Cece Lawless
The last time Gorod graced these shores was more than ten years ago, and their long absence only made the anticipation for their performance even greater. Hailing from the south of France, this tech-death metal group effortlessly commanded the stage, displaying a comfort that spoke volumes of their years of experience in the music world.
Their set kicked off with a thunderous intensity as the strings, paradoxically serene yet intricate, filled the room. The fury of the drums matched the complexity of the guitars, creating an atmosphere of chaos and beauty. As the set progressed, the mood shifted as funkier grooves worked their way into the mix.
The crowd, though not massive, was incredibly engaged, making plenty of noise and showing an enthusiasm that suggested they had been waiting just as long for this moment. The lead singer’s presence on stage immediately captured attention, evoking the raw energy of Henry Rollins while still delivering a range of clean, emotive vocals that were nothing short of mesmerizing. His vocal prowess truly stood out, adding another layer of energy to the music. The entire band clearly enjoys every moment, feeding off the crowd’s energy and giving it right back. Their engagement with the audience was executed with ease and without any apprehension.
The second Skeletal Remains hit the stage, it was clear that this was going to be a brutal, no-holds-barred kind of set. From the word “go,” the moshers were out in full force, thrashing, pushing, and living for every second of the chaotic energy that poured from the speakers. Skeletal Remains managed to collectively transport an audience back to early 90s/late 80s LA as pure, unfiltered old-school death tinged thrash metal poured through the speakers.
There were small technical issues at first with the lead vocalist’s mic but once fixed, that raw, unintelligible growl that the genre thrives on, came through perfectly. Though the sound mix wasn’t as crisp as it had been for the band before them, and the band seemed frustrated with the technical difficulties, but the crowd was still all in. They didn’t need flawless sound to keep the pit alive.
Once sound issues were sorted, the crowd were met with heavy, galloping drums which were locked in perfectly with the string section. Every beat feel like it was driving you straight into the ground, and it became clear, Skeletal Remains were not here to play.
Crowd interaction? Minimal. But that didn’t matter as the fans were vibing hard. This wasn’t a band looking to hold your hand; this was about getting lost in the cacophony of pulsating sound, a world where all you had to do was feel the heavy bass and bang your head to the driving rhythm section. In the background, a ribbon of rainbow lights flashed across the ceiling, adding a unique contrast to the otherwise brutal show.
While Skeletal Remains hark back to a different time, their fan base was undeniably younger, an audience looking for that retro feel that’s been making waves akin to Gatecreeper. These groups are bringing death metal and thrash back to life, with an intensity that appeals to both old heads and the new guard, and, damn, their merch is fire.
The energy hit a new high when one fan with a massive mullet opened up the pit even more. They deserve a standing ovation for keeping the chaos at full tilt.
Opening their set, Obscura dragged the audience into their dark, melodic embrace with a haunting entrance track that set the mood. From the second they took the stage, smoke machines bellowed from the stage regularly, blanketing the crowd in clouds. The lead vocalist couldn’t have been more electrified, smiling and loving every moment performing to the audience. Who in turn unleashed as the moshers hit hard, almost knocking a tech desk over!
The circle pit? Well, that was a full-on storm. Bodies were flying, limbs were everywhere, and one poor soul even lost their shoe in the madness. It was chaos, but it was glorious. Obscura tore through a mix of new cuts and fan-favourite classics, without a single note or beat missed. The audience were rowdy. If you weren’t screaming, you were moshing. When the band teased the end of the show with “This is our last song,” the crowd was having none of it. The roar for an encore was deafening, a demand so strong the band couldn’t possibly walk off-stage. And so they gave us more, igniting the crowd’s frenzy once again.
When it comes to technical proficiency, Obscura didn’t falter once. Every riff, every change, sharp and precise – nothing was lost in the frenzy. The lineup was solid, but Gorod stood out as the most diverse sonically, their varied sound adding layers of richness to the night.
