Live Review: Cancer Bats, High Tension, A Ghost Orchestra

Achieving success on any level should be celebrated. So on this frosty night mid-week, three bands from three different statures and three different origins joined together to commemorate their triumphs and in turn vivaciously raise hell.

Adelaide's own A Ghost Orchestra were quite the perfect fit for the opening slot at this event; among unfortunately a smaller crowd, the quartet created their brand of havoc instantaneously. Opening with Commence and Hesitator from the band's excellent EP Vile Hymns, vocalist Adam Geisler decided that to diminish the space between the stage and the audience; he may as well be a part of the audience which suited their tumultuous brand of noisecore perfectly. Vile Hymns continued the anarchy as did a few newer featured tracks, one of which incorporated the unbridled mathcore energy of Perth's Statues with a touch of Southern discord from early Maylene & The Sons Of Disaster; rather brilliant in a live setting. To close Brown Teeth sparked an uproar from the mosh enthusiasts present, but in honesty, this was outdone by Adam Geisler's bar climb and forced crowd surf on unsuspecting attendees. Fresh off an east coast tour with Sydney's Bare Bones, AGO are stamping their mark on Australia and their next release is certainly one to anticipate heavily.

Upon the first notes of Melbourne's progressive metal hardcore punks High Tension introduction this writer was reminded of a quote by famed author Joe Karbo: "The only things I regret... are things I didn't do". This was in fact the first witnessing of the four-piece for myself and this scribe, among many others completely relished the experience. Front-woman Karina Utomo is entirely magnetic; somehow channeling the eccentrics of Bjork and the vocal assault of Eva Spence from Rolo Tomassi if she were performing with Japan's Boris. She portrays a malevolent innocence and an elegant viciousness that is impossible to ignore; somewhat reminiscent of the flower Atrope Bella Dona whose characteristics are definitively beautiful but with deadly venom. Bully and Iceman were spectacular where Karina's ballerina kicks met with hissy fit spasms were only matched by Matt Weston's bass playing vigour. Opportunity is definitely knocking at HT's door with their second album Bully; let's just hope the pathway leads to their deserved greatness.

It has been five long years since Toronto's Cancer Bats played Enigma Bar and it seemed like quite a few South Australians were very excited at the prospect of their return to the iconic venue. It actually proved to be difficult for vocalist and all-around-happy-guy Liam Cormier to climb upon the stage walking through the crowd; but the momentum had already gained impossible velocity. True Zero kicked things off in magnificent fashion with energy bursting at the seems; so much so in fact that the audience had already began ascending onto the stage. But in true 'Bats fashion, this was more than welcomed, it was truly embraced. Bricks & Mortar, Sorceress and Road Sick all followed without missing a beat and in a live-setting added an enormity which when recorded honestly doesn't compare. Eager head-bangers joined arm in arm for RATS and refused to be broken for Pray For Darkness, Arsenic In The Year Of The Snake and long-time favourite Hail Destroyer. This is the one truly fascinating facet about Cancer Bats, their ability to combine a mixture of gritty stoner metal, punk and melodic hardcore which also bonds music aficionados from teenage punks to aged metal warriors in harmonic union. How to embrace that sentiment further though? Why not throw in some Black Sabbath covers as the quartet's alter-ego Bat Sabbath? Children Of The Grave, N.I.B and War Pigs all made very appreciated appearances but the party became properly restarted with the return to Cancer Bats and Pneumonia Hawk. No time to waste the four-piece powered on: Drunken Physics, Fake Gold, Beelzebub, Shillelagh and All Hail kept spirits high; but the ceiling almost came down for their rendition of Beastie Boys' Sabotage. Sure, the band could have stopped there very gracefully, but that would not have satisfied them completely, or Adelaide probably; so Satellites brought about the sing-along chorus to cap off the night PROPERLY.

In prior interviews Liam Cormier has told this writer that if they could, the 'Bats would play all night. After this event there is no doubt in Adelaide's mind that this incredible outfit totally would if given the chance.