SATYRICON
SUICIDAL ANGELS/FIGHT THE FIGHT HEAVEN, LONDON Satyr returns to a hero’s welcome
We’ve become accustomed
to absurdly early stage times to accommodate club nights, but both of tonight’s support bands have left the stage before the openers would have even started on a weeknight – it’s really become ridiculous. Poor FIGHT THE FIGHT [5] arrive when most people are still at work, but they have a half-decent crowd in front of them. Unfortunately their metallic-tinged hardcore is much better on record than their sloppy showing here. SUICIDAL ANGELS [6] fare a little better. Their confident but generic thrash is better suited and evokes a fine reaction, but the sound is so muddy that much potency is lost. Everything improves when SATYRICON [9] arrive. The sound sharpens up and the stage looks wonderful bathed in lights of deep red and woozy blue. The sold-out crowd spring into life and Heaven is greeted by a band with genuine superstar quality as Satyr shimmies around, oozing charisma, totally clad in leather like a black metal Andrew Eldritch. This evening feels like a we’re witnessing a band who have a point to prove. Latest album Deep Calleth Upon Deep is their best in some time, and the likes of The Ghosts Of Rome are stunning tonight, full of all the grim arcane savagery you want but with a flamboyant, progressive edge. Ending with the timeless one-two punch of Fuel For Hatred and K.I.N.G., Satyricon have pulled off a gig of the year contender against all the odds.