Not even a year has elapsed and both death metal Egyptologists Nile and Mesopotamian black/death/folk metallers Melechesh are back in London. The pair toured the UK back in 2011 and put on a pair of incendiary performances so tonight's show is one that should not be skipped by any death metal subscriber.
Last seen at the capital's Incineration Fest last May where they had a far too brief set length, Israel's Melechesh take the stage, opening with'The Pendulum Speaks' from last year's 'Enki' album, while burning incense whisks the scents of the Levant to Tuffnell Park. Their latest studio effort sees the band incorporate a refreshing black thrash approach to their music, coupled with their signature Middle Eastern inspired guitar melodies. Following the opener comes 'Temper Tempest Enlil Enraged', another 'Enki' selection and one of the finest moments in their discography, grandiose and suspenseful.
Frontman Ashmedi is the centrepiece of the band, his black metal rasps and scathing guitar tone dominating the venue. Guitarist Moloch and new bassist Tsel initially hit the stage in black headscarves that obscure their face before whipping them off after the first song. With their formidable stage presence, Melechesh storm through their setlist, naturally concerning themselves with the second half of their career. The rhythmic 'Ladders to Sumeria', the feral 'Deluge of Delusion Dreams' and older staple 'Triangular Tattvic Fire' are marked highlights in the performance. At the beginning, the audience are relatively unresponsive but before too long, a mosh pit erupts, much to the satisfaction of the band. Nearing the finale of the set, Ashmedi informs the audience that they may have heard about him being put under house arrest last year following a fight in a bar in Jerusalem but now he is out and can tour, punctuated by the voluminous cheers of the audience. Closing with the beloved 'Rebirth of the Nemesis', Melechesh leave behind them yet another explosive exhibition of unique extreme metal.
The Dome is now rammed, suggesting that London dwellers certainly did not reach their quota for seeing the headliners last year. Following an intro tape of 'Unshabti Reanimator' US technical death metal icons Nile waste no time launching into one of the most popular songs 'Sacrifice Unto Sebek', its doom-laden introduction giving way to crushing ferocity and almost inimitable technical prowess, all while the floor transforms into a maelstrom of violence. 'Kafir' sees the audience singing along to its chorus; 'Call to Destruction' strips backs the technicality in favour of more straight-forward aural bludgeoning; 'Ithyphallic' slows tempos to a death crawl; 'Unas Slayer of the Gods' is a twelve minute epic of death metal savagery;'Sarcophagus' promotes the sonically sinister and'Lashed to the Slave Stick' is a weaving of intriguing rhythms.
Nile's musicianship oscillates between strange time signatures dictating technical riffs and brutal death metal heaviness that is embellished with Egyptian-inspired guitar melodies from Karl Sanders and Dallas Toler-Wade. Each of the four band members are exceptionally talented, including new bassist Brad Parris. Watching fingers constantly dancing up and down fretboards and drummer George Kolias presenting minimal signs of fatigue with fast and off beat drumming is mesmerising and unlike a multitude of other bands keen to declare how accomplished they are at their instruments, this quartet can effortlessly craft extremely memorable songs. The final song arrives and Toler-Wade introduces it as the Nile favourite 'Black Seeds of Vengeance', shoving the punters into a final enormous mosh pit with limbs flailing in every direction. Performed with deadly precision, the closing track lays waste to the venue in an excellent fashion and is the best way to conclude such a relentless night. Both bands provided an overwhelmingly entertaining extreme metal spectacle that will not be forgotten in a hurry. Here is hoping both will return to the UK very shortly again.
FUTURE GIGS
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