. .

PSYCROPTIC

w/ Five Star Prison Cell and Sacrifire

The Pub – Bendigo, 20th November, 2008.

With a mad dash up to Bendigo after work, I arrived at ‘The Pub’ about halfway through the local opening band Sacrifire’s set. These local boys dished up some (early) Gothenburg inspired Death/Thrash attack, with a generally tight set – a feature of the whole night. The local metal act were well received by the small but building crowd, even if the vast majority of them were sitting down on the other side of the room!

Melbourne’s Five Star Prison Cell were up next, and offered an as expected ‘tight as fuck’ fusion of technical heavy metal. Same with the recent Meshuggah tour, its always humorous to see people (myself included) trying to nod their heads at this style of band and their chronically fucked up time signatures!

As part of the band’s Australian and New Zealand tour for their latest album titled (Ob)Servant, Psycroptic impressed yet again. I don’t care what anyone else says, these guys are the best band in Australia, and most probably the best Technical Death Metal band going around worldwide– though I think a lot of people would agree to that statement!

The new songs, and selected older tracks, in a live setting were album quality…yet again! It would be tough justice on Five Star Prison Cell to suggest that Psycroptic played a tighter set, but it’s just unbelievable how good the Tasmanian’s are technically at their instruments. And on top of all that you get the ever animated vocalist Jason Peppiatt, who on a couple of instances during the set jumped off the stage and into the small but very enthusiastic mosh pit to start up a circle pit!

If you can in anyway manage to catch Psycroptic on the remainder of their tour, do so. Even if you’re not the biggest fan of their music, live they are a band not to be missed!

PSYCROPTIC BENDIGO SETLIST: Thursday 20th November, 2008
NOTE: This setlist is not in order.

(Ob)Servant
A Calculated Effort
Slaves of Nil
Horde in Devolution
Immortal Army of One
Initiate
The Sword of Uncreation
Merchants of Deceit
Minions: The Fallen
+ 1 or 2 more?

Reviewed by Brendan Amos.