Live Review: Earthless, Elder, Fuck The Fitzroy Doom Scene

Melbourne is graced once again with the immense power and unforgiving electric stylings of San Diego's jam-metal gods, Earthless. They are joined for the first time ever by Boston psych-metal lords, Elder, who are in Australia backing their latest LP, Lore.

The Corner Hotel is all metal and long hair as locals Fuck The Fitzroy Doom Scene open the night.

The Melbourne boys power through their set, with heavy licks and punching doom power; their efforts should be commended, although they seem to still be finding their groove throughout the set, perhaps under the pressure of the heavy line-up. This is washed away in their final song, though.

Elder are brought on stage with a solid roar, punters clearly aware of the gift that is about be bestowed upon them by the Boston natives. The band welcomes their enthusiasm as they instantly fall into a groove, and leave nothing behind them.

These men know what they're doing, creating a psyched out wormhole in which to push out heavy true riffs. Nick DiSalvo is soft-faced, hiding beneath lengthy hair and commanding his Gibson with more power than most older metal lords. Respect must be given to the band as they display skill and passion. Jack Donovan is a pillar on bass, giving the band solid grounding with more enthusiasm than any. Matt Couto completes the three-piece with concentrated, striking drums. Elder are young, yet completely in control. Their set is singed with classic rock as it flows and ebbs into highs and lows, spurring much of the crowd into hair flinging frenzy which continues 'til Elder bring their set to a sonically transcendent close.

Isaiah Mitchell saunters on stage, the Earthless frontman clearly quite content to be in Melbourne. The room is completely full, and punters voice their enthusiasm loudly as Mitchell casually picks up his Strat. The three-part set is opened with a sprawling downbeat jam. Mario Rubalcaba is ruthless on drums, holding rhythm in a portal of noise and feedback. Mitchell occasionally joins Mike Eginton (bass) in his groove but spends much of the set manipulating his guitar with Hendrix finesse, giving nothing away with his appearance as he sways in contrast to sound he is now creating. Unbothered by the attention he is commanding from the room, Mitchell steps away from the rock-god folklore surrounding him and becomes just a man and his guitar, cracking a smile while bending a soaring note.

The set can't be broken into single songs; instead the band moves effortlessly from riff to riff, glorifying it, building it. Sending waves of sonic pandemonium over the room, Earthless are a jam band in all senses of the word. Embodying the beauty of the jam before letting their sheer talent and ability shine has brought them from the garage to the stage for everyone tonight.

The final act bubbles with rolling drums and echoing drawn out tones; once again Earthless is sprawling across our universe, opening a portal as they prepare to deliver us into another realm. Many of the crowd simply watch in awe at the casual attitude Mitchell displays as he wields his instrument, the smallest of movements creating their monumental sound. The set seems to finish with explosions of fretwork and drum blasts and Earthless do leave the stage, only for a moment. The band thank the crowd endearingly before settling in for their encore — which is, of course, a ripping electrified rendition of Foxy Lady.