Once again, unfortunately, due to work, I was unable to catch the first band Mountain Wizard Death Cult, but with a name like that I’m sure they were sick and will check them out.
Lo! Are veterans of the Australian metal scene and had their teeth bared tonight. Ultra aggressive, heavy and atmospheric. This was the first chance I’ve had to catch Lo! In person and they did not disappoint.
Their brand of blackened sludge metal tore up the Landsdowne Hotel. Sam Dillon (Vocals) was savage and charismatic, you can tell he really believes in the music and message of Lo!. I don’t want to use the term “Catchy” as it seems degrading to the songwriting of Lo!, but the melodic interludes that build into chaotic crescendos were exceptional.
Ending with the title track from the outstanding new release Gleamers Lo! Were exceptional, this will not be the last time I make the effort to catch them live and I suggest you do the same.
I’ve been a big fan of headliners Conjurer ever since their debut Mire blew me away. The relentless riffs, and intricate song craft made an immediate impression. When Curse These Metal Hands arrived (a colab with Pijn) it was also incredible. Latest release Pathos is immense, it took a while for me to wade through the dense tracks and now I can’t stop listening to it.
I never thought I would get to see them on a stage in Sydney, being a niche heavy band from the UK, but here we are. Launching into the opening track from Pathos, It Dwells to open their set, Conjurer sound even more brutal live, an absolute wrecking ball. Brady Deeprose is an intimidating figure of guttural greatness screaming into the crowd for the first bars of Choke.
I swear Conor Marshall never stops his windmills, no idea how he does it while wrecking his bass. Recent addition Noah See on drums absolutely crushed. The opening riff to Hollow is a slow moving beast that flattens all in its path. As Brady abandons his mic and screams at the crowd with the might of a charging bear it’s quite a sight and so damn heavy.
Rot descends into noisy chaos only to bring it back to a slow sledgehammer smash. Dan Nightingale’s guitar work and vocals add immeasurably to the sound that makes Conjurer special. All You Will Remember, has a small clean vocal section seems to add to the gravitas with the twin picking guitar taking you on a journey.
Retch blasts out of the gates and gets the crowd moving up the front, until the grinding slow down, then explodes again, so dawn heavy. Those Years, Condemned absolutely slays. After some great banter the enchanting Cracks In The Pyre is up next, once again what a journey of a song.
Ending on the monolithic Hadal, Conjurer are masters of their craft, taking the audience on journey after journey in each song while making you headbang the whole way. I swear they also played Suffer Alone during their set, but I had been so pummelled by sludgy blackened riffs and incredible music that I’m not sure where. During the final epic breakdown of Hadal Conor jumps into the crowd to lead them in one final mosh, what a performance, what a band. Miss them at your peril.
Review by Jonathan Hurley
