatly slap bang in the centre of the bill, Adam creeps out of the darkness and every muscle, every bone convulses and shivers and shakes to the tribal, feral beats, brought from Chicago to Birmingham. The latest single ‘Mass Produced’ is a highlight as new music is always anticipated which leads nicely into a tribute to the touring partners with ‘District Of Misery’. I always wanted to see this band, and tonight I got my wish.
It has been a whopping five years since Despised Icon last graced these shores, we mark the occasion with honouring their twenty years in the business and look forward to more music from them. Beginning with a ‘Furtive Monologue’ witnessing ‘The Aftermath’ and suffering a ‘Day Of Mourning’ the band have the crowd eating out of their hands in no time. We can feel our collective hearts throb, interminable and unbroken.
The headliners Decapitated take to the stage, they are the grandmasters of the riff, captivating, opulent, convoluted without being self-indulgent and monotonous. The tunes are amazingly executed, attention to detail is the key, keeping the crowd entertained, the secret of success behind tonight’s show. Commanding the stage, unafraid and confident, not taking anything for granted are all attributes that constitute a successful relationship with the fans.
The great and good in Deathcore delivered a blistering night of music, untainted, unashamed, and unbridled and ultimately a Deathfest to end all others. With the floor shaking uncontrollably under our feet we make our exit, a bit wobbly, a bit worse for wear and completely fulfilled – and killed- by Death.
Azra Pathan
Decapitated/Despised Icon/Oceano/Distant/Viscera
The Mill, Birmingham 3rd November 2022