Ludicra, Krallice, Castevet and Atakke – April 18th – Europa, Brooklyn

Sunday turned out to be quite an evening. Every band on the bill was a metal revelation, and the consistently excellent sound raised my opinion of Europa considerably.

I made the drive down to Brooklyn accompanied by the sounds of Maiden's Seventh Son. I assumed I was arriving fashionably late by showing up 45 minutes after the listed door time, but things turned out to be quite different from my last visit to Europa. Evidently the venue is a lot more laid back when there isn't a dance club evening set to follow a show. The doors were locked and a few folks stood around outside the venue in the cold, wondering what was going on. We could hear the evidence of a sound-check going on inside.

I was spotted by the ever-present Justina Villanueva, who apprised me of the situation. Things were simply running late. I got to meet Krallice's gracious drummer, Lev Weinstein, and subsequently, I was introduced to Laurie Sue Shanaman and Ross Sewage of Ludicra. They're very cool folks. Finally, the doors opened up, and we were let into the second floor venue. I honed in on the merch table (manned by Aesop Dekker) and was able to score a Ludicra shirt and a numbered print of the gorgeous tour poster.

Brooklyn's Atakke took the stage first and ripped into a fantastic set of thrashing madness. I've never seen these guys before, but the band were incredibly tight. The first thing that popped into my head was Sepultura (pre-Roots); you can't go wrong there. Atakke is the kind of band that can sell you simply on their live show. Vocalist Chloe Puke managed to elicit quite a response from the crowd, which was rapidly filling in. I believe the proper response to such primal metal is uncontrolled windmilling of manes, and that was the result. The tunes were discernibly riff-driven, and the rhythm section drove home the sweet thunder of speed metal with ease. I was extremely impressed. The band have a couple of EPs available. If either were available as a CD (I still haven't taken the vinyl plunge), I would have bought it on the spot, but none were to be found at their merch table. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for Atakke in the near future.

Castevet, freshly signed to Profound Lore, were up next. I've only heard one track off their upcoming full length, Mounds of Ash, but I was really looking forward to this set. Castevet sell a rhythmically unique brand of black metal that evokes Krallice but is imbued with a fascinatingly dissonant spirit. The three-piece did not disappoint. Guitarist and vocalist Andrew Hock threw his whole being into the performance.

The music was sharp and enthralling; the essence of these tunes came across loud and clear in the live setting. I was particularly blown away by the strange shapes Andrew Hock was creating on the fretboard with his fingers; he seemed capable of absurd stretches that would break the average man's hand. Drummer Ian Jacyszyn and bass player J. Scott steered the machine gun rhythms all over the map with commanding ease. It was a really great set that has inspired me to go pre-order their upcoming album with a quickness.

Jeanne Fury appeared during Castevet's set to round out the usual suspects. Thanks to Justina's boundless metal social-network, I was also able to meet Krallice's Mick Barr and then Sean Gresens of Metal Injection. Again, very cool dudes.

Krallice set up quickly and dove straight into the deep end of their frenetic black metal attack. My first Krallice live experience hadn't lived up to my expectations, mostly due to the sound. On this night, the mix was perfect, and with a spot directly in front of the stage, I found what I was looking for. This was a seriously amazing performance; the band was able to conjure up the atmosphere that keeps their albums in constant rotation for me.

Krallice's music feels like being sucked into a deep ocean whirlpool. Colin Marston and Mick Barr showed off the bizarre synchronicity of their intertwined riffage without ever slowing down or breaking a sweat. Up close, you can also witness the skill with which Nick McMaster insinuates himself into the mix. Lev Weinstein holds it all together admirably and again sounded even better than on the albums. All told, this was a powerful and fucking mesmerizing spectacle. I highly recommend checking these guys out if they make it to your town.

Finally, Ludicra began to set up, and a strange giddiness could be felt in the venue. It seemed like a good many people had waited a very long time for this moment. Of course, these guys and gals don't act like rock stars, but they certainly had that aura on this night. By some miracle, I ended up directly in front of the newly resurrected John Cobbett.

