NE OBLIVISCARIS – Brisbane, Australia 12th May 2019
Right down to the early start time (the first band takes the stage at 5:30pm), there’s a distinct mini-festival vibe to this Brisbane leg of Ne Obliviscaris’ Painted Progression Tour. That’s because the Melbourne progressive death titans have teamed up with no less than four bands for this Aussie jaunt, all of whom bring something unique to the evening while also carrying a proggy vibe that connects the whole night.
First up is the superb Rivers Of Nihil from Pennsylvania whose already strong reputation is surely boosted by their fine set this (very early) evening. In fact half an hour seems way too short a time to experience this band, who are renowned for their frequently lengthier songs. While I would love to see a full-length set from them, even their truncated performance is fantastic. A cursory skip through interviews with the band reveals that as well as their roots in technical death metal, they have a strong love of classic era progressive rock from the likes of Pink Floyd, Yes and Rush. This is certainly evident in their set where amidst the thick cacophony of extreme metal, they still find the time to bring the music down to a gentle cosmic haze where even saxophone doesn’t sound out of place.
Also from the US, Colorado melodic death metallers and long-time NeO tour buddies Allegaeon are up next. While their songs are thematically complex, jam packed with references to astronomy and metaphysics, they are much more musically approachable. With barrels of energy, great riffs and a stack of finger-blurring solos giving us the shreddiest set of the night, Allegaeon prove themselves to be that rarest of metal beasts – brainy AND crowd-pleasing.
Geographically, we now take a virtual journey to Montreal, Canada for the crazy virtuosity of Beyond Creation. With perhaps the jazziest approach of the whole night, the band is one of the highlights for this reviewer, which is saying something because every set tonight is of a very high quality indeed. The songs roar by in a blur of tempo changes and crushing riffs, while elements of electric jazz groove and even bass soloing create yet another strange and exotic beast – progressive death metal that swings!
Quicker than you can politely enquire where the clean vocals are, Brisbane’s own Caligula’s Horse take to the stage with their emotive and soulful progressive metal. Frontman Jim Grey introduces new bass player Dale Prinsse, who local prog watchers will recognise as a current member of Opus Of A Machine (busy lad!). Grey is also on hand to deliver his soaring vocals, and the music is an ambitious blend of progressive and alt-rock influences. That said, the band are now four studio albums into their career and as a result, the arrangements have now grown more complex while still being relatable to their audience. This band is proof that technical virtuosity and raw emotion need not be mutually exclusive.
Finally, it’s the men of the hour as Ne Obliviscaris close the evening and, indeed, the tour with their headlining performance. Looking and sounding like the headliners they are, perhaps the most striking presence is vocalist Xenoyr with his glowering stare, overseeing the controlled chaos like a charismatic demon. As a contrast, there’s perhaps his performance opposite, the violinist/clean vocalist Tim Charles who provides a more affable, crowd motivating presence. The band’s technical metal attack contrasts with quiet, atmospheric passages, giving the performance a truly epic quality. With an evocative light show and an excellent sound mix (which all bands have benefited from tonight), NeO’s is the most bombastic performance of the evening and a fitting way to end this great night of progressive-minded metal.
Reviewer: Matt Thrower
