El Moono. The name screams stoner rock, and on record there are certainly stoner elements, but live they are more grunge or noise rock like Nirvana meets Jesus Lizard, backed with some Melvins style heft. They are deceptively heavy. Zac Jackson's vocals remind me a little of Brian Molko in the clean vocals but his stage persona is more Kurt Cobain (his dress is something I could have seen Kurt wearing) meets Jonathan Davies. They also have a post-hardcore groove in a few places. Decent.
KEN Mode are a band that I've always thought I should like but I never quite got them. I read about them in Terrorizer over ten years ago and their brand of noisecore sounded like it would be right up my street. However, whenever I listened to them, they never quite connected with me. However, we ended up doing the same dance over and over. They would release a new album or tour every couple of years and I would give them another chance, and still nothing. Until now. Over the last six months, they have started to resonate with me and I'm now rather looking forward to seeing them.
Their discordant noisecore is full of off kilter riffs, odd time changes, squawking saxophone and screamed vocals. It takes a couple of minutes to lock into what they are doing but when I do, it becomes punishing and relentless. The whole vibe is Unsane meets Dillinger Escape Plan. It's chaotic but laser focused in its bulldozing intent. The tribal closing number is intense.
Author & Punisher open in an atmospheric fashion similar to 'Pretty Hate Machine' era Nine Inch Nails. It's a slower burning start than I expected but the beats then become harder. Tristan Shone's custom built set up is impressive and gives true meaning to the term 'industrial'. The beats sound like hammers busy at work in a forge. There is more space than I expected between the beats and this allows the electronics to paint their own bleak industrial landscape. There is arguably too much space. The beats, although hard and heavy, are too slow and this means it get a bit boring in places, as evidenced by their cover of Portishead's 'Glory Box'. I expected the set to be crushing and claustrophobic but it isn't. I certainly expected it to be heavier and it kinda feels like they're holding back. There's more subtlety here than I thought there would be but I don't want subtlety. I want it to be in my fucking face. I want to be pummelled. Disappointing.
Author & Punisher ***
KEN Mode ****
El Moono ***
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