Words by: Riah Hill
Photos by: Jeremy Drake
Special thank you to Destroy All Lines
SPITE’S NEW WORLD KILLER tour wrapped up here in Boorloo/ Perth and what better way to end the run than by showcasing some of our own homegrown heavy heroes, PINCER+? The Perth boys hadn’t joined VARIALS and SPITE on any other leg of the tour, and were replacing DIESECT for the last show due to scheduling conflicts. Normally, Perth is just grateful for any heavy show it can get, but we are particularly fond of seeing our local talent up there with the international talent.
When I arrived at Amplifier Bar, PINCER+ had just kicked off. I could’nt believe that the first supporting act had already packed the venue as much as they did, (Perth hearts PINCER+ 4eva). I’m not totally across their music, but the homegrown heroes had set the standard so high for me tonight; I can’t wait to see how far they go. They were a heavy, well-oiled machine, (Western Australian FIFO joke), and Perth clearly loves you and backs you.
Varials opened with Where the Light Leaves, which in my opinion is the perfect sample piece of how hard and heavy Varials can go. Their latest album, that goes by the same name, is easily one of the best albums of the year. A really good example of a band going dark, but neat and hard without it being messy and abrasive. And look, their set did not miss a beat! The Hurt Chamber slowed it down ever so slightly, where lead singer Skyler Conder took the opportunity to engage almost sensually with the crowd during the downtimes of the song. South of One quickly increased the energy, the pit got moving fast and the crowd were in unison chanting “South of Oneeee”. In that moment, we were all in a cult – praising Varials. I look back on that set and it was like the whole crowd were in a trance, it was an experience that is for sure. I would definitely drink the Kool-aid again.
I have to admit that I was late to the game when it came to Varials. When I first heard their new album Where the Light Leaves a couple of months ago, I immediately searched to see if they had an incoming tour to Australia, and I was pleased to see that Perth was on their radar and that my sacrifices to gig gods were finally paying dividends. I knew from the first 30 seconds of Romance II that I would beg, borrow and steal to see that song and that bass/drum intro live. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be as it didn’t appear on their setlist for the night, regardless, Varials were unreal and I still got the dose of bass that I was chasing, and some.
They finished the set with I’ll Find the Dark – which can be summed up in two words: “chef’s kiss.” It’s a song that starts at 100%, and just flows into breakdown after breakdown, each being slightly so different to the last and so well done. Just when you recover from one breakdown, another one comes and slaps you in the face from a different direction. And the crowd were just eating it up… I don’t blame them. Varials were so good – I really can’t say more than that.
When SPITE graced us with their presence nearly 15 minutes early, my first thought was “these poor Cali’ boys are probably so wrecked and want to get this done”. It was their last show of their tour and had played in Adelaide the night before and tonight was shockingly cold in Perth. I could have not been more wrong about my previous statement. We may have been the last show of the leg, but we were not served scraps. SPITE did not pack light at all. That shit was heavy.
I nabbed a spot on a raised bench at the back of the venue because my 5’4” stance could simply not compete with the now absolutely chock-full venue. I had a full view of the pit and the stage, and thank god I did, because lead singer Darius Tehrani, bassist Stephen Mallory and guitarist Alex Tehrani spent most of the time down low, windmilling and head banging… Sometimes in unison.
SPITE kicked it off with New World Killer, which again, I think is a perfect sample piece of their range. Darius’ vocal range and performance endurance was out of this world, and New World Killer perfectly demonstrates their abilities as a band.
Two highlight songs of the night were definitely IED – their self-proclaimed anthem and also my personal favourite, Lights Out. Both songs had the crowd putting their legs where their arms should be and I’d really never seen so many limber adults in a mosh pit before. The crowd were really taking notes from Darius’ energy during Dedication to Flesh, bodies did not stop throwing themselves from the stage, (aka self sacrificing), and the pit was constantly going. There was one minor hiccup during the set, when it became obvious that bassist Stephen Mallory was experiencing some equipment issues, but it caused no vibe-disruption whatsoever. The show went on, brutal as ever. It really shows the range of SPITE, they are so high energy that even equipment issues, (ones that require someone to jump up and come and fix it), are not going to stop the incoming powerhouse that is SPITE.
Finishing off with Kill or be Killed was a no brainer. The crowd ate it up when Darius went from barking, into a deep growl and then into a pig squeal. It was all done in a way that appeared to be effortless, but everyone knows it takes hard work and dedication, (to flesh), and nail something like that.
The show ended, and Perth was as grateful as ever. The crew didn’t exit the stage immediately, instead, Darius took a minute to genuinely thank Perth for having them. All bands do that, but he had taken a few seconds at the end in a way that came across as sincere – so thank you for that!
GALLERY
SPITE
VARIALS
PINCER+
