Live Reviews : Between The Buried And Me and Animals As Leaders @ Corner Hotel, Melbourne 16/11/2012

The amount of buzz surrounding this long-sold out show easily surpassed most other international tours this year. Not only do Between The Buried and Me have a reputation for performing perfectly live and an absolutely superb new album in their weaponry, it’s about damn time that Animals As Leaders came to Australia in full-band form.

So, with that all said, it was fantastic to see that the Corner Hotel was already nice and full when In Trenches opened the night. While many might find them an odd choice of opener, the crowd seemed pretty please by the end. The band were full of energy as they blasted through a short-but-sweet set, with the material off their latest release Sol Obscura being the easy highlight. That said, it’s a bit of a shame that the somewhat-dissonant sound featured on that album didn’t come across more live, with everything coming across a bit more like traditional hardcore. The vocals being a bit too high in the mix didn’t help, but regardless, it was a good way to start the night off.

By the time Animals As Leaders hit the stage, it was impossible to move. The crowd roared at every note of soundcheck coming from behind the curtain, before erupting when Tosin and company were revealed. Despite the response, the crowd was still and silent during opener “Tempting Time” from their debut album. It seemed to be the routine for the rest of the set too; the crowd standing in complete awe as the three destroyed the ego of every musician in the room. Unlike so many of the more technical bands, each members of Animals As Leaders still looked like they were having a ball, with Tosin in particular really getting into his groove. “Earth Departure” was the first new-album track to make an appearance, and really showcased the fact that it’s not just the technicality that makes them such a landmark band; it’s the contrasts and ultimately the more melodic parts that make them so fascinating to listen to. The sound was huge, and the setlist a good balance between their two albums. After “CAFO” brought the set to the end, we all head upstairs for a beer and several minutes of staring at each other mindblown and wide-eyed before being able to put any sentences together.

Unlike Animals As Leaders, who were always going to be amazing, unsupported expectations were that Between The Buried And Me would be one of those bands, like Opeth, who are no different live than they are recorded. Incorrect. 15-minute opener “White Walls” was not only performed immaculately, the whole band sounded more dynamic than they do recorded. Moment like the end of “Lay Your Ghosts to Rest” and the “Sun Of Nothing” chorus (where the crowd joined in on every clean word) were absolutely breathtaking live, and the made the heavier parts just to much heavier. “Fossil Genera” put a smile on every face, as people subtly wiggled their hips (not too much, they’re metalheads after all) at the circus-esque keys, before the band left the stage for the clearly planned pre-encore break. While that would ordinarily have me rolling my eyes, what happened next made it totally acceptable. None other than Queen came on over the PA, with their legendary “Bohemian Rhapsody”. The crowd joined in, clearly having a ball, before the band burst out onto stage to perform the final half. Needless to say, they did the song justice, with closer “Mordecai” bringing the night to an end.

I joked on my Facebook page prior to the show that my review of both Animals As Leaders and Between The Buried And Me would simply be along the lines of “Perfect.”, but that wouldn’t be understating it.

You can see more photos from the night over at our gallery.

Between The Buried And Me setlist:
White Walls
Astral Body
Lay Your Ghosts to Rest
Sun of Nothing
Disease, Injury, Madness
Fossil Genera – A Feed From Cloud Mountain
——
Bohemian Rhapsody
Mordecai

Animals As Leaders setlist:
Tempting Time
Wave of Babies
Earth Departure
Thoroughly at Home
New Eden
Cylindrical Sea
Somnarium
Weightless
CAFO

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