Manning Bar, Sydney University
Thursday, 3rd November, 2022
Swedish melodic death metal band Soilwork’s latest album Övergivenheten has a lyrical depth and variety of musical approaches that few bands of their ilk will ever muster. Co-written by greatly missed late guitarist, and medical practitioner, David Andersson, the album content is suitably dark yet refreshingly honest, and natural sounding, with none of the inane bluster that can be typical of other bands within the extreme metal genre. Soilwork’s music is unique with a melding of styles that still sees their sound evolve and grow. Given the circumstances of a band still grieving, it was certainly impressive to see Soilwork stick to their tour dates, and in doing so, delivering a fantastic live show, which just happens to be their ninth tour here, with their first one back in 2003. As a result, the crowd was well attended with fans, both old and new.
Opening the show this evening, Melbourne based four piece, Mason, burst on to the stage with abrasive energy, adding the odd bit of groove to their thrash metal assault. Drummer Nonda T offered fast, heavy beats, backed by fingerstyle bass playing, whilst the twin lead guitar interplay between front man James Benson and somewhat acrobatic Daniel Packovski, provided fast guitar parts, with well-rehearsed trade-off solos.
Lyrics about ‘your reality’ were barked over ferocious blast beats followed by more harmonised soloing but more variety was heard during The Afterlife, from the album Impervious, with rhythmic changes underneath the rapid alternating solos. A pedalling groove offered some melodicism, however, Wretched Soul, from earlier album Warhead, took death metal styled tremolo rhythms in tandem with slower parts, and a Dimebag style pick scrape thrown in for good measure.
Benson’s sense of timing was evident with his guitar technique, chock full of wide vibrato and articulation, which when combined with Packovski’s legato, had an almost neo-classical feel in parts. Of course, it was thrash bombast in spades with Tears of Tragedy and Cross This Path continuing the onslaught, to close out the set with guitars behind heads, plectrums thrown and caught mid-song and the judicious use of the main band’s drum riser for jumping antics.
Sydney death metal band Killrazer were up next, after a long absence from the live scene due to various reasons, and finally with their ‘new’ album The Burial Begins seeing the light of day. Casually sound checking and ignoring a pre-recorded intro hiccup, the four piece launched straight into the fast thrash of Salt in the Wound, with heavy down picking and fast soloing from towering front man Doug Dalton. The rhythm section of bassist Zoran Mrakic and drummer Zac Sale handled time signature changes easily.
Band introductions, including that of new guitarist Peter Bursky were done with usual laconic, expletive laden humour before the atonal riffs of Suicide Command went headlong into blast beats, segmented riffs and a form of noise appreciation that Killrazer revel in. The Legions saw more aggression, and speed with apt drumming amongst the brisk rhythm figure changes and sharp, almost gated guitar chords. The track ended with howling bass notes and some brief guitar harmony but it was soon back into a sometimes unintelligible vocal growl, bouncing tremolo riffs and chromatic solos.
Joking about a medical condition that requires amber fluid administration between songs, Dalton introduced the longer track Sunken, which had a Slayer, Seasons in the Abyss era vibe as the twin guitar harmonies offer melodic tension before the song changed pace, albeit reprising slower sections during solos with Eastern scales before returning to quick, blast beat based death metal, as Dalton encouraged the pit with choice Australian vernacular phrases such as ‘bin chickens’ and ‘drop bears.’
The changeover swiftly done as the album artwork for Övergivenheten was illuminated, Soilwork took their stage positions as the pre-recorded first parts of the title track filled the venue with the sound of banjos, slide guitars, and the melody line. As the track gained pace, with plentiful applause, and lighting now revealing the band, Soilwork then launched into the song properly, and were off in tight form, sounding brilliant from the first note.
Performing as a five-piece for this tour, due to keyboardist Sven Karlsson being absent having recently becoming a father, vocalist Björn ‘Speed’ Strid had a commanding presence taking centre stage as the vocals moved from aggressive verse sections to melodic chorus parts, backed up on vocals by touring bassist, and now new member, Rasmus Ehrnborn. The twin guitar harmonies played by guitarist Sylvain Coudret at stage left, and touring guitarist Simon Johansson at stage right, were effortlessly delivered in unison.
