PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Fibbers was under assault on Saturday night. Carnage Metal Club saw bands from the North and South convene for an aural attack on Dublin. Rex Shachath, Overoth and For Ruin were here to tell the Dublin boys to go home to their mammies – I joke.
Rex Shachath was the first band of the night (or Rex shakaka, if you’re a moron like me). They were one of two Belfast bands playing on the night. I can tell you now these guys aren’t playing around. They describe themselves as old school death metal and I happily agree with that definition. The music is fast, aggressive and bulky. They’re the kind of band that doesn’t have you clutching at straws to find something to like about them, the appeal is instant. Songs that are well constructed go a long way, especially when we’re talking about death metal and that’s exactly what this band has – well constructed songs. There’s nothing pedestrian about this band – nothing tedious about listening to them; and while they’re as heavy as Rosie O’Donnell carrying her shopping, they’re also accessible and thoroughly enjoyable to watch. Really impressive presence, again another expressive band which I appreciate because if I see another metal band carrying on like a Roy Orbison tribute act I’ll be dug out! Also, I’m usually not too keen to play the compare and contrast game especially with a band like Rex Shachath who stand on their own talent, but if you’re a fan of Misery Index, definitely take the time to check these guys out.
Next up was Belfast’s, Overoth. Now, I’ve seen this band before but I was too stewed in beer at the time to fully appreciate them. That said, they were the band that sold this gig for me so they managed to reach me through the haze of alcohol and make a lasting impression. As soon as they started playing I knew I was listening to the full fat coke of death metal. Their sound is impressive and dramatic and you can’t help being absorbed by it. The songs are coherent and intelligible. Although they are a death metal band they’re unlike other bands of the genre where it’s more of an endurance test than a gig. They delivered a sturdy and incredibly consistent set but you can leave you hankies at home because they won’t give you a nose bleed (thankfully). I firmly believe that tracks like, Kingdom of Shadows, will go down in the annals (read it again) of metal as an adored hymn of metalheads. Overoth are a highly respected band in the Dublin metal scene so I hope to see a lot more of them. If I was to go into further detail of how much I like this band, I’ll probably end up in a black polo neck jumping on Oprah’s couch – no one wants that.
For Ruin from Cork were the headlining band on Saturday – another band I was seeing for the first time. They’re black/death metal but with a melodic edge to their sound. Even though I’m a big fan of the black metal genre, I’m always kind of apprehensive because there’s no in between with it – it’s either fantastic or crap with the likelihood of someone impaling themself on a studded wrist cuff or getting stingy eyes from corpse paint. Thankfully this was not the case with For Ruin. It’s difficult to articulate how satisfying their set was. They have a pretty distinct sound that incorporates all the best elements of black metal and death metal. If death/black metal can be uplifting these guys have managed to achieve that while at the same time retaining a gloomy tone. For Ruin added variety to the gig as their sound isn’t as close to the two bands before them – keeps things interesting. Definitely after seeing them on Saturday, I would be eager to get to another gig in the future.
For more information on the bands, tour dates, music etc:
Check out For Ruin on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ForRuin?fref=ts
Check out Overoth on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/overothband?fref=ts
Check out Rex Shachath on Facebook:
