Brisbane’s pop-punk upstarts Two Times Shy are soaring lofty heights as they let loose their …
SEPULTURA with Death Angel and Harlott
170 Russell, Melbourne
15th May, 2018
“We’re here to celebrate METAL,” Death Angel singer Mark Osegeuda shrieked. He was fucking right.
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Every time we hear a riff, bang our head, or raise our horns, we’re celebrating metal. Because metal is fucking great. We all had work in the morning. Right now, metal is what keeps us united free.
170 Russell looked bare of its usual techno bells and whistles tonight, not that new thrash warriors Harlott gave a fuck. They couldn’t possibly have hailed from the 80s direct, but who cared? It was all blurred leads and barrelling drums. After, old hands reached into their pocket to Google “Harlott band members” just to check they weren’t Bay Area lords granted with immortality.
Harlott // By Albert Lamontagne
How old IS Death Angel? I know they were around before when Kerry King had hair, but I have to ask Messrs. Cavestany and Osegueda; what is your gym routine? Supps? The blood of virgins? These boys tore up the stage like it was their first—and last—time. Claws In So Deep had a twirl of Rob’s finger in the air, right before Mark did the same with his entire mic stand. Nothing about Death Angel betrays its true age.
Death Angel // By Albert Lamontagne
The Ultra-Violence and Thrown To The Wolves called for a fusillade of elbows and pure aggression; “Security’s having a fucking night off in here!” Mark said, chiding us. Of course, the mosh powered up to cyclone strength in response. All too often, Cavestany’s snarling leads left us wondering if he’d tear real strips off his cream-white guitar. Bringing it down for Lost, the clean-sung mid-pacer the closest any of us will get to a ballad, did little to spin down the pit. “It’s been far too long coming back to Australia,” Mark said, catching his breath. Yeah mate, it has been. Sepultura had to follow this. Good luck, hermanos.
With a nerve-searing light and sound show this version of Sepultura puts on—Iron Maiden on a tight budget—does it matter if Roots Bloody Roots is anchored by Brothers Cavalera or Sepultura A.D.?
Kids and office jobs might wound the thrasher, they don’t kill him. A dude shuffling past in pork pie hat and designer pullover still rocked a studded bracelet, and you have to admire that. No one is into metal, thrash metal especially, “over that summer” or “that one time back in high school.” You’re in it for life. A bit like Andreas Kisser, taking the wheel of the good ship Sepultura as Max Cavalera abandoned it for Soulfly. Did it make sense? Should it make sense?
Sepultura // By Albert Lamontagne
Every metalhead on Earth would be worse off without the existence of Sepultura, hence he keeps the flame alive. You’d know it too, since he took a hi-beam spotlight near every time he switched from riff to lead. Cheesy church organ and pulsing red intro aside, the half-crab, half-robot “Machine Messiah” looked down upon us tonight. Derrick Green charged in, a fury of pure bark and muscle. Belting into tribal Kaiiros, it was like a porcupine of lights focused on Paulo Jr, pummelling skins so fast he could’ve blown a gasket.
Sepultura // By Albert Lamontagne
Green informed us we’d hear a lot of Machine Messiah tracks tonight, which were a little disappointing. The title track was a total droning snoozefest, rescued late by Kisser’s impassioned Iceberg Dances, rippling with flamenco guitar and Brazilian rhythms. A half-plastered woman even got her dance on, spilling more than a couple of drops of her vodka lemonade. Grinning now, Green ripped into some classics (can you believe he’s been in the band 20 years now?) like Refuse/Resist, and Arise. Crowd favourites beyond compare. Horn waving, boot stampeding, fuck you I won’t do what you tell me favourites. With a nerve-searing light and sound show this version of Sepultura puts on—Iron Maiden on a tight budget—does it matter if Roots Bloody Roots is anchored by Brothers Cavalera or Sepultura A.D.? Our hearts and ears lapped it up regardless. On the fence about this bill? Jump the fuck off. This is a thrash package at its very best.
REMAINING SEPULTURA MACHINE MESSIAH TOUR DATES
Wednesday 16 May // The Gov // Adelaide
Thursday 17 May // The Northern // Byron Bay
Friday 18 May // Eatons Hill hotel // Brisbane
Saturday 19 May // Metro Theatre // Sydney
Sunday 20 May // Capitol // Perth
