Live Reviews : Hell On The Bay III: Tritanic @ Central Pier Docklands 05/09/2015

Images: Mark Hoffmann
Words: Suzie Killady

A (not surprisingly) black clad crew lined the dock at Central Pier, Docklands to take part in he third voyage of the Hell on the Bay, subtitled with another clever film title twist – ‘Tritanic. The dated party boat itself filled some people with apprehension, though previous sea farers knew that it was more than capable of staying afloat despite the armory of equipment and costuming required by the bands and the booze and pizza required by the guests. As the boat pulled from the dock, a charming tribute to this year’s name sake was played, leaving some sailors disappointed at not being allowed to pose as Kate and Leo at the ship’s bow.

Celine Dion’s voice was soon cut off by the riffs of Hybrid Nightmares and the cheers of their devoted fanbase. The band has been hard at work this year, challenging themselves by releasing a series of four concept EPs (fourth to be launched in November) with accompanying album launch performances. In addition to all this, the band is the driving force behind Hell on the Bay, thus placing themselves on the bill and providing another opportunity to perform and hone their skills. Each performance shows a new level of maturity and cohesiveness both musically and as an overall act. The new warrior outfits were a refreshing change from the white druid robes and they also seem to have mastered the use of their unique fluoro make up.

Folk metallers Claim the Throne from Perth crossed country to sail the Bay in true pirate form. Being further to the back of the crowd made for difficult viewing, but did not detract from feeling the energy being projected by the band. They really got the night going with party anthems about drinking and rollicking good times, kicking off the mosh pit and tempting some spacially challenged individuals to attempt crowd surfing with no more than 40cm clearance between heads of the crowd and the ceiling.

Desecrator broke the medieval mould and brought forth their thrash attack with precision and passion. It’s been a few months since they returned from their European tour and it seems they brought back with them a new level of professionalism. A friend who had come with me and had never seen Desecrator before could only find the word ‘elegant’ to describe what she saw. And interesting description for thrash, but I could see her point. Clear vocals and tight drum and guitar work made it difficult for anyone watching not to bang their head, get involved or at least appreciate what they were hearing. Playing to a smaller crowd than the rest of the bands made for an exciting and intimate set and perhaps even, making them the stand out act of the night.

Barbariön finished up the night in all their warrior glory. With the cold sea air blowing in and limited moving space, it was the first time I’d seen Barbariön stay on the stage, keep clothes on and not jump into the audience to sweat it out. A different experience perhaps, but not a bad one as for the first time I really heard the songs, paid attention to the music and was not being distracted by spectacle. Although vocals were difficult to hear at times, the guys showcased a well-practiced, well-loved set with an expectant, plastic axe armed crowd hanging out for ‘Chop’ so they could finally wield their weapons.

Unfortunately there wasn’t much time between bands to venture down to the DJ room where a few local legends were spinning their favorite tracks, but the point of the night was great live acts in a unique and fun location that only the heavy metal community could truly appreciate.

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