Words – Shelby
Shots – @djsedick
Nothing tastes as sweet as embarking on 12 days of annual leave. Most people would either grab some takeout, sit at home and maybe watch Love Island? I wouldn’t know as I never seen it but, I decided to celebrate by not being at home, not eating takeout and seeing MAMMON’s THRONE and MY DYING BRIDE at my second home, the NORTHCOTE THEATRE.
After seeing MAMMON’s THRONE absolutely dominate their headlining set at the BENDI’s second first birthday (if you know, you know), I was eagerly intrigued to see their morbid tones drone out amongst the cavernous walls of the NORTHCOTE THEATRE. MAMMON’s THRONE, Melbourne’s own heavy brethren, deliver a grim fusion of traditional doom and black metal, laced with touches of death metal. Crushing, sludgy riffs merge with sprawling, atmospheric passages, setting a bleak stage for guttural vocals, thundering blast beats, and unrelenting, razor-sharp guitar work.
Dressed in black, they moved through the dim stage lights and flickering candles as if leading us into the depths of a cold, sordid and sacred hall. In their punishing stride, they paid homage to the recently deceased icon Tomas Lindberg of At The Gates to an adoring and thankful crowd, like a blessing bestowed upon the truly worthy. MAMMON’s THRONE’s hold over the crowd was nothing less than a bleak and mesmerizing chokehold steeped in alchemic wonder.
Making their long awaited debut, MY DYING BRIDE have been a pillar within the doom metal community since their inception in 1990, and dubbed as one of the ‘Peaceville Three’ alongside fellow titans LOST PARADISE and ANATHEMA, fans have been persevering with their hope that MY DYING BRIDE will ever make it to our shores.
Their musical invocation was a love letter to the forlorn, an offering awaiting reclamation within the walls of the NORTHCOTE THEATRE. Guest vocals from Mikko Kotamaki from Swallow the Sun, injected a haunting new dimension into the sound thus complimenting the intimate and vibrant energy, just right for a band whose force flows from atmosphere as much as from heaviness. A weight born from brooding, melancholic guitar riffs, sweeping ethereal violin, and haunting clean vocals that intertwined mesmerizingly with harsh cries filled with raw anguish. Their dramatic set features some old favourites like ‘The Cry of Mankind’, ‘Snow In My Hand’, an unperformed song since 2017, and ‘A Kiss To Remember’. A varied selection for the hungry masses, I was captivated as I moved through each song’s journey from its subtle beginnings, through powerful crescendos, to its breathtaking finale.
MY DYING BRIDE’s performance was nothing less than soul rejuvenating. A true and rare spectacle in which I was honoured to bear witness. MY DYING BRIDE’s long awaited Melbourne debut gave fans everything they craved, a crushing, emotionally charged performance that wove sorrow, beauty and sheer weight into a single unrelenting experience.
MY DYING BRIDE poetically left us aghast and pleading for more.
My most sincere and humble thanks to THE NORTHCOTE THEATRE, MAMMON’S THRONE, MY DYING BRIDE, CULT ETIQUETTE PR and SOUNDWORKS TOURING DIRECT.
EVERYDAY METAL – SUPPORT LOCAL HEAVY METAL
