By DJ Monk
The Northern Ireland metal scene seems to be going from strength to strength at the moment. Audience numbers for shows have been steadily growing, as have sales of CDs and T-shirts as fans seem to have suddenly woken up to the strength, and depth, of the talent we possess in this particular corner of the Überverse. It helps, of course, that the bands themselves are consistently able to prove their worth and deliver the goods, both in terms of the sheer quality of studio recordings that are being released on an increasingly frequent basis and, perhaps more importantly, in the live arena, into which one of Belfast’s new bloods, Oracle, this evening launched their debut full-length album, the ÜR-approved ‘Novissima’.
Openers Grey Stag are a new name to me, and the Dublin trio immediately impress with their big, pumping, doom-laden grooves as thick as the river Liffey’s sludge banks. The precise sound mix accentuates both the clarity of their top end and the muddiness of the bottom end, perfectly capturing their catchy groove and invasive energy, both of which are delivered in a manner which is taut and tight in every department. A 200-mile round trip is a lot of travelling for a 30-minute opening slot, but this was one journey which definitely was worth it for everyone involved.
A total change of mood and tempo for main support Drakonis who, despite the needless overdoing of the feedback at the beginning of their allotted slot, quickly show why they have developed into Northern Ireland’s premier black metal act. They are tight, practised and precise, with taut grooves, coiled wire harmonies and pinpoint accurate melodies, all delivered with the right mix of relaxed ambience and in your face attention-seeking, especially from frontman Sleeve, who is a hypnotic presence centre stage. Initially written off by some critics (not this one, I hasten to add) as a vanity side project for guitarist Saul McMichael, over the past five years Drakonis have steadily grown in stature, and are another local band who just get better and better with every show, proving that paying due attention to the minutest of details, such as the addition of keyboards to round out the atmospheric aspects of the sound, brings with it its own reward.
With two class acts already having threatened to level the venue with the ferocity of rogue nuclear missiles, Oracle were going to have to be at the top of their game. But any doubts that they would be otherwise are dispelled immediately, as they hit hard and keep up the momentum with a supremely cohesive and confident performance which shows just how far this young band have progressed in their short career to date.
With frontman Jason Kerr as commanding as Julius Caesar leading his legions into battle, and exuding supreme confidence from every pore, this is another stunning performance from a band who are tight in every department and getting tighter with every show. It is a sublime display, punishing yet embracing, one which strokes your aural cortexes before threatening to rip them from your eardrums and re-insert them where the sun don’t shine. It’s powerful and nigh on perfect, from the once-again frighteningly accurate sound mix through the individual and collective performances, which are rewarded with a well-deserved encore.