It’s been 3 years since I last saw Black Moth and boy they have grown up plus the new album, Anatomical Venus, is simply stunning. The first four tracks all stem from the new opus and are tremendous live, the band kick this short but very powerful set off with “Istra” followed by the standout track for me “Moonbow” – simply breathtaking.
The band air “Sisters of The Stone” and “Severed Grace” before they finish their set with “Blackbirds Fall” from 2012’s The Killing Jar album. It was nice to see a decent early crowd for the band given they came on at 18:30 and witnessed some classic doom riffs of the highest order. I hope to catch the band on a headline tour soon with a full setlist this time.
Next up we have Fireball Ministry from Los Angeles, with their classic rock vibe who really get the now busy Garage going, with main man James having that old school Steppenwolf vibe about him. As the heavy bass lines kick in from Helen, we “Flatline” from 2003’s The Second Great Awakening with its nod to early Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult; a tremendous start. We get some more rocking doom riffs in the form of “The Broken” from 2005’s Their Rock Is Not Our Rock before we meet the “Choker” with some nice guitar interaction between James and Emily. We head into “Sundown” before we get our first from last year’s more rocky but excellent Remember the Story album in the form of opening track “End of Our Truth” with its slow rocking beat that drags you in before we go looking for “The Answer” from the same album. It’s a real drum/bass-driven track a foot-tapping, head-nodding song and probably my favourite out of their set. Another short but superb set comes to a close with the doom riff laden “King” from 2003’s The Second Great Awakening with James sounding like a young Ozzy; a tremendous set from the band, my first time seeing them but it certainly won’t be the last.
Now the first of the co-headliners in the form of those old school favourites, Orange Goblin, who I have not seen live since 2001 when they opened for Alice Cooper & Dio in Edinburgh. The band have a new album out The Wolf Bites Back and they open with “Sons of Salem” from the album, a real riff-tastic start to their set and the crowd react immediately as Ben’s vocals open up and Joe’s guitar unleashes its fury along with Martyn on bass with the rear rhythm ably handled by Chris on drums. The band does not slow down as we meet “Quincy the Pigboy” from 2000’s The Big Black with its killer guitar before heading back to the new album to meet the “Renegade”; a real bouncer of a track. We go all the way back now to “Saruman’s Wish” from 1997’s Frequencies From Planet 10 with its slow-paced bass intro and early Sabbath style guitar riffs as the drums kick it into overdrive.
The title track next from the new album, “The Wolf Bites Back”, before we “Burn the Ships” from the same album. You can’t help but love the way the band kicks out the riffs in their own doom-ridden style. We get an “Acid Trial” now from 2012’s A Eulogy For The Damned before we get the fuzzy gritty “Made of Rats” from 2002’s Coup De Grace. Things kick up a notch then as the crowd goes nuts for the awesomeness that is “Scorpionica” from 2000’s The Big Black with a fair bit moshing on the go during the track as it dips and rises in tempo. We feel “The Devil’s Whip” next from 2014’s Back From The Abyss with its full on Motörhead “Iron Fist” feel, just incredible live, followed by a change of pace as the doom riffs herald “They Come Back (Harvest of Skulls)” from 2007’s Healing through Fire.
We come to the end of a full-on roller coaster of a rock n’ roll ride with the band as we see the “Red Tide Rising” from 2012’s A Eulogy For The Damned and it’s time for the crowd to bounce again. This is a band that just go for it from the word go and don’t stop, a spectacular set, I may not leave it so long again to see the boys.
Orange Goblin setlist:
- Sons of Salem
- Quincy the Pigboy
- Renegade
- Saruman’s Wish
- The Wolf Bites Back
- Burn the Ships
- Acid Trial
- Made of Rats
- Scorpionica
- The Devil’s Whip
- They Come Back (Harvest of Skulls)
- Red Tide Rising
The Corrosion Of Conformity boys hit the stage next to a huge roar as they launch into “Seven Days” from the 1994 classic Deliverance with its Sabbath riffs and is simply stunning with Pepper in fine vocal form and mad Mike Dean on bass bouncing about the place. The first off the new album No Cross No Crown in the form of “The Luddite” which hits you like Sabbath on steroids, loving Pepper’s voice tonight as Woodroe and Pepper exchange riffs followed by “Broken Man” from Deliverance. We then get another new one, “Forgive Me”, with its nod to Thin Lizzy, it’s a fantastic track and one of my favourites tonight.
We go back to 1996 and the title track “Wiseblood” which still has a touch of Lizzy about it with the way the guitars sing before we get the first of three from 2000’s America’s Volume Dealer starting with the laid back “Who’s Got the Fire” followed by the singalong “13 Angels”, a real highlight tonight before we hit “Diablo Blvd”. We go back to 1991’s Blind next for the heavy riffing “Vote With a Bullet” which Pepper says is still as relevant today as when it was written; a real stomping track before we head back to the new album with “Wolf Named Crow”. We catch sight of the “Albatross” then from Deliverance with its huge nod to early Sabbath.
We end with another from the same album which sees Pepper join the crowd during “Clean My Wounds” with guitar and mic stand. What a way to end a blistering performance; incredible. The band are on fire and enjoying every moment and so they should with a stunning new album and a fantastic live show, what a way to end a fantastic four band bill with every band just nailing it tonight. If you can get along to a show and get there early to catch every band you will not be disappointed.
Corrosion of Conformity setlist:
- Seven Days
- The Luddite
- Broken Man
- Forgive Me
- Wiseblood
- Who’s Got the Fire
- 13 Angels
- Diablo BIvd
- Vote With a Bullet
- Wolf Named Crow
- Albatross
Encore:
- Clean My Wounds
Photos by Gary Cooper
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