Ludicra launched straight into “Stagnant Pond” off of The Tenant. It was an interesting and laid-back way to start out the set. It was immediately evident that the sound was perfect. Laurie Sue Shanaman is a sight to behold on stage. From the first moment she tore into the vocals, she seemed to be suffering a full bodied exorcism. Heads were bobbing all around, but it wasn't until the acoustic break and blast-beat inflected solo that the crowd reacted with full physical force.

“In Stable” set off a modest pit and produced a good amount of flying hair. I spent most of the song marveling over John Cobbett's efficient fretwork, in between bouts of headbanging. Christy Cather was similarly impressive in her look of ease while thrashing out the riffage. It wasn't until she jumped in on vocals that the demonic force took over her body. Across the stage, Ross Sewage was silhouetted by a strange light for most of the show. As a result, his glowering facial expressions were magnified and became a central part of the atmosphere.

The set was relatively short but sweet. Aesop Dekker was phenomenal behind the kit, despite the fact that the drums seemed to want to move all over the stage. Although I snapped a picture of the setlist (scrawled on a torn paper plate), I'm still not sure what some of the songs were that Ludicra played. In the end, it didn't really matter – their performance was hypnotic. Judging by the ecstatic reaction of folks around me, people were having a really good time. “Veils,” from Fex Urbis Lex Orbis was particularly awesome, and the band was convinced to play an old song for an extremely long encore.

As I stated earlier, it was a fantastic evening of metal. To keep my eyes open for the long drive home, I celebrated the sounds of San Francisco and blasted Slough Feg's Hardworlder. But it wasn't necessary – the adrenaline didn't wear off for a long time.

The rest of my persistently amateur photos can be found here.

Comments

  1. Krallice should have been the headliner on this gig.
    They blew Ludicra, and the other bands, out of Brooklyn!!!
    This was my first Ludicra gig and I was highly disappointed. Maybe they're not at 100% due to John's recent surgery?? Either way, the longer the set went on the more bored I was. It pains me to say write that as I love their CD's and was really looking forward to thise performance. I'm hoping they just had an off night....
    Atakke was great, I definitely hope to see them again sometime.
    Castevet looked confused and unsure of themselves. I felt confused and unsure of what they were trying to do...first time hearing them didn't leave me wanting more.
    All that said, every band gave it 150%....

