Holy Moly! Islington O2 is Transformed into an Apocalyptic Metal Shrine:
Persefone and Ne Obliviscaris Deliver Divine Despair and Unleash the Fury of Worship, Terrifying and Majestic.
Dies irae, dies illa, solvet saeclum in favilla… These ancient words come to mind as the Islington O2 takes on an ominous, futuristic atmosphere; bathed in indigo light, electronic riffs, and the single toll of a sonorous bell, have the crowd of mourners simultaneously rocking to and fro in a rhythm of anticipation…
Marc Martins smiles beatifically at his congregation, congratulating their allegiance to his call to worship"
Persefone, “the metal band that put the Andorran country on the map of the metal scene,” takes the stage, and we can feel the excitement building as they begin their eight-song setlist with “Flying Sea Dragons.” There are some beautiful, melancholic melodies played and sung, executed flawlessly by their amazingly talented lead guitarist, whose flawless solos are echoed on the keyboard. Calm and subtle moments are interrupted by brutal, searing cacophony as sublime guitar playing flows from hook to riff with seamless cohesion, punctuated by agonized, tortured growls of despair and rage.
Afterwards, the lead singer Marc Martins smiles beatifically at his congregation, congratulating their allegiance to his call to worship. He nods in appreciation at their reciprocal headbanging, responding with his own whole body, his long flowing locks circling and streaming, surely the envy of so many in the audience tonight…
There is a palpable fervor in the crowd, many of whom know the songs, for the lyrics are emotive, powerful, and complex. This is an extra-sensory experience. Ubiquitous frenzied drum beats are interspersed with impossibly exquisite, slow melodies. Following sections of intense onslaughts of noise, Martins stands before his followers, Jesus-like, arms outstretched as if preparing for crucifixion while letting the sound wash over him. He seems to absorb the energy from his worshippers as he acknowledges and praises their collective devotion with a beatific yet sinister smile.
“Prison Skin,” with its notably impressive guitar gymnastics balancing with ambient electronics, induces a trance-like state in the O2. We are struck by the wonder of the connectedness of the people here tonight and how different they may seem during the day. It seems to us a glorious antonym to today’s culture of bland mediocrity and endless sameness.
“Living Waves” follows, with bubbles of electronic magic accompanied by bursts of falsetto singing and acoustic piano, underpinned by ever more frenzied drumming as xxx’s fingers zoom all over the frets of his guitar with demonic fervor. Screams and growls follow some electronic sampling, and the sound twists and rages its way through “Katabasis” and then “Merkabah,” which sees phone lights come on to a mellifluous opening from guitars and voice. His fist raised to summon mutual rebellion, Martins calls his disciples to a dark prayer of unity and strength in the final song, “The Majestic of Gaia.” Persefone understands the listeners; they understand Persefone. It is an emotional experience of mutual coexistence.
The crowd surges forward, and there is an almighty roar as Ne Obliviscaris come out on stage. Bathed in a sinister poison-ivy light, their impressive set begins with a deep, guttural growl. “Confutatis maledictis,” Ne Obliviscaris is there to share the pain and torment.
The audience is spellbound by the evocative tension perfectly created, a bleakly beautiful resonance abounds"
The composition of the sound is extraordinary, with some almost classical-sounding romantic Spanish guitar and a violin, played beautifully by clean vocalist and symphonist Tim Charles, juxtaposed with insistent, impossibly fast, and deafeningly loud drumming on a massive double drum kit, punctuated by growling and roaring from Charles’ alter ego Marc Xenoyr Campbell. The two performers symbolize a head-on collision between calm and chaos, and the crowd absolutely loves it. Being amongst them is a full-on multi-sensory experience: the smell of conditioner as a sea of long hair is swished and swirled, the sights, sounds, tastes, and feels as the pulsating energy is communicated through the worship in the O2 Islington this Friday evening.
The violin adds depth and melancholic mastery to the sounds of desperation, rage, and torment conjured"
The set begins with the opening track “Intra Venus” from their new album Exul. Charles and Xen sing and growl separately, alternately, and then in unison. This is followed by “Equus,” which sees the vocals segue into sublime, classical-style violin playing arpeggio after arpeggio, glissando scales, virtuosic in speed, control, and fluency. Charles’ tone is gorgeous: rich, full-bodied, and heavily vibrato’d, and the violin adds depth and melancholic mastery to the sounds of desperation, rage, and torment conjured.
“Misericorde i” and “ii” follow, with part i essentially following the traditional scorching death metal trajectory, but the second is almost all mournful violin, played in the classical style, creating a delicate, sensitive, and highly emotive mood. The audience is spellbound by the evocative tension perfectly created, a bleakly beautiful resonance abounds…
“Libera (part 1)” and “Forget Not” combine dark, riveting ambience with progressive elements as the keys sound is layered, intricate, and mesmerizing in its complexity. There is an ominous core to the final two songs, “Devour Me, Colossus” and “Graal,” for which the fans go wild; they have sold their souls to Ne Obliviscaris. As Mephistopheles famously said to Dr. Faustus, “Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris” — and the wretched among us here tonight are comforted, consoled, and ultimately understood. Redemption is amongst us. Dona eis requiem. Amen.
NE OBLIVISCARIS
played Islington O2 on 19th May 2023
Support from PERSEFONE
Words and live photography Copyright of 1st 3 Magazine
Not to be reproduced, cropped or altered without prior permission. Social media use only for persons depicted, event organisers and venue.