Alice Through the WindshieldGlass, Tortured, Chud @ TheBasement, Canberra (29/1/11)

Mon 31st Jan, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Metal gigs in the ACT have a good record of supporting worthy causes and the RSPCA Flood Recovery Appeal was no exception. What’s better than a night at The Basement, listening to some good music to help those affected by the terrible flooding over the last couple of months?

The night kicked off with Frostbite and when the lead singer came out dressed as a “retarded flood-ravaged turtle,” you knew they were gonna be entertaining. From the get go, their technical riffing mixed with raw power and speed had the crowd rocking out and loving it. A very entertaining way to start the night.

Next up was Na Maza. They weren’t short on groovy riffs that brought to mind bands like Devildriver and Damageplan. Yet, at the same time their music made you feel like you wouldn’t be out of place if you were to bust a move on the dancefloor. The only setback was that the small size of the stage seemed to hinder their ability to show their full potential as an energetic live band. The set ended with a cover of System of a Down’s Toxicity which didn’t disappoint the fans. Their talent and presence on stage shows that these guys should be huge on the Aussie metal scene. I don’t see anything stopping them from reaching that goal.

No nonsense death metallers Chud were next in line. As their set wore on, they found form and had no problem belting out some chunky, almost soldier-like riffs that kept the crowd happy. They moved from slow and sludgey riffing straight into thrashier songs with little trouble and the circle pit enthusiasts were only too happy to take advantage. If these guys work on tightening up the start of their set, I don’t see much that they can’t do.

Coming on stage in some very tasteful corpse paint, Tortured got straight into it and didn’t disappoint. These lads were tight, worked the crowed beautifully and by the end of the set, had everyone up the front needing a neck brace the next day. There’s nothing more to say except that these guys rock.

Just before the headliners took to the stage, we were treated to some burlesque by Seker Pare and all I can say is that this art has gained a new fan. Everything about it was great. It was sexy, sophisticated and a nice change of pace from watching a bunch of big, sweaty metal dudes (no offence).

And finally we get to the main event. As soon as Alice Through the Windshield Glass arrived, I felt as though I was going to have a heart attack from the double bass. These lads play some awesome deathcore that reminded me of Hatebreed. Their songs were short, powerful and had you asking for more and the breakdowns gave them just the right amount of groove that I craved. They worked the crowd well and had everyone on the floor rocking out. A great way to end a great night for a great cause.