Gig review: Elder, Pallbearer

Taken from the show organizer, found here

Oh man, here we go again. This show happened immediately the next day after "Envy" and I seriously needed some time to collect my thoughts. Two exceptional shows in two days is not something neither my mind nor my heart can handle anymore. October was glorious.

As you can see on the concert poster, the event was held on the 26th October 2022 in Gothenburg, Sweden at the venue called Pustervik. I've so far listened to quite a few bands at this place, most notably "Neurosis"/"Author & Punisher" back in 2017, which sadly I haven't covered on the blog, and the "Cult of Luna"/"Brutus" show which was written about here.

"Irist" opened the gig that evening, but sadly I missed them completely due to a botched "let's meet up for pizza before the show" gathering with friends. I truly hate when that happens, but life throws you curveballs like that some times. Sorry to "Irist", I'll make sure to catch you the next time around.

Pallbearer

"Pallbearer" was the first opening act for my fellowship and myself. In all honesty, they weren't so keen on attending this part of the concert either, but I kept insisting on it to the point where I was probably quite annoying so they gave in. In the end I'm happy that I kept pushing them, because I was rather mind blown by the end of their set.

The doom metal quartet hit the scene way back in 2008, but it wasn't until 2012 that I personally heard their music, which back then came in the form of the "Sorrow and Extinction" release. It boggles my mind that 10 years have passed since that album... Time flies when you're having fun, since that record became a sort of golden standard for me when it comes to this particular genre. I've always been easy to fall for various doom metal bands and albums, but "Sorrow and Extinction" had that truly special something that elevated it from all the rest. It harbors a unique intricacy in its sound that urges you to keep on exploring it and it resulted in me coming back to it over and over again, each time discovering a little tidbit that will make me want to revisit once more. To my utmost pleasant surprise, they continued this through the other releases as well, especially "Foundations of Burden" which I also thoroughly adore.

And indeed, the full range of these merits of sound came into full bloom during their live performance in Pustervik. A towering wall of music showcasing expert craftmanship of sound-scaping, "Pallbearer" weave an epic narrative with every note, the singer's nigh angelic voice followed by a monstrous entourage of instruments. The band absolutely picked up a fitting name, since visually they do sound like you are witnessing a funerary procession of some great cosmic entity. 

They don't shy away from writing songs that are 10 minutes or beyond in length, but what is truly amazing with their style is that they take that time to slowly build up the said narrative. It's a steady, droning progress with so much room given to the listener to enjoy and pay attention to all the minute details, the newly added notes to the melody or interesting pitch changes. 

I realize now that this gig review reads more like an album review, but I feel like this speaks volumes to the capabilities of this band. It simply felt like listening to them in as high quality as on their recordings, but magnified a thousand fold in grandeur and enjoyment. I was insanely thrilled that they played the legendary "Foreigner", first song off of "Sorrow and Extinction" which instantly took me back 10 years into the past, as well as "Caledonia" which is my current favorite from their latest 2020 "Forgotten Days" release.

Hopefully this made you want to check the band out, which you can do on their website here or support them directly via their patreon page found here. 

Elder

A short break later and "Elder" kicked it off in a fashion only they know how to pull off. I've already seen this US-based quartet perform back in 2018 which was arguably my favorite concert that year, sadly undocumented. On both these occasions there has been a lot of hype about attending, since several friends of mine, and myself included, swear by them when it comes to live shows. They know how to pack a punch and make their performances a wild and entertaining ride. But I'm getting ahead of myself a bit...

The band has been kicking ass and taking names since 2006, but they've largely flown under my radar up until 2011, mostly due to my own "fault" since those years I've been fully consumed by screamo and discovering more bands there than I could properly digest. But 2011 saw the release of "Dead Roots Stirring" and, man alive, was that a massive sucker punch! Funnily enough, I thought that this release was a record from the screamo band "Elder" (active from 2008 to 2009, which released the album "Reflect"), so hearing "Dead Roots Stirring" can be contributed to a destined mistake. Truly a happy chance.

