Local three-piece band Punishment took the stage first up, but this latecomer arrived only in time to catch the last half of their final song. What can I say? It was fast. It was brutal. It was punishment with a capital P.

Wagga super-group Leicohtica filled out the stage with seven members, including two full-time vocalists. There were growls aplenty, offset by the haunting melodic female vocals of the keyboard player who also pulled off some wicked licks with a classical piano feel and filled out the guitar driven sound with rich synth.

Lycanthia wowed the crowd with a tight set of original material, showing elements of doom metal interspersed with pacey heavy riffage. Having previously heard only their 1997 CD release I was greatly impressed at what the evolution of their line-up and their sound had produced. The highlight of Lycanthia’s music is the contribution of live violin and the harmonies of two female vocalists set amid the brutal vocals of the bass player. The blend of the contrasting instruments was fantastic. If you have the opportunity to see them live, I recommend you take it. Look out also for an upcoming EP release, recorded recently and in the final stage of production.

Mytile Vey Lorth played a furious, grinding set, but sadly I can’t provide honest comment on the guitars as they were let down by a particularly bad mix, a muddy wash with occasional moments of clarity. It came across tough, tight and technical but the sound was ill-defined. I can say however that the drummer was nothing short of astounding. With the speed and precision of a machine, he executed live on stage a performance that if heard recorded would have its authenticity called into question. To use a hackneyed phrase, you’ve got to see it to believe it. I look forward to hearing them again sometime, and with any luck a fuller sound.

Transcending Mortality finally got their piece of the limelight well after one am. They thanked the crowd for staying around so late, and then proceeded to make it worth our while. With a traditional metal style not unlike Iron Maiden, complete with soaring power vocals, the audience was pulled along on an epic metal ride and bathed in some glorious shredding, courtesy of the lead guitarist. Said guitarist later traded places with the singer for the final song, both showing equal aptitude for the other role. They ended on a crowd-pleasing cover, as though we weren’t already chuffed! I don’t recall the last time I had so much fun hearing music not strictly in my sphere of interest. Certainly the highlight of the night and a band worth catching live.