So, this evening I enjoyed the first 3
acts of Le Estival des Acteurs De L'Ombre Soirée Stoner/Grunge.
Every act that I saw was tight and accurate and really just
wonderful. The night started off with Urban Stoners Soleil Vert. They
really got things going with their sheer brutality!Then things got
grungy with a rocking set from In a Nutshell who managed to get quite
the mosh going. Finally, Stoner Doom lords Tsar Bomba closed out my
night and blew me away with their colossal sound. I have never heard
a band that sounded so HUGE Overall the evening was most excellent
and had some awesome sets. All three of these bands are worth
checking out as they all have their own particular points of
brilliance.
Soleil Vert is a band that combines the
industrial urban tones of New York Hardcore bands with the stoner
sounds of Electric Wizard. The music is rather unique and provides an
excellent way to start off an evening of metal. With a lead singer
who put his entire heart and soul into the songs it was a pleasure to
hear these guys play. His vocal style is half screamed and half sung.
This allows for a lot of power but also a bit of melody. It's a
really good balance. The guitar work was heavy and some of the riffs
were truly memorable. They combine the bluesy magic of stoner metal
with an edgier punk sound. The bass work was heavy and really
complemented the riffs, with even a few riffs of it's own at times. I
really liked this bands drummer, he played such a great variety of
licks and so many weird rhythms that this music can not leave you
bored. The stage show was cool with the lead singer occasionally
jumping into the crowd and making us a part of the show. I really
liked how the singer gyrated and shook, really making everyone go a
bit crazy. It really was a lot of fun! Overall Soleil Vert went down
really well and was a joy to see live!
In a Nutshell came on next, they where
the ones who really got people going crazy. Vocally this band is very
much in the vein of giants like Nirvana or Soundgarden with a raw
beauty to their music. The guitar work was simple and I particularly
liked the riff on It's Raining. I also found the bass playing to be
rather straightforward, and very grunge, with lots of simple but
tasty licks. The drumming was pure rock and roll, the drummer never
let up his punk attack for an instant, it was great. The bands live
show made everything even better. With two superfans who spent the
whole showing jumping around in front of the stage the band already
had a crazy aura. During the show, the guitarist and bass player
where not afraid to jump into the audience and just mosh. The lead
singer also got a little crazy, pulling himself up onto the rafters
and generally having a great time. The last song of the set, a cover
of Nirvana's classic, Territorial Pissings got the mosh pit really
going with some great slam dancing. In conclusion, In a Nutshell is
an AWESOME live band who can get a pit going in any venue and who you
HAVE to enjoy.
The final act that I saw was Tsar
Bomba, a fantastically doomy stoner band with a sound that is so
heavy it will smush your brain. One might compare them to French
Black Metallers Glorior Belli, but they have more of a doom side to
them. With slow crushing riffs you will not soon forget these guys.
Their sound is so colossal on the record that it's impossible to
describe how MASSIVE they sound live. The guitar work is at once
bluesy and doomtastic. The riffs have something...concerning about
them Listening to Tsar Bomba fills you with dread, but also leaves
you impressed at a band that can pull of such a sound. The bass work
is some of the best that I have EVER heard. With a ton of riffs the
bass player (Who is also a really cool guy) leads the band into a
doomy oblivion. His playing is just perfect, he captures all the
stoner tones of Black Sabbath and injects them with something a
little more modern. The drum work is great, and while maybe not as
free as that of Soleil Vert, there is still some really solid stuff
here. The playing is varied and interesting and definitely a big part
of the band. Finally we have the vocals, the singer is a long haired
viking with a unique vocal style. With songs that are almost groaned
out his body, Tsar Bomba music sounds like it is being forced out.
Like some sort of black beast pulled out into the light and shown to
the world. It's that awesome. To finish, Tsar Bomba is a killer live
act and you MUST see them!
All in all I had a killer night, I got
to meet some cool people and listen to some awesome music. Everyone
at the show was super nice and great to hang out with. We all had a
wonderful time! From the Urban Stoner of Soleil Green with its' solid
but edgy sound that started out the night, to the hard moshing fun of
In a Nutshell both acts were golden. Lastly, Tsar Bomba blew my mind
with their huge sound that just does not seem possible! All of the
bands' music is great, and they all really know how to deliver live.
So go and like them on facebook and listen to their tunes! You won't
regret it!
No comments:
Post a Comment