Recommended Aussie Tunes:Psycroptic | The new single "A Fragile Existence" | Listen

Live Reviews : Cannibal Corpse & Hour Of Penance @ 170 Russell, Melbourne 12/09/2014

By on September 13, 2014

Words: Mitch Alexander

Images: Tony Proudfoot

Click here to view the full gallery!

As I wandered about 170 Russell, it warmed the cockles of my heart to hear so many people still using death growls as a method of conveying agreement or pleasure. I swear to god someone confirmed their drink order with a guttural burping sound, and it was glorious. I hadn’t heard the sweet sounds of metalheads not giving a fuck in far too long, and it instantly put me in the right frame of mind to enjoy a night of professional death metal.

I’m sure all of you reading this know, but just in case you don’t, despite the gruff exterior, almost uniform appearance, and deliberately intense music, the metal scene is the nicest, most welcoming and most supportive scene I’ve ever been a part of (except for the racist black metal bands, but with music that bad there’s no real threat of the general population finding out about them). This inclusiveness was more evident at Cannibal Corpse than any gig I think I’ve ever been too. Interspersed among the long haired, late-20s louts, there were ‘core kids with their plugs and singlet’s, hedge fund managers in their finest leather jackets have a reminisce, and even, at one point, a couple who looked dressed to keep the night going at a high end cocktail. And not one of them, not one, decided to be a dickhead, to try and out-metal someone, to exclude someone because of how they looked or behaved. Everyone was smiling, headbanging, getting tanked and enjoying themselves. Bless your cotton socks, every one of you.

Hour of Penance

Hour of Penance

Hour Of Penance, who I’ve not heard of until tonight, we’re surprisingly great. Normally I’d hang shit on a vocalist that monsters his crowd work and between-song banter, but fuck it, they were good enough to overlook it. If a band is playing death metal so well the only complaint I can raise is that I dislike a tried and true cliché of the entire genre, I think they’re doing something right. They played with a passion that seeped through every riff and circle-head-spin, and I can’t say enough good things about their light show. It made their set. I’m not sure if opening bands aren’t allowed, can’t afford, or don’t want a light show these days, but god damn if it didn’t elevate Hour Of Penancefrom “capable support group” to “headliner opening for the biggest death metal band on Earth.” It made me happy to not only see such a good show being performed, but to see a good show be recognized by a large crowd. Perfect opener.

Cannibal Corpse

Cannibal Corpse

I don’t think I have the word count to say all the good things I want to say about Cannibal Corpse. Even their change over time was good for Christ’s sake. Their sound was spot on, the riffs were huge, the vocals terrifyingly good, and the mosh pit (more just a dangerous jumble of drunk, happy movement) was intense from the second they started.
I’ve been a fan of their albums for a while, but having never seen Cannibal Corpse live, I was totally unprepared for how impressed I was going to be. I thought I would see a classic death metal band play some classic death metal and walk away thinking, “yes, that was some classic death metal.” Instead, I was given an almost visceral realization; this is how a band can stick around for 20 years, recording and touring with some of the most brutal and niche music on offer. They re fucking good. What really surprised me was how heavy some of their slowly and groovier tracks were. The fast stuff is technically impressive and a lot of fun, but hearing something like Evisceration Plague live was gut-punchingly exciting. I now believe head banging is less a preconceived dance move and more a natural, animal reaction to music this heavy. You can’t not do it, like kicking your leg when your knee is knocked, or crying when you hear a Kanye song.

You all likely know how good Cannibal Corpse is already, or you don’t care for it all, this won’t change your mind. But for what it’s worth, I think these guys are kings, and you owe it to yourself to see them live at least once in your life.

Cannibal Corpse Aus tour 2014

About

Mitch is a 26 year old vegan, socialist, atheist, utilitarian, reductionist metalhead, stand up comedian and philosophy major that hates labels. When he isn't being politely ignored at dinner parties he's being politely ignored on comedy nights around the country.