Despite the gravity of the cause – a benefit for the family of late Decapitated drummer Witold ‘Vitek’ Kiełtyka, and frontman Adrian ‘Covan’ Kowanek, still in a coma eight years after their tour bus crashed in Belarus – tonight’s atmosphere is one of celebration, in honour of the dedication and energy both musicians brought to their art.
NARGIS [7], featuring Akercocke’s Jason Mendonca and Dam’s Nathanael Underwood, are a covers riot. Troops Of Doom gets a frenetic blastbeat treatment, while Leprosy dredges up the soundtrack to innumerable not-so-misspent youths.
Adorned in paint-splattered patient garb like they’re on day release from some apocalyptic hell, META-STASIS [8] are both driven to the edge of reason and kept just in check by eight-stringed technical wizardy, rampaging grooves and samples electro-shocking the crowd and monstrous vocals.
DESECRATION [7] intersperse their banter with gore-drenched DM drills like being pummelled into a maggot-infested bog and INGESTED’s [8] super-tight sermons prove how vital modern DM can be when it knows where it came from. With ex-The Rotted’s Ben McCrow joining Dean Jones on vocals, EXTREME NOISE TERROR [8] are the indomitable spirit of protest incarnate, rallying increasingly bruised followers to their grind blast like waves crashing against the cliffs.