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Labels

3 Inches of Blood1 7 Degrees Records1 A Storm of Light1 Abbath2 Absu1 Abyssal Vacuum1 Acephalix2 aftermath music1 Agalloch1 Agrath1 Altar of Plagues4 ambient1 Amon Amarth4 Amorphis1 Anarkhon1 Ancient Wound1 Ancst1 Anhedonist1 Animals as Leaders1 Aosoth2 Apostasy Records1 Arsis1 Assück2 astrogrind1 At The Gates1 Atakke2 Ataraxy1 Augury1 Aural Music1 Australia1 Autopsy2 Avantgarde Music1 Backslider1 Bandcamp4 Bandit1 Baroness5 Barren Earth1 Basilysk1 Batillus2 Be'lakor2 Beansidhe2 Beaten To Death3 Belgium1 Berlin1 Bindrune Recordings3 Black Anvil10 Black Cobra1 Black Metal72 Blender Theater3 Blood Harvest4 Blood Incantation1 Blood Music1 Bloody Panda1 Blue Bedroom Records1 Blue Record1 Blut aus Nord2 Bolt Thrower2 Bosse-de-Nage1 Botanist1 Bowery Ballroom1 Buckshot Facelift1 Burning World1 Burst4 Cake Shop2 Canada1 Candlelight1 Cannibal Corpse2 Captain Cleanoff1 Carcariass1 Carcass4 Castevet8 cats1 Century Media1 Chepang1 Chronicles of Chaos1 Chuck Schuldiner1 Cicada the Burrower1 claustrum1 Cloud Rat2 Cobalt2 Code6661 Coffinworm1 Concussion1 Coney Island High2 Converge1 Convulse1 Convulsing1 Creator-Destructor Records1 Crom Dubh1 Crucifist1 crust4 Cryptic Shift1 Curandera2 Cynd1 Cynic1 d-beat1 Dååth1 Dark Descent Records6 Dark Tranquillity1 Darkane1 Darkthrone2 Deafest5 Death2 Death Angel1 death metal78 Death Toll 80K1 Deathspell Omega1 Debemur Morti2 Decibel2 Decrepit Birth2 Defeated Sanity1 Defeatist8 Demilich1 Denmark2 Dephosphorus2 Desecresy1 Disappearer1 Discordance Axis1 diSEMBOWELMENT1 Disma3 Disrotted1 Dissection2 Don't Give a Fuck1 doom32 Down2 Dream Theater2 drone1 Drown1 Drugs of Faith1 Dry Cough1 Dunkelheit Produktionen1 Duplicate Records1 Dying Fetus1 Dystrophy1 Earache4 Eight Bells1 Eluveitie1 Emperor1 Enslaved3 Entombed2 Epoch2 Europa3 Exhumed2 Explosions In The Sky1 Falls of Rauros1 Fen4 FLAC1 Flaming Tusk4 Flourishing6 flowing downwards1 folk1 folk metal2 France1 From Exile1 Fuck the Facts5 funeral doom6 Funeral Moth2 Fuoco Fatuo1 Gattaca1 Gaza1 Germany1 GetOverHere1 Gigan1 Gilead Media4 God Dethroned2 Gojira5 Google Music1 Google music beta1 Gorephilia1 Gorguts3 Gorod2 Gramercy Theater2 Grand Ballroom1 Grave Miasma1 Graveyard Hill Records1 Grind and Punishment1 grindcore35 Grindcore Karaoke1 Guns N' Roses1 Gustavo Santaolalla1 Gwynbleidd1 Gygax1 Haftvad Records1 Halo of Flies1 Handshake Inc.1 hardcore11 Heaving Earth2 heavy metal2 Heavydeath1 Hells Headbangers2 Hellthrasher Productions2 High Command1 High Water Media1 Highline Ballroom1 Hivelords1 Holy Grail1 Hooded Menace2 Horrendous3 Horror Pain Gore Death Productions2 Howls of Ebb2 Hreilia1 Human Remains1 Humanity Falls2 Hybreed Chaos1 I1 I Abhor1 I Voidhanger Records2 Ill Omen1 Imbroglio2 Immolation8 Immortal4 Impiety1 In Flames2 Incantation4 industrial2 Inexorum1 Infernal Stronghold1 Infestus1 Ingrowing1 Inquisition2 Interviews1 Intronaut2 Inverloch1 Invertia1 Invictus Productions2 Ipsissimus2 Irkallian Oracle1 Iron Bonehead1 Iron Bonehead Productions1 Iron Maiden4 Irving Plaza4 Isis1 Katatonia3 Khthoniik Cerviiks3 King Giant1 Krallice10 Kreator4 Krypts4 Kylesa4 Lamb of God2 Landmine Marathon4 Last Rites1 Laster1 Latitudes1 Lavadome productions2 Lay Down Rotten2 