This write-up has come a little late due to a busy schedule on board Big Spaceship but nevertheless, here it is.
As I descended the dark staircase of The Royal Park Cellars on this hot Friday night I was cloaked with the mist and humidity of this gloomy venue even before I walk through the door. Upon entering this underground sweat-box, I was greeted with the twisted psychedelic meanderings of Groan (Doomanoid Records). Solid 70’s style riffs, catchy hooks and wailing solos, Groan are like a culmination of Sabbath, Deep Purple and Grand Funk Railroad with a little Kyuss thrown in there for good measure. It’s hard not to nod your head as these guys deliver a lively performance with an obvious love for what they do. Groan present a sound that has been heard before and yet it is impossible to not admire this infallible formula of concrete 'fists in the air' groove without donning a massive set of pendulous heavy balls. Yes, I went there.
http://www.myspace.com/groanuk
The mighty DEAD EXISTENCE were next to take the stage and fuck me balls swinging they were heavy as FUCK! In all honesty I wasn’t prepared for the bludgeoning barrage they had waiting behind the first 1, 2, 3, 4. Bone crunching, earth shattering, apocalyptic, these are all common ways of describing the various forms of heavy but I promise you, This is heavier. This is what you will hear resonating from the skies as the earth comes to a slow and bitter end. The dragging riffs of Dead Existence lure you into a state of sadistic hypnosis, so much so that when you are released from their thundering tidal wall of noise you will fall forward, realising that your body had been solely held up from the force emanating from DEAD EXISTENCE's demonic tones. Check their split with Dopefight here:
http://www.deadexistence.bigcartel.com/product/dead-existence-dopefight-split
http://www.deadexistence.net/
The penultimate segment of this doom laden musical theme park was an instrumental journey through unknown arcane wilderness in the form of WIHT. There is something about them that makes you shut the fuck up and pay attention. As you cross ambient plains with them you will discover mountainous riffs that erupt into colossal states of mind warping splendour. WIHT have the ability to create an overwhelming sense of tension and anticipation that holds you on the brink of insanity, before plummeting into a void of unrelenting power. Fantastical and progressive orchestration leaves the audience with seldom-opportune moments to congratulate the band on their talent and abilities. The aftermath of Wiht's performance sees a troop of bodies stood static in awe, gawping at the heavy load just released by Wiht's musical phallus. Wiht Are in the process of finishing an album with Ghosttown recordings (leeds) and hopefully shall be with us soon. In the meantime, check out their EP and also the sneak preview of their new album:
www.myspace.com/wihtleeds
Last on the bill was London-based DOPEFIGHT. The crowd waits patiently as levels are achieved on stage before the performance; sporadic bursts of powerchords and doom riffage are rife. The first thing I noticed was the insanely heavy tone of the bass guitarist's sound. Playing through just one distortion pedal, the sound that followed rips up the air like auditory shears, trimming the air molecules before tearing into your ear drums. The Dopefight commences and waves of nodding heads answer the call of the groove portrayed by this southern trio. The breakdowns that occur twixt stoned passages, ooze aggression and intensity usually attributed to more hardcore and punk rock realms. As though during an angst fueled punk gig in the past, someone had pulled the plug, offered up a monster bong to everyone in there and slapped some Sludge on the PA leaving everyone in a hazy, trance-like state worshiping every Sabbath riff pre-Sabotage. BOOM.
Check the new album out 'BUDS', it will put hairs not only on your chest but on your lungs, hands and your mothers face. Smoke. Listen. Mosh. Mong. In that order.
http://www.myspace.com/fightdopefight
Check out "Baby Goat Sick" put to a rather cool clip from Kill Baby Kill. Awesome.
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