HUNDRED YEAR OLD MAN, LEGENDS, EDINBURGH, NOVEMBER 26, 2024

One of my most anticipated gigs of the year. Two of the finest post-metal bands in the country, together, in one place.

Line-up:

CULT OF SOBEK: Waiter, bring me some crocodile doom, and make it snappy! Sorry, couldn't resist. Anyway, you should be familiar with these crocodilian lads by now. Crushing, grinding and harsh. Definitely not snappy. Sometimes I find it hard to be sure, but I think they play a bunch of new stuff tonight, from a gestating new record. Which will be girthy.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/Ab3Cf5nqY_8   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088422994440

CODESPEAKER: Local post-metal titans, fully loaded with new songs, out on tour with HYOM. New album 'Scavenger' has been receiving top reviews everywhere, and here we can see why. New songs are, I reckon, harder and angrier than the old and singer Greg looks like a man possessed. Thee two new kids seem to know what they're doing, too. Which helps. But, bugger me, it's hard to get a decent pic of them, what with their demonic red lighting and thick smoke. 

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/6qZwfX_5Qpk   https://www.facebook.com/codespeakertheband

HUNDRED YEAR OLD MAN: I make no apology for lavishing praise upon HYOM at any and every opportunity. They are the best post-metal band in the country right now. I would sell my children for a chance to see them play. They seem to have regrouped following their tragic loss and are in a much happier place now, but are still emotionally devastating. They hit me hard, right in the 'feels'. And they can continue to do that as often as they like.

Thanks to Duncan at Red Crust for bringing this tour to Edinburgh. Gig of the Year.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/2NwPfK7r84I   https://www.facebook.com/hundredyearoldman

NORTHERN INVOCATION, BANNERMAN'S, EDINBURGH, NOVEMBER 21 2024

'A night of unrestrained insanity, showcasing the best of unhinged extreme metal from the South coast of England'. Apparently.

Line-up:

VESTIA: 'Hellenic black metal' from London. That doesn't mean that they are all called Helen, but are, in fact, Greek. They're probably quite glad of those robes because it's bloody freezing in Bannerman's tonight.

ViDEO: https://youtu.be/coEqkoH44QQ    https://www.facebook.com/vestia.band

MELTED MESSIAH: Long time FudBlog favourites, tonight appearing without the usual black metal face-paint, but WITH the heroic Scott, who spends the entire set sprawled on the floor stopping the kick drum from sliding away. This is their last gig for some time, as they are away to write/record some new riffs'n'stuff. It's also the LOUDEST set I've ever heard them play and they make my teeth hurt.

LAVINIA WHATELEY: These lads, from Brighton, are NOT at all what I expected. The name would suggest, to me at least, some kind of creeping and sluggish Lovecraftian doom, and tales of rubbery things with tentacles beyond human understanding. But no. We get a set of rapid-fire thrashy, grindy death metal with a singer who bellows and squeals whilst dead-flying around on the floor. Brave man, fuck knows WHAT's all down there.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/rIonKSY5_kA    https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094425822004

CROWGOD: It's dead murky in here now, and getting a half-decent photograph is really hard. As you can see below.

Another band from that there Brighton, this time with a sludgy, witchy brand of doom and a cheerful looking bass player with a stripy shirt and oddly slender hands. Looks like he should be in the Arctic Monkeys, or something. Singer lady only slightly less unhinged (more hinged?) than him up there^.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/K3m_kZ3TqCU    https://www.facebook.com/crowgodbtn

So. 'Unrestrained insanity'? Perhaps not, but some of those here tonight are certainly a bit odd. And that singer from Lavinia Whateley is definitely a tad unhinged. You'd need to be to get that close to whatever is down on Bannerman's floor.

DEEP CROSS, BANSHEE LABYRINTH, EDINBURGH, NOVEMBER 9 2024

 .Five musicians, four beards, three bands. No drummers.

VENUE:  BANSHEE LABYRINTH, EDINBURGH

Line-up:

RAW VILLAGE HALL: Strange name... Apocalyptic techno noise, occasionally very nearly danceable. Incidentally, the video description says 'tall bloke with a beard from Dunfermline', so I'd just like to clarify that the 'tall bloke' is from Dunfermline, not just the beard. Although I rather imagine that the beard is ALSO from Dunfermline. Dunfermline is in Fife. 

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/bSVk20Hv5WM  https://www.facebook.com/RawVillageHall

KHOST: Grim industrial sludge/noise duo from Birmingham. Not dissimilar to that other grim industrial duo, G*dflesh. Award for the pointiest instrument of the night. Good stuff, but not many laughs.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/InJogsFegMg   https://www.facebook.com/khostband

DEEP CROSS: A hard one to pigeonhole, this. Austin, Texas duo, a bit post-punk, a bit sludge.  A mix of clean and harsh vocals. Bass player appears to have escaped from a stoner band. Fine stuff, but not long enough. I'd like more, as do others in the crowd who plead unsuccessfully for another song.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/OukGx6FSYQ4   https://www.facebook.com/deepcrossatx

Finally, thanks to soundman Andrew Savage for doing a fine job in only his second shift in the Banshee.