I Am Morbid, Damim & Acid Vat - Rebellion, Manchester (6/8/25)

Acid Vat play old school death metal. They have some good riffs here and there but generally it comes across as generic and uninspired. The second song is pretty decent but overall it's a bunch of non-descript riffs punctuated by the odd good idea. They have zero stage presence too.

The last time I saw Damim was on another bill with Acid Vat. I thought Acid Vat were promising whilst Damim were uninspiring. This time the roles are reversed as Damim's brand of tech thrash/groove sounds much more powerful and in your face than the last time I saw them. The riffs seem a lot more incisive. It's the drummer's first gig with them and he does a good job. There are some deathly touches but the vocals are shouted rather than growled or grunted, and they remind me of Prong more than anything else. They lose my attention a little at a couple of points but this is a much better showing than last time.

I Am Morbid are basically Dave Vincent and Pete Sandoval's version of Morbid Angel. They open with a frantic 'Dominate' which goes straight into the much slower 'Where The Slime Live'. It's crawling riff is deliciously satisfying and the guitar solo is great too. You can also hear it clearly which wasn't the case for the opener. 'Dawn Of The Angry' is punishing whilst the martial fury of 'Blood On My Hands' maintains the onslaught. The guitar solo and doomy intro to 'Fall From Grace' provide some light relief before we're back to the high speed sonic assault. 'Immortal Rites' is crushing although the crowd joining in and singing along to the symphonic breaks is pretty funny. A sharp, whiplash inducing 'Maze Of Torment' completes the classic 'Altars Of Madness' one-two. The death and roll of 'Rapture' adds a bit of variation. The crowd singing along to the mid-section guitar riff in 'Chapel Of Ghouls' is magnificent. The healthy crowd clearly love Morbid Angel and what they're getting are very good versions of these classic tracks. The guitarist Bill Hudson is great. With his teased hair and pouting lips, he looks he should have been in LA Guns or Ratt. Trey Azagthoth he isn't but he plays terrifically well. 'God Of Empiness' is another crawling number with dense, complex riffs. This is an excellent homage to a classic band.

I Am Morbid ****

Damim ****

Acid Vat ****