By Jase Walker
Well if anyone thought I had some sort of semblance of being a well adjusted adult human, I imagine that’s been left in tatters somewhat after I’ve opted to spend the evening getting screamed at in a dark room instead of enjoying 30c sunny weather smashing beers on a terrace. For anyone that actually does know me however, this is very much par for the course…
Anyway I’m going to enjoy some Swedish post-metal for the evening because why the fuck not? For this particular club show stop in-between festival dates, they’re accompanied by Stoned Jesus and Utrecht local screamy metal outfit, Throwing Bricks.
Throwing Bricks aren’t wasting any chances to, uh, throw their weight around, on a stage of this size. Sparing only a quick “We’re Throwing Bricks” before kicking into a set that immediately smothers me with sound like a blanket along with piercing screams for company.
Considering the style that Cult Of Luna rolls with, Throwing Bricks are an ideal candidate for a support slot here. Similar vibes of lumbering, crushing riffs, reverb saturated leads and overpowering screamed vocals sets the right tone for the following acts.
Every time I’ve seen Throwing Bricks all I can think of is how well these would go down at ArcTanGent Festival in the ÜK; they’ve got the right vibe for that left field, super aggressive feel that just drowns you in atmosphere. Either that or Pelagic Fest, sitting amongst other post-metal stalwarts like The Ocean or Psychonaut. They’ve got the early birds for today’s show absolutely transfixed on them though, all bobbing their heads along while absorbing the show. Another fine show from these guys and one I’ll be following up with again in a couple of weeks in Utrecht!
Stoned Jesus make very little fuss about getting themselves started, the only indication was a sole repeating bass lick that very clearly clips the speakers on the low frequencies and rumbles the floor so hard I feel my arse shake. To start with the oddly tribal nature of the rhythm strikes me as strongly reminiscent of Tool, yet much more stripped back and slower.
Despite seeing the name around a lot, I’ve never actually gotten round to giving these a listen and admittedly given the name I was expecting something a bit more along the lines of Kyuss or Desert Storm but these have got an overall much more distinct sound that carries the likes of Tool, Alice In Chains and Soundgarden in it, well, with the expected massive joint in the middle of it all too. Admittedly further into the set the most recognizable elements of stoner rock are definitely much more apparent such as the stronger mid-range fuzz and repeated hypnotic melodies that bounce around over rhythms that add contrast and stress.
While this sort of thing may not really be totally my thing as I prefer my extended atmospheric bits to build up a lot in a layered manner similar to your average post-rock thing, Stoned Jesus are damn good to watch. They’re not your “hey look at us doing loads of crazy shit” type of band but they sound fantastic and it’s easy enough to forgive the more relaxed and easygoing visual elements to the show.
This is exactly the sort of stuff that I’d love to listen to while spun out on the floor outside a tent at a festival with a couple of ciders next to me and what remains of a spliff that’s done me in. Stoned Jesus are earnest and humble but without a doubt, a force to be reckoned with in their own right.
As Cult Of Luna are getting set up I’ve noticed that there’s actually two drum kits up on stage so I wonder what this is going to eventually lead to, hmm. The state has a backdrop of large drapes of white cloth, covered in thick smoke which creates an error effect of ghostly ship sails flapping in the wind.
The serene atmosphere to start is then replaced with deep flashing red lighting matching a “BWAAAHHHHHHHH” that’d make Hanz Zimmer blush. What an immensely crushing start, between the band being flashing silhouette outlines and the room being flooded with drones and screaming, Cult Of Luna have definitely started! There’s something about how post-metal bands such as these and The Ocean get the stage atmosphere so absolutely bang on, it’s clearly rarely about the individual band members on stage and more about creating an oppressive wall of sound that surrounds you with pressure from all angles.
The use of lighting in this show is absolutely phenomenal though, generally using solid colours for song segments and very rarely using mixed palettes other than the primary colour and floods of white. The white jumps between solid beams that resemble Roman pillars and other times massively dispersed and give a shimmering prism effect, it’s truly extraordinary.
This is one of these live shows where I don’t feel like I’m watching a band as such and more experiencing an audiovisual phenomenon, a true art piece that can be lived through. On a completely unrelated note, the few times I get a good look at their singer and guitarist the more I can’t help but think he looks like Snake out of the Metal Gear Solid games, especially Snake Eater, something about the vest and bandana.
I’ve spent essentially this entire set just fully lost in the maelstrom of Cult Of Luna’s sound and visuals. The carefully curated and choreographed lightning, the insane level of force their sound creates, and the all engrossing songwriting that ties it all together, absolutely incredible. Cult Of Luna are an absolutely unreal band not just to see live, but to witness it.
There’s no other way to really put this into words properly, from start to finish this has been a visceral experience that I’ll no doubt remember for years to come and yearn to relive it any time I can again in future. The show may be over but I could happily do this all again and still hit every single awe inspiring moment along the way as if it was my first time.
Mind-blowing.