Venom Inc + Suffocation + Nervosa + Aeternam

@ O2 Islington Academy

March 13, 2018

Review by Gabor Csete

Photography by Sabrina Selkis & Ryan Whitwell

Surprise overtime at work means you’re a bit late for everywhere: so I was a bit late for the gig meaning I only saw the last song of the first support Survive. I don’t want to judge a metal band after one song so I am not going to.

One of the guitarists had that shaped Dean guitar we all know from the late guitarist god, Dimebag. He even tried to play solos like Dimebag did… Anyway, the sound was good, so I knew it was gonna be a good night.

The second band was Aeternam from Canada, and they were Canadians for sure. I mean we all know the stereotype that the Canadians are nice; now these symphonic death metallers were truly nice for sure.

They were a bit on the softer side of the scale tonight, and for a second I did not really understand why they were supporting super heavy bands, but as the Latins said, ‘varietas delectat’, and it was really true in this case.

The sound was even better than before which Aeternam used well. For me the death metal part of their music is a bit mediocre, but the symphonical parts were amazing. However, if they would have an extra member on keyboards who can even put those samples in… I would be amazed then.

But like this they’re ‘only just’ a solid band. Hopefully we can see them on this side of the pond more often.

Third support was Nervosa. I never heard about them before and now I feel ashamed because they are something metal fans shouldn’t miss out. When vocalist/bassist Fernanda came on the stage in a Ratos De Porão t-shirt I hoped for the best.

And the threepiece all-ladies Brasilian thrash band didn’t let me down. The first riff (that kind of slow one which Slayer used many times, that they learnt from Black Sabbath) sent shivers down my spine, and then the girls showed no mercy.

Fast thrash metal, the one that makes you rip off faces, and mosh the hell out of everyone else in the audience. Fernanda’s voice reminded me of Teutonic thrash bands. It was incredible. They mopped the floor with the first two bands.

There was only one thing that did not make the show perfect: the audience. There was no madness in front of the stage which was made me a bit sad.

Just a day before the gig I read that Frank Mullen was leaving Suffocation and so I wondered how it would affect this gig. Well, it didn’t at all (Ricky Myers and the band did their best), and all I wanted to write about Suffocation after this concert was that Suffocation is Suffocation.

To be honest I am not a fan of them (or any super technical metal for that matter), but the way they play is just out of this world. Seriously, everybody should go and check them live.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t even like metal, but how these guys play on their instruments is just mental. The energy flooded from the stage and the crowd went crazy. There wasn’t a negative thing about Suffocation’s performance.

I wouldn’t play a show after Suffocation, but, it was the time for the main act of the night: Venom Inc. I think we don’t have to argue on the influence of these guys on metal, but – and I am sorry –  they looked ridiculous.

They are still amazing, the crowd had waited for them and they sure know how to wind up the audience. Even if you (just like me) are not a big fan of the newer stuff, the classic Venom songs are great and they gave birth to a whole genre.

Because of this (and because they are great) every metal fan should check them out at least once. This is class you cannot skip!