By now, that album has climbed legendary heights in my mind. It dishes out an amazing fuzz-induced progressive metal wrapped in a delicious psychedelic coating of stoner goodness. Over time, the band progressed a bit farther from their crunchy, distorted sounds into a more clean and pristine version, but also ramping up the epicness of their melodies into literal space. In several reviews I saw them being tagged with "space rock" and I can definitely see why. On a surface level, their writing style is sometimes chaotic and it feels like a 10 minute song actually has four different songs packed together, all with vastly different melodies, pacing, and riff construction. But once you actually delve deeper into their sound, you notice how all these tunes are masterfully entwined and go perfectly hand in hand with each other. That is where the beauty of "Elder" shows for me, the vastness and infinite possibility of sound.

Quite literally, their performances do seem like a voyage through space and time. Buckle up because they won't leave you time to breathe. A rushing melody with an intense solo can instantly drop and change pace, an atmospheric tune can take a sharp turn to a rising wall of sound chased by a crazy up-front drum section, you simply can't rest with these guys. Fast or slow, thrilling or sluggish, they take you on a sonic adventure which you don't want to stop. I vividly remember in 2018 when they played "The Falling Veil", a song that has to be one of the most thrilling metal experiences when viewed from the crowd.

This time around the attendees were blessed with songs such as "Compendium", the titular "Dead Roots Stirring", "Sanctuary", and the amazing "Halcyon" which became my new live favorite from "Elder". In case you don't know any of these songs, you can check them out on bandcamp here or check out the band's website found here.

The thing that resonated quite clearly for me near the end of that evening is that these two bands go hand in hand together. They are two perfectly complementary bands for one another, similar yet utterly unique at the same time. While with "Pallbearer" you can focus on the subtle changes in music and the developing of narrative, with "Elder" you just let them guide you and there is no clue where they will take you. Rare are the occasions where touring bands fit so well together and this is something that I most definitely must applaud.

That's all for now folks, I hope you enjoyed the read. Stick around, many fun things approach!

Gig review: Envy, Bossk

Taken from the official Envy website, found here

One month, two important bands (three if you count the review which will soon follow this one). I could say that I am at a loss for words, but seeing how this prelude is probably going to be followed by a wall of text, I'd be misleading you. Let's just dive into this! 

This magnificent spectacle took place on a gloomy evening, October 25th, at Musikens Hus in Gothenburg, Sweden. I've already attended a concert in this venue on one previous occasion when "Draconian", "Harakiri For The Sky", and "Rome" performed back in 2018, a performance which sadly went undocumented by yours truly. By now I can safely say that I find the venue quite lovely, small enough to be nice and cozy, but also spacious enough to host a vast number of people without everyone being crammed together too tightly. A small flight of stairs takes you to a wardrobe and a space for a big merch table and then one more set of stairs leads you to the actual gig space with a big stage and a bar, lined with chairs at the far left and right ends of the hall. The acoustics of the venue are superb, so far proving the ability to respect a plethora of different sounds, coming from both mellow acoustic tunes of "Rome" and absolute chaos wrought by "Envy". Musikens Hus definitely lives up to its name.

Bossk

First in line for the evening were "Bossk". This UK-based quintet has been killing it ever since their formation in 2005, with numerous releases, music videos, and literally hundreds of live shows to boot. During this time they have continually kept playing to their strengths, dishing out an impressive post-metal/sludge amalgamation, which is all the more powerful when witnessed live. If you want the epitome of "massive", then this band is undoubtedly for you. Wave after wave of heavy riffs, moody bridges, droning swampy tunes which are at times reminiscent of good old "Crowbar", but then also at times refreshed by groovy stoner rhythms, the plate of soundscapes that you're served with is truly diverse, but all neatly packaged. This whole packet lays lumbering when listening live and it is hard to explain just how it feels when their enormous crescendos fall down and just completely flood over you. My own mistake was that I haven't listened to them prior to the gig in ages, so most of the played songs sounded rather unfamiliar to me, so I just tuned my brain out and enjoyed the show. Definitely go and see them live if you have the chance and, in case you haven't already, you can check them out on their bandcamp page, found here.

A short break ensued, just enough time to get a breather and a sip of liquid... and a burning sensation in the chest. Even though I was laughing and talking on the outside, there was some turmoil on the inside. A sense of positive anxiety that crept up on me. After so many years of waiting, almost two decades, they were coming, they were finally here, and I had no idea if I was ready. 

