Supports: Metreya and Temtris
Crowbar, Leichhardt, Sydney
Friday, 10th of May, 2019.
For a long time, Japan’s Loudness was firmly in the category of one of those huge international bands that wasn’t ever going to make it to our shores. Well, in what has been a bit of a change of late, some bands in that we’d never expect to see here are finally turning up on our doorstep. Their 2018 Rise to Glory is an interesting album and with countless albums under their belt, it could have been presumed that material from that would be the focus. As it turned out, the bulk of the set took us back to the mid-eighties as far as the song set selections went. Prior to that, there were two lucky local support bands to warm up the crowd.
Kicking things off tonight was Wollongong five piece Metreya whose twin guitar attack certainly did the job. Be it dive bombs, swirling feedback squeals of fast shredding, the guitars offered some additional variety to the screaming vocals from front man Dave Tinelt. There was also a bit of a bouncing thrash vibe in their set whilst other parts had Slayer influences and overall, their sound was loud but with clear delivery.
Galloping guitar parts from guitarists Dieter Jabs and Adam Grozdanic would then segue into melodic guitar soloing parts amongst the barrage of metal music. Plenty of double kick drumming from Sean Clifford continued into the set closing track of ‘War Era’ whereby the tight drumming and solid snare crack enhanced the barked vocals bark and syncopated guitar rhythms that included plenty of fast power chord changes. Metreya, as a seasoned thrash metal support act for international tours, had no trouble getting the crowd enthused.
Similarly, as South Coast based five piece Temtris, were setting up for their set and sound checking, they were playing along to some Slayer and Mötley Crüe tracks over the PA as they warmed up and sound checked, their camaraderie with the crowd instantly evident. Fronted by the boisterous Genevieve Rodda, they started their solid thirty minute set with ‘Enter the Asylum’ demonstrating Rodda’s vocal strength and vibrato skills. Also, the twin guitar work of Anthony Hoffman and Anthony Roberts saw trade off solos leading into harmony parts whilst the rhythm section whipped cymbals and kept the bass line hammering along nicely.
Next up were tracks from the recent album Rapture. First, the melodic, vocally driven ‘Run’ provided falsetto and lower vocals plus some decent guitar soloing. Second, the heavier track ‘Parasite’, with a very thrashy riff and slight groove bounce underpinning a sustained yet aggressive vocal melody line accompanied by twin guitar part bursts. Delving into a slower interlude then into double time with wah pedal spiced solos had a very Metallica inspired feel happening.
Jovial interaction with the crowd kept the set moving, followed by the interesting arrangements of ‘Breathe’ with the rhythm section pushing the changes in the track. A strong chorus then bassist Nick Wilks’ part to introduce a harmony guitar interlude, led into a fast, finger tapped guitar solos before reprising the chorus. It was a set highlight as all band members shone during the song with both Rodda and Roberts venturing onto the crowd barrier during song sections.
The closing track of ‘Wings of Death’ commenced with heavy bass and drums plus some nifty guitar riffing and soon showed some quality dynamics and stylistic variations. More traded solos and soaring vocals ensued and as Temtris finished up, they started a quick chant for Loudness as the curtains were soon drawn.
The changeover completed, Ozzy’s ‘Crazy Train’ filled the venue and soon lights dimmed to have AC/DC’s Highway to Hell’ blasted over the PA. The curtains opened and on walked Loudness. Touring drummer Ryuichi Nishida kicked off the bombast as Japan’s guitar god, Akira Takasaki, tremolo picked some random noises on his signature guitar before energetic vocalist Minoru Niihara loudly asked, ‘are you ready?’ and the crowd responded in kind as the great driving riff of ‘Crazy Nights’ filled eardrums.
Takasaki was shredding from the outset, unleashing wide bends, fast descending runs, chromatic tapping, whammy dips with the first of many showcasing, middle- eight solos and then finished the song with a slow trilled pull-up riff, reminiscent of the late Randy Rhoads. His tapping parts were sometimes atonal before quickly returning back into the riff, so he effortlessly played outside notes with conviction.
