It’s been two years since Altar of Plagues graced a Dublin stage. It really is a shame that it’s taken this long but perhaps good things come to those who wait as over the last few years, the band has honed in on every single little detail about their live show, a skill harnessed by the slog of touring and a commitment to executing the finest live experience. This was all evidenced by their stunning headlining set at April’s Siege of Limerick and an outing in Dublin’s The Pint, arguably, eclipses it.
Accompanied by a fairly diverse bill from start to finish, Zom start things off though. They really have become the Irish death metal darlings in some ways, but at least its deserved as their primal old school death metal is always a joy to watch live and the addition of backdrops and three high candle stands lit ominously in the centre of the stage truly adds to the grim atmosphere.
Brains though are the odd ones of this line-up that’s for sure but it’s not meant as a slight. Lodged in the middle of this bill of death and gloom is their blues-ridden, 70s worshipping dark rock and there’s no doubt that this band has a flair for unforgettable hooks like the ludicrously rockin’ “3 ft Wide 7 ft Tall”. The band has also been undergoing some changes of late, namely the departure of one guitarist leaving all guitar duties to just one, meanwhile their sound is utilising more keyboards. This all made clear by the inclusion of new material, with fresh cuts like “The Deal” and a couple of others put on display as a sign of things to come, even if their set doesn’t necessarily add to the evening, it doesn’t really take too much from it either.
Altar of Plagues aren’t the only band here tonight that have been absent from live shows in Dublin. Wreck of the Hesperus released a new album last year “Light Rotting Out” but didn’t follow it up with any live shows and strangely this set is void of any material from the record. Rather the band is celebrating the compilation cassette re-issue of their demos on Fort Evil Fruit. Either way, their set is unnervingly good as deathly, sickly slow funeral doom filth is laid down with caustic vocals, and frankly some of the best vocal performance-induced facial gurning.
As good as the previous bands have been though, Altar of Plagues, as expected, trounce all. The monumental “Neptune is Dead” opens these magnificent proceedings, unfurling in dark wonder, like always, as the band pulls you into their harrowing and ghostly world. Their sound has always been one that, while cerebral and methodical, can be breathtakingly cathartic like the invigorating “Earth: I – as a Womb” and “Earth: II – as a Furnace”, of course played in sequence.
What comes next is nothing short of a wondrous surprise – “The Titan Skies” from the “Sol” EP. Tracks from the EP have mostly been omitted from setlists since “Tides”, and particularly “Mammal”, came out, so this is welcomed rapturously. Quite shorter than the rest of their output, “The Titan Skies” is maelstrom of BM intensity and moments of eerie melody that bleed out into the set’s final torrent.
Ending on something of a similar note to their Siege of Limerick set earlier this year, the band implement a stunning rendition of “Feather & Bone”. Halfway descending into improv passages characterised by wholly intense tribal drumming taking the lead, vaguely reminiscent of Neurosis, the band takes up the pace again for the song’s expected close bringing another Altar of Plagues show to a captivating and altogether dramatic end.
Photos: Simon Ward
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