The Anvil, Bournemouth
The Nepalese Temple Ball got the ball rolling (ha ha) and the sludgy riffs reverberated around the Anvil. They rolled up a fat one using a heady mixture of sludge and doom and let loose an intoxicating waft of Progressive Psychedelic Metal. Good to see local talent getting better with every show.
Burden Of The Noose were up next and their two vocalist approach is significantly superior to other dual singer bands I’ve seen. The high pitched wails and guttural growls complemented the bludgeoning sludgy death metal extremely well. Spot-on guitar work and a tight rhythm section added to the show and I think we will be seeing more of this band in the future.
XII Boar bring the party, their infectious brand of fast-paced stoner rock ‘n roll was a joy to behold. Frontman Tommy Hardrocks wasted no time by getting someone to yell at the people upstairs drinking that they were on! As the Anvil basement slowly filled the band let loose with track after track of fun-fuelled rock that had everyone bopping about like lunatics. New song Truck Stop Baby was the set highlight and XII Boar walked away easily with the band of the night award for most kick arse performance.
Originally hailing from Southampton, MOSS’s first show on the South Coast in twelve years was a strange one. Having the excellent Horrible Nights album under their belt and a successful appearance at Temples fest, you would have thought that there would be more people in the Anvil to witness the crushingly slow Doom that the band are renowned for. But there were nowhere near the amount that I thought would come to the show. Regardless MOSS carried on and in my opinion was excellent. With no bassist the guitar is downtuned to earthquake causing levels and the riffs are the longest and rawest that you are ever likely to hear. Olly Pearson’s vocals have a distinctive edge to them and his screams and wails conjured up visions of souls burning in the blackest pits of hell. Chris Chantler pounded away on the drums as if they had insulted his whole family and he was going to make them pay! Live they are a different entity than on record as we got to feel the chest shaking riffs as much as hearing them.
Talking to guitarist Dominic Finbow after the gig, I asked him why they hadn’t played the South Coast for so long; “Because they fucking hate us” he said – well you made one fan at least.
Links
https://www.facebook.com/mossdoomcult
https://www.facebook.com/xiiboar
https://www.facebook.com/burdenofthenoose666
https://www.facebook.com/TheNepaleseTempleBall
Words and Photos: Dan O’Gara
