Artists: Kilat, Blood of a Pomegranate, NPCEDE
Venue: The Tote Hotel, Melbourne, Australia (Naarm, Boonwurrung country)
Date: 10th January 2025
Review by: Ulffe
Photos by: Dio Cassidy
Let’s be clear. This is an extremely challenging review for me to write, I was challenged by genre’s I’d normally not listen to so I struggle to articulate what I witnessed. This is a good thing. Friday night at The Tote was a showcase of musical diversity. I wholeheartedly welcome a lineup like this and having expectations subverted, as well as being pleasantly surprised by great acts and a blend of genres. I decided for my first 2025 gig that I wanted to go into this show blind and this ended up being a great decision.
NPCEDE
NPCEDE hit The Tote around 9pm, they are welcomed by early punters eager to get into the weekend with solid live tunes. The three piece enter with droning electronic noise and a tribute to the traditional owners of this stolen land. Their sound leads with elements I’m ultimately unfamiliar with. Initially sounding what I understand to be British/Aussie hip hop (in terms of vocal style) paired against an energetic fast tempo digital drums cymbals, while bass guitar thumps with the kicks; there are vast industrial layers of ambience and noise that layer with ascending melody. They are industrial, noise, rap and experimental.
All that is clear to me is that NPCEDE are insane. The trio drive such contagious energy; they involve the crowd with encouragement and emotion. They are experimental- an example being their lead vocalist will play his instrument with a bow- they are experienced, they have groove, and shared vocal layers that weave and bind through instrumentation. Their vocal performances are so raw and this comes from all members.
Their 4th track is a huge change of pace. Their primary vocalist picks up his guitar, and loses the hiphop style vocal stylings to deliver something more 80’s/goth/industrial/synth wave.
I remember the massive feeling overwhelming the room, big minor chords coming from droning synth. It was such an emotive change and showcased their huge range.
While relatively new on the scene we can listen to their single ‘Swallow’, which I’ve played multiple times since their set.
Their set was an incredible and energetic rave, these three humble guys, thankful to punters were powerful as fuck.
Blood of a Pomegranate
After the opening act, The Tote becomes packed. Punters enter from the front bar and beer garden. I start to anticipate the next performance, expecting big things based on observing the excitement from the crowd and after being floored already.
Astghik of BLOOD OF A POMEGRANATE begins their performance with acknowledgement of stolen land and worldwide ongoing genocide, advocating for anarchy- as we are the change. It’s clear there are important political messages behind the music, powerful thought and ideas as well emotion that clearly drives and inspires this organised sound.
The Tote continues to become packed as a colossal soundtrack begins to fill the band room. Astghik’s powerful vocals are layered with synthesisers that generate some sort of middle eastern score. Again I can do no justice with my writing, Blood of a Pomegranate must be experienced to be properly appreciated.
Aside from the audible experience, the smell of incense gently crept through the venue. Sonically there’s a mix of percussion, industrial noise and drone that blended into traditional folk music. The mix is huge. This experience could be recorded and pasted as a score for a modern epic tale.
As the set proceeds, Astghik reveals a woodwind instrument that I learn later is a traditional Armenian duduk, it brings warm, soulful and haunting sounds. Astghik cleverly layers these digitally with additional electronic sounds.
My point of reference here feels juvenile, the sounds are completely unique, while clear influence coming from thousands of years of tradition, Blood of a Pomegranate is a modern take on what came before- I can compare this experience to struggling to describe the incredible Black Aleph. This was a completely soulful set, hypnotic, primal and cathartic.
See and experience Blood of a Pomegranate at any opportunity you can.
KILAT
And then the main act. I’ve been blessed to have seen KILAT perform a number of times, and they are more incredible each time you see them.
KILAT wasted no time plunging their audience into chaos. We see them illuminated and backlit with an electric blue wash from the stage lighting. We are swiftly pulled into their performance with feedback and distortion coming from their guitarist. Drums lock into tight driving grooves and Karina leads the stage with her harsh vocals that demand a fierce, captivating presence.
I’ve spun their 2022 record RANTAI PENJINAK many times, it’s become a favourite. I love the ferocity. Its production is raw, and captures the same energy of the early days of second wave black metal I love the most. I could sit that album next to anything of that era by Gorgoroth, Mayhem, or Dark Throne without hesitation- in fact if I have a shuffle going on I might actually confuse KILAT for one of those early bands, and I mean that entirely as a compliment.
KILAT offer even more though, they’re a completely modern take on what existed in the past, they blend post-punk and hardcore and noise to create their unique sound.
Their live shows are the way to experience them and they get better with time and familiarity with their music. The band are incredible performers, and Karina is a demon goddess on stage- her expressions are frightening and powerful, and her vocal range is monstrous.
I look forward to future releases and future shows- and I implore anyone who hasn’t seen them before at a show to get your ass out there, support great bands like this, buy a t-shirt, cheer at their show and keep this stuff alive! Long live the Tote!
