Combichrist, Rock City, Nottingham, 2nd July 2011

First up tonight are the opening band, Method Cell, and industrial synth band from Nottingham.  They take to the stage in front of a tiny audience – being a saturday the doors open earlier than normal at 6pm, and they are on stage just a few minutes later.  The band is a two piece – one keyboard/synth player and a singer.  Their music is to me, more towards the dance range of the electronic spectrum than Combichrist who are far further towards metal.  The music has a heavy electronic beat but fails to excite the crowd.

Rating: 4/10

Next up is  Aesthetic perfection.  The band is a three-piece (singer, syth player and drummer) from the US and straight away start to impress Combichrist’s fans.  They share a lot of the power and energy that combichrist have and this wins over the rapidly growing crowd.   The drummer puts in a performance worthy of Combichrist drummer Joe Letz, and the synth player at several points climbs on top of the synth.  Definitely a band worth checking out for all Combichrist fans.

Rating: 7/10

Next up was Mortiis.  Due to his actions which resulted in venue security calling the police then Mortiis will not be getting a write-up here.

Rating: 0/10

Tonights main attraction is the headliners, Combichrist.  For many people the first they will have heard of Combichrist is when they spent several months on tour supporting Rammstein.  They certainly gained a lot of fans on that tour, and there are plenty of Rammstein T-shirts in evidence tonight.  For anyone who hasnt seen or heard Combichrist before, I can only describe them as a cross between Pendulum and Slipknot.  They’ve got an electronic sound but its heavier than Pendulum by far and their live shows have the energy of Slipknot.
The band consists of two drummers, a keyboard/synth player, guitarist and a singer.  The bands new guitarist, Abbey Nex was
formerly with Genitorturers when they played last years Download festival.  The energetic performance of drummer Joe Letz
has to be seen to be believed – rather than the short economical arm movements of most drummers, he makes huge swings of
the arms, kicks drums over and generally pounds the hell out of his drums.  Singer Andy La Plegua is a manic sight – constantly charging around the smoke filled stage as he snarls out the lyrics.  Combichrist are an amazing live band – well worth checking out if you get the chance.

Rating: 9/10

Combichrist setlist

Shut up and swallow
Today I woke to the rain of blood
Follow the trail of blood
Just like me
Throat full of glass
Get your body beat
Deathbed
Fuckmachine
Blut ROyale
They

Encore:
Fuck that shit
Never surrender
What the fuck is wrong with you?

Aethetic perfection setlist:

Nice place to visit
Pale
Devils in the details
The siren
The ones
Great depression
Spit it out

Method cell setlist:

Conviction
Drop dead
Terminal velocity
Call it cutting
Push

 

About Ant May

I spend half my life at gigs or festivals and the other half writing the reviews and editing photos, and somehow find time for a full time job too. Who needs sleep - I've got coffee.