Drowning Horse’s Sheltering Sky LP might be one of the most important metal releases this year. That’s definitely true within their doom/sludge genre and the borders of our fair country. It’s a well constructed, evil sounding album, evoking an ominous atmosphere with heavily distorted, slowly played music. The band is known for tracks that stretch up to the 18 minute mark, posing a real threat to a tight on-stage schedule. As a result, there was the issue of whether the few tracks they could perform would be the right ones for the job. Luckily for the legion of metal enthusiasts who attended, they were.
The performance itself was outstanding, outside of a few minor issues. Using their equipment to its fullest capabilities, the show opened with ear splitting feedback, followed by the authoritative riffs, haunting wails and pummelling drums of The Barrow Stones. The noise was all-engulfing – it felt like the entire room was locked in noise, a fierce tremor that rattled through flesh and bone.However, there was a slight hiccup halfway through the performance: one of the bass guitar strings had slipped out of place. This proved only a minor detractor though, as the violent torrent of noise stemming from all other instruments successfully carried on.
Throughout the set, there was evidence of collaboration between the band members. Intensely focused, and watching each other for cues, they maintained an air of comradely unification. Vocalist Kim McConchie unleashed fury at the front of the stage. He shook in place between howls, shredding the air with a single hand as if he were a man possessed. As shrieking guitar, hammering bass and pounding drums crafted an atmosphere thicker than tar, McConchie’s gravelly bellow occasionally ripped through the wall of noise.
The set came to a close with a scathing level of feedback running through all amps – to a point where two of the amps needed to be turned down so that the last riff could correctly conclude the song. It was a bombardment of noise, as spectacular as it was ear-shattering. If only they’d played a longer set.
BY THOMAS BRAND
Loved: Seeing genuinely good Australian metal.
Hated: Wish it was longer.
Drank: Smoked.
