Supports: Hazmat + Temtris
Crowbar, Leichhardt, Sydney
Friday, 30th August, 2019
There is nothing quite like an old school heavy metal show to bring out the devoted metallers of yesteryear in sleeveless battle jackets littered with patches, eager to update their wardrobe with a new version of t-shirt for a legendary band. It also provides an opportunity for the relevant band to demonstrate the strength of their new material which has likely caught the attention of newer thrash metal and heavy metal fans alike. Metal Church were once poised as contenders for rising towards the lofty heights of success that fellow San Francisco veterans, Metallica attained. Whilst the fickle nature of the music industry almost excommunicated the band to the history books of semi-thrash metal legends, perseverance and reuniting with vocalist Mike Howe, has seen them record and tour behind a couple of fantastically well received newer albums.
Howe initially joined the band before their third album, Blessing In Disguise, replacing the sadly now late David Wayne, but throughout the career of Metal Church, primary songwriter and rhythm guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof has driven the band’s direction and done so successfully. Their latest album, Damned If You Do, has evidently coincided with the band finally touring Australia for the first time ever since the band hinted at great things with a major label deal around thirty three years ago. Tonight’s show promised a mixture of old and new songs performed with a new found energy that would reinvigorate the audience, especially the patient die-hard fans.
South Coast based five piece metal band, Temtris, have played the Crowbar venue numerous times and consistently deliver with soaring vocals, galloping rhythms and quick-fire guitar solos. Their most recent album, Rapture, has shown their song writing and arranging strengths improve so it is no surprise to see their fan base increasing with plenty in the audience singing along. The venue was still filling up as their set commenced but they have an energy from the start with the rhythm section of drummer Nicholas Bolan and bassist Nik Wilks underpinning the combined guitar rhythms and fast lead soloing parts between guitarists Anthony Fox and Anthony Hoffman.
Frontwoman, Genevieve Rodda, is both charismatic and commanding with a vocal strength that is clearly well rehearsed. She projects well, carries leather apparel with conviction and is now sporting a microphone adorned with metal wings to complete the metal look. Whether climbing onto the barrier to sing, raising fists or moving around the limited stage space, she stayed in tune and still retained a decent vocal range so she is clearly very fit.
A definite set highlight was the title track from prior album, Enter the Asylum, which saw the guitars locking into riffs as the song progressed from galloping power metal into heavier thrash based passages, again with the rhythm section keeping it all running along smoothly whilst Rodda’s vocals soared. During the set, solos from bandana wearing Fox were embellished with some wah pedal inflexions and his technique contains generally fast alternate picking and finger tapping passages but it was his comparatively slow build opening note in the solo to ‘Run’ that showed some maturity in setting up a rapid solo that soon traded with Hoffman, who tremolo picked with ease. Some of their material is ambitious with dynamics but when Temtris hit their stride, they certainly deliver and they have improved substantially on the live front.
As Iron Maiden and other classic tracks played over the PA, it wasn’t long before the second support band of the night were in full swing. Western Sydney four piece Hazmat are another experienced band who has supported a variety of international acts thus far. Launching into their set, Jay Callaby, who must surely be influenced by Megadeth main man, Dave Mustaine as far as vocal delivery style goes, initially had some technical issues with his guitar. Guitarist Andrew ‘Duck’ Howard’s flying V guitar sound was fortunately intact as the band persevered to the next track.
After a rocky start, problems were quickly ironed out without drawing attention to it and Callaby’s guitar rhythm sound could soon be heard bouncing around the venue walls. Fast thrash metal was the overall order of the day with some swiftly executed trade-offs and some delay on the vocals for extra oomph from backing vocals to push the choruses. New tracks such as the almost groove metal of ‘The Handover’ had more traded solos whilst ‘Silent Majority’ gathered pace into thrash metal territory and had well played time changes.
The rhythm section was tight and had plenty of additional cymbal work to spice up the solid drumming. Various band members had the odd bit of choreographed side leans to add emphasis to a song section but jumping on the spot didn’t quite take with the older crowd. Still, ‘Life’, from their self-titled album, was aired and rumbled along nicely. To close the set, the thumping track, ‘Burden of Proof’ from Atonement was well received and thus concluded the support band proceedings, demonstrating that the Australian metal scene is still alive and kicking. Hazmat delivered a well-paced set and came through well, despite a starting hiccup.
The crowd filled up noticeably as the curtains were drawn to implement the changeover to the headliners of Metal Church. It was a fairly packed venue and one of the problems with the Crowbar is sight lines when packed, especially when inebriated punters decide that the concept of manners is too hard to muster. Anyway, that quibble aside, the audience were well and truly warmed up as the PA pumped out Sepultura, Helloween, W.A.S.P., Mercyful Fate and The Darkness tracks.