As the stage lighting pulsed with various sweeping arrays, and a selection of colours from red, green, to purple, and to bright white, and various shades, the band were not the least bit distracted as they ripped through the powering The Living Infinite track This Momentary Bliss with heavier sections and the down tuned thump filling the room. The classic title track from Stabbing the Drama took things into a progressively heavier, groove feel with pre-recorded keyboard lines filling out the sound, as the audience sang along with little need for inducement, with Strid retorting, ‘Scream for me, Sydney’, as the heavier breakdown let the guitarists drop squealing harmonics and solo with wide bends.
Acoustic tracks introduced The Living Infinite I, as Strid took control of the higher register, melodic chorus, not missing a note as the heavy rhythm section parts took hold, driven by unflappable drummer Bastian Thusgaard, whose double kick work hammered chests, and overall drumming skills were quite mesmerising to watch. The guitar soloing was also impressive with fluid technique, climbing crescendos, plentiful dramatic vibrato bar dives but most importantly, a great combination of tones.
Further into the set, The Living Infinite II also got an airing, providing more audience engagement and a dash of wah pedal effects. Prior to that, a couple of latest album tracks were played, with the blast beat filled, quick pace of Is It in Your Darkness, and the almost black metal sounding Electric Again, both offering ferocity but with deep, insightful lyrics.
Diehard fans were satiated with early career track Bastard Chain from superb album A Predator’s Portrait, offering up a heavy, blast of melodic death metal, enjoying the time changes and virtuoso soloing against chromatic style riffing. Closer to recent works though, The Nurturing Glance from Verkligheten was a set highlight, with the song introduced by Strid as a tribute to David Andersson, stating him to be ‘one of the best songwriters of our time’. Band and audience were in agreement as the twin guitars locked in harmony, cranking out the pedalled guitar rhythm part, that evolved as the song progressed, then allowing soloing full of trills, sweeps, tapping patterns yet done tastefully with stunning musicianship.
The fast paced and energetic title track from The Ride Majestic followed with Thusgaard’s relentless drumming barrage. The next track, Harvest Spine, from the latest album, had an opening riff that neatly resolves tension into the verse with heavy rhythmic accents, then into the chorus, complete with backing vocals. A Whisp of the Atlantic was then represented with the rolling, down tuned, flange pedal effected riffing of intricate track, Death Diviner, which had a certain Tool feel to it. The slower paced vocals provided an almost hypnotic aspect and the rhythm figures allowed for plenty of emotive guitar soloing against blast beats.
The encore arrived with the enthused audience chanting from more songs, and were met with the heavy track Nerve, the second track on offer tonight from the benchmark setting album, Stabbing the Drama. The pre-recorded keyboard figure melded with the band’s tight song delivery, and saw Johansson take his guitar solo from centre stage.
Arrival, hinting at black metal rhythm stylings, sped up proceedings, with the blasts pivoting around central chords and the fluid chord progression. Guitar soloing took to some virtuosity, as Strid enjoyed battling a bouncing inflatable ball that had been released from a venue ceiling fixture and was now traversing between audience and stage.
Latest album track Valleys of Gloam provided an octave styled riff, a rousing melody and sustained chorus, backed by interesting delay effected guitars. To close off their fantastic performance, Soilwork chose the galloping, steady pulsing track of Stålfågel from Verkligheten. As Strid took to unlashing some falsetto vocals, Ehrnborn convened with the two guitarists at centre stage, as a variety of quick soloing patterns were performed with precision.
Soilwork’s latest tour was quite brilliant to watch, and their new material, clearly the primary focus of this tour, now sees them with a renewed energy on the live front, that may well be a result of confronting tragedy. The atmosphere in the room enhanced the already exceptional material chosen for their latest tour set list. They promise to return and are well worth seeing live. A flawless performance.
Övergivenheten
This Momentary Bliss
Stabbing the Drama
The Living Infinite I
Is It in Your Darkness
Electric Again
The Living Infinite II
Bastard Chain
The Nurturing Glance
The Ride Majestic
Harvest Spine
Death Diviner
Nerve
Arrival
Valleys of Gloam
Stålfågel.