BODYHOUND / EMPLOYED TO SERVE / OHHMS / AULOS – HOLY ROAR RECORDS DIRTY WEEKENDER
FIREFLY, WORCESTER. SATURDAY 25TH OCTOBER 2014.
Punk and metal are seen by some as being at opposing ends of the musical spectrum. Never the twain shall mix. To some “metal” is just spandex, Odin, reactionary politics and ghastly men with perms doing mucky things to young ladies. With pond life. To others, “punk” is just a load of people who can’t actually play their instruments jumping up and down and shouting. The reality of course is way more interesting and compelling – and when either term is used as a reason not to go to a show, you risk missing out on something glorious. Take this evening, for example: a showcase of new talent on the roster of the nominally “metal” label Holy Roar Records. Where there was as much energy, positivity and brass-necked progressive music on display as any “punk” show you will ever see. Ever.
Openers Aulos should be well known to readers of this site. This instrumental two-piece were alternately shimmering and pulverising. And all powered along by their cyborg third member, Guitarist Oli Montez’ pedal board of the gods, and a bass-heavy percussion so penetrating that it tickled the spleen.
All the way from the murky far end of Kent, OHHMS managed to be both apocalyptically heavy and deeply ethereal. This half-hour set only had two songs, each an environmentalist concept album in itself. I also can’t think of a band since Godflesh who have had the bravery to use intense quiet and the exceptionally slow with quite this much power. The actual Radio One Rock Show also played their track “Bloom” in its fifteen-minute glory the other week. At half past seven on a Sunday evening. Eat that.
Employed to Serve for their part were the pop dictionary definition of “fucking giving it some”: thoroughly modern, female-fronted technical hardcore, with the time changes and shitnails fast complexity of the Dillinger Escape Plan or Botch. As a live prospect this was a righteously lurching, slamming and screaming beast that literally ran up the walls and chewed at its own instruments in the feral joy of playing their stuff live. Searing.
Video by King Dave-
Closers Bodyhound also deserve more words than I can give them here. Featuring the former guitarist and bassist of Rolo Tomassi no less this was a class act, start to finish. With some lovely stage moves these boys were also a delight to watch – take a bow, bassist and contortionist Joseph Thorpe. Musically this was self-proclaimed “mathcore” – flexing along the line between dischord and melody – but for the older reader, all you need to know is that Bodyhound sound an awful lot like an instrumental NoMeansNo. Only sassier. And from Yorkshire. And, like the other bands on this bill, possessing of DIY ethic Steve Albini himself would be proud of.
Pics: Chris Burton / OHHMS
Words: Ed Ling
For More videos see: https://www.youtube.com/user/KingDaveRecords/videos
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