The Swamp had another death metal sauna, as it we like to say in these parts. This Monday we had a solid two combo death metal punch by Suffocation and Porazium. As in the last several days we had variety of bands coming to Croatia like Uada, Sabat and Cradle of Filth, one might expect that maybe this gig would get the shortest straw considering the ticket sales. Imagine my surprise seeing the venue absolutely packed and ready for another dose of extreme metal and lamenting for not carrying an extra air tank with a water bucket because we are gonna sweat silly for the next several hours in there.
Starting in 21:00 precisely Porazium took over stage, as it usually goes for support bands in The Swamp club, there are two drum sets. One for the headliner and one for the support bands. So support bands are usually quite limited with the space on the stage, but that had done little to stop Porazium to hit with 8 spine crushing songs of assault. Also presenting their new guitarist Vilim Radaković, he and the vocalist Chos we much more focused on the performance while Antonio on the bass was a pure beast, behaving like he was trying to get out of his skin.
Although the band plays in Zagreb with a solid frequency by the large size of the present audience in the venue is still not quenched. For a very good reason, this is death metal done by the veterans of the local scene and there is a strong conviction and self-assurance in their performance and songwriting. The identity and sound, even after their first (and so far only album) is very much cemented.
- Against the elements
- At war with yourself
- Porazium
- Die rot forgive no
- Factory of idiots
- Darkness overtakes the light
- Zona sumraka
- Došao je kraj
After 35 minutes of Poraziums performance, the stage was quickly being rearranged for the tonight’s beast.
Now, if Porazium was typical eastern European heat wave, Suffocation is an active volcano. This is speaking from a person that is not that very familiar if them, but it seems that there is around 300 people in the venue who are. The intro of the band started in 21:55 and all hell broke lose. This kind of intensity I had not felt since seeing Cryptopsy.
Suffocation burst on stage to the discontent hostility of ‘Seraphim Enslavement,’ a track from their latest album Hymns from the Apocrypha, and by bursting I mean in all meanings possible.
The overall live sound was fantastic, but lets about the first elephant in the room: the new vocalist Ricky Myers is a goddamn beast. I don’t know what microphone he is using but this clear and brutal voice I had not heard in while, even the light added reverb in the vocal effect work superbly
His expressive left hand visually mimicking and anticipating the twists and turns of his band, shaking rapidly by the side of his head during a blast beat, slicing the air with an open palm to punctuate rhythmic pauses and time signature changes. It was like he was the conductor for the sonic apocalypse that was happening in front of our eyes.
He was also the conductor for the audience, because when he yells “circle pit!” people go nuts by the second despite degrees were equivalent of a fucking sauna. I need to say that this is one of the unhinged circle pits I had seen in a while, so much that our photographer was fighting for his life at times. Hence the small number of pictures in the gallery.
Ricky even encouraged the audience to stage dive during the last song which is becoming a novelty and very cool too see.
Performance-wise, the band was well oiled machine, everything is well rehearsed and everybody knows their position and their work. Although you can see that this heat even surprised the band, even Ricky asked for the AC, which was very cute.
Even if you don’t listen to Suffocation (similar to acts like Cryptopsy) this is a band that you need to see live; you will either go into berserker mode or just stare into the band just in awe of their performance to the point that you are seeing your equipment first thing in the morning.
On a more personal note; after the show we were so soaked in our own sweat that I picked pretty much the worst cold of this year so far (hence the delay in this gig report), but this is one of the most intense shows that I seen so far this year. Fucking worth it.
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- Seraphim Enslavement
- Funeral Inception
- Thrones of Blood
- Perpetual Deception
- Jesus Wept
- Hymns From the Apocrypha
- Pierced From Within
- Catatonia
- Infecting the Crypts
