It was the end of yet another week, and with that came yet another gig promising an absolutely stacked lineup. The gig in question was the Necropolis Death Metal Showcase at TIA Live on Hindley Street. Braving the wild weather, I picked up Killer and we prepared for an adventure into the city the only way we knew how: by blasting a bunch of awesome music, which made the drive take no time at all.
As I crossed another Adelaide venue off my list, Killer and I ascended the stairs to an entrance I almost accidentally walked past. We arrived slightly after doors had opened, but thankfully we still had plenty of time to spare. There was a special feeling in the air, intensified when I discovered my name was on the door list for the first time, giving me a real sense of belonging.
While scoping out the venue, I noticed its open plan design, with plenty of space for each section to flourish. I was immediately drawn to the screen behind the stage, which bore the bright, blood red “Necropolis” logo. Matching neon lights glowed from the ceiling, beckoning me to get as close as possible to the front of the stage.
Agnoxis
I soon realised it would be close enough no matter where I stood, as Agnoxis suddenly blasted into their first song and nearly wiped me out with its sheer brutality. It was the best kind of sensory overload. I love feeling like I am being physically assaulted by the double kicks, and they were in abundance. Their third song was a cover of a Defeated Sanity track that a few audience members revelled in, complete with snare hits that sounded more like a steel chair smacking someone across the face.
I am always left in awe by people talented enough to play technical music, and this group has it in spades. Unbeknownst to me at the time, I later found out that vocalist Liam also performs with Bifurcation and Interment. That explained why he looked familiar, even though I could not place him during the set.
Unfortunately, some of those stellar vocals were lost in the mix, which was my only gripe. Nevertheless, it was a solid set from a three piece band with an incredible sound, proving that sometimes you can kill it without a bassist.
Anggrath
While doing my logistics planning for the gig, I paid closer attention to the lineup and recognised one name: Anggrath. I was stoked! After seeing them at There Will Be Blood, I was expecting one hell of a show this time around, and they did not disappoint.
Embarrassingly, I was almost lulled to sleep by the hauntingly beautiful piano melody used to open their show, only to be jump scared awake by the chug of the guitar as adrenaline instantly coursed through my veins.
They ruthlessly tore the place apart with breakdowns and bass drops that shook my intestines. There were moments when all three guitarists moved in perfect synchronisation, looking like clockwork.
We were treated to an unreleased song, followed by one that had never been played live before. If that was not enough, it had been written by guitarist Caleb. It may have been inspired by Black Sabbath, as it was slower than their usual pace, but it was just as heavy, showing that Anggrath are masterful musical storytellers. They are rapidly becoming my favourite local band.
Hoof
Hailing from Melbourne, Victoria, Hoof made themselves right at home. The first thing I noticed was the collection of posters depicting demonic, blood red skeletons decorating the stage. It was a good indication of things to come.
What surprised me was the type of microphone the vocalist was using, which looked like something from the 1950s. His vocals sounded like what would happen if you mixed Lamb of God and In Flames.
The drums sounded more like cannons during the build ups and had me worried the force would carry across the venue and shatter the glass behind the bar.
There were elements of thrash metal, black metal and old school death metal, all seamlessly blended. At one point, there was even a breakdown that would make deathcore fans give a nod and a stank face of approval. The vocalist mentioned the age of the band during the set, but they showed no signs of letting it slow them down.
Ecdysis
My level of excitement for Ecdysis could not be contained, and getting to see them was like having all my Christmases come at once! Killer and I had been jamming out to their song “Six Feet of Sodomy” on our last two ventures into the city, and I was anticipating hearing it live.
“Adelaide! You dirty fucking cocksuckers! Bring it inside!” was the opening callout from vocalist Syd, and it worked like a charm as the venue quickly became packed. I moved with the sea of people and ended up closer than I expected to be, sending my nervous system into overdrive.
One lone headbanger was windmilling and gripping the barricade during the first two songs with such intensity that I thought they were going to tear it apart. An announcement before the third song covered me in goosebumps: “I’d like to welcome to the stage, my good friend, everyone give it up for Killer!” I was on cloud nine as I was about to see something I had been looking forward to for weeks.
Unfortunately, the vocal mix dampened the moment a little. Nevertheless, it was still awesome to see two friends, Syd and Killer, doing what they do best and having fun while sharing a stage.
Steve, the other guitarist, took over vocal duties for a spell, much to the delight of a couple of audience members, as he would be covering a song that “all the old people should know”.
As the set progressed, the level of technicality and the humorous callouts increased. From the intricate and melodic harmonies to Syd dedicating a song to all his “foreskinned brothers”, I was like a kid in a candy store. The set had everything I had hoped for and more.
Ekosa
Admittedly, I had spoiled one element of Ekosa for myself by reading an article that mentioned the band’s instruments, including the didgeridoo. The discovery left me a little sceptical but intrigued about how it would work with heavy music. Being of Indigenous descent myself, I personally think the two things should be kept separate, but I will give credit where it is due because playing the instrument well takes skill.
With this in mind, another thing to note was the vocalist’s stamina, as he managed to hold notes for a considerable amount of time.
All I can say for the rest of the band is fucking oath! Heavy, chugging guitars and thick, chunky bass that could cut through steel. Absolute chef’s kiss.
The drummer needs a section of his own because I was left struggling to comprehend what I had witnessed. His technical drumming looked chilled and seemingly effortless, yet I felt like it was barely scratching the surface of what he could do. Not because it was simple or beneath him, but because it felt like he could venture even further into the realm of technicality with ease. Think Chris Turner from Oceans Ate Alaska, but from Adelaide.
Final Thoughts
It seems the musicians here wear many different hats, as the entire gig was organised by Ekosa drummer Rory Amoy. A massive shoutout to him, Visceral Promotions and every band on the lineup for putting on an awesome night and reminding me how fortunate I am to live in a state filled with such amazing and incredibly talented people.
