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Live Reviews : In Malice’s Wake, ‘Thrash Upon the Wicked’ Album Launch @ Evelyn Hotel, Melbourne 11/12/2015

By on December 12, 2015

Ever since this show was first announced, it has been one of my most anticipated nights of the year. Not only were In Malice’s Wake launching their brand new and killer third album, ‘Light Upon The Wicked’ (which is quickly climbing to the top as one of my favourite Aussie releases of the year), but they were to be joined by a whole myriad of some of the finest talent Melbourne has to offer. With the likes of Desecrator standing side-by-side with them, Bane of Winterstorm were to also launch their own new EP tonight, and Decimatus and Espionage were on hand to bring the monstrous evening into full swing early on with style and substance.

in malice's wake thrash upon the wicked 2015

Opening tonight were traditional heavy metal/speed metal warriors, Espionage. This is my first time properly seeing these guys live as I sadly just missed their set when last they played opening for Silent Knight at the Bendigo Hotel in October this year. I was not ready for the sheer power behind this band! Sometimes is the case where the opening act of a night might be a tad bit more underwhelming when compared with the acts that are to follow. But that was not the case in the slightest with this group. They may have started a few minutes late due to some technical difficulties, but from the moment they kicked things off, they crushed every minute of their set. Lead vocalist/bassist Andrew ‘Frosty’ Morris has some amazing pipes on him, and the higher register notes he is able to hit left me genuinely gobsmacked at times. With Espionage, it was like the best moments of Iron Maiden and Accept rolled into one. Lead guitarist/backing vocalist Denis Sudzuka is gifted on the fretboard, with his fingers moving about the neck with finesse. With rhythm guitarist Oliver ‘Ollie’ Raabe off tonight due to recent surgery, Dave Lowes of Demonhead filled in. Lowes fit so naturally into the mould of this band and played off the others well. Lastly was drummer James Shelverton who was a machine behind the kit. This man can drum!

Following on from Espionage were Decimatus, who came out like a barrage of cannon fire. I was impressed with the crowd that had gathered tonight. It was great to see so much support for the local scene, with much of the venue already at a sizeable number from Espionage’s set alone. In Decimatus, vocalist Tommy Jennings (who always manages to look like a total badass without even trying) whirred the crowd and then erupted into song. With a sleeveless tee bearing the face of new Star Wars villain Kylo Ren, Jennings didn’t let up once; garnering some good headbanging from the first couple songs of their set. This band never fails to impress, and I’ve seen them more than a few times now. There had been a minor mic issue at the very start, wherein his vocals couldn’t be heard as well, but thankfully this was fixed quite quickly. And before long, Decimatus stood tall beneath saturating red light and enveloping smoke and proved why they built the following they have. Decimatus have been through much over the past few years, touring their album ‘Catalyst For Rage’, experiencing some lineup changes, and so on, but Decimatus were on point tonight. With Josh Rech and Chris ‘Czim’ Czimmermann on drums and guitar respectively, there is a real cohesion to their music right now and it resonates strongly and defiantly.

I’d seen many people around the venue tonight wearing Bane of Winterstorm t-shirts (myself included), and seeing them again tonight for the first time since their performance opening for Blind Guardian in Melbourne back in June, this band only continues to grow better by the day. As the haunting notes of “Behold, A Pale Winter” flooded in over the audience, the five members who form Bane of Winterstorm stood dark and poised at the front of the stage. Vocalist Mark Kennedy’s words sung in over the smoke-ridden stage, coming like a cold chant in the night. As others had noted tonight, and as I myself have mentioned in the past, Mark’s vocals are some of the best of any in the Australian metal scene. The notes at which this man can reach are phenomenal, and he is always pitch perfect. Considering how ambitious Bane of Winterstorm is, to a more inexperienced singer, this could have really meant the potential downfall of this band, but with Mark, he more than holds his own. Indeed, he complements the band and its music rather intrinsically. But none of this is to mention the exceptional talent that comes into the rest of it: what, with original band co-founder, guitarist, and harsh vocalist AJ Finch; Dean Kennedy on drums; Andrew Hudson on bass (someone who between his international duties with Harlott still finds time to play here – respect); and their new bassist, who replaced the recently left Chris Themelco, but who sadly I couldn’t locate the name of online – they also did a fine job. With the smoke and lighting effects a highlight, hearing their new EP ‘The War of Shadows II: Upon the Throne of Râvnöraak’ live was wonderful, and as always, this band was technically flawless throughout.

