Claim the Throne, Sanzu
Metros Concert Club, Fremantle
Thursday, November 3, 2016
Dead on the chime of eight a wall of black shirts and Doc Martins descended on the Marine Parade in Fremantle. The line for the doors extending from Metros Fremantle, well past the markets on the corner.
When Sanzu took the stage the main floor of the club was already brimming with eager punters ready for heaping helping of some local metal. They started their set with ‘Those Who Sleep in the East’, and by their second number the venue was nearing on full.
Sanzu have a brooding and brutal sound, a tight rhythm section, a driven and solid drummer, and a vocalist reminiscent of Dani Filth. These guys are doing some great things and are a local act to keep a watch on.
The second local act for the night, Claim the Throne, arrived on stage, suitably foul mouthed and ready to swing the pick axe into the crowd’s skulls. They played a relentless set interspersed with wit and generous helping of the crudest word for ‘mate’ we Aussies are renowned for. At one point, keyboardist, Jesse Millea, produced, from out of nowhere, a skull shaped funnel and pipe and downed her drink. If pirates had guitars, Claim the Throne would be the image in your mind.
By the time the banner was raised for Lamb of God’s set the proverbial cat could not be swung. The crowd was a salivating mess, snarling and punching the air.
The ever appreciative Perth crowd were slapped up the back side of their head as Lamb of God took the stage with Walk with me through Hell. This set the precedent for the rest of the show, with a generous helping of songs from across their discography. One of many stand out moments, during Now You’ve Got Something to Die For vocalist, Randy Blythe, having already made full use of the stage launched himself into the crowd.
The crowd could barely contain themselves when Lamb of God left the stage, and when they returned for their encore set the air was punched into a viscous, ruddy pulp. That thick air combined with Lamb of God’s unmistakeable American Metal the crowd were sucking it in and spitting it out. Wrapping up the night with , Randy barely sang two word as the crowd carried the song for them, and by the time the show was over the crowd had collapse into that ruddy pulp, but were still calling for more.
Lamb of God were last here in 2012 for the Soundwave Festival, and have returned to Perth as an extension of their tour with Slipknot on the east coast.
Photos by Paul Dowd
