Thy Art Is Murder/Make Them Suffer
Amplifier Capitol
Sunday, September 15, 2013
The line into Capitol stretched all the way around to the doors of the Amplifier Bar in anticipation of the hardcore powerhouse that is the Australian-based band Parkway Drive. Celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the band’s inception, fans that were acquired at every step of the journey turned out to cut loose to the opus of heaviness.
First up to vibrate the foundations were Perth locals Make Them Suffer. Signed to megalithic label Roadrunner Records, Make Them Suffer exploded onto the stage with violent, mechanical tightness offset by orchestral samples and emotional keys. Self described as symphonic death metal, their rise to success and international recognition comes as no surprise considering their professionalism and obvious dedication to providing a powerful live experience. It was also uplifting to see such an early turnout in support of these steadily rising local stars.
Thy Art Is Murder stepped up with a notably different approach. At any given moment, the full spectrum of sound was penetrated from all angles by the unrelenting musicians. Driven by a majestic madness, embodied by the machine-like blasts of a hugely talented drummer, the only thing to punctuate the thick mix of brutal vocals and low rhythm section was a precise and powerful lead guitar. With a genre title like a dangerous sport, these exponents of ‘extreme metal’ also made use of one of the best call and response routines in the business, ‘Aussie Aussie Aussie!’ with the correct reply being a solid, repeated utterance of the hard C word.
The house now wall to wall with wild eyed hardcore-heads, Parkway Drive entered the stage to roaring applause and roaring fans. Theirs is a heaviness forged in the heat of countless gigs and tempered by outrageous ability and passion. Between a wagging demon tongue and a voice like Zeus, lead singer Winston McCall’s face was cut by a charismatic smile. This seemed to be the result of a huge amount of love between this group and the surging fans before them. Parkway Drive displayed a lot of versatility within their set, the constant barrage of double kicks occasionally giving way to heavy drum breaks and syncopated snares.
Tickets sold out to this event in almost no time at all and it’s no surprise considering the legendary compositions and the obviously legitimate pleasure that Parkway gain from their profession. This is real metal, pure and unrestrained; an expression of raw masculinity and power. Even the punk roots of hardcore were well represented and die hard fans stage dove and two stepped themselves into a frenzy. Parkway Drive managed to orchestrate one of those rare moments when from chaos emerges something extraordinary and unifying; a sea of glowing faces transfixed and in awe.
_ JAMES HANLON