Desecrator came on next and garnered one of the strongest reactions of the night. But after seeing them again, it is never too hard of a stretch to understand why that is. Co-headlining this evening, Desecrator went off with a bang in the crowd from the moment that first riff stormed in. Vocalist/guitarist Riley Strong just seems like one of the best guys to be around. He was genuinely having fun and just loving what he was doing up on stage for the whole of their set, and the response and connection he had with the audience was astounding. Many at the front drew nearer to him like a pigeon who has eyed curiously bird seed in the palm of an elderly man. And he was always more than happy to accommodate them. Desecrator have grown to be one of the more respected and beloved bands in the local scene, and again, it isn’t hard to realise why. Even if thrash metal isn’t necessarily your thing, this band has a wider appeal beyond merely that due to their simply infectious and loveable stage presence; one which is shared among all members of the band. Riley had announced how amazing it felt for them to be back playing for a Melbourne crowd, and had us amusingly all wave and say hi to new bassist Gerad ‘Gerry’ Biesboer, who replaced Paulie Tipping and who we were told this was his first time playing in Melbourne with Desecrator.

IMW - Light Upon the Wicked

‘Light Upon the Wicked’ – out now via Punishment 18 Records

We finally had come to the end of the night and the final act of the evening. As In Malice’s Wake prepared their equipment up on stage, the pit area was buzzing; with people saying or suggesting to others about getting a pit going. This, as it turns out, was the light part of that statement. I thought the pits Desecrator had scored were riotous, but In Malice’s Wake pit brought it to a whole other level. It’s been around a year since the band last played a show in Melbourne, and with In Malice’s Wake filming tonight also for a new video, it only further encouraged the growing levels of pit mania. It was hilarious and insane, though. For a start, the amount of people who crowd surfing on the arms of a given few was nuts, and then you had the brilliant addition of a certain individual who shall remain nameless, but that we’ll call the ‘Safety Luchador’. Wearing a King Parrot special hi-vis workers vest and a Mexican wrestler’s mask, the Safety Luchador was continuously trying to rouse as many people in the audience as he could and coaxing people to join in on the circular rampage that was happening at the front of the stage. Probably one of the best crowd displays I’ve seen all year!

In Malice’s Wake sound was flawless. These guys have been missed, but they came back with a vengeance last night. The time off was not wasted in the slightest. Brothers Shaun and Mark Farrugia slaughtered it on guitars/vocals and drums respectively, and the bass and lead guitar of Karl Watterson and Leigh Bartley sounded huge. In Malice’s Wake are deservedly one of Australia’s best and most unique thrash metal bands.

The select songs chosen from ‘Light Upon The Wicked’ which included the likes of “Annihilation Frost” and the title track sounded menacingly brutal up on stage. I’ve got to give props to the light and sound engineers tonight. For the most part, they killed it. The Evelyn Hotel can be a tough venue to do sound for due to its somewhat awkward construction (with curving corners, pillars, and so on), but what they did with it tonight made the evening all the better. In Malice’s Wake just crushed it on every song and before I knew it, it was over. Far too soon. ‘Thrash Upon the Wicked’ was a great night, full of awesome music and even better people.

Be sure to pick up your copy of ‘Light Upon the Wicked’ (out now via Punishment 18 Records) today through In Malice’s Wake’s official webstore.

About

Jonathon is an aspiring fantasy/sci-fi novelist and music journalist. Thanks to the influence of the music he grew up with, he has always possessed a keen interest in metal and rock. He is also a huge fan of mythology, legend, and folklore from all across the world. You should follow him on Twitter.