Bathed in green, there’s something occult about Belgium’s Cobra The Impaler, a suggestion that “Season Of The Savage”—the opening tune of their 45-minute set—does nothing to dissuade.
They’re resolutely heavy, and “The Message” is impressively so, but they’re not trad. “Colossal Gods,” on the other hand, is a great slab of stoner metal.
But there’s a touch of Green Lung here, at least until the vicious “Spirit Of Lyssa,” before which singer Manuel Remmerie hisses, “Let’s go!” like you’re being commanded.
“Shifting Sands,” with its lush, epic sound, is a real and obvious highlight. Although the ominous keys that usher in “Scorched Earth” give way to something ferocious—as much as to say that you’d best not ignore that one either. Indeed, by the time the guitar solo is done, you are ready to enter their world. Whatever that entails.
For they are a tough one to pin down, COI. One minute there’s a blood-curdling scream, the next there’s something that belongs on early Paradise Lost albums, in the shape of the intro to “Assassins Of The Vision.” Even then, the thunderous metal—complete with double kick drums from Dirk Verbeuren—takes on a life of its own.
Cobra the Impaler have got it nailed, even if you’re not quite sure what it is. Be certain about this, though: They are very good
Valentine’s Day 2023. In this very room. The love was in the air as Katatonia stopped off on the “Sky Void Of Stars” tour. Now, 18 months or so later, they’re back for a second fling, as it were. Opening as it does with “Austerity” shows it is anything but cut back, but even it pales in comparison to the simple words: “Hail Satan, the Colossal Shade,” and the maelstrom that follows.
The groove of “Lethean” is enormous, but if Katatonia exist in the shadows, then occasionally they come out blinking into the light, as they do for the solo here.
There are as many songs off “Great Cold Distance” as off last year’s album, but “Deliberation” is an almost perfect summation of this wonderful band.
“Forsaker” is appreciably heavier, with twin guitar players to the fore, and there’s a wonderfully epic “Opaline,” but it’s when they play “Leaders” that you get it. You see, if “fun” isn’t a word that readily springs to mind when it comes to the Swedes, then watch them here and tell me where else they’d rather be right now than playing these songs.
There’s a change of snare drum before “Behind The Blood,” and the new one that Daniel Moilanen smashes rings like a shotgun blast.
Hiding almost behind his mop of hair, Jonas Renkse makes for a different type of frontman—not a focal point in the conventional sense, he is nonetheless superb on “Teargas.”
The textures of this sound are intriguing. They really shine through on “Soil’s Song,” engendering some proper headbanging action.The energy continues to flow on the flocking (I’m sorry!) brilliant “Birds”, and if “Flicker” changes the vibe to something altogether more eerie and oppressive, then it too explodes in its chorus.
2016’s “The Fall Of Hearts” is mined for the only time for a curious – but mighty – “The Fall Of Hearts”. And if they are a band that doesn’t do histrionics, instead relying on the quality of the music, then that shouts throughout.
“My Twin” (“our one and only hit song….so far,” says Renkse), could end the set, but “Atrium” is worthy of the accolade anyway.
And considering the lack of rock star trappings elsewhere, then they allow themselves the indulgence of an encore.
“July” crushes too, yet like all their stuff, it is surprisingly mellifluous.
“Evidence” ends things, pleasing the bloke who’s shouted for it about 20 times no doubt, but the evidence has been clear long before.
And the conclusion is the same as it always is. Equal parts Prog, Metal, and with a pinch of doom, Katatonia stand alone, but are not avant-garde; instead, they are a group that to hear or see is to love.
Maybe because of the lack of image and their seeming desire to not play the “game,” they go under the radar more than they should, but nonetheless, for 90 minutes here they are without any obvious peers.
