When this bill was first announced, I really wanted a ticket as I've seen Zetra and GosT before and they are both really good live. Health are a band I like on record, and they have a fearsome live reputation, making this a solid line up. Unfortunately, following Health's appearance at Download, it instantly sold out. When they announced the venue upgrade to the Ritz, I promptly bought a ticket before it sold out again. The only snag was I hadn't really looked at the date and as the gig drew closer, I realised that it fell on my wedding anniversary, which meant I had to be as persuasive as I could and even then, I knew that I was taking the piss a bit.
Zetra's opening track 'Sacrifice' showcases their strength in blending the male and female vocals together to create a gothic form of shoegaze. Visually, they are striking with their black metal aesthetic. They are both stood on huge risers which helps to make them visible to the entire audience, and little details like this make a big difference. The sound is a bit muddy but it doesn't lessen the impact too much. The music is dreamy and hypnotic with a hint of malevolence lurking behind it all. For the most part they stand still on their platforms but they still have some theatrical parts where they kneel and worship the backdrop. They have some atmospheric pop touches which makes them sound like Breathe (of 'Hands To Heaven' fame), or maybe even The Pet Shop Boys at their most introspective, collaborating with Slowdive. They have some jagged guitar parts too but the pop touches are probably the most successful element. The excellent 'Gaia' sounds like Billy Idol covering Springsteen/Patti Smith's 'Because The Night'. Even at their heaviest, there is still an air of beauty and they always sound hopeful rather than despondent.
The first minute or so of GosT's set is heavy as hell electro-grind, which then settles into industrial synthwave which is heavy and impactful. It is thrilling and danceable with heavy beats. The whole vibe is Ministry meets Carpenter Brut. Every couple of songs, the man behind the skull mask (GosT himself) takes a moment out from behind his keyboard to acknowledge and encourage the crowd. This is hard hitting and non-stop dance music. It is fantastic when they pitch it up, which they frequently do. There are some 'Tubular Bells' style touches at times. It isn't as chilling as that piece of music but it is more dancefloor friendly. Imagine if the priest in The Exorcist had taken Regan to a rave instead. This isn't the only cinematic touch, as they frequently sound like the soundtrack to movie chase sequences. There is a Nine Inch Nails influence at play, not surprising for someone who used to include 'Head Like A Hole' in his live set. The whole thing is rounded out with elements of power electronics, making for a gloriously heavy rave.
Health start off with just drums and delicate vocals before the rest of the instruments kick in. It's very rhythmic and the drums seem to be at the heart of everything they do, making it bassy and extremely heavy. Much of the first few numbers ('God Botherer' and 'Crack Metal') sound like NIN's 'March Of The Pigs' which isn't a bad thing, and 'The Downward Spiral' influence is much more apparent live. The lighting is quite simple and moody (often monochrome) but it is very atmospheric. The vocals are often reminiscent of Pet Shop Boys. 'New Coke' allows you to imagine if Neil Tennant fronted Nine Inch Nails, It adds a unique touch to the style of industrial metal they play. It also makes it very accessible no matter how heavy they get, and you can only see them getting bigger and playing much larger venues that this. It's absolutely crushing but I also feel that there's only so much of this I can take before it is in danger of losing its impact, so I leave after an hour or so. I think the guilt of being out on my anniversary plays a part in this decision too.
Health ****
GosT *****
Zetra ****
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