I have been busy since returning from Europe, but my plan has always been to write some "daily thoughts" of each gig down here after my return. Still being busy though, I am dividing things up show by show. So, we start with Helsinki Gray Ritual --
Atrophist opened up Helsinki show with a violent and murky set. Pretty appropriate, as I had a rather violent and murky day post-binge drink the night before. Hah. But back to the noise -- for as much harsh noise as there was in this set, the artist also had some sort of sounds that reminded me of psycho crackhead babble underneath. It really brought out the mind of a painfully eroding from the inside. Where we played was this sort of dingy tire shop that Janne found, and I think that this sound was very appropriate for the face. I could imagine the faces and places that inspire this stuff, and somewhere like this is fitting for it.
Absolute Key went for some very entertaining, loop-based work. Big metal bang 'n clang was presented as the backdrop for synth noise slaughter that had me reminiscing on more "minimal" Merzbow releases like Hybrid Noisebloom at points. But then suddenly, I hear some vocal loops; chanting perhaps? Oh yeah, it is!! Bring it on. This is the kind of material that made me follow the project after a Tribe Tapes release last year. Set ended with Antti smearing ash on the crowd. Good Friday indeed.
Vigilantism felt like a series of songs style PE that normally I am not a fan of. Here, it worked though. Simplicity beats all, and Vigilantism knew that. So primal were all the sounds here that when some new element was introduced, it felt like you were getting sucked further into the industrial turmoil. This was my first time hearing the project too, and I really enjoyed!
Triptych guys tell me before the gig that they enjoy the likes of Bizarre Uproar & Grunt. It makes sense where they start playing! Deep synth work pairs with this violent scrap metal sound to add as a backdrop to the vocal anger. Similar to the DDU set of this night, I felt like Triptych would be getting their feet wet with this gig, and were maybe not performing at full power. The skeleton of the set was there, but it is just a matter of feeling comfortable/tour nerves. Still, they still managed to put together a very good set from it!
Not much to say on the personal front of performances. I will leave that to the audiences who saw the Dead Door sets to decide. All I know is that next time, I will have a better power supply for all equipment. Hah!
Turku thoughts tomorrow.
