By Andrew Bansal
November 2nd 2016, Complex, Glendale CA: Hailing all the way from Auckland, New Zealand, technical death metal trio Ulcerate released their stellar fifth full-length studio album ‘Shrines Of Paralysis’ via Relapse Records on October 28th 2016, and on November 2nd, embarked on a North American headline tour with support acts Zhrine and Phobocosm, starting with the first show in the Los Angeles area at Glendale’s go-to underground metal haven, Complex. Presented as always by Church Of The 8th Day, this show solely featured the touring lineup and no local openers, and even on a Wednesday, Complex was filled with ever-starving death metal enthusiasts in anticipation of a skull-crushing evening of their favorite kind.
Doors opened at 8, and the show started at 8:30, unusually and refreshingly early by Church Of The 8th Day/Complex standards, with Montreal QC death metal group Phobocosm taking the stage. Even though the quality of their musicianship was never in doubt, in the live setting they came across as a bit underwhelming, to say the least, with little to no stage presence or personality, and zero energy. But having started out in 2008 and with only one full-length to their name till date, Phobocosm certainly have the potential to present their brand of dark ambient death/doom in a more compelling manner in the future.
Next up were Icelandic experimental death metal quartet Zhrine, and with their use of stand-up fretless bass, and the frontman occasionally playing the guitar with a violin bow, they undoubtedly infused a distinct flavor into this full-on extreme metal show and immediately had the audience’s attention, holding Complex captive for the duration of their set. The Season Of Mist recording artists released their sophomore LP ‘Unortheta’ last April, and on this tour they look poised to sell numerous copies of the same, as they formed a long-lasting impression on first-timers with their unconventional brand of musicianship, presenting a sound that is bleak, proggy, melodic and heavy in equal measures. Ulcerate, in all fairness, lived up to their billing as worthy headliners, but in the eyes and ears of many, Zhrine served as the highlight of the show.
Lastly at 10:30 PM, Ulcerate marked their arrival on stage with sheer sonic annihilation, beginning with ‘Abrogation’, the opening track from the new album. They went to play a good chunk of the newly released material as well as selections from all other albums except the debut effort, and their eight-song set induced plenty of action in the pit, which was no different from a volcano that remained dormant during the first two bands and then was suddenly triggered into eruption by Ulcerate’s first note. The band’s style of dissonant death metal disharmony was indeed excellently presented on this stage, and upon hearing the sonic output, one could not have guessed that they’re a trio, as the pure strength as well as intricate complexity of the sound brilliantly defied the contrasting simplicity of their three-piece setup. Beyond the Americas and Europe, death metal is largely prevalent all over the world, even in parts that don’t seem so obvious. This band’s upbringing in New Zealand perhaps lends itself to their musical expression and creativity that clearly finds an audience in North America.
To experience one of the most solid extreme metal tours of the year, catch Ulcerate, Zhrine and Phobocosm in a town near you this November.
Ulcerate set list:
1. Abrogation
2. Dead Oceans
3. Caecus
4. Clutching Revulsion
5. Extinguished Light
6. Cold Becoming
7. Shrines Of Paralysis
8. Everything Is Fire
Remaining Tour Dates:
11/05/2016 Highline – Seattle, WA
11/06/2016 Astoria – Vancouver, BC
11/07/2016 The Golden Bull – Oakland, CA
11/09/2016 Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA
11/10/2016 Yucca Tap Room – Tempe, AZ
11/11/2016 The Sandbox – El Paso, TX
11/12/2016 Limelight – San Antonio, TX
11/13/2016 Acadia Bar – Houston, TX
11/14/2016 Reno’s Chop Shop – Dallas, TX
11/15/2016 Siberia – New Orleans, LA
11/16/2016 Atlantic – Gainesville, FL
11/17/2016 The Brass Mug – Tampa, FL
11/18/2016 529 – Atlanta, GA
11/19/2016 Strange Matter – Richmond, VA
11/20/2016 Metro Gallery – Baltimore, MD
11/21/2016 Championship Bar – Trenton, NJ (all ages)
11/22/2016 Boot & Saddle – Philadelphia, PA
11/23/2016 Great Scott – Boston, MA
11/24/2016 Piranha Bar – Montreal, QC
11/25/2016 Coalition – Toronto, ON
11/26/2016 Corktown Tavern – Detroit, MI
11/27/2016 Reggies – Chicago, IL
11/28/2016 The Smiling Moose – Pittsburgh, PA
11/29/2016 Saint Vitus Bar – Brooklyn, NY