ABORT Magazine™

Live Review: MARDUK with guests, June 14th 2012 – Venue Nightclub, Vancouver B.C.

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photo – Chris McKibbin)

Live Review: Marduk w/ 1349, Withered and Weapon
Thursday, June 14th, 2012
Venue

Vancouver Gets Baptized In Fire

On a Thursday evening at Venue on Granville Street in downtown Vancouver, metal fanatics welcomed Swedish Black Metal veterans Marduk with open arms. Supporting acts consisted of Edmonton’s Weapon, Atlanta’s Withered and Norway’s 1349.

Introductory band Weapon hailing from Edmonton is not an unfamiliar band to the underground scene in Vancouver having played here several times previously over the years. Playing most songs off its latest and second full release From the Devil’s Tomb the highlight song of the evening was a track from the upcoming album. Having been the opening act Weapon lacked the intensity which usually comes with its performances. However, the band has surely sprouted many new fans from being selected to be on such a high profile tour. Expect to hear more from the recently signed to Relapse band.

Second band of the evening, Atlanta Georgia’s Withered, has also been here a number of times before. The band’s location truly shows in its music with an obvious sludge influence and sound. Doom death elements drive a healthy dose of slow and fast tempos, keeping to its strongly planted doom roots. Interesting note was the two different vocalists off to the side of the four piece band while the bassist played directly in the middle of the stage: not a common stage set up for many bands. With two vocals there was a good mix of high and guttural with plenty of delay.

2012 Vancouver was struck with black death, like Norway struck with the plague of 1349. In this case thankfully just the genre of black death metal and not the deadly disease which wiped out 2/3 of Norway’s population. The biggest let down of 1349’s performance was the lack of Frost on drums. Memorable tracks of the evening consisted of tracks off Demonoir, the latest full length as well as ‘I Am an Abomination” off Hellfire. Ravn’s grotesque appearance matched his vocal stylings and fit nicely with Archaon’s inverted chords on guitar.

Many die hard Vancouver Marduk followers felt a sudden sense relief when this show was first announced by Invisible Orange. Marduk delivered a harsh and uncompromising performance even though technical difficulties were had with the venue’s sound. This was felt not only by vocalist Mortuus (notably in “Funeral Mist” and “Triumphator”) but the crowd as well. Highlight of the set list was definitely “Materialized In Stone” played almost perfectly, as if Opus Nocturne wasn’t released in 1994 and the band hadn’t gone through extensive line up changes. Biggest let down of the evening was the lack of proper sound during “Baptized in Fire,” resulting in the track being more baptized by distortion. Other memorable songs included “Souls for Belial” off the 2012 release Serpent Sermon and Plague Angel’s “Throne of Rats”. As the only long term members still left in the band, Evil’s guitar passages and Devo’s bass lines wove effortlessly together, perfecting Marduk’s signature sound.

Marduk

1349

Withered

Weapon

By: Ruthless

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One Response to “Live Review: MARDUK with guests, June 14th 2012 – Venue Nightclub, Vancouver B.C.”

1. Marduk | Chris McKibbin Photography, on June 18th, 2012 at 10:43 pm Said:

   [...] Marduk, recently blew up the Venue in Vancouver. You can read the review and see a photo of mine on Abort Magazine. They played with Weapon, Withered, and 1349, but I’ll just post photos of Marduk, for [...]