Envy

"Envy". That is all the introduction they need. Simply by uttering their name you invoke a tenure and legacy spanning 30 years, three decades of genre-pushing recordings, international live shows, collaborations with so many other artists of various genres, a seed planted heavily in the post-hardcore genre that never could and never will be underestimated. Their vigor and persistence has arguably granted them the title of the longest active screamo act, hitting the Japanese scene in 1992 and not stopping for a second ever since, a fact that will leave many other important names envious. How fitting. 

To put it in my own personal perspective, "Envy" started playing when I was 5 years old... This blows my mind on so many levels. It was not until 2003 and the release of "A Dead Sinking Story" that I first heard of them, almost by accident since that release was randomly added to a burnt DVD compilation of hardcore bands my older brother made for me. I clearly remember the evening at home when I browsed the compilation and saw a folder named "Envy", the name catching my attention instantly. From the very first second of "Chain Wandering Deeply" I was captivated beyond comprehension, the song remaining one of my all time favorites to this very day. Still it represents an iconic monument of sound that is above anything I ever heard of at that point. The enormity of the soundscape, an inescapable feeling of vastness and melancholy, the sheer talent displayed with every tone and word, it completely obliterated me and hooked me for life.

"Envy" is the same today, bearing the same qualities, the sum of all their individual magnificence, but it would be insulting not to say how much they grew and changed over the years. They always represented progress within the post-hardcore/screamo scene with their exceptional fusion with post-rock, yet it is impressive how much they have evolved while also remaining true to their sound and their roots. The accent is put on those epic post-rock melodies that are worthy of being a movie soundtrack, but with no shortage of the chaos and emotional impact that was omnipresent in their earlier works. 

And after so many paragraphs of praise and "basic" introduction, how do I even describe their concert in Musikens Hus that night? It would be an understatement to say that it was emotional for me. They were there, in front of me, a band so important to the developing of my own musical tastes and education, one that I never imagined I would see live. The first tones flooding from the stage opened a portal and the first words from Tetsuya Fukagawa pushed me through and I was back in my room in 2003 hearing them for the first time, the lyrics I heard back then echoing in my mind again. 

"We are accustomed to the habit of waiting so much..." 

But the wait was worth it in the end. They exploded on stage with "Footsteps in the Distance", later with "Statement of Freedom", "Two Isolated Souls", "Swaying Leaves and Scattering Breath" and so on. I couldn't believe how insanely good they sound live, definitely being an example of a band you love to listen to at home, but are even more so enamored with when seen live. The songs impactful and loud, right at the tipping point where they are perfectly clear, but also so massive that you are absolutely consumed by them. The band's physical performance was entrancing, the swaying and dancing and being one with the music, being unable to look away as a spectator and just completely giving in to the spectacle. 

At some point in their performance they played an unreleased song which is set for release on November 9th, which was a beautiful cherry on top of the whole event. It is unreal to me that they keep being so creative after three decades of work, never shying away from the chance to impress, never losing a milligram of passion and dedication. The song was a wonderful teaser of some grander thing "Envy" has in store for us and it makes me excited of what is yet to come. 

Nearing the end of the set they performed "Farewell to Words" from their 2001 release "All the Footprints You've Ever Left and the Fear Expecting Ahead", beautifully going full circle with the showcase of their discography, the song a thrilling and chaotic homage to the band's beginning. Ending with a maddening crescendo the crowd was craving more, thus we were gifted with one more song, "A Warm Room", and a promise that they will be back to Sweden in the future.

If somehow you never heard of "Envy", you can listen to them on their bandcamp page, found here. 

So what to say at the end of it all? It is my impression that I've become a lot more emotional in my reviews lately, as well as with my overall experience and recognition of music. This blog has always been a diary of sorts, but it has become even more so after the Jeromes Dream review back in 2019 and the overall self-reflection and contemplation in the years slightly before and during the pandemic. Life, in general, has been extremely difficult for the past 20 years, but as cliché as it might sound, music has always been there to pull me through, and it is remarkable to me that the older I get the more opportunities I get to make many of my dreams come true, both personal and musical ones. After so many years of struggling, I have found my "warm room", a place where I can breathe and flourish, and surely "Envy" has finally become one of those materialized dreams. 