Then things got weird as amplification technical issues left saw the set briefly noodle into a unique jazz improvisation session with snippets of Hendrix as bassist Masayoshi Yamashita kept things briskly jam based as issues were sorted out. Resuming proceedings, ‘Like Hell’, another track from the classic Thunder in the East album, brought the staccato and pedalled riffs into play alongside vocal harmonies that followed the rhythm progression. After the fast, descending solo and return to power chords, something had considerably irked Takasaki so that he simply walked offstage. The band looked confused as did the audience but fortunately, after a few minutes, it was all sorted out properly and the set then proceeded smoothly, without interruption.
The power metal ballad of ‘Heavy Chains’ soon picked up into a double time gallop with plenty of cymbal work, falsetto vocals and bits of guitar soloing squeezed in wherever it would fit. The solo was impressive with some whammy abuse dished out and it was a master class in guitar watching Takasaki switch between rhythm and lead parts with deft, fluid ease.
The following couple of tracks were tolerable rock radio formulated tracks of the era with the pop metal of ‘Let It Go’ generating some fist pumping crowd approval and the subsequent ‘We Could Be Together’ delivering some solid guitar riffs with tasty pedal effects, a melodic chorus and plenty of big floor toms and kick drum hits so it was a rhythm section focussed track that was also a bit dated.
The joys of two note rock chords enhanced ‘In the Mirror’, sung in Japanese and with fast, heavy drums, cymbal chokes and a fiery guitar solo with some speedy over hand tapping work. It was a guitar solo highlight and also a great early track from the 1983 album, The Law of Devil’s Land.
Material from Hurricane Eyes got an airing next, starting off with another ballad, ‘In My Dreams’ with the vocal delivery and interplay between bass and guitar was performed well. A building solo with neoclassical aspects was well done but it was the outro solo where Takasaki let loose with wide vibratos, trills and whammy tricks that saw hints of him being less restrained. The same applied to the next hand waving track, ‘So Lonely’, when the muted rhythms switched to another outro solo that George Lynch would do, full of expressive whammy dives with pre-note bends and wailing trills. It was like the end of track, radio fade-out solos were finally being heard.
Niihara hit his stride well by this point and thanked the local fans for their enduring patience. The cracking rock and slightly fusion influenced track of ‘Soul on Fire’ from Rise To Glory brought back the heavier material. The high chorus, pop metal vibe but with a harder edge and speedy octave and
wah pedal solos made for another set highlight. It was complimented well by the next new album track of ‘I’m Still Alive’ which was pure metal with blast-beat drumming, fast riffs and a barked chorus. The heaviest song of the night benefited from a screeching, effect pedal enhanced guitar solo and then different spatial effects during the slightly slower song sections.
A drum solo followed with Nishida increasing speed, covering the full range of his kit and then offered up various grooves, some cowbell and then got the audience involved as they clapping in time between fills. ‘This Lonely Heart’ and ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Gypsy’ got more call and response antics happening with plentiful guitar soloing virtuosity before another track was sung in Japanese, that being ‘Crazy Doctor’ from earlier album, Disillusion. Fist pumps coincided with the fast, descending riffs before Takasaki peeled off a sweeping guitar solo with ease that soon synchronised with the drumming giving it a power metal feel before ending the track on a huge plectrum slide. The simplest of tricks still work.
Disposing of the usual extended encore activities, Loudness took some applause and soon after, ripped into the final track. To end the show, ‘S.D.I.’ was unleashed, providing a fast, muted pedalling riffs and a flurry of notes within the solo. More double kick drumming and stabbed chords let Niihara scream. Of course, the end was a bombastic array of guitar noises with Takasaki summoning Hendrix before the whole band slowed to a big final chord on repeat.
As the harmony guitar, instrumental track of ‘Farewell’ played over the PA, Loudness, aptly enough, took their bows to an applauding audience. All things considered, Loudness delivered a fantastic set that pleased the old school die-hards and also provided newer material that proved they are not trading on past glories. Many who thought they would never see Loudness in Australia were now pinching themselves that it finally happened. It was worth the trek.
Crazy Nights
Like Hell
Heavy Chains
Let It Go
We Could Be Together
In the Mirror
In My Dreams
So Lonely
Soul on Fire
I’m Still Alive
Drum Solo
Rock ‘n’ Roll Gypsy
This Lonely Heart
Crazy Doctor
S.D.I.
Farewell.