17/02/01
Alchemist, Psi Kore, Dungeon
Annandale Hotel Sydney
Reviewed by Kev Truong

A rare grouping of three of Australia's metal elite on one bill ensured a big night as the patrons flocked to the Annandale Hotel on this particular Saturday. The place was packed and the atmosphere was buzzing as three disparate bands, but none more metal than the other, were set to tear Sydney apart. Feel-good headbangers Dungeon were first to display their wares- a huge power metal sound that got the blood pumping in everyone within earshot. Opening with an incredible instrumental intro (complete with those famous Dungeon lead parts at every opportunity), fans were in luck tonight as a sizeable amount of new material was dished up. One called 'Stormchaser' gave the headbangers exactly what they wanted- rising from the ashes of the intro it caught everyone up with its galloping vibe. 'Netherlife' was another new one that went down well, but it was the famed classics that really pleased the crowd. 'Paradise', the song that any Sydney metal fan should recognise without skipping a beat, roused the audience to an incredible high as that chorus and those harmonised vocals pounded out of the PA. To cap off the set Dungeon had to of course throw in an Iron Maiden cover- tonight it was 'The Prowler' that was the pick. One of the best things about watching Dungeon live- apart from those air-guitarable riffs and solos- was the huge smile plastered across frontman Tim's face. It's great to see bands just having a blast on stage, breaking up the seriousness that's so prevalent in metal. Psi.Kore were next to annihilate the growing crowd here tonight, and annihilate they did in a way only they know how. The not-so-new-anymore 'Silence' obliterated as a set opener, and from there on Psi.Kore bulldozed and ram-raided the place with their inimitable groove and ultra-heavy riffs. 'Inside Grind' reduced the building to dust as band and crowd moshed and thrashed alike, and fellow oldie 'Unrequested Fission Surplus' almost caused the ground beneath our feet to crack open and devour us all. The debut EP material of course had a strong presence, 'Pioneering Conflict' and 'Faker Taker' sounding stronger, nastier and uglier with every live airing. Another new one 'Reality Trip' was another lethal dose of Psi.Kore's trademarks- groove, grinding heaviness and just body slamming riffs that tear the skull out of anyone who can endure it. This band is simply one of the greatest live bands touring Australia today. Combining heaviness with never-ending energy and adrenaline-fuelled aggression, a Psi.Kore show is surely one of those moments where the performers fully lock into the psyche of the listener and together they just bring the house down. An incredible set from an incredible band. Lastly, Aussie legends Alchemist emerged on stage after a lengthy break from the live scene, which included overseas promotion for their latest masterpiece 'Organasm'. With little need for introduction, they went straight into it, opening with the epic-of-all-epics 'Evolution Trilogy', a three-part journey exploring the origins of life and the meanings of existence. Music as much as lyrics expressed the message, the amazing tribal rhythms of the drums backing up those mystical yet brutal riffs, all underscored by the booming bass rumbles. Minor technical problems plagued the band, namely the lack of any audible keyboards, but by the end of second song these were all corrected and quickly forgotten. Next came the harpoon-like 'Surreality', a vicious hook that combines huge choruses and sci-fi keyboards that never relents. A more ambient track followed in the shape of 'Road to Ubar', its esoteric middle hypnotising the audience with its intricate percussion and melodies. After that, Alchemist continued to weave their magic in and out of the crowd with the likes of 'Escape From The Black Hole' and 'Single Sided' with all their mystery and entrancing. Although the set was mainly comprised of new material, the earlier works drew the hugest response. 'Chinese Whispers' descended like a storm cloud, it's heavily Eastern midsection bringing out the belly dancers in the crowd. And then came 'Yoni Kunda' and 'Garden of Eroticism', two tracks so phenomenal that its doubtful Alchemist have played a show without them since their creation. Thanks to their sound man/genius Guppy every instrument was perfect, every frequency and note clear and distinguishable. These factors culminated in the closer 'Eve of the War', which with all its intricacies and delicacies came out beautifully. Alchemist had done it again, a flawless headline set. Backed up by two of Sydney's big players, it was an amazing night.
Kev Truong