There are few times a gig starts on time but Evocation were already kickin’ asses. This isn’t so accurate, however, since the band was the most melodic in the event’s line-up. The quintet played typical German death metal in a Swedish way (!) in a rather mediocre result. They had good mood and tried for something good but their typical support band's sound and their average and overdone approach, with melodic parts that reminded of Opeth, didn’t appeal too much. Their 20 minute set list was enough for us to say that we'll never see them again in Greece but at least that was proven before our own eyes.

Obscura, also from Germany, after their last and interesting album "Cosmogenesis", entered the stage after the audience's acclamation. With ex-Pestilence bass player and two ex-Necrophagist guys in drums and guitar, their technical sound and set up was close to a more violent Atheist. Unfortunately the rhythm guitars (something essential in metal and especially death metal) were too low and that deprived their strength. Even so, everyone was happy with their compact setlist and its explosive choices that included a Death cover.

At last it was time for the ‘intellectuals’ from New Brunswick, NJ to play Greece. They set their stuff slowly and quietly and when they began… Chaos! Their set list was focused mostly on their new “Heart Of Darkness” album (a review will shortly be posted) with tracks like “Inner Station” and “The Great American Dream Machine” that were strong punches to our stomachs! The fun started with every ‘circle pit’ invitation and Mike seemed to enjoy that since he didn’t stop wandering around while screaming. Everything exploded with the popular “Forlani” and “Dracula With Glasses” were the audience went bananas! The negative part was, once more, the burying of rhythm guitars and that of the snare by the bass drum triggers; especially at the blast beats. At the end we thought that Mike promised to be back soon and let’s hope that the rumours of last shows and disbanding will prove false.

The, almost, 40 minute BBTS set was followed by the set of the second American act of the evening. The leader John Gallagher is the only remaining member in the veterans Dying Fetus. The threesome had most likely the best sound since you could hear everything without using earplugs, something necessary later on. We heard many tracks from their last, two efforts such as the video clip “Shepherd’s Commandment” and “Homicidal Retribution” but didn’t forget to offer classics like “Grotesque Impalement”, “Kill Your Mother, Rape Your Dog”, “One Shot, One Kill” and to end with “Praise The Lord (Opium Of The Masses)” where no one could resist! Stage diving was unstoppable with great energy feedback from the band. Especially, Sean Beasley with his tapping but also the leader, with his more than gore voice, set the aggression to the maximum.

Cannibal Corpse took more time with their soundcheck but when they showed up the sound was almighty!! Emm, probably more than the average human being could put up with!!! Corpsegrinder, who will never stop his manic bang, sounded roughly stuffed (as we say Frozen Corpse stuffed with Dope!) while at sometime Paul Mazurkiewicz had to change his monitor. Despite these, Cannibal were perfect professionals, as always (even when Fischer burped!!!), with their setlist, however, having more tracks from the ’00s and thus being unable to keep the older fans tensed. The front rows were excited and when the band did stuff like “Fucked With A Knife”, “I Cum Blood” or “Vomit The Soul”, the adrenaline filled the old school in the back rows, too! The set finished with the classic “Hammer Smashed Face” and “Stripped, Raped & Strangled”! Undisputedly, the audience honored Cannibal at their fifth Greek visit in a show that was good but had that overreacting sound that troubled most people.

It’s a great pleasure to see such a full pack arrive in Greece without any loss, something that the audience enjoyed. The bittersweet taste this live left was due to the bands we saw from one hand and the bad sound most of them had on the other. But if we see these bands I guess sometime we’ll put them on a proper sound… Cool!

 

Report By: Iliana Gevreki, Dionisis Kollias

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