Metal Church finally graced a Sydney stage and once their set properly kicked in after some spooky sounding introduction music, it was with the energetic, swirling groove of the title track from Damned If You Do. Former W.A.S.P. drummer Stet Howland sat behind a large drum kit with a variety of cymbals and two double bass drums situated widely apart. He was the powerful percussive engine room from the very start and locked in well with bassist Bobby Ferkovich from Presto Ballet, filling in for Steve Unger, absent due to passport issues. At stage right, the bald Kurdt Vanderhoof took to his white Les Paul Gibson guitar running through dual amplifier stacks with utmost precision. At stage left, the hirsute Rick Van Zandt unleashed polished and tasteful sounding solo parts when not bolstering the powering rhythm guitar of Vanderhoof.
Vocalist Mike Howe, dressed in black jeans, t-shirt and wristbands soon won over the crowd with his vocal prowess during the bouncing galloping metal of ‘Needle and Suture’ from XI and moved with lithe movements not often seen in heavy metal whilst delivering emphatic and punchy vocals. The dynamics of ‘Badlands’ from the great Blessing in Disguise album demonstrated the variety of Vanderhoof’s excellent guitar sounds, the dexterity of Van Zandt’s solo ability, not to mention the tightness of the band and had the crowd handclapping and singing along to the vocals.
Drumming technique also shone with Ferkovich’s basslines clear in the mix, even more so as the rhythm section effectively introduced ‘Gods of Second Chance’ from the aptly titled Hanging in the Balance album. Volume swells, song dynamics and a chorus reprise led the charge in delivering a well arranged track that fed nicely into the pounding track ‘Start the Fire’ from the classic 1986 album, The Dark. The song was instantly recognisable to the crowds as they chanted along to the lyrics with enthusiasm.
It was similarly the case during the heavy, bouncing rock of ‘Date with Poverty’ from The Human Factor which also saw one of Van Zandt’s more expressive and creative guitar soloing abilities being more prevalent. The well-known and haunting track, ‘Watch the Children Pray’ from The Dark was next. As the song built pace, the audience sang along to the sustained chorus melody. Aside from great rhythm parts, on occasion, Vanderhoof would contribute to solo duties or harmonise guitar lines with Van Zandt. For example, this track saw him offer up an effective, climbing solo that worked nicely within the context of the song. As the song completed, Howland was standing, leaning over his cymbals.
Vanderhoof and Howland then played together to start off the rock metal groove of ‘No Friend of Mine’. An extended guitar solo spot within the song let Van Zandt explore various shred techniques further including sliding tapping runs and doubled trills showing his wide finger spanning and hand strength. It has elements of jazz fusion, accompanied by bass and percussion before ending with a howling reverse whammy pull on his vertically upright guitar. The song resumed with the full band back onstage and continued without missing a beat.
New material bookended a classic track next and it indicated perfectly just how strong their current band is in both recorded and live form. Vanderhoof and Howe introduced the band before airing the moody and hypnotic ‘The Black Things’ with Howe’s raspy vocal style in full flight against the subtly effected guitar tones. The debut album of Metal Church finally got a look in with ‘Beyond the Black’ performed immediately next and was done so flawlessly as the apocalyptic track of the 80’s entertained and excited the crowd. The cutting track, ‘By the Numbers’ followed and as far as new material is concerned, was a certain show highlight. The powering, galloping riff in unison with the on-point rhythm section and multi-octave raising vocals made for a cracking main set closer.
Announcing the encore with amusing banter, Howe elected to dispense with the machinations to simply continue and in doing so, maintained energy levels of the show. The unified band were soon playing the initially drum and ringing guitar introduced track ‘In Mourning’ from The Human Factor. As the rolling groove of the song progressed, Howe delivered the considered lyrics with passion and presence whilst Van Zandt played a tasty guitar solo with some outside notes before the heavier breakdown of the track.
Final track for the night was the masterful ‘Fake Healer’ from Blessing in Disguise with the great riff skills of Vanderhoof on show, driving the song which was also embellished with some excellent guitar harmonies and of course, more enthused crowd sing-alongs.
Metal Church put on a sensational, no-nonsense show tonight and there are very few bands at their level who would be able to follow such a set. For those of us who have literally waited decades to hear their music played live, we were happily rewarded with a tasty eighty minute set. The sound production was excellent, band interplay was great and the pace of the show impeccably constructed. Metal Church are not trading on past glories, they are back and the metal world should hopefully take notice.
Damned If You Do
Needle and Suture
Badlands
Gods of Second Chance
Start the Fire
Date with Poverty
Watch the Children Pray
No Friend of Mine [including Rick Van Zandt guitar solo]
The Black Things
Beyond the Black
By the Numbers
Encore:
In Mourning
Fake Healer.