Nihilista Magazine - Offend To Defend Music and Arts News and Reviews
Green River Project / Nemhain / The Mercy House / Achilla
Green River Project / Nemhain / The Mercy House / Achilla
Camden Underworld
Camden Underworld
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resize.jpg "Nemhain Bass")
With a bill that is split into equal set times and featuring four of the UK’s hottest rock and metal prospects, there’s plenty to be optimistic about as the Underworld opens its doors for another night of debauchery in ye old Camden town. Shame, then, that even the bar area is barely a quarter full when opening act Achilla arrive on stage to an empty floor, especially given how promising a prospect they prove to be. Balanced somewhere between the symphonic frolics of Nightwish and the more progressive side of the Swedish melodeath scene, the quartet not only command the stage with an impressive gusto, but boast the record-breaking talents of vocalist Martamaria, whose Angela Gossow-like stature is counteracted by a classically-trained voice that reaches offensively high notes on more than a few occasions.
Next up come The Mercy House, who make an immediate impact thanks to owning their very own Axl Rose. True, musically the band don’t even touch the heady heights that Guns N’ Roses pissed from all those years ago, but they have swagger and they certainly have swing, and they garner a great reaction from a swelling crowd as they plough their way through their own brand of metal-tinged cock rock. More than a few heads are banging by the time their set draws to a close, and while the noise from the audience never quite matches the demands of the band, it is still a decent impression given the initially lacklustre turnout. Ones to watch, for sure.
Nemhain have already brushed off such a tag with ease and are now regular favourites on the London circuit and beyond – as underlined by the much healthier-looking mob in front of them. Fronted by a whiskey-toting Amber Erlandsson and boasting the drumming talents of hubby (and At The Gates legend) Adrian, the Stoke Newington mob have their set plagued by sound problems from the outset, and have to make do with a heavily cut-down slot as a result. Luckily they’re far too much fun to fret over such trivialities, and when they finally do get to launch their dirty rock ‘n’ roll assault on their audience it goes down a treat. Brimming with confidence and the kind of swagger that Towers Of London would die for, they rescue what could have been a huge disappointment to firmly ensure that there’ll be many familiar faces in attendance when the band return to the Underworld with Spit Like This in a few weeks’ time.
Green River Project arrive in a blaze of green lights and smoke and make for an ideal finish to what has already been a steadily improving evening. By now the Camden faithful are firmly warmed up and are happy to move, groove and booze its way through the headliner’s half-hour performance, and while it’d be a tad optimistic to suggest that the Underworld has finally reached its capacity, it’s certainly filled out enough to retain a great atmosphere, and there are few who leave the building without a alcohol-fuelled grin slapped across their face. Achilla and The Mercy House could be headlining venues like these in the not too distant future, while Nemhain and Green River Project already seem destined for bigger things.
Review by Merlin Alderslade