Words by DJ Monk. Photos by The Dark Queen.

Ding, ding, seconds out – round three! Yes, three massive thrash gigs in the space of eight days ensured that Belfast’s metal community had very little opportunity to rest their weary neck muscles, with this return of H and his troupe capping off the week’s activities, which had been started in fine style by Sacred Reich and continued by the midweek thrashtastic line-up headed by Municipal Waste that had laid, erm, waste to the nearby Limelight just a few nights earlier. The focus of tonight’s action switched to another of our favourite venues, Voodoo, for what promised to be another evening of fast-paced heavy metal action…

Acid Age at Voodoo, 8 December 2019

It had been an eventful weekend for openers Acid Age. They had been supposed to fulfil the same slot at the previous evening’s show down the road in Dublin, only for their car to take a fit en route, leaving them stranded at the side of the road for several hours and therefore unable to make it all the way. Now, I’ve been critical of AA in the past, and I’ll admit to not having been a massive fan – although ‘Like A Runaway Combine Harvester In A Field Of Crippled Rabbits’ has to rate as one of the best album titles of all time. Unlike some local bands, they have taken any criticism on the chin, and with no little humour; however, tonight they are a totally different proposition altogether!

Acid Age at Voodoo, 8 December 2019

There is no doubt that the trio have come on leaps and bounds in the past few years, and this evening they are tight and practised, showing the benefit of just keeping their nose to the grindstone and getting on with things. “We’re not gonna dick around too much,” declares guitarist/vocalist Jude Milk, and neither they do, just concentrating on laying down plenty of neck-snapping riffs combined with some really impressive musicianship. The clear sound mix aids their cause, balancing out the constituent elements not only in terms of both the individual instruments but also between heaviness and melody. With a steady line-up that has been together for more than three years now, and a new album in the pipeline, things are definitely looking up for Acid Age.

Scimitar at Voodoo, 8 December 2019

Next up are Belfast warriors Scimitar, a band whom I have the pleasure of following and watching develop their craft. And they certainly have done the latter, as they are one of the tightest bands on the scene in this corner of the Überverse, of which tonight is further proof (if any were needed). As Jonny urges the growing crowd to move closer to the stage – pointing that “this is not a funeral, it’s a thrash gig”, the quartet are razor-sharp in their combination of intensity and clarity. Ryan is a total machine behind the kit, knowing when to hold it back and then unleash hell, while Chris holds down the bass end with depth and aplomb. Stage right, John once again demonstrates why he is one of the most talented guitarists on the local scene: precise riffing delivered with a deceptive ease, combined with highly technical solos that don’t overtake the songs but rather blend seamlessly into their overall context. Another superb set demonstrating the sheer depth and quality of talent we have right here on our doorstep in Norn Iron.

Acid Reign at Voodoo, 8 December 2019

With Marc Jackson drumming the blacked out windows during their intro tape, Acid Reign impact as immediately as being hit in the face by Anthony Joshua, ripping into their old school hardcore-infused thrash with honesty and still youthful enthusiasm, H bouncing around the stage like a 19-year old, leading from the front (and the back, and the side – and even the crowd at one point) with gleeful delight. Asking if we’re ready to “pit and sing”, it’s not long before the first stage diver lopes into action – although the singer isn’t overly impressed with his actions: “that’s an over 30s Sunday night dive… ten points for effort, two for execution!”

Despite claiming to “a bit under the weather” (something that wasn’t evident during our 30-minute chat with him earlier in the evening), H is in terrific form, both vocally and in terms of usual between song banter. He references Acid Age’s misadventures of the previous day: “it’s the first time I’ve seen a car on fire in Belfast!” His assertion that “I said that in Dublin and they boo-ed” results in a small chorus of boos: “don’t you lot start… oh, I see, you’re booing Dublin!”

Acid Reign at Voodoo, 8 December 2019

Behind him, the band are so tight that they make it look so easy, especially the amount of dancing they themselves are doing: Pete Dee is another one constantly on the move two-stepping his way back and forward across the stage, while Paul Chanter can’t resist joining in the occasional jig. Fuck, if Jackson could have got out from his kit and joined in the fun, he probably would have figured out how to do it.

The set is a combination of tracks from their comeback album, ‘The Age Of Entitlement’, and vintage tracks from their original run back in the late Eighties, blended into an order that is homogenous, the older songs still sounding fresh and relevant alongside the slightly more complex later material. The title tracks to ‘Humanoia’ and ‘The Fear’ both get massive pops, before H changes his T-short from the sweaty ‘C*NT’ one he has been wearing for the first half of the show into one supporting local mental health charity Metal 4 Life.

He then disappears completely off the stage during ‘Blind Aggression’, sprinting up the venue stairs to the dressing room, returning a minute later with a beer in his hand: “I haven’t had one in four weeks,” he says (as he had revealed in our interview, he doesn’t drink or smoke for three weeks before a tour); “and, as my voice is fucked anyway, I might as well,” he adds, necking it in one go.

Acid Reign at Voodoo, 8 December 2019

After a roof-raising rendition of ‘Motherly Love’, they make fun of going off for an encore: “well, there’s nowhere to go,” he points out, before instructing his drummer to “make yourself as small as possible”. As Jackson crouches down behind his kit, H and Chanter hide behind a curtain on side of the stage while Cooky and Dee do likewise behind the speaker stack on the other side! Great fun! By this stage, H is aware the gig is over-running its advertised timings: but, “it’s the sound man’s birthday, so hopefully we’ll get away with it” grins H before declaring “fuck work tomorrow” and bringing the house down with riotous closer ‘Ripped Apart’… and we certainly were by yet another sublime display by a band who know how to draw the line between serious musicianship, serious messages and out-and-out stand-up humour – and that’s by having fun and giving it their all. And Acid Reign certainly did that, with Belfast giving our all in return.

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