CONCERT REVIEW: KATAKLYSM live @ The Manning Bar, Sydney, 7/12/2013, by Collin Brophy

Kataklysm Australian Tour 2013

Kataklysm Played The Manning Bar, Sydney on Saturday 7 December 2013

There were not many people around when I first arrived at The Manning Bar, even when I got inside there weren’t that many people there, I for one was hoping that the crowd would pick up during the night.

With 3 support bands: The Seer (Aust), Deprivation (Aust) and Gotsu-Totsu-Kotsu (Japan).

The Seer is a Symphonic Death Metal band from Newcastle; they played a very intense and very tight set. It was the first time that I have even heard of them, let alone seen them play live, and I wasn’t disappointed, they left me wanting more. Definitely one band to watch out for, if you get the chance to see them, then I recommend that you do so.

Deprivation plays a solid slab Melodic thrash metal from Orange; they played a very energetic and intense set. They were straight up and in your face, so you had to take notice. The Vocalist Benn Weber, jumped into the crowd, and ran around while performing, at one stage as he ran past someone carrying a beer, he screamed and that person ended up dropping their beer not only on themselves but on the floor as well. If you get the chance to see these guys live do it.

Gotsu-Totsu-Kotsu played a brutal set of Death Thrash Metal, from start to finish; they had the crowd in the palms of their hands. I have only ever heard around two of their songs before, first time seeing them play live. They guys were dressed in Japanese robes. The guys were very energetic and were having so much fun on stage that they didn’t want to finish their set. At one stage the guitarist and bass players had a play off, with lots of loud applauses from the crowd. The guys even did the into to Slayer’s “Reign In Blood” as a tribute to the one and only Jeff Hanneman. These guys were not only amazing, they were brilliant, if you ever get the chance to see these guys I highly recommend that you do, you will not be disappointed. I was lucky enough to have met and got photos with the guys after their set, very humble and down to earth guys.

Kataklysm came out and played an awesome set of death metal, from start to finish, they were relenting metal machine, it was a brutal assault on the senses. Kataklysm were on their game tonight. The crowd lapped up every minute of this gig. From the opening song “Let Them Burn” to the very end song “Crippled And Broken”, no-one left the venue until it was finished. Unfortunately due to 2 other headlining bands and some excellent local gigs all within a 20 minute drive of tonight’s gig, the turn out wasn’t that bad, roughly between 150-200 people. It seemed that the crowd didn’t want to leave and wanted more, but that wasn’t to be. Great way to end the night.

Kataklysm set list as follows. Let Them Burn, Push The Venom, Like Angels, Like Animals, Slither, At The Edge Of The World, Taking The World BY Storm, Fire, Blood In Heaven, Kill The Elite, Prevail, Iron Will, Elevate, Shadows And Dust and Crippled And Broken [by Collin Brophy for Busuk Webzine].