Slaughterday Festival 2009 - LIVE

date: Saturday, May 23, 2009
venue: London Purple Turtle, Camden, UK

Arriving late into the set of DIVINE CHAOS, the 5th of the 11 bands on today’s bill, I find myself welcomed by a good sound, a band delivering its best of thrash/death, and a crowd packing the Purple Turtle more than usual.
All seemed good for the afternoon ahead, brought together by Slaughterhouse & Cunt Promotions, themselves humble enough to put their very own thrash-in-your-face NEBUKADNEZZA & sludge stoners DEAD EXISTENCE early on the listing, not really a bother when one considers both acts’ recurrent prolific exposure at other gigs around the city. Humbleness, or a mere excuse to enable them to drink it in at leisure? Nobody’s business really, as what matters is that thanks to their hard work London was this afternoon being treated to a good taste of what the UK metal & hardcore scenes have on offer, opening up with Liverpool’s no-frills heavy bluesy rocking THE BENDAL INTERLUDE en route to Reading’s growing monster of intriguing yet accessible prog timings that is NO MADE SENSE via the aforementioned organisers’ 2 bands.

With attendees wowed to the point of “this is by far the best act today” being on many’s mouth, POMPAGIRA took their dirt-track doom from the grave onto the stage as a duo of 1 drummer and 1 guitarist wired through a circuit of at least 7 vintage amps from the 70s – Sunn, Ampeg, Orange, etc – check their page for the tech specs! Apparently, the search for a bassist has been unsuccessful, at which point one probes if it is really necessary considering the momentous wall of sound tonight!

This led to heavy riff machine with a Southern Lord touch CENTURIONS GHOST, quite a name on the scene supporting many a known doom act, and even more so admirable for sporting a female axester churning out one strong riff after another. However when all is said and done, I find their vocalist’s predominantly hardcore timbre (especially in their fast moments) does not do the rest justice. So despite the crowd participation clearly attested that many could disagree with me, the honest speak is that CG have never done it for me.

Unlike follow-up SALUTE who came to salute us all with their lively live-sounding live-act! As metal history has it that trios deliver a most honest sound, their website claiming MOTORHEAD to THIN LIZZY to STATUS QUO to HELLHAMMER as influences, and coming out on stage with T-shirts spelling metal diversity in the names of GODFLESH, MASTER’S HAMMER & ELECTRIC WIZARD, this metal ternion got even more better results from the crowd. Fuck yeah if not when you get such honest, no-frills damn nasty metal played in your face!

Next up where Britian’s latest death metal contenders DETRIMENTUM. Splashingly intense to the point of perfection, their hybrid death metal came across as a rollercoaster of anything heavy! Above average executed albeit not flabbergasting creative, DETRIMENTUM delivered a tight set as convincing as their already tested death metal formula comes, also thanks to the addition of new drummer from ANAAL NATHRAHK).

Which led to Earache contracted SSS from Liverpool, a crossbreed of hardcore and metal. Short sharp and shocking to some, more hardcore than metal to others like myself, make your opinion at their Myspace page.

To wrap this metal afternoon with good DJ interludes courtesy of Subterrenean Hellnoise, RAVEN’S CREED took to the stage to headline this indoor Slaughterday festival. Put together by members of IRON MONKEY, ORANGE GOBLIN and SABBAT yet not the least impressive as any of their main acts, especially seeing their front man criticize the soundman despite the good sound all night, RAVEN’S CREED proved once again that in all music circles name alone does not stand for musical substance.

The alcohol seemingly having tired out everyone, the night had by now closely come to an end, the Aussie Jager promo chick since gone without giving me her number as I refused to buy her sponge (:P), and one of my mates claiming a seat as a slut on the road claims her space (che troia sei Adriano hehe!). All part of London’s jamboree I would say.


Slaughterhouse Promotion
Reviewer: necrogool
Feb 26, 2010

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