22 Nov 2024
Gig Review: Angelcorpse @ Whammy Bar, Auckland - 26/07/2017
06 Aug 2017 // A review by Matt Mutinous
Mid week gigs are always the hardest choice for most music fans, but it's not often at all that a band like this comes to town. Angelcorpse had been a big part of the Tampa death metal scene in the late 90's, so I decided to take my good friend and fellow musician, Nik Davies along, to try and catch a glimpse of the good old days of American death metal. Wednesday night in the city, we strolled down K-road to the notorious Whammy Bar, posted firmly outside the entrance was the cliche small gathering of leather jackets and cigarette smoke, a trademark of underground metal gigs.
After greeting a few familiar faces we ascended down the dodgy staircase as the first support band fired up from beneath. Local Blackened Death masters, Exordium Mors were in full swing, pounding the pavement above with their screams of blasphemy and pain, clutched within their atmospheric style harmonies and awesome blast beats. Always a great experience witnessing this infamous act, the perfect way to kick off the night.
Beer in hand and packed in between the leather clad crowd that seemed to fill every shadowy corner, Wellington legends Heresiarch hit the stage. Drowning the room with their brutal growls and diminished tones then smashing the most pit with rapid rhythm and echoing screams. Well executed and straight to the point, always highlight to see an act live for the first time.
Standing room only the entire crowd stared at the stage as the headliners burst out of the darkness into a frenzy of blast beats and belting solos that seemed to melt the face off of, some of the shocked on lookers. Taking control of the crowd, front man Pete Helmkamp was the clear perpetrator, barking dominance between songs whilst giving off an awkward energy that was clearly embraced by the avid fans.
Playing nearly all of the of songs I knew from their earlier albums like Hammer of the Gods and The Inexorable, plus a number from their slightly more recent Exterminate, I could begin to see the dedication and pride this so called 'old school' band, had in continuing their unique sound and holding a solid fan base all around the globe. Despite past line up changes, this was a formidable three piece, packing out shows on weeknights, delivering an up close and authentic taste of real American death metal peppered with blackened kvlt.
Overall a good turn out, nice beer and the venue provided a great atmosphere for the show. Minimal social interaction ensured full attention was on the bands, well-picked support bands and a fast turn over made for an all round professional and entertaining night. It was clear that this was serious business for the vast majority of the fans and was reflected by each of the band's performances.
-Matt Mutinous -3 stars
Heresiarch - Harbinger Live
Exordium Mors - Live
Mid week gigs are always the hardest choice for most music fans, but it's not often at all that a band like this comes to town. Angelcorpse had been a big part of the Tampa death metal scene in the late 90's, so I decided to take my good friend and fellow musician, Nik Davies along, to try and catch a glimpse of the good old days of American death metal. Wednesday night in the city, we strolled down K-road to the notorious Whammy Bar, posted firmly outside the entrance was the cliche small gathering of leather jackets and cigarette smoke, a trademark of underground metal gigs.
After greeting a few familiar faces we ascended down the dodgy staircase as the first support band fired up from beneath. Local Blackened Death masters, Exordium Mors were in full swing, pounding the pavement above with their screams of blasphemy and pain, clutched within their atmospheric style harmonies and awesome blast beats. Always a great experience witnessing this infamous act, the perfect way to kick off the night.
Beer in hand and packed in between the leather clad crowd that seemed to fill every shadowy corner, Wellington legends Heresiarch hit the stage. Drowning the room with their brutal growls and diminished tones then smashing the most pit with rapid rhythm and echoing screams. Well executed and straight to the point, always highlight to see an act live for the first time.
Standing room only the entire crowd stared at the stage as the headliners burst out of the darkness into a frenzy of blast beats and belting solos that seemed to melt the face off of, some of the shocked on lookers. Taking control of the crowd, front man Pete Helmkamp was the clear perpetrator, barking dominance between songs whilst giving off an awkward energy that was clearly embraced by the avid fans.