 "I see the end now. Let's go home."

Gig review: Suffocate For Fuck Sake, Young Mountain, Nathan Aeli

Taken from Revival Booking's Instagram, found here

Long time no see. Life has been hectic (a global and personal understatement), but I am still around. This was my first live show ever since the plague began, so it was a thing to be excited about. 

The concert took place on a rather gray but lovely evening on September 24th, at a secret location in Gothenburg, Sweden. This has been my first "secret" show and I have to admit that I like the concept. Basically, the location is unknown up until 48 hours before the gig, at which point you are informed about the location via SMS. The idea behind the whole thing is to give people an incentive to explore less familiar parts of Gothenburg, outside of the more popular venues like "Pustervik", for example. This time around the event happened in an empty apartment in Majorna, two rooms and a bathroom, a corner for the bands to play on the floor, a small merch table, a fridge for drinks, and enough space for... I guess roughly less than a 100 people (this could be way off, as my headcount at shows is exceptionally bad)

"Nathan Aeli" was the first band to kick off the evening. Never heard of them before, so the only knowledge I went off of was how they were described by the show organizer: "a gay Nine Inch Nails" and "another black metal appropriator in the wrong style of music". I mean, truly difficult to not become curious after reading that.

Curiosity surprised the cat this time around and I've been instantly hooked into their performance from the very first tone. In reality, the organizer's teaser of the band definitely didn't do them justice now that I think about it, because the band completely subverted my expectations. The 30ish minute performance was just... insane, in a very peculiar way. 

To backtrack a little bit, there's not a lot of info about the band on the internet. Hailing from Gothenburg, Sweden, they apparently have two albums, the first one being an acoustic 4-song release from way back in 2013, while the second is an LP from 2019. There are several interesting interviews floating around the net, so definitely sink your teeth into those if you're interested in finding out more.

Looking back at the show, their performance that night seems like a step beyond what they usually do, since their recorded material involves less (or more accurately, no) electronic segments. I listened to them while writing this review and the experience of the stuff they put up on bandcamp is like you're listening to an entirely different project. The duo unleashed digital soundscapes which do sound reminiscent of a crunchy, hungover kind of NIN, but the madness goes way beyond that. Electronic sounds were at times hazy and dreamy, only to break off into glitch-infused industrial pounding which at times morphs into some kind of drugged up version of pop with jungle beats/dnb. I heard sounds that reminded me of work from Mike Cadoo, sections of "Tapage", and some beats shooting straight up from video game soundtracks like "System Shock" or "Unreal Tournament", wrapped with a blanket of raw distortion. And all the while layered with the singer going completely nuts, gentle singing, at times almost a spoken-word with a deep melancholic voice, but then wailing and screaming and hitting high notes and nigh crazy "oooooooooh" sounds. It pretty much borders madness, jumping between calm and extremely loud, the band just pushing the boundary ever so close to being mental and unpleasant, but keeping it well in the confines of the enjoyable. Loved every damn second of it. I was truly impressed with their show and would love to see them perform again, especially to see whether this electronic infusion was a one-off experiment or a solid path straying away from their existing recordings. Show them some love on their facebook page here or check out their current recordings on bandcamp here.

Next in line after a short break was "Young Mountain", another band from Gothenburg. I was vaguely sure that I was familiar with the band, but my old brain couldn't recall what was it that I heard from them, until I sat down to write this. Then I finally remembered that I've listened to "Fragile" way back when it was released in 2014, at the time the band's second release. This Gothenburg 5-piece screamo project formed in 2013 and it came a long, long way since then, piling up an impressive number of regular releases. I need some catching up to do. 

Short, sweet, and very direct, their performance was both a gentle touch to the feels and a severe punch in the throat. An outstanding and truly inspiring screamo manifestation, their 30 minute segment took me to all sorts of places. Their sounds was a raw homage to early works of "Adorno", with chaotic bits from "Someplace To Hide", occasional vibes from old "Damezumari", epicness of "I Create", but sprinkled with that special Swedish screamo seasoning that the scene is famous for. They weaved and swung on notes that were delicate and nostalgic towards downright fast, thrilling, and anxious, with the aggression hitting hard, but the melancholy hitting even harder.

