Kevin Ashburn
The room is already bursting at the seams by the time Moloch step out and break in to the first few notes of their heavy sludge attack. The Nottingham quartet look like they’re having the time of their lives, with vocalist Chris Broddick in fine voice spitting bile over hulking grooves. However, as time passes, the set lacks an element of dynamism that would have elevated the whole affair to the next level. Aside from the few of the choir at the front of the audience who are hanging on to every note, the rest of the crowd feel like they’re waiting for a break that never quite arrives.
Is it possible for a captive audience to miss the beginning of an event they’re already in the building for? Seemingly impossible and yet tonight that’s exactly what happens as Thou start a whole forty minutes before their advertised set time. The crowd start filtering in around the time they get into ‘Grissecon’ but even then, there is a lack of energy coming from the Baton Rouge natives and there are murmurings of confusion. Is it a soundcheck? When does the real set start? No one other than Thou seems to know and it makes for an incredibly obscure atmosphere. Even the house lights don’t seem to know that the show has actually started, and it takes until the midpoint in the set for the crowd to realise that this isn’t a drill and they’ve found themselves smack bang in the middle of a sludge show.
Much like Moloch, it isn’t Thou’s most dynamic set, focussing heavily on slower material. This, coupled with the earlier confusion, means that the show doesn’t really start to hit home until ‘Cold World’ when it feels like the planets align and the centre of the universe’s gravity focuses on Moseley and tries to fold in on itself. Vocalist Bryan Funck is in fine form, with wild eyes that are visible from all corners of the venue, even through the backs of vigorously banging heads. The first time he speaks is to thank Moloch for their support, and dedicate the last track. Another slow but apocalyptically heavy bellow fills the room for the final time, and just as its really starting to cook, the night is over and what few houselights were turned out go up.
When Thou are on form, they are possibly one of the most impressive live acts on the planet. Alas, tonight feels like a missed opportunity either through poor communication, lapsed concentration, or a combination of both. Nevertheless, for a brief period of time, it feels like capturing a glimpse of a creature once thought extinct.