en http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/ Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 60 http://www.audioscrobbler.net/data/webservices http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal The Last.fm journal for Melachi-Amillar. Last.fm journals are a place to talk about all things music. http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2013/06/17/5unaip_bravo_magician Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:25:33 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2013/06/17/5unaip_bravo_magician Sat 1 Jun – Mourning Beloveth, The Prophecy, Black Magician, Khthon

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did attend the gig of Black Magician, Mourning Beloved and Prophecy at the upstairs room of the Garage, Islington, on 1 June 2013. The audience included many bearded longhairs, and a rock chick with Judas Priest T-shirt and headscarfe, which is promising. I recall that the Prophecy were good, with an impressively versatile vocalist, but I do not remember much else about them. The Black Magician seemed more focused than I had seen them earlier at the Underground, though this may simply have been because this room was rather longer with the stage at the end, so it is easier to concentrate on it. They struck me again as very atmospheric, due to the synthesizer, and heavy in the traditional vein. I am looking for a vinyl of their album. Mourning Beloved emitted a thoroughly doomladen sound, very heavy though less atmospheric, thought Melachi.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2013/06/17/5un8gg_das_download_2013 Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:21:56 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2013/06/17/5un8gg_das_download_2013 Fri 14 Jun – Download Festival 2013

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did attend the Download Festival in June 2013. It was not as wet as last year, though a little cold in a tent in the night, being my my own, and with some showers, though warm on Sunday. For Melachi, the festival is a bit of a health farm, as it is difficult to get anything to drink. Other than beer, which barely counts. Anyway, the line-up on paper did not look as interesting as the previous year, having a nu-metal flavour, which I mainly avoided; naturally, I had not previously seen Slipknot, though I have one of their albums I do not much like. But their show was very impressive and the singer oddly charismatic for someone in a mask. I did not quite follow the point of the strange clown, but if a blank-eyed fellow comes up to me in a bar and says "five, five, five", I now know how to reply! I had not heard anything previously by Bullet for my Valentine, but they played a fine hard rock with striking guitars. Katatonia did their gloomy stuff, followed by Karnivool, strangely similar but with higher sung notes. Motorhead were unimpressive, badly needing an additional guitarist, and only warming up the crowd in their last two songs. I am not sure why he kept saying they were a rock and roll band, when he then proceeded to play heavy metal, or at least very heavy rock; has he not heard Buddy Holly? The Iron Maiden had the most striking opening, with the Spitfire flying above, and gave excellent though unimaginative renditions of their hits from the Seventh Son tour; though if they are playing the same set again in London in August I do not think I will run to see it. A heavy but short set was from Amon Amarth, complete with Viking boat, I will look for a full show from them somewhere. Ghost performed a fine "ritual", and let us respect musicians who can provoke the idle youth to chant in Latin, though the grammar of "ad inferi" worries me, as does the otherwise trouble-free being encourage to sing "Hail Satan" in broad daylight. It would be brave of them to reference some religion other than the long-suffering Catholics... Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats played unfashionably crushing riffs in the moshing tent, though the only high smoker was manhandled out by numerous security. They were followed by Chthonic, with half a dozen Chinese traditional musicians who could just about be heard, as the bass was overblown, though the bassist herself, many remarked, should not be replaced. Most enthusiastic band were Falling with Style with a mad surfing of non-crowds. The best live band was, of course, Rammstein, coupling high concept with great style, crushing themes and pyrotechnics. Though hampered on this occasion by relatively few knowing their lyrics, and even fewer understanding them. Unlike myself, of course; indeed I, Melachi, wearing as usual a mask at these events, in extreme crush had it torn off in their pit, and I retired to the relative rear, after collapsing and missing a few of their numbers. But thereafter I could see rather better, and particularly remember their magnificent burning square cross. Alles gut fur dieses metal Jahr, denn.

