Live Review : OmegaThrone + Tomb Slab + Bullhead + Rope Burn @ The Outpost, Liverpool on July
Liverpool’s Outpost is an oasis in a city that doesn’t really do rock and metal. Its tight confines are designed specifically to capture the unfiltered energy and raw atmosphere of the bands that play there. And what better complement to this sanctuary than the sound of extreme metal?
Outpost's Saturday of Sludge kicks off with Rope Burn, who instantly envelop the room in their sound of pungent, swampy doom. They roll out massive, low-tuned grooves that lurk in the sweet spot between Black Flag, Dystopia, and of course the now very very hip Acid Bath. The floorboards shake with the crunching riffs and the crowd sway in unison to the barrage of sound that invades their ears. For their final song, they execute a complete tonal shift: a sombre arpeggio accompanied by softer vocals. The audience are caught completely off guard as echoes of pain flood the room from the combined might of three vocalists. Each performer, doubling as the lead, rhythm, and bass guitarists respectively, offer something unique in the vocal department. Together, they trade duties across deep growls, fry screams, and an old-school doom delivery. Crowd members exchange quick looks of approval before banging their heads with each brutal beating of the crash cymbal. Adrenaline pumps through the room, and the air whips around with every windmill of hair. With youthful new-school energy and an uncompromising old-school DIY ethic, Ropeburn are the perfect combination for any newcomers!
Bullhead do not merely request the crowd's attention; they violently seize it the moment the duo take the stage. Fronted by a vocalist wearing spiked wrist cuffs big enough to be deemed lethal weapons, and a drummer chained to the kit, they maintain the evening's sludge foundation. However they manage to also bring diversity to the table, injecting a manic grindcore intensity with a barrage of blistering blast beats and abrasive distortion. Through unrelenting speed and sheer ferocity, they conjure a storm within the crowd. As their set powers on, Bullhead up the ante until their grand finale: a letter of pure hatred dedicated to religion. By the time the final note rings out, every inch of the room is slick with sweat and the assembled throng stand in awe of such a unique performance.
The penultimate act of the night, Tomb Slab, have big shoes to fill, and thus they came armed with a blackened edge to their sludge and the most bass-heavy riffs of the night. The moment the first note leaves the amp, an abyss swallows any remaining clarity, leaving only an aggressive rumble to ricochet between the walls. Determined to intertwine themselves with their audience, their vocalist spends the entirety of the performance in the pit. Refusing to be confined to the stage, he ventured amongst unfamiliar faces to provoke reactions of angst and rage. His success is evident in the maniacal movement of the multitude. With each successive riff, Tomb Slab delve deeper into the void, ultimately taking their final form as a sarcophagus of sludge engulfing the room whole. Heads rattle as the final note fades leaving the band triumphant.
After an unforgiving fury of distortion and doom, it was time for the headliners, OmegaThrone! Breaking away from the evening's dominant theme, they unleash a torrent of death metal with a blackened twist. Right out of the gates, they embraced a mix of melodic and harsh vocals, accompanied by cavernous bass, thunderous drums, and razor-sharp guitars. Their vocalist, J.J. Moffat, utilizes an array of pedals to further the depth, devastation and distortion of their sound, painting himself as a conductor orchestrating the symphony of violence in the crowd. The audience rally behind the band, elevating the atmosphere to a fever pitch in a room already radiating with heat and sweat. Throughout their set, Omega Throne displayed an unyielding resilience, refusing to offer anything less than the heaviest riffs imaginable.
Each band on the bill brought a distinct, compelling twist to the realms of sludge and extreme metal. It was an incredibly thrilling showcase from start to finish, and with four bands equally demanding to be watched closely in the future. Small independent venues like Outpost continually prove their worth, transforming cramped, intimate spaces to craft live music experiences that can never be forgotten.
Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
Omega Throne + Tomb Slab + Bullhead + Ropeburn
Photographer : Ben Edwards