Artists: Pissbolt, Religious Observance, ESP Mayhem, Tumour
Venue: Last Chance Rock n Roll Bar, Melbourne, Australia (Naarm, Boonwurrung country)
Date: 8th February 2025
Review by: JRoc
Photos by: Ben Eldström
Ten bucks for 4 sick bands on a Saturday night at The Last Chance? Tell him he’s dreamin’!
Well you best believe it, I know it’s the beginning of 2025, but with an all Naarm, 4 band line up for $10 on a Saturday night you’d never have guessed those bands would be some of the biggest in their specialties. The grind fathers of PISSBOLT who between the three of them have been playing music together in many incarnations since the 90’s, pulling supports in the form of friends, Religious Observance, ESP Mayhem, and the mighty Tumour, it’s no surprise the room was at capacity from the time everyone finished their first pint.
Tumour
We’re welcomed with a “What’s Up”, and from there, the lid has officially been ripped off. Tumour open their set with Inherit, from their recently released split with Burn in Hell that dropped back in October of 2024. It’s rare to see the death metal 5 piece in an opening slot these days, I personally think it set the tone for a huge night, no ranks, just riffs. They follow up with an untitled/ unreleased number, in a putridly perfect setlist. Although a minor tech hazard paused the set for a microsecond, the control from both guitarists and bass utilized the opportunity to make the set even heavier, in the words of Bob Ross, that was a happy accident. It’s got to end somewhere, and appropriately they close with Dust to Death.
ESP Mayhem
If you’ve never seen ESP Mayhem, this is me telling you to change that. I immediately see milk crates, which is a good sign, holding up one of the three synths in this no guitar quintet.
ESP Mayhem, described as future-shock-synth-grind always deliver an exceptional display. If you’d seen the facebook event page earlier in the week you would’ve seen the comment “what’s the go with Mayhem being on the bill? They just played Northcote 3 weeks ago!” an inside gag you don’t need to be in to laugh at.
Their second track, Parasocial Parasite, Cher asks while staring you down, “are you a parasocial parasite?” before the track rips into gear. Industrial, fast, grind, power, electrical, theatrical, abrasive, you can’t ask for much more. If you’ve seen any band with Christoph on drums (Internal Rot, Derailment, Contaminated etc) you’ll know the force he brings behind the kit, with the first FUCK! of the night dropping at the end of track 2. They give us a new track, and the second scream from the drummer proceeds. Slow Cancellation of the Future, their track names are to the point, thought provoking and delivered with conviction, Cyber Bully is the name of their latest release, dropped in August of 2024, featuring Watching You, Watching Me which has a video clip on YouTube you are going to put on as soon as you finish reading this.
I mentioned theatrics, and what I meant was one of their synth trio, who mid-set turned their gear around, and had their back facing the stage, to show off the bum-cheek cut outs on an adidas skirt, you just had to be there to know what I’m talking about.
Religious Observance
If you’ve ever met me, you know I love Religious Observance, I’ve played their new record more times than any local releases of 2024. The Sludge/Doom/Noise lords literally take over any stage they grace, the 6 of them work together like Tetris pieces. The Void on noise takes the floor, now the room was filled, I found my place on the side bench standing to get a good view. Wayniac on vox, with mic in hand, does something slightly unfamiliar, he takes the stage, there’s no room whatsoever on the floor where he normally finds himself, in the thick on the action, screaming at you, while their huge tracks obliterate you.
Playing my favourite track from their latest 7 Years of Neglect right in the guts of their set, Boils leaves your head slamming along with the drums and guitar. Unless you know what’s coming at the 1 and a half minute mark, you’re thrown around with a force accompanied by screams that shake you off balance. It’s February, so it’s summer, and every band so far have mentioned how hot is it up there, almost like a nod that we’re all in this sweatbox together, so shut up and enjoy it. Boils ends with distorted haunting audio, sounding like it’s playing in an abandoned manor you’re too scared to enter because of what lurks on the inside.
They close their set with the longest of the night, a new track I’m not sure I’m supposed to share the name of, but I will anyway and ask for forgiveness another time. Pigs Teeth and Lice, it’s huge, it has breaks that give you a chance to catch your breath. Each members input is felt, seen and heard, I could go on all day about how much this band deserves the recognition for their work, their live sets are unmatchable. Everyone was out last night, it was one of those shows that has everyone out of their caves and The Last Chance was the perfect host for the ritual.
Pissbolt
The mighty PISSBOLT headline this show, Simon ritualistically takes off his boots, in all the years I’ve seen him play, he is barefoot. I’m a big appreciator of a ritual, don’t change what’s not broken. PISSBOLT in this form have been around a long time, and a live show is a rarity and a treat, with their last show around 6 months ago, playing the album launch for Religious Observance’s 7 Years of Neglect. Their setlist is over a dozen tracks long, Inherit from the 2017 drop PISSNBLOOD is pure blasting grind, they rip through the set with their broad range of thrashy, sludgy, annihilating less