Also http://melachi-ibn-amillar.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/das-download-2013.html with not very good pictures.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2013/06/03/5u9j2d_piscine_professor Mon, 3 Jun 2013 23:11:43 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2013/06/03/5u9j2d_piscine_professor Wed 29 May – The Moveable Feast Tour

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did attend the gig of Fish and Lu Cosma at the Academy, Islington, on 29 May 2013. The support was a lady singer and a somewhat acoustic guitar playing to backing tracks. Never have I been so humiliated as having to listen to this, though may have been OK in a golf club bar. The Grandmeister Fish entered the stage, with elegant glasses, rather more subdued than I had seen him before, and without visible tattoos, reading his lyrics from a lecturn. His voice in the low register was strong and firm; the high register is gone completely. He played much from his new album, which, if I understood him correctly, is still unrecorded. It sounded good, but not great; the music unprepossessing except as backing chords for a slow rapping with lyrics gloomy even by his depressive standards, particularly a long song suite about the western front, though lacking their former sparkle. Some old standards were played (the Script for Tears, He Knows You Know, Assassin) in a very low register. Even the guitar solos seemed oddly low and ineffective; they could surely be rewritten to be more striking. There was much fishy banter eventually, and it ended on a not unpleasing medley. In all, he rests not on his laurels, and this was a brave and interesting performance. He said he was ex-Marillion, and that the Game was Over. Not quite, thinks Melachi.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2013/05/15/5tq611_pursuing_purson Wed, 15 May 2013 23:18:44 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2013/05/15/5tq611_pursuing_purson Wed 15 May – Moss @ The Underworld Camden
I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did attend the gig of Moss, Purson and Black Magician at the Underworld, Camden, on 15 May 2013. The first band played a slowish crushing processional metal with high synths and rhythmic vocals coupled with guitar solos so detuned they might have been on a bass. This was well worth a listen. The second band, Purson, I had managed to see twice before without knowing their name or even that they were the same band. Ever observant, on this occasion I thought they were much tighter, although they said they had a new bassist, who seemed oddly familiar. I could not quite put my finger on the source of their cleverly proggish argeggiated accents which sounded a little like Yes or Magenta, coupled with sixth form lyrics and a seventies romance vibe. Perhaps there is some deep source, or possibly they are a true original. The songs seemed a little fussy for short numbers, though I think one in the middle had a long guitar wha-wha section which was quite effective and seemed to relax things more. Ones to watch, then. The final band, Moss, were a singer, a drummer and a guitarist.The guitarist played chords rather than riffs, and rather slowly and loudly. Even more minimalist than Om, these were for true fuzzheads only.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2013/03/24/5s5tgd_acid_tea_pot Sun, 24 Mar 2013 01:03:24 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2013/03/24/5s5tgd_acid_tea_pot Sat 23 Mar – Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, did attend the concert of Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats and The Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, at the Garage, Islington, London, on 23 March 2013. The Good Admiral played again their 3-pieced traditional heavy rock, sounding rather murky; not very interesting to my mind, (but again not forgetting Respect to the Sideburns).

Uncle Acid and Co. came on stage, a mysterious bunch, indeed, surrounded by mirrors and cracking TVs, they did not see fit to turn on the stage lights the entire time.

The guitars were not at all murky, but the vocals were a little low to start with. Their grooving and riffage was strikingly clear from the first notes, sounding much heavier than the album. Aye to the privilege to have been in the presence of such brilliance, so early in its genesis. Nay, that they played for only aabout an hour.

(Also here http://melachi-ibn-amillar.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/acid-tea-pot.html, adding not very good pictures)]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2013/02/17/5r3b6g_orange_slab_of_goblin Sun, 17 Feb 2013 00:31:08 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2013/02/17/5r3b6g_orange_slab_of_goblin Fri 15 Feb – Orange Goblin, Desert Storm, The Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, The Earls of Mars

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, did attend the gig of Orange Goblin, The Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, and the Earls of Mars, at the Academy, Islington on 15 February 2013. The Earl/s of Mars were very interesting and somewhat progressive to listen to, with a notable keyboardist playing solos, and an electric double bass. They could have played a little longer, and I should probably investigate them a little more. The Magnificent Name of the Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell cannot be doubted, indeed a few weeks previous I almost picked up their CD on the strength of that alone; fortunately I did not, since their music was a sort of loud three-piece rhythm and blues, though Respect To The Sideburns. Orange Goblin laid down what can best be described as a great, solid, steaming slab of metal, like a not so fast and slightly more melodic Motorhead, and without perturbation; Melachi finds it difficult to comment more, other than to remark at the bravery of those teenagers who remained on the dance floor following the advance of the balding, topless, ex-military!]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2013/01/26/5qeokc_sold_on_devil_chimp Sat, 26 Jan 2013 16:34:13 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2013/01/26/5qeokc_sold_on_devil_chimp Thu 24 Jan – Sylosis, Devil Sold His Soul, Chimp Spanner

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did attend the gig of Sylosis, Devil Sold His Soul and Chimpspanner, at the Academy Islington, London, on 24 January 2013. When Chimpspanner started I groaned, as they appeared to be a vocal-less 3 piece playing jazz fusion, but after a while a deep metallism came through, matched by great and well-structured virtuosity, without any pointless guitar solos. But probably half an hour of this was enough, as it is difficult to concentrate on a band without a lead and obvious themes for much longer than that. Nevertheless, excellent supporting material.