Legion1 Lifeforce Records1 Listenable Records1 Lit Lounge1 Ludicra4 Lychgate2 Madison1 Madison Square Garden1 Magrudergrind2 Man's Gin1 Manipulator1 Marduk1 Mare Cognitum1 Marty Friedman1 Martyrdöd1 Maruta1 Maryland Deathfest2 Mas-Kina Recordings2 Masonic Temple1 Mass Grave1 Massachusetts1 Mastodon6 Megadeth1 melodic death metal5 Melvins2 Metal Bandcamp7 Metallica1 Mikael Åkerfeldt1 Milwaukee Metalfest1 Mind Mold1 Mirovia1 Misery's Omen1 Mithras2 Mitochondrion1 Moksha1 Mollusk1 Mono2 Moonsorrow1 Morbid Angel1 Morbus Chron1 Mortal Incarnation1 Mortician1 Mortiferum1 Motörhead1 Mournful Congregation1 Music Hall of Williamsburgh1 Mutant Supremacy5 Mutiny Within1 My Dying Bride4 Nachtreich2 Naisian1 Napalm Death5 Nasum1 Necrophobic1 Necrosemen1 Necrot2 Necrowretch1 neo-classical1 Nephelium1 Nerve Altar2 Neuraxis3 Neurisis1 New Zealand1 Nile2 Nirvana1 No Fashion Records1 noise3 Nokia Theater1 Nordvis2 Nuclear Blast3 Nuclear War Now!1 Nucleus2 NWOBHM2 obituary1 Obscura4 Obsequiae2 Ogg Vorbis1 Olympia1 Opeth5 Order of Orias1 Osmose Productions1 Owen Hart1 P.L.F.1 Pact Ink Records2 Pagan Records1 Pallbearer1 Pantera1 Paroxsihzem2 Peaceville4 Pelican6 Phantom Glue1 Pharmacist1 Phil Anselmo1 Pinnacle of Bedlam1 pirate metal1 Plebeian Grandstand2 Poland1 Polluted Inheritance1 Portal1 post-metal2 post-rock2 PRC music1 Priapus1 Prisoner of War1 Profound Lore10 prog11 Prosthetic2 Psychic Limb3 Pulverised Records1 punk1 Qrixkuor2 Quorthon1 Radiation Blackbody1 random playlist3 Red Album1 reissue1 Relapse8 Revocation5 Ritual Chamber1 Robert Johnson1 Ruins of Beverast1 Sabre1 Saint Vitus Bar1 Sarcasm1 Sarpanitum1 Satan1 Scion1 Scrotum Jus Records1 Selfmadegod Records1 Sentient Ruin1 Seraphic Entombment1 Sesecresy1 Setentia2 Seventh Rule1 Severnaya1 Shadow Kingdom Records1 Shea Stadium1 Siberian Hell Sounds1 Skeletonwitch6 Slough Feg1 Sludge20 Slugdge1 Social Distortion1 Soilwork3 Solar Asceticists Productions1 Soulseller Records1 Southern Lord3 Spectral Lore3 speed metal1 StarGazer1 Stockholm1 Streetwalker1 Suffering Hour1 Suffocation5 Sulaco1 Summer Slaughter1 surf1 Swallow the Sun2 Swashbuckle3 Sweden1 Swedish Death Metal1 Swimming1 Swords of Chaos1 Sydney1 Symphony X1 Taake1 technical death metal7 Temple of Abandonment1 Temple of Void1 Thantifaxath1 The Absence1 The Acheron3 The Ajna Offensive1 The Binary Code1 The Bowery Electric2 The Chance4 The Charleston2 The Communion1 The Faceless4 The Fucking Champs2 The Knitting Factory3 The Ominous Circle1 The Path Less Traveled Records7 The Rolling Stones1 The Ruins of Beverast1 The Secret2 The Studio at Webster Hall5 Thou1 thrash13 Thrawsunblat1 Throatruiner Records1 Throne Records1 Tiger Flowers3 Toad's Place1 Tombs6 Triptykon1 Union Pool2 Unmen1 Unrest Records1 Unspeakable Axe Records1 Urfaust1 Vancouver1 Velnias1 Vendetta Records1 Vex1 Via Nocturna1 Vic records1 viking2 Vile Creature1 Vit1 Vitriol Records1 Vore1 W.T.C Productions1 Wadge1 Wake2 Warbringer2 Washington1 Weakling3 Weapon1 Weedeater1 What We All Come To Need1 Willowtip4 Wisconsin1 Withered5 WITTR1 Woe3 Wolves In The Throne Room5 Woods of Ypres4 Wormrot9 Writhing Mass1 Xaddax1 Xantam1 Xenoblight1 Xibalba1 Year of the Knife1 year-end list9 year-end-list1 Yellow Eyes1 YHDARL1 Yith1 Zhrine1 Zosimus1
Show more