I took a listen to their discography today while at work and it's unreal how much growth they show with each passing release. My mistake for letting them slip through the cracks and my attention avoiding their development, but definitely a lesson to be learned. You can check them out on their bandcamp page here or get in touch via facebook here.

And now, the grand finale of the evening, the time reserved for "Suffocate For Fuck Sake". Their name is deeply established in the post-rock/screamo genre, so much so that I believe there is no true need for an introduction. The Swedish septet hit the scene way back in 2004 with their self-titled EP and have since become a true landmark for their own genuine take on sound delivery. From day one, their mark of uniqueness came in the form of using audio samples as the main source of storytelling. The said samples, featuring people talking about their addictions and mental disorders, superbly set a truly heavy kind of atmosphere which is then built upon with absolutely massive layers of sound that rival beasts such as "Cult of Luna" and "Neurosis", while also showing a more delicate and fragile side of the equation by the likes of "Mono" or "Sigur Rós". 

Thus far the band produced four albums, each a worthy piece of their puzzle. Like a true gentle behemoth, they have a tendency to submerge themselves under the waves and spend many years in silence, most notably the 8 year break between their second and third albums, thus it is a true wonder to catch them live. I saw the show announcement by complete accident thanks to the mercy of one friend who doesn't even know the band but simply thought that "the name sounds like something that you might enjoy"... and oh boy was he correct.

You can follow this link to view a short video of the opening song (YT decided to age restrict it cause of the name, so can't embed the video into the post...)

Their set was everything I hoped for and that much more. I honestly never dreamed that I would see them live, yet there I was being slowly overwhelmed by the opening sounds of "Blue Lights and Sunshine" from their masterpiece "Blazing Fires And Helicopters On The Frontpage Of The Newspaper. There's A War Going On And I'm Marching In Heavy Boots". The opening moments were perfectly showcasing what this band has always been famous for, the slow buildup of sound and the anxious unraveling of the story which they want to tell. The mood cold and melancholic, expressed both with soft spoken words contrasted by piercing screams and the gigantic wall of sound crashing all over you, they took the crowd on a journey where everyone was consumed by the unraveling spectacle. "Hope" came up close, in my opinion the crown jewel from their latest album "Fyra", putting a spotlight on the a more droning melody enhanced by an oasis of beautifully chilling clean vocals. I'm listening to the song now as I type this and cannot help myself but marvel at how powerful it sounded when witnessed live, despite already sounding amazing as a recording. The absolutely brightest merit of SFFS has always been the ability to create a specific atmosphere and drench you in a particular mood, yet the ability to replicate those feelings in an even stronger way live is a talent few musicians manage to cultivate.

The concert came full circle, ending with sounds from "Blazing Fires...", the crowd absolutely elated despite the unreal heat and lack of air in the small room. I was truly beyond myself with various emotions and all I could do was muster strength to go and buy a record to support the band and then head home.  You can also support them via their bandcamp page here or get in touch via facebook here.

I mentioned previously that this show has been important since it is the first one since the pandemic began, but it means to me so much more beyond that. I've landed on the SFFS bandwagon way back in 2009 when "Blazing Fires..." has already earned its status as a record that pushes the boundaries of its respective genres. It is 13 years since then and I can't seem to deny myself the desire to think about what my life was then and what it is now. Back then I was listening to them with my girlfriend at the time in the same room where this blog came into existence, thinking about the fact that this band comes from a country so distant to me, so unknown, speaking  in a language that seemed so alien. And now, more than a decade later, I am actually living in Sweden, sharing my life with the same girl from back then who turned out to be the one partner in crime and my dear wife, standing there together in an apartment show, the epitomal screamo setting of a scene I always wanted to be a part of, listening to samples I can now understand but a little, the language not so unknown anymore as it surrounds me every time I step outside... Life is beautiful as much as it is vicious, and this show made me realize its sense of the poetic. An experience which will surely leave an imprint in my mind forever, a mark of change and endurance, yet I certainly hope another 13 years don't have to pass for me to see this band again.

Not sure how to close this review after such a personal outpour, so I will leave it at that. Whoever reads this, I hope you enjoyed the read and thank you for still being here, after so many years. Be good.