Ahead of their performances at this year’s Ieperfest, Australia’s Aversions Crown have teamed up with one of the UK’s fastest rising bands, Venom Prison. The two bands have embarked on a six date tour across the UK and tonight sees them kick start their ‘Xenocidal Summer’ run at the Boston Music Room in North London.
Venom Prison are a band that appear to go from strength to strength at every turn. Opening the show with their crossover brand of technical death metal and hardcore, Venom Prison prove exactly why they’re currently the band on everyone’s lips. Blisteringly heavy, it’s almost impossible to look away for fear of missing something important and despite the band remaining fairly stationary throughout their set, frontwoman Larissa’s performance is entrancing.
The only moment of respite comes from a brief interlude between songs that’s slightly reminiscent of Black Sabbath’s ‘Planet Caravan’ but it’s not long until the band plunge everyone head first, back into the gloom. Most notable is one particular breakdown that has the entire room bowing their heads up and down as though hypnotised or deep in prayer. Without question, Venom Prison have stolen the show this evening and rightly so as they are at the top of their game.
Closing out the evening’s show is deathcore quintet Aversions Crown from Brisbane, Australia. Storming their way through crushing breakdowns and ambient post-metal segments layered with creepy, throaty vocals, Aversions Crown soon have a portion of the crowd headbanging, stomping and even breaking into circle pits.
Despite this spectacle, their overly triggered drum sounds and seemingly endless bass drop samples quickly become irksome. While their stillness onstage may or may not be intentional it comes across as a particularly lacklustre performance and unfortunately also removes any potential elements of intensity within their music.
Although somewhat overshadowed by their support, Aversions Crown still give it their all and somehow manage to breathe life into a music genre that over the years has grown stale and become oversaturated.
Regardless of your opinions on either band, both acts are living proof that hard work truly does pay off by earning their places on this year’s prestigious Ieperfest line up and neither one will go down without a fight.
JAMES DAVENPORT
