Gallery, ReviewDitch This MagazineApril 07, 2024gallery, live, melbourne, Odin Imaging, Nathan Goldsworthy, odin imaging, Mai Tosley, Northcote Theatre, Carcass, the black dahlia murder, Freedom Of Fear, soundworks

Carcass + The Black Dahlia Murder + Freedom of Fear @ Northcote Theatre 05-04-24

photos: Nathan Goldsworthy @odin.imaging
words: Mai Tosley

Whether you're getting a bite to eat before the show or dedicated to lining up we will all end up at the same destination, the iconic venue Northcote Theatre, to watch three bands perform some glorious metal. With lines for merch to the stage like a Thrasher's abattoir, before the bands have even started I guarantee these victims are keen for the masters butcher apron.

Freedom of Fear is first up releasing their blanked death metal upon the crowd matching their music with their presence. This is one of the top talented and engaging live acts to come from Australia. With amazing guitar shredding, dark powerful vocals, solid drumming and on point bass playing this band is tight. I'm sure they made new fans this night.

Symphonic, classical music peaks the audience interest as the Intro into The Black Dahlia Murder's set soothes the atmosphere and then the Verminous crowd get amped as the drums get pounded and the guitars scream. This band came all the way from the US of A showing the Aussies what melodic death metal they can bring down under. The onlookers chanting Black Dahlia, the band continued the set with 'On Stirring Seas of Salted Blood' and playing songs from the plethora of albums they have created over the last two decades. From amazing guitar shredding to fast drumming until the bitter end it comes.

The crowd look on with their attention under the scalpel blade waiting with anticipation for their faces to be peeled off with surgical precision. Carcass is here to Rot 'N' Roll straight from the UK pioneers of gore grind and smashing the melodic death metal in our faces, there were no 'Buried Dreams' for the opening track to Heartwork and the first song to the set. This is 'Kelly's Meat Emporium' tonight as the crowd thrash around like meat on hooks listening to 'Incarnated Solvant Abuse'

'Under The Scalpel Blade' the audience move with execution, the light show stunning and with all flesh entwined 'This Mortal Coil' unlocking the gates to some words from frontman and bassist Jeff Walker. He asks Melbourne if we call this a pit as the band played in Perth the previous night where someone took a shit in the pit. He believes we can do better and says "I wanna see two turds tonight." The crowd roars with laughter and Carcass has just the material to get the bowels moving 'Tomorrow Belongs to Nobody'.

Your going to need to sign your own 'Death Certificate' before you enter this pit and 'Dance Of Ixtab' your night away while hearing a 'Blackstar' and 'Keep On Rotting in the Free World', while you keep on dreaming about 'The Scythe's Remorseless Swing'. Don't fool yourself into thinking you're going to survive this gig if you're not as hard as '316L Grade Surgical Steel'. If you're not scattered and scrambled, the song 'Corporal Jigsore Quandary' will leave you totally disassembled, nicely sliced and diced.

Not quite done yet the audience is forcely fed 'Ruptured in Purulence' and 'Heartwork'. Ending the set Carcass have 'Tool's of the Trade' to remissly lustrate your ears. With non stop chanting the band came back on stage closing with 'Exhume to Consume' and by the time the set had finished everyone had the 'Reek of Putrefaction'.