Next Devil Sold His Soul, the singer giving a fine appearance of a chimp, leaping and screaming. Initially again I was not impressed, but gradually began to remark the strange slowness of many of the songs and the frequent almost processional passages, as though he were shouting incantations, against a funereal beat with swirling synthesizers, also with no guitar leads, despite numerous guitarists. Though I have no idea was he was screaming about. Won over, I picked up their CD next day at HMV. But I think the repetitive sections would benefit from more sophisticated modulation. Some of the "clean" vocals were painfully out of tune.

Sylosis played for a bit under an hour and a half, the sound quality was excellent and the vocals were much stronger than I heard previously, and the guitars seemed this time in tune throughout. The material from their new album seemed more aggressive but with less of an epic quality than the rest. Curiously some resembled the folk metal bands, more like a jig, I suppose this follows from playing complex figures quickly. All in all, I, Melachi, found this a most satisfactory evening.

Also here with not very good pictures]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2012/12/23/5pbqv9_medium_to_high_iq Sun, 23 Dec 2012 19:19:51 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2012/12/23/5pbqv9_medium_to_high_iq Sat 8 Dec – IQ @ O2 Academy Islington

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did attend the IQ concert at the O2, Islington, in December 2012. For reasons unknown to me, this annual gig seems to attract a certain type of balding, rotund old people, who stand around the bars drinking and talking loudly, and this was no exception. The vocals seemed a bit rough to the ear, particularly towards the beginning of the evening, though less so than in previous years. We were spared a saxophone. The most effective songs were the more recent ones, such as Ryker Skies and Harvest of Souls, which tended to allow themselves a little more time to develop. Well, nothing much new here, but I will probably go next year as well.

http://melachi-ibn-amillar.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/medium-to-high-iq.html]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2012/12/17/5p5bl9_winter_in_scala Mon, 17 Dec 2012 23:08:24 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2012/12/17/5p5bl9_winter_in_scala Thu 13 Dec – Karnataka Forbidden Dreams Tour - London

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did attend the concert of Winter in Eden and Karnataka in Scala, London, on Thursday 13 December 2012. The gig was not well attended and rather cold. The first band were muddy sounding, with a murky mix, and the singer saying she was recovering from a throat problem. They sounded a bit like Mostly Autumn, but without the guitarist. Though they had a guitarist. The headline band, Karnataka, were quite similar with a better sound mix, though I could not hear the synthesizer well. The singer, in gesture and temperament, seemed rather large for the stage and the rest of the band; though certainly no problem on the eye. Her hair indicated a pleasing pre-Raphaelite; though the music was not particularly Celtic, and the songs were long and developed. The guitarist was quite good, though some of the solos seemed a little pedestrian and would have benefited from greater rhythmic flexibility and a more sensitive axe, like a Stratocaster. Unfortunately, the band finished with a Led Zeppelin cover, which rather showed up the rest of the compositions. In total, it would be a ho hum from Melachi.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2012/12/11/5oxmhz_katacurious Tue, 11 Dec 2012 00:58:30 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Melachi-Amillar/journal/2012/12/11/5oxmhz_katacurious Mon 10 Dec – Dead Ends of Europe Tour 2012

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, did attend the gig of Junius, Alcest and Katatonia at the Academy, Islington, on 10 December 2012. The venue was full for both the support bands, and Junius played a solid, slow and somewhat grungy set that was well received. Alcest played similarly slow and more atmospheric music, with rather long songs, sometimes sounding trancy, like a heavy Enya, with the celtic vibe. The vocals were too low in the mix, felt I. Katatonia seemed better than last time I heard them at Koko (when they kept stopping), and were notably, well, loud. Although I liked their performance, I feel there is something lacking; possibly it is the rather unimaginative rhythm section, or the monotone emotional delivery, the lack of melody, or the way very many of the songs end oddly. Pleasing, yet curious, in the mind of Melachi.]]>