The last time New Orleans stalwarts Goatwhore were in Australia was two years ago when they supported Behemoth alongside Job For A Cowboy. Now, the extreme metal veterans are back and playing a string of blistering headline shows with Tasmania’s Ruins and Singapore legends Impiety in support. Their Melbourne show took place at The Corner Hotel in Richmond to a rowdy crowd of denim and leather clad miscreants eagre for some severe aural punishment.
Ruins played an intense set of bleak black metal full of swirling, razor sharp open chords, tooth shattering blast beats and desolate roaring vocals courtesy of Alex Pope. Unfortunately the set was marred by the fact that the guitars kept cutting out, leaving Pope and co looking visibly deflated, and a long break midway through the set to try and (unsuccessfully) repair the faults sucked all the momentum out of their performance.
If there is one thing Impiety have in bucket loads, it’s momentum. From start to finish their set was absolutely relentless. The three-piece put on a stunning display of vicious black metal played at phenomenally fast breakneck pace, performed with inhuman amounts of energy and sheer stage presence. Their set-list spanned their 20-odd year career and was played with such force that they came close to blowing the headliners right off the stage. Theirs is the sound of pure evil, played at a terrifying velocity, and it’s bloody good fun!
Impiety were certainly a hard act to follow, but Goatwhore made easy work of it, storming out right from the off and playing with the brute force and confidence that only veterans of their stature are capable of. Their brand of hot-blooded, blackened death metal ensured the pits were swirling, heads were banging and the sweat was pouring from start to finish. It was a master class in brutality; true meat and potatoes metal where thuggish rage and boisterous energy make up for the lack of technicality and melody.
The four-piece, who feature members of Crowbar and Soilent Green in their ranks, are touring to promote their new record Blood For The Master, of which they played a decent chunk, with When Steel and Bone Meet being a clear standout track. It was, however, the old classics such as Alchemy of The Black Sun Cult and closer Apocalyptic Havoc that really got the crowd in a frenzy.
All in all it was a satisfyingly extreme display of brutality on all fronts, and one that proved that the underground is still going strong.
BY ADAM ROBERTSHAW
LOVED: The intensity displayed by all the bands on the bill
HATED: The technical problems during Ruins’ set
DRANK: Carlton Draught and Jagermeister
