The Gathering, Agalloch, November's Doom, Lucubro in Concert
Rating: 5 Skulls
Requiem's Review (2/15/04, Middle East, Cambridge, MA):
Touring works in such strange ways. You get some bands that seem to be over here every week, but most of the deserving ones are unable to land US tours. Needless to say, it was a long time coming for The Gathering to stroll through Cambridge, MA and we were all anxious to witness what lay ahead. This is not going to be your typical Metal Judgment review of "we showed up late, got drunk, blah, blah, blah." Ember, Famine, and I actually showed up early, because guest lists are just not always reliable. Due to the limited number of shows and the recent cancellation of the Brooklyn show, I was fearing a sell out event which would have left us waiting for our other passengers to finish enjoying themselves inside. So we got there early and hit the bar, to avoid being sent out in the cold with the rest of the crowd to wait in line. Doors opened more than an hour late, but thanks to being inside with a beer in hand, all was well. Turns out they almost screwed me at the door due to a common misspelling of my name, but I fooled the bastards. Thanks to Andreas at the End for making things happen.
First up was local act Lucubro, who feature in their ranks former Warhorse guitarist/vocalist Krista Van Guilder. They did a fine job as an opening act, and played their best set that I've seen yet. Much of this is due to their new drummer, who has a much more relaxed style than their previous skinsman. They rocked the crowd with their sludgy metal stylings, and as a 3-piece sounded very full and heavy. The sight of a female singing and playing guitar is a rare one in the metal world, so those who were not familiar with this act were attentive and appreciative all the same. There's no question that Krista has a great voice, and her guitar skills are equally impressive as well.
Lucubro
Photos by Ember
November's DoomNext up was November's Doom, whom I have never heard before. They came out looking and sounding like pros, banging their heads wildly and sounding like a finely tuned engine. I was hoping that with the word "doom" in their name, they would have been a bit slower, but regardless they put on a pretty good show. Like a cross between Cathedral and older Sentenced, these guys had a knack for doom-styled riffing with faster melodic moments as well. The death vocals held them back from being in the same league as say, Solitude Aeturnus, but overall I was impressed. Much credit is also due to the great sound of the club that night, which did wonders for everyone.
AgallochI never thought Agalloch would be a touring band, but there was talk of it and now it's become a reality. Delivering the sounds heard on The Mantle sounded like a hefty task, so I was crossing my fingers in anticipation to be blown away. Unfortunately, I must admit that I was a bit let down. Agalloch seemed to avoid their material off The Mantle, especially the songs with clean vocals. When clean vocals were attempted, they just weren't up to par with the studio recording. I think there should have at least been some vocal effects to aid in the sound. It might have made all the difference. But besides that, they tackled mostly instrumental tunes and songs with black metal vocals. They did what they did fairly well, but I just think if they would have closely mastered the vibe achieved on The Mantle it would have been mind blowing.
The GatheringLast but certainly not least was The Gathering. All were anxious to hear the soothing vocals of Anneke, and boy were we in for a surprise. This band could simply do no wrong. The vocals were absolutely brilliant, beautiful and beyond perfection. She tackled even the highest notes with little effort. The music took form in waves of transient psychedelia. The ethereal nature to the whole performance was a mind-numbing experience and was unbelievably well executed. The guitars were drenched with effects and spewed forth much greatness. A new female bassist was introduced to the crowd, and she was more than adequate for the job. As expected, they played a lot of the "trip rock" material off of Souvenirs, If Then Else and How to Measure a Planet. They even resurrected a track from Always. My jaw was dropped to the floor, and I kept shaking my head in complete disbelief. I even pinched myself to make sure it wasn't a dream. Nope. This was real.
Overall, this night was too good to be true and will be forever ingrained as one the best live performances EVER. I thank The Gathering for making such beautiful music a reality in the live setting. They were so amazing that they even pulled extra weight for the mediocre moments. Perfect is an understatement here.
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