Playing nearly all of the of songs I knew from their earlier albums like Hammer of the Gods and The Inexorable, plus a number from their slightly more recent Exterminate, I could begin to see the dedication and pride this so called 'old school' band, had in continuing their unique sound and holding a solid fan base all around the globe. Despite past line up changes, this was a formidable three piece, packing out shows on weeknights, delivering an up close and authentic taste of real American death metal peppered with blackened kvlt.
Overall a good turn out, nice beer and the venue provided a great atmosphere for the show. Minimal social interaction ensured full attention was on the bands, well-picked support bands and a fast turn over made for an all round professional and entertaining night. It was clear that this was serious business for the vast majority of the fans and was reflected by each of the band's performances.
-Matt Mutinous -3 stars
Heresiarch - Harbinger Live
Exordium Mors - Live
Other Reviews By Matt Mutinous
Beastwars - Album Review: IV
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Sludge bands are few and far between in New Zealand and one of our best and highly regarded have unexpectedly made a return with a brand new eight-track album. Nominated for best rock album at the 2011 New Zealand Music Awards and after an almost a two-year hiatus in which, singer Matt Hyde managed to fight off Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Wellington heavyweight's Beastwars are back in 2019 with the release of their fourth studio album aptly titled IV.
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Stress - EP Review - Misery Fatigue
02 Dec 2018 // by Matt Mutinous
A new addition to the scene, Wellington-based hardcore noise outfit Stress are about to launch their career with their debut release Misery Fatigue. Interested in what exactly that entailed, I was stoked to get a chance to have a sneak peek at this highly anticipated Kiwi band.
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15 Oct 2018 // by Matt Mutinous
New Zealand is world renown for Polynesian musicians, groups like Deceptikonz, Nesian Mystik and Aaradhna are some of the first to come to mind. So, it was surprising to hear of a band breaking the mould and coming straight outta South Auckland into the Kiwi Metal scene.
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Heavy Blarney - Album Review - Bog to Swamp
08 May 2018 // by Matt Mutinous
Released - 18th May 2018 When I first saw the title Bog to Swamp my imagination could only assume what kind of music was to follow. The second album from Palmerston North Celtic rockers, Heavy Blarney had grabbed my attention from the get-go and I was keen to find out just how this band sounded with such a unique blend of music styles, rarely attempted these days.
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Depths - Album Review: Endless
10 Mar 2018 // by Matt Mutinous
Release Date: April 13th, 2018 Picked up by Deadboy Records in late 2011, Depths have hit the ground running, adding a new angle to the New Zealand Metal scene and bringing a fresh sound to the table. Presumably named after the album from US deathcore band, Oceano, Depths has managed to draw an international style of death metal from the comforts of Palmerston North.
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Gig Review: Cattle Decapitation @ Kings Arms, Auckland - 8/02/2018
21 Feb 2018 // by Matt Mutinous
Thursday nights are always a good night to go out if you live in Auckland, with most international acts 'fitting us in' on their Australian tour nowadays, even a show this close to the weekend is a blessing. San Diego death metal giants, Cattle Decapitation had shown up to the iconic Kings Arms and the line to the was stretched out into the street.
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21 Feb 2018 // by Matt Mutinous
Thursday nights are always a good night to go out if you live in Auckland, with most international acts 'fitting us in' on their Australian tour nowadays, even a show this close to the weekend is a blessing. San Diego death metal giants, Cattle Decapitation had shown up to the iconic Kings Arms and the line to the was stretched out into the street.
Read More...
Gig Review: Skinny Hobos @ Yot Club, Raglan - 06/01/2018
08 Jan 2018 // by Matt Mutinous
The sun finally decided to make an appearance over Raglan on Saturday afternoon, following two days of chaos weather and king tides that flooded most of the country. Tourists returned with the warmth as the campground began to fill up, the sun slipped below the horizon almost as quickly as it appeared.
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