Author: Rok Klemše
Location: Channel Zero / Ljubljana / Slovenia
Concert date: 30.01.2008
Attendance: 60
Ticket price: 7,00€
Channel Zero is always a cozy refuge, especially when it’s calling us to metal shows, which luckily are a regular thing in one of Metelkova’s central spaces. Organizer Matevž and his better half deserve endless praise, because together with the Channel Zero club they’re one of the few organizers of smaller metal gigs in Ljubljana, especially for local metal bands. Last Thursday, when most people were probably already getting ready to stuff their faces with doughnuts, Channel Zero invited us to a show by two bands from the roster of the first and only Slovenian metal label, On Parole Productions: the mass-orgy organizers Vulvathrone and the one-of-a-kind Brutart. Closing out a nice package were the legendary thrash comeback kings from Murska Sobota, Železobeton.
For an evening by the fireplace with a glass of cognac and the strains of Strauss’s The Blue Danube waltz, we were invited by Vulvathrone, the band from Murska Sobota. But all of that is just a cover for an unbridled orgy, sick sexual practices, domination and sadomasochism like nothing you’ve seen. If Mötley Crüe made girls’ knees buckle with Girls, Girls, Girls, Vulvathrone do it with a whip and Porn, Porn, Porn. The porn grind masters Vulvathrone played this time as a trio, because, to my surprise, vocalist Sebastjan Vöröš has left the band, apparently swapping de Sade’s literature and porn flicks for Desa Muck and Little Women. The role of head gurgler of bodily fluids was therefore taken over by porn mastermind Herman, who also looks after the masturbation… on the strings, of course, you perverts. Together with the bassist he showed off the winter/spring 2008 footwear collection. Cute plush slippers/piggies are cool! Despite the stripped-down lineup, Vulvathrone sounded very convincing, and they even played their best show of all the ones I’ve had the honor of witnessing. Herman grunts like his life depends on it, at times like an untamed wild boar, and at times he squeals like a piglet before the slaughter. In a little under an hour the guys drummed their way through a wreath of greatest hits like Tarja, You Cunt!, The Allure of Domination, Toilet Slut and the classic Bitch, Suck My Tich!!! They violated the crowd with the whole debut Bukkake (2007) and sprayed it with a few new tracks too, of which Caviar stands out in particular, maybe even the best song from the pens of the disciples of the Marquis de Sade.
VULVATHRONE:
1. Porn, Porn, Porn
2. The Allure of Domination
3. Psychopathia
4. Tarja, You Cunt!
5. Bitch, Suck My Tich (extended version)
6. Bleed For Me
7. Kurbovje
8. Toilet Slut
9. Strije
10. Maxxed Out
11. Caviar
12. Marquies De Rous
13. Forced Oral Fuck
14. Piss Bukkake
—encore—
15. Plastered With Semen
16. Judgement Day
After a thorough scrub of the stage, desecrated by the Vulvathrone filth-fest, it was time for something completely different, something kinder to the ears. Next to take the stage were another pair of On Parole Productions protégés, Brutart from Jesenice. Ever since they formed, the guys have had a reputation as a distinctive, unique band, which they confirmed with their demo Arab Dream (2003) and cemented with their just-released debut album Mimic, which is a high point of the Slovenian music scene both musically and in terms of design. Brutart used this gig to present the debut and won over the sadly rather small crowd with dark metal blended with death and doom influences. Because of their complete originality, Brutart aren’t exactly tailor-made for the wider metal audience; listening to their music takes a bit more time to sink in, and you could tell that in the crowd too. Still, even that loosened up a bit toward the end and the front rows were headbanging eagerly. Brutart demolished Channel Zero with heavy riffs, intricately structured songs and the great atmosphere they build. The eye is drawn above all to the animal of a drummer, Sebastjan, who without a doubt belongs among the cream of Slovenian drummers, while the central figure is surely vocalist Blaž. It’s not only the music that makes Brutart unique, it’s also Blaž’s voice, which is gruff and raspy, close to a death growl, yet not brutal, and perfectly understandable, clear and distinct. Not to mention the aggression and emotion he pulls out of his throat, and one of the best moments was definitely the chorus of Deliruim with that mighty “Fatheeeeer, I’m Soooorry!” In a good hour Brutart played an excellent show. A little less standing still and a bit more talking to the crowd wouldn’t have hurt, but I think Brutart are a band that can afford something like that.
BRUTART:
1. The Verge
2. Fabric of Illumination
3. Toward
4. Immigrant
5. Materia
6. Termites
7. Fade
8. Delirium
9. Fiends of Sympathy
10. Rebellion
11. Desert
Finally, last of all, it was the turn of the long and impatiently awaited legendary Slovenian thrash metallers from Murska Sobota, Železobeton. The cult band, formed way back in 1988, is returning at just the right time, with metal on the rise again both abroad and at home. With a bit less media pomp than the return of Interceptor, but much like another returning legend, Game Over, quietly, yet damn hard-hitting and effective. Železobeton mastermind Tadej Ropoša has gathered a rejuvenated lineup around him, different from the eighties and nineties, but no less thrashingly destructive for it. Together with new guitarist Robert Ferencek he forms a super tight duo that more than successfully trades very good riffs and excellent solos. The Prekmurje boys presented their just-released album I Don’t Know at Channel Zero and in a good hour delivered a real lesson in thrash metal. Wrecking-ball songs came one after another – No Time, Shit, I Don’t Know, Before You Die, Power Built on Blood from the new album, and they didn’t skip older classics either, à la Confess and Drunk Drunkard. You can tell Tadej is a true legend: he’s enjoying himself on stage, thrashing without mercy and throwing in some witty comments, for which I’d occasionally need subtitles because of the Styrian accent, but never mind. Bassist Andrej Gorčan also proved an excellent addition to the band, and with his varied bass techniques, slapping included, he recalled the late legend Cliff Burton. Železobeton with their incendiary thrash, which at times recalls old Metallica and Slayer (mostly because of Tadej’s vocals, which at times sound like Tom Araya), and at other times Nuclear Assault and Overkill , but always with a perfect measure of originality and quality. And on top of an adrenaline-filled hour of thrash metal, Železobeton offered up a flawlessly played Iron Maiden classic, Deja-Vu (with a vocal thrash twist), to close. Železobeton are yet another Slovenian legend that the stages have been hungry for, and they came back in magnificent style. And you know what? They’re really worth seeing, so don’t miss them on March 3 at Orto bar. And don’t miss the next gig at Channel Zero either – on February 28 To Hate, Hiram, Batina and Thraw will be setting the place on fire, so show up and support the Slovenian metal scene!
ŽELEZOBETON:
1. To Be A Man
2. No Time
3. Shit
4. I Don’t Know
5. In This Town
6. Tagrag
7. We Want, We Need
8. Done
9. Power Built On Blood
10. Stay
11. Prayer To Sorrow
12. Before You Die
13. Confess
14. Drunk Drunkard
15. Beautiful Crematory
16. Shake Down
17. How Do You Like It?
—encore I.—
18. Sweet Sewerage
19. Selling The Death
—encore II.—
20. Deja-Vu
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