All photos by Patrick Larsen Holseth
Church of Misery
Support for Monster Magnet was the Japanese Doom Metal band Church of Misery. They were intense and the best way to describe their music is to say that it sounds a bit like old school Black Sabbath with Phil Anselmo on vocals. These guys are actually not rookies as they’ve been around since 1995 and have five albums on their conscience. Their music is groovy as hell and they became an instant favorite for many of the people in the crowd.
According to Wikipedia most of their songs are about serial killers and mass murderers though it was impossible to tell live. One thing you couldn’t help but notice is that Tatsu Mikami wears his bass so low that it actually hangs by his knees. He also plays on the neck of the bass with both hands. This makes for an unusual sight but he’s actually a great bass player. If you like groovy Metal you should definitely give these guys a chance.
Monster Magnet
Photo by Patrick Larsen Holseth
Monster Magnet has visited Norway quite frequently the last few years. Now they were back with a brand new album called Last Patrol (2013), their first original album since 2010, and they were prepared to play it back to back. The problem with playing new albums back to back is that most people don’t know the albums well enough. One thing was when they toured with their 95 album Dopes to Infinity a little over two years ago and 91’s Spine of God the year after. Those albums are considered classics within the Stoner Rock genre and people know the songs. What’s weird is that Monster Magnet started getting into this touring-entire-albums-thing when other bands had stopped. However Last Patrol is a great and consistent album that plays nicely from beginning to end.
The album is dark and that kind of did set the mood for the night, especially with song number two, the title track from the new album, which clocks in on almost 10 minutes. But vocalist Dave Wyndorf was in a great mood and he has a way of transmitting that to the crowd. The band was in great shape and really delivered with precision and having three guitarists really does a lot for their sound.
The album is varied though it is dark. You’ve got the great Donovan cover “Three Kingfishers” as well as the sort of Blues/Gospel/Rock song “Hallelujah.” “The Duke of Supernature” is probably one of the most intense Stoner Rock songs Monster Magnet has ever produced while “End of Time” really holds their signature sound and is reminiscent of the classic albums from the early 90s.
For the encore they had saved some crowd favorites. Most surprising was probably “Twin Earth” an almost Grunge like song from 93’s Superjudge. From there on and out it was smooth sailing with “Dopes to Infinity” and “Look to Your Orb for the Warning” from Dopes to Infinity and of course the obligatory “Space Lord” from 98’s Powertrip where the crowd sang their asses off. Wyndorf and his Stoner Rockers are in great shape these days and they deliver the goods. Let’s hope they grace us with more visits in the future, preferably playing Powertrip in its entirety.
Setlist: I Live Behind the Clouds / Last Patrol / Three Kingfishers / Paradise / Hallelujah / Mindless Ones / The Duke of Supernature / End of Time / Stay Tuned
Encore: Twin Earth / Dopes to Infinity / Look to Your Orb for the Warning / Space Lord
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