Music / Reviews
Review: Avatar/Alien Weaponry/Witch Club Satan, O2 Academy
Semi-naked Norwegian feminist trio Witch Club Satan might seem an odd fit for this bill, but they approach it confidently enough, processing onto the stage in their distinctive white costumes, which expose their breasts and feature some particularly natty knitted horns. Musically, they play a fairly crude form of atmospheric black metal with plenty of cackling and chanting, which makes it rather difficult to be sure what they’re on about, though disapproving references to Jeffrey Epstein and Benjamin Netanyahu establish their radical political credentials – as do song titles like Fresh Blood, Fresh Pussy.
A brief costume change sees them emerge with even fewer clothes, after which the bassist uses a bow to play her instrument. There’s something you don’t see every day. Hopefully, they’ll be back to play a headline show soon.
Possibly the world’s only Maori metal band, Alien Weaponry are keen we should know that they’ve travelled all the way from New Zealand to play for us tonight. They certainly succeed in getting the packed audience fired up rather than appealing only to the more adventurous, as Witch Club Satan did.
The trio begin with a traditional haka, which involves plenty of tongue waggling, the like of which we haven’t seen since the glory days of Kiss.
It’s easy to detect the thrash and groove metal influences in their sound, though comparisons to Sepultura seem rather lazy. Commanding frontman/guitarist Lewis de Jong has certainly worked at his craft and the band’s decision to highlight their cultural heritage in their lyrics (most of which are in the Maori language) succeeds in setting them apart.
They conclude their brief five-song set with Kai Tangata (translation: Eat People): a potent account of the early 19th century musket wars in New Zealand, which also explores the tradition of cannibalism and leaves us all with ears ringing and better informed about Maori culture.
Swedes Avatar’s rise to headlining venues this size has been slow and steady (we’ve previously seen them at the Anson Rooms and former SWX) rather than dramatic, since the mainstream media aren’t interested in them, which means that the audience have found their way here by word of mouth. They’re now too big to ignore.
After treating us to big band jazz over the PA for half an hour while they set up, they take to the stage dressed like extras from John Carpenter’s The Fog for opener Captain Goat. Yup, theatricality has always been part of the Avatar shtick, though it’s never been permitted to overwhelm the music. In fact, this is the only time all evening that charismatic, hyperactive frontman Johannes Eckerström is completely motionless.
Naturally, there’s a lot from new-ish album Don’t Go in the Forest, including the great title track, but the generously lengthy set includes plenty of older songs, plus a lot of furious windmilling of waist-length hair, and concludes with Smells Like a Freakshow and Hail the Apocalypse. Traditionalists are also delighted to see guitarist Jonas ‘Kungen’ Jarlsby adopt the crown and ascend his throne for Legend of the King. There’s also a fair bit of subtlety in the visual presentation, such as the single red balloon which drifts across the stage.
Frontman Johannes Eckerström is on fine sleazy, lascivious form, his voice ranging from death metal growl to high-pitched yelp, though slightly disappointingly he hasn’t brought the trombone this time (note: not a euphemism). He does, however, have a small electric piano on which to play Howling at the Waves, for which he wears a jacket that appears to be one of Liberace’s cast-offs. It’s often said that modern metal lacks the showmen of yesteryear, but Eckerström is the exception that proves the rule, enjoying an easy rapport with the audience during his lengthy raps.
They eventually leave the stage to Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again blasting through the PA. Over the road to the Beacon next time, then?
All pix by Mike Evans
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