Live : HATRED, SYPHOR + more – Galway (12-03-2015) Posted: 17/04/2015 by Trevor McCormack
Located in the shadier side of “The City of the Tribes”, off the beaten track and away from the hustle and bustle of Shop street, Galway city’s Roisin Dubh is no stranger to its fair share of heavy music acts from The Answer to Kerbdog, from Arnocorps to most recently Dictated.
This is definitely more apparent in recent years with the arrival of Feast promotions who feature acts in the Roisin on a regular basis adding and injecting new vigor and heavy music into one of Galway’s most cherished of live venues.
But tonight breeds a different kind of music event. For a start the event is handled by Dublin’s JD Metal Promotions in collaboration with The Cranium Titanium show, on Flirt FM 101.3 and a first for both organisations running an event in the Roisin.
I arrived early at the cosy upstairs venue in the Roisin Dubh to find not only were all bands present but equipment, backline, P.A etc all set-up and ready to sound check. No mean feat for an event featuring two Dublin bands and one from Germany but its up to local groove metal champs Negativ Result to get the ball and heads a rolling to a fairly healthy number of people for such an early evening slot.
Negativ Result start with the blistering “Parasite” a track that wouldn’t be out of place on Machine Heads “The Blackening”, before charging with a heads down full on assault with “This is Madness’.
Their catchy and punchy sound is an instant hit with the punters and even at this early stage I can already feel my neck starting to strain! They rip through their set, featuring tracks off the amazing “Welcome To Hell”, debut with addition of “Red”, and recently recorded “Shake Bag”. I even witness a fan singing along to every song which is inspiring to see that these young Galwegians already have a strong and dedicated fanbase and rightly so.
Negativ Result finish their set with the crowd pleasing “Welcome To Hell’ featuring a mix of brutally heavy and clean vocals delivered with sheer ferocity by the the ever convincing Brendan Murphy who completely dominates as a frontman!
After a quick change-a-rooney Axial Symmetry are next to take the stage, unfortunately some of the crowd leave for a breather but that doesn’t seem to phase these North-side Industrial/Death Technicians one bit!
Right from the start one gets the feeling there is something new and exciting about this extreme metal quartet, the use of industrial samples and intros certainly helps as they start with the sample/intro “Hidden Agenda”, this rouses the crowds curiosity before they explode into “Vision Impaired”.
These guys deliver with lightning fast intensity as they charge through a fast and ferocious set from their “Nothing Is Left Ep” and a few new ones from the yet to be released “United Corruption”. They finish up with “Burning Paradise” a great track with some amazing technical twin guitar mastery from Gavin Doyle and Matt O’Brien, to a very satisfied Galway crowd.
By this time its Co-headliners, Syphor who take to the stage.
The opening riff off “Inferno” instantly draws the crowd in closer and ushers the smokers nearby to stub ‘em out and get their asses inside!
From the start its clear that Syphor as performers and musicians are true veterans not only for mastering their chosen craft but being able deliver a fantastic live sound with every instrument sounding clear and not mudded, drowned out or competing with each other.
Syphor take complete advantage of the relatively small venue with a very personal and intimate performance especially frontman Dan Golding who physically walks right up to various patrons, before stalking around to the rest of the audience whilst performing with demonic relish.
Syphor deliver the tightest set of the night and have fun with doing it!
Daragh” snake-hips” Brennan has all the swagger and finesse of a jazz musician with his digits doing double time on the fretboard while drummer Jay Healy keeps them all in check while punishing the kit. The rest of the band entice the crowd to dance and bang along in particular to the bridge of “My throne to be”.
They finish a very heavy, fast, dynamic and hugely enjoyable set with unbelievably tight and energetic delivery.
After the mighty Syphor its teutonic thrasher Hatred who take the stage.
I grab a quick break and can hear Hatred launching into their first song before it abruptly ends!
I am in formed that frontman Bacchus “has injured himself”and, after running inside I see said frontman crouching down and nursing his head, a puddle of blood on the floor. Actually theres drops of blood splattered everywhere, the floor, the ceiling even on the audience!
Apparently he slit his head on a guitar string and at this stage it doubtful if the band can continue with their set.
But fear not, as after about 20 minutes or so Bachaus returns, patched up and full of vigor as they dive straight into “Madhouse symphonies”.
Injured or not this dynamic and energetic frontman gives a festival worthy performance to the modest crowd in the Roisin and Hatred are rewarded with an enthusiastic roar after nearly every song! He even creates a mosh pit grabbing members of the crowd pint in hand or not and throwing them into a mosh pit, even the other members of the band get involved running circles around the each other as they stomp through quality and classic thrash at break neck speed!
The set includes fan favourites such as “follow the leader”, We are the Mosh Crew”, “Caught in the pit” and a couple of new ones such as “Fuck The Zombie” from the upcoming “War Of Words”.
This is a band who literally give blood sweat and tears in showmanship and finish their set to deafening screams!
After this show the tour went to Dublin and Belfast, but here in sleepy Galway we patiently await the return of these modern thrash masters!
