Gig Review: Anaal Nathrakh + Sigh
Venue: Scala
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Date: Dec 14, 2022
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Location: London, UK
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Venue: Scala - Date: Dec 14, 2022 - Location: London, UK -
"Fuck it's cold!" I yell to the sky as I walk out of the Citadel in a t-shirt and battle jacket in the middle of winter. Chort, my cromulent co-host, is off on holiday. Pfft but I bet he's not interviewing some cool bands tonight in a sober stupor. "No, I'm having a nice dinner with my family and friends by the fireplace", his shrill voice says in my head. Whatever. At least the train strikes hasn't deterred the punters tonight so I'll just make some new friends.
In the list of unlikely metal co headlining shows I never thought I'd see, the Anaal Nathrakh + Sigh combo is one of the tastiest. A wagyu burger with thick cut premium Brummie chips. De Profundis proved to be a nice appetiser, a meaty death metal one. They're at the start of the touring cycle for their new record The Corruption of Virtue, so check it out! It's got a glowing review from notable metal rag AMG so that's good enough for me.
Photo depiction: Japanese rituals of Sigh
Onstage come Sigh around 7:45, perfectly on time like a Japanese train. This is their first time they've played the UK since 2010ish, and they have had a flurry of lineup changes since. However, mastermind Mirai is the stable rock in the everflowing stream and tonight he's cloaked in a simple traditional way and with tabi on his feet, with a Shiki themed bass. He promised me he'll play everything from the beginning to the latest opus Shiki. And play everything they did. Kicking off with a song from Shiki (get it here on Bandcamp), Kuroi Kage, the three piece (no Dr. Mikannibal) wasted no time and the crowd immediately responded in turn. I saw some people singing which I was impressed by considering my Japanese is a little rusty. The Transfiguration Fear came next with the telltale bongos. I was surprised to see only three members, which worked surprisingly well for several songs. I think there is a little bit of magic lost with the pre recordings but it must not be easy to bring a taishogoto or a whole choir all the way from Japan. I loved the stage antics, and there had to be some, coming from the land of visual kei. From burning books to brandishing katanas, to traditional face paint, there was a bit of everything. Not to mention the yōkai-esque wild-eyed madman of a guitarist. They have a huge discography so it’s difficult to play everything but there was love shown to all eras, especially the early albums, with some surprises from Imaginary Sonicscapes (Corpsecry) and The Hangman’s Hymn (Me-Devil). Mirai, even at 52, was blasting through his lines at a frenetic pace with material from decades ago. A killer show only marred by a guitar malfunction at the end for a cover of Black Metal, leading to a drum and bass-only version...which to be honest was still pretty cool in a punky lo-fi way.
Photo depiction: Nathrakh pit
So we now go to 5 tough-looking English blokes. As I chatted to Dave for our interview before the gig he said he was a bit nervous. Anaal Nathrakh hadn't played for a few years and with Mick still in the states, the new band was filled out by a few (very capable) musicians/friends from Akercocke and Voices. Unsurprisingly, there was nothing to worry about. The set was VICIOUS. Dave was very animated and sounding pitch perfect as he sang through the soaring choruses of Idol and Hold Your Children Close... One of the best live vocal performances I’ve seen. The band is extreme on record but they really pull out all the stops in a live setting. There was likely a loooooot of pent up energy, and the band was really riling up the crowds, during some old school tunes (going back to Codex Necro), resulting in a wall of death. From my viewpoint sitting cozy above the crowds, the swirling mass of bodies went in waves, crashing violently into each other. Someone lost their glasses. There was crowd surfing. Some dude got wrecked trying to show off in the middle of the pit. There seemed to be a method to the madness as we went vaguely chronologically too, through the discography. Endarkenment was my favourite album of 2020 as it perfectly encapsulated the times we were living in so hearing tracks from that album was a pleasure, including the title track and Libidinous. The latter was particularly great as Dave was whipping the crowd into a frenzy, spitting towards them “everything is sex” and making, um, certain motions with his hands and hips. An apocalyptic onanism if you will. And that falsetto… Would’ve been great to see more from this album but with such a large and consistent discography it will always be tough, similarly to Sigh. Dave called this show an “experiment” and I’d say it was a resounding success, and he seemed to think so too and was immensely grateful and the wild crowd response. Big kudos for the fantastic musicians who rounded out the lineup. Hopefully it will mean more shows in the future, as people seem to enjoy a boot stamping on a human face - forever. Total support! Check out their Bandcamp.
Anyway, I'm back at 5 Guys now and writing this from my phone, cajun dust smearing on my screen. I'm satisfied and content not only of a burger with cheese and grilled onions, but seeing these 2 bands who are not the easiest to catch in a live setting, let alone together. The success of the night will undoubtedly mean more in the future, so thanks to Mythology for putting this on. Now to make the gruelling walk back to the Citadel through the snow. Arigato!
