By Andrew Bansal
May 19th 2016, Complex, Glendale CA: Norwegian rock group Arabrot recently concluded a U.S. headline run with support acts Helen Money and Insect Ark. Having been around since 2001 but still an unknown commodity to many, Arabrot arrived in the Los Angeles area as part of this tour for a gig at the most appropriately chosen Complex in Glendale last Thursday May 19th 2016, to bring their brand of post-punk and heavy experimentation. The event was put together, as almost always, by Church Of The 8th Day.
San Diego-based Hexa served as the opening act for this touring lineup, and started proceedings at 9 PM with a short, compelling set. This is a solo project featuring the talents of vocalist, pianist and songwriter Carrie Gillespie Feller, and is presented on stage as a three-piece. Hexa’s graceful, enchanting interpretation of experimental, dreamy dark pop was the ideal precursor for the acts to follow, and an apt choice as the opener for artists like Arabrot and Helen Money, as evident from the response they received from the audience. Their four-song debut EP ‘Bata Motel’ was self-released in February 2016, is as impressive as their live show, and can be streamed in its entirety here.
Just like Hexa, Insect Ark also started as a solo project, of Brooklyn NY based bassist/multi-instrumentalist Dana Schechter who formed it in 2011 and was joined by San Francisco Bay Area based drummer Ashley Spungin in 2015. The duo turned up the decibel level here at Complex with a loud and heavy exhibition of experimental doom/drone, somewhat along the lines of Author & Punisher, and was met with approval by the sparse but appreciative crowd. Dana Schechter’s usage of effects in conjunction with her bass and keyboard play was intriguing to observe, and constituted a major part of Insect Ark’s dreary, trippy sound whilst the drummer made every hit count with maximum impact. For those that missed this show or didn’t arrive in time to catch this band, you are recommended to dig into the Insect Ark debut LP ‘Portal/Well’ here.
Next up was one-of-a-kind doom cellist Alison Chesley performing under the moniker Helen Money, originally hailing from Chicago but now a Los Angeles transplant. With her spellbinding performances and her presentation of such dark and heavy instrumental pieces that she has created out of a mere cello and an array of pedal boards, Helen Money has undoubtedly found a home in the hearts of metalheads anywhere and everywhere that have had the fortune of witnessing her live show over the past few years, and she has established herself as an unmissable performer in the eyes and ears of those that represent this website. Having dared to open metal shows and play in front of metal-centric audiences, this one was relatively a piece of cake for Helen Money, as this crowd here at Complex were already in anticipation of an evening full of experimental music. The track ‘Radio Recorders’ off of the 2013 full-length release ‘Arriving Angels’ is always a highlight, but the entirety of her set invariably garners the undivided attention of the audience with pindrop silence while the music is being played, and loud applause between tunes. It was a similar scenario here, and this goes down as another successful outing for Helen Money.
And lastly, it was time for the headline act Arabrot to take the stage. The band has been around for 15 years and has a plethora of studio albums under their belt, the latest LP ‘The Gospel’ released earlier this year and prompting this touring cycle. This venue has played host to a ridiculous number of shows in recent years, many of which were packed to capacity, but this was one show that should have been a sellout and didn’t end up being so. The sheer talent on display across the board from the opening act to the headliner most certainly deserved a bigger audience. Ironically, bands with far inferior musical repertoire enjoy greater hype, but that was not going to deter Arabrot from putting on their best possible show for those that did turn up to see them here. They are described as ‘noise rock’ on some web platforms but that’s definitely not an accurate label for them as they are far from noise. Simply put, they’re a heavy rock band with strange vocal patterns and odd time signatures. They came forth with an interesting stage presentation as they placed their own set of LED panels on stage to shine a blinding amount of white light on the frontman while the rest of the band stood in near complete darkness. Arabrot’s overall sound could be deemed as ominous, powerful, progressive and eclectic, and while it isn’t for everyone, it’s food for thought for heavy music enthusiasts of all tastes and preferences.
On the whole, an underrated but extremely enjoyable show at Complex that re-established the stature of one cellist and introduced the talents of three previously undiscovered groups.
(If you like what you’ve read, support Metal Assault and buy a shirt!)
