Published 2 September 2010 on voltagemedia.com.au
Before Rampage took the stage, metalheads (and some non-metalheads) gathered at the bar, fervently awaiting the bands to start playing with their alcoholic beverages of choice in hand. The Maram has become a growing interest in the Canberran live music community, playing host to more than their fair share of great bands, including the four that appeared on Saturday night. When the drums started to thunder from inside the hall, the punters came running.
The night's first act was Rampage, a four-piece thrash metal band from Wollongong. They pounded out a well-executed setlist of modern thrash revival with a jolly nod to their 80's influences with songs such as "New World Disorder" and "Cannon Fodder". Mr. Rob Rampage took the lead microphone with serious fury while his comrades Shane Saw and Chinch backed him up with guitars and war cries while Matt Skully belted out the battle rhythms behind them. All in all, their set was impressive enough to warrant me throwing away the consequence of having a sore neck for some epic headbanging. Thrash till death!
On the other end of the spectrum was Na Maza. Perhaps unsuited to the "true metal" crowds, they opened with a decent cover of a Killswitch Engage song before getting into their own set. Frontman Mila had the crowd singing along while he got up close and personal with the front row. Their ability to perfectly move from thick metallic riffage to clean melodic passages proved to be the most interesting and pleasing aspect of their music.
After local thrash act Hellbringer had pulled out of the bill earlier in the day, Blind Eyed Godstook the stage with some filthy southern licks and a foot-stomping, whiskey-guzzling setlist of nothing but fat, heavy, groovy metal. Although the crowd wasn't as into it as they were, they paved the way for the night's headliner act LORD.
An ever-present act on the Australian metal scene, LORD thundered through their setlist and subsequently proved that power metal doesn't have to be cheesy and that metal musicians don't just bash their instruments talentlessly. Lead singer and guitarist Lord Tim projected his incredible voice and shredding arpeggios over an audience that had grown exponentially since the beginning of the night. Including songs from their three full length releases, they also pleased the crowd by playing the Dungeon track "Paradise". The venue supported their sound completely, allowing every note and beat to be heard with startling and jaw-dropping clarity. They were wild, energetic and full of passion, and it really did show in every song they played. Surprising everyone, they ripped into the cover of Kylie Minogue's "On a Night Like This" off their most recent album Set In Stone, accompanied by an inflatable sex doll defiled with graffiti being tossed into the audience. LORD promised a good show, they didn't disappoint and everyone walked away more than happy with the night's bill.
If this show was indicative of anything, it shows just how great Canberra can be when you assemble a fantastic lineup, select an above-average venue and populate it with metalheads.
Visit LORD at www.lord.net.au
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