By Dan Tsourekas
In the so-called city of “Slamchester”, Club Academy welcomed a stacked lineup of elite death metal bands for a night filled with gutturals, pig squeals and sluggish riffs.
It has always been interesting to see how bands that are stereotypically assumed to be frightening, violent, and gruesome act in front of a live audience. What most people would consider being the devil incarnate always carry a level of intensity when walking into a venue to experience it for the first time.
Walking down the stairs towards the basement of the student union where Club Academy is located, a sense of adrenaline lingers in the air. With a lineup consisting of Suffocation, Sanguisugabogg, Enterprise Earth and Organectomy, one would expect such, as these four bands aren’t exactly known for being relaxing.
As the night begins, the New Zealanders take to the stage to set the bar for the rest of the night. There’s a recurring pattern of exceptional technicality present in all four bands. While the music itself has similarities one could consider repetitive it is quite fascinating to witness the raw talent present in each vocalist’s technique. Organectomy features a solid setlist predominantly driven by gutturals and low growls. Watching the crowd engage in what could easily be considered a push pit at a metalcore gig is intriguing, keeping in mind the nature of the gig, but welcome nonetheless.
Enterprise Earth’s focal point came in the form of pig squeal techniques and melodic choruses. Following the release of their 2024 album Death: An Anthology, the performance could be classed as one of the best they’ve done yet, with the Washington based band on top form the whole way through, with top notch banter keeping the crowd on their toes throughout the half hour set.
The consistency of the concert two bands in proved to be highly entertaining; however, having heard of the chaotic nature of Sanguisugabogg and their tendency to wreak havoc, it was safe to say that the bar was raised significantly. Their set was tight and punchy, with each track performed liable to send someone to medical. This comes as no surprise considering Devin Swank’s constant taunting for violence and moshpits, as well as some brilliant and witty remarks introducing songs, such as dedicating the brutal finale ‘Dead as Shit to the Queen’.
Last but not least, the headline band proved to Club Academy why they are legends in their own right. Suffocation have been recognized as major innovators within the death metal scene, and for good reason. They introduced more technical styles and vocal techniques, and the majority of the set felt like witnessing a master at work. Touring their latest album Hymns from the Apocrypha, the crowd felt nothing but respect towards a band that have been going since 1988 and it is more than commendable seeing them perform on such a high level to this day. While in terms of sonic entertainment, death metal may seem bland to most people, it is in fact the fantastic technicality and musicianship that these artists continuously show through their own eyes and experiences, and these technicalities served for a successful night in Club Academy.
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