By Monk and The Dark Queen
It could be argued that tonight’s gig is something of a turning of the wheel of time, as the last time Hull heavyweights Sworn Amongst visited this particular small corner of the Überverse, back in the PC (that’s Pre-Covid) era, they were backed by the same support act while one of the other bands also featured the vocalist from tonight’s opening act… talk about a sense of déjà vu…
It’s a ten minute walk from ÜRHQ to the venue, but we somehow to conspire to start our journey some 25 minutes after doors open, and so, by the time we navigate Belfast’s surprisingly heaving back streets and Voodoo’s beautifully narrow stairs, we succeed in missing Nihilanth‘s opening track.
Needless to say, however, the band weren’t hanging about waiting for latecomers and were in full effect, laying it down with venomous passion. Their dense, winding grooves are underpinned with some seriously heavy-ass rhythms and over-topped with Pete’s characteristic snarling vocals, all delivered with 110 per cent commitment and dedication. Tighter than a Ballymena man’s wallet, their set is obviously based around their ‘banging debut EP, but they have time to debut a new song, the first to be written by new guitarist Lee, which shows that these guys aren’t sitting still when it comes to moving forward…
As I’ve said many times before, one of the beauteous gems of this hoary old reviewing game is coming across new acts on an almost daily basis, and tonight is no exception, as the first time i saw the name TooFarFetched was on the poster for this here gig. Having given the two songs they have available on Spotify a quick blast, I knew roughly what to expect… And my expectations were not disappointed as the Mullingar combo make an immediate impact, with big, thick grooves melding seemlessly with fucktons of laidback attitude, which neatly belies the energy of the actual music.
While the absolutely HUGE bass drum sound drives them forward with efficacy and efficiency, the one aspect I have to remark on is the presence of their bass player, who stands like a pillar of stoic cool at the centre of the stage, barely flinching or twitching and looking like he’d be more at home in the likes of Hellacopters or Turbonegro.
TFF’s tight delivery brings the right mix of aggression, power and melody, and their vocalist has an impressive range for the mien in which they are working, switching from clean to dirty with easy aplomb. Overall, it is a confidence-inducing ÜR introduction, and we definitely look forward to hearing, and seeing, more…
It’s hard to know what more to say about Cursed Sun, as I’ve written probably thousands of words about them over the past two decades… but every single one of those words has been justified as the band have never failed to disappoint, and they don’t do so tonight, especially as they turn things completely on their head by kicking off with their usually showstopping ‘Murder Death Kill’. One thing is for certain, and that is that we won’t need to call John Spartan to deal with any crime here, even if charismatic frontman is looking every inch the cross between Spiderman and your friendly neighbourhood serial killer (now, there’s an idea for the latest MU spin-off!).
The beys unveil a new song, ‘Legacy Act’ and it’s exactly what you would expect from the cursed ones – big, brash and fuelled with more groove than a 10,000 tonne tanker full of groove oil. Great stuff which once again cements CS’ place in the legacy which will be left behind by Belfast’s metal scene… And, of course, it wouldn’t be a Sun show without Jones going on one of his trademark walkabouts during ‘Replicant’ before the quintet finish off by setting the mood for the forthcoming Halloween celebrations with the brooding but acerbically delivered ‘Devil’s Night’.
- Cursed Sun play 7Twenty in Londonderry, with Teras and Acid Age, on Friday 10 November, and the Wee Bar at Queen’s University Belfast Student’s Union, with Teras, LaVein and Fagash McCann, on Friday 1 December.
It has to be said that, despite the disappointingly low turnout (it has to be admitted that the weather is absolutely horrendous), all three bands so far have played blinding sets, aided in no small part by nigh on perfect sound mixes and great light shows, and our headliners are really going to have to step up to the mark to round off the evening in similarly emphatically style…
…Which is exactly what the Hull heavy hitters do, as they deliver ‘Nowt But The Truth’ of the power of hefty, grunting, growling heavy metal to energize, enervate and excite at the most basic of levels. Once again, there is no messing about here: it is angry, it is visceral, it is tight – and it is right in your fucking face \m/
Their sound, the mix on which is once again nigh on perfect (massive kudos to Beard!), is characterized by big grooves, the great use of vocal harmonies to mix the clean and dirty ends of the spectrum, and guitar interplay which is tighter than a pair of Siamese twins. There is no ‘Restitution’ as far as these guys are concerned, as they mix thrash, metalcore and groove vibes into a facemelting and soul-searching combination that few bands who tread this path succeed in melding together.
The result is another massively impressive set, heavy enough to sink the Titanic several times over. Hopefully, there’ll be no more Covidications to prevent a speedy return to this wee corner of the Überverse.
- PHOTO CREDIT: All photos © The Dark Queen/Über Rock. You can view our full gallery of photos HERE.
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