Cryptopsy // 200 Stab Wounds // Inferi // Corpse Pile // Live Review // The O2 Academy // London
There are some landmark death metal albums that helped build the genre. Cryptopsy’s “None So Vile” is the benchmark of Canadian death metal.
Released thirty years ago in 1996 (this makes me feel old) & now celebrating a wonderful birthday the band are embarking on a huge UK & Euro tour with some of the best bands in modern death metal. Cleveland’s 200 Stab Wounds, Nashville’s Inferi & Opening up the tour is Houston’s Corpse Pile.
Tonight’s show is a packed, sold-out crowd of 800 hungry metalheads on a Saturday evening, so the room is nicely filled out when Corpse Pile hits the stage. Now it might have only just started, but this band’s set might just go down as the best of the year, & I think it will hold that title for some time.
The perfect blend of devourment & hatebreed, Corpse Pile, for only being a four-piece, are some of the heaviest tracks to fill the room that evening. Opening their set with “Genesis Of Suffering” & “Vengeful Hymns” gets the party going. Even inciting the battle-wear-wearing to throw their first spin.
Now it’s not all slam breakdowns & blasting for these guys. Vocalist Jason Lionel Frazier points out some very messed-up things going on right now in the current political climate. It’s great to see a band that isn’t just about caveman breakdowns; there’s a message in the lyrics & the band’s ethos. Corpse Pile might be the first band of the night, but they have the crowd eating out of the palm of their hands & it’s so great to see a newer band get a great reaction in a city they have never played before. Here’s hoping they return soon!
Now turning up the IQ level from primal to Stephen Hawking’s, are the technical death metallers Inferi. Giving us a blast of fast-paced sweep picking, dissonant chords & some beefy breakdowns. “The Promethean Kings” opens the band’s set, giving us a grandiose feel & a real impact. Now, the band might have real technical ability that can get lost in the live setting, but thankfully, it’s all here. Every note is beautifully played by guitarists Sanjay Kumar & Malcolm Pugh. Their tight riffing, in sync with drummer Nathan Bigelow’s flawless & relentless playing style, makes their set so enjoyable. Tech death for me can go too far. Over my head, honestly, or it can capture something great, which I’m so glad is what Inferi does.
The use of backing tracks with the likes of keys & orchestral parts really thickens out their live tone, but has an even greater impact. Frontman Stevie Boiser looks like he’s having the time of his life on stage & that’s also a great thing to see. The interaction with the crowd & his vocal abilities make tonight’s diverse show stand out.
Riding high on their current wave, 200 Stabs Wounds are here to rip open the chest cavity of London once again. Now, the third time they have played the Islington Academy & they just keep getting better. In the past year the band have gained a huge upsurge in fans & its palpable tonight that the fans have been eagerly awaiting their return. As the band’s intro begins to play & “Hands of Eternity” the crowd erupts into a frenzy.
As the band meticulously plays “Masters of Morbidity”, you can tell they are now a seasoned unit. The little live infractions they add to the set to give it more power & the vigour they have shines so greatly. They are having fun & kicking arse at the same time. The best of both worlds…
“Itty Bitty Pieces”, as frontman Steve Buhl says “, this is Itty Bitty Pieces, it’s about cutting you the fuck up!” The crowd screams & the pit begins to resemble a pot of boiling water with its bubbling movements & frenzy.
Closing out their set with my personal fave & what i think has the best bridge section in the last ten years “Release the Stench” the band have firmly cemented themselves in the new era of death metal & i can’t wait to hear what they have in store for us on their next album!
Now it’s time to join the legends of brutal death metal in celebration. Getting the crowd primed with Metallica’s “For Whom The Bell Tolls” gets the room feeling electrified. As Cryptopsy takes the stage & rips straight into “Slit Your Guts” it is pandemonium. As I stand at the balcony above the stage, seeing the crowd go crazy is something special.
Heading straight into “Until There’s Nothing Left” which is the first time it’s been played in London was very special. The band might have a thirty-four-year legacy, but hearing the group’s newer material being some of their best & even standing toe to toe with their classic songs is so great. The drumming pioneer Flo Mounier is on full blast tonight, His use of cymbals & double kicks have always been a highlight for me in Cryptopsy’s music & getting to see, hear & feel them plated perfectly was such a magical sight.
Another modern track “Godless Deceiver” really gives frontman Matt McGachy to showcase just how much of a talented vocalist he is. Cryptopsy is synonymous with its frontman, but he’s been the band’s vocalist since 2007 & has firmly planted his flag as not only a superb vocalist but also a downright nice guy & a fantastic frontman.
The trio of tracks “Crown of Horns”, “Phobophile” & “Orgiastic Disembowelment” is a nice little slab of tonight’s celebration of “None So Vile” , an album for many, including myself, that was pivotal in my journey of extreme music. And watching these tracks live, and realising just how ahead of their time they were. Some of the most bat shit crazy moments in death metal are in this album & getting to hear some deep cuts tonight was something so full circle for so many of us.
Tonight, Cryptopsy has given us a reminder that there are still legacy acts with something special woven into their DNA, & even with a career spanning 34 years, they are better now than they ever will be! Death metal forever!!
Review: Joseph Mitchell