GIG REVIEW: Morbid Angel “Covenant” Australian Tour 2014. By Collin Brophy

Special Guest: Bastardizer

Venue: The Metro Theatre Sydney.

Date: 24^th April 2014

I arrived in the city with about 40 minutes to spare, and just as well because I got lost!  I finally found the venue (after I rang my wife) with around 10 minutes before the doors opened. I walked around the corner where the line up was and saw it was about 100 meters long. I overheard a few fans saying how they were looking forward to tonight’s gig, and by the looks of it, so was the rest of all the fans in line.  When the time came for the doors to open, there was a loud roar and everyone shuffled their way in. I was one of the lucky ones, I got in there early enough to grab a shirt and not wait in line for 10 minutes.

Bastardizer (Sydney, NSW, Australia).

Band Members:

Chris Beesley - Lead Vocals

Bill Morgan – Guitars

Jackson King – Drums

Ray McGill - Bass.

Genre: Black Thrash Metal

Set List: 1. Bastards, Bullets, Bitches & Beer, 2. Bathory & Lust, 3. Enforcers Of Evil 4, Eureka, 5. WWIII, 6. Bareback In Brazil/Baphomet's Bukkake, 7. Pentagram Of Pleasure, 8. Up The Ante, 9. The Black Scourge Of Death.

I saw Bastardizer last year and they were brilliant.  If you want any band to support Morbid Angel for their Covenant tour, then there is no better band then Bastardizer. 

From the very first song, “Bastards, Bullets, Bitches & Beer”, they spewed forth their very own brand of Black Thrash metal to which the crowd loved. “Pentagram Of Pleasure” was a crowd favourite by the sounds of the applause after the song was finished. By the end of their set they had made many new fans and friends.  A lot of people I spoke to really enjoyed their set.  The band blew me away with how much better they were tonight then when I saw them last year. They’ve really matured as a band, which was great to see.  I was lucky enough to have a quick chat with the guys after the gig and they were more than happy to sign my Bastardizer album entitled “Enforcers Of Evil” which was released earlier this year. If Bastardizer are playing anywhere near or around, even if you have to travel, I highly recommend that you catch these guys live.  They’re getting better and better and put on a great show.

Morbid Angel (Florida, USA)

Band Members:

Trey Azagthoth – guitar, guitar synthesizer, keyboards, backing vocals (1984 – present)

David Vincent – Lead vocals, bass guitar (1986 – 1996, 2004 – present)

Thor “Destructhor” Myhren – guitar (2008-present)

Tim Yeung – drums (2010-present)

Genre: Death Metal

Set List: 1. Rapture, 2. Pain Divine, 3. World Of Shit (The Promised Land), 4. Vengeance Is Mine, 5. The Lions Den, 6. Blood On My Hands, 7. Angel Of Disease, 8. Sworn To The Black, 9. Nar Mattaru, 10. God Of Emptiness, 11. Ageless, Still I Am, 12. Curse The Flesh, 13. Existo Vulgore, 14. Immortal Rites, 15. Fall From Grace, 16. Maze Of Torment.

After waiting 20 years to see this amazing album played in it entirety, is a once in a lifetime gig, and I wasn’t the only one who felt like that.  The atmosphere was electric and The Metro was packed to the seams. From the very first moment they walked on stage and ripped into “Rapture”, the crowd went ballistic with so many bodies bouncing of each other and bodies flying over the top. By the time they got to “Angel Of Disease”, I was still in awe of what was happening in front of me. The drumming was just insane. I have never heard anyone play drums live like that before and I’m not sure if I ever will again. The bass was just pounding non stop throughout the whole gig, as was the vocals. The band was just incredible. The guitarists were both unbelievable. I have never ever seen anyone play a guitar like these guys tonight and people were still talking about it after the gig.

This Morbid Angel gig would go down as one of the best gigs I have ever been to, and I have been to quite a few over the years.  I think the reason for me enjoying this gig so much was mainly due to the fact that Morbid Angels’ Covenant is one of my all time favourite albums. They smashed out 16 songs and it still left the fans wanting more.  By the time the last song, “Maze Of Torment”, finished the crowd wanted more, but unfortunately that wasn’t to be. This was a brilliant night of metal and no-one wanted to leave, but like they say, “all good things must come to an end”. By the time I walked outside the Metro, there was heaps of fans just standing around talking about the brilliant gig they just witnessed. This was truly an awe inspiring gig to witness.

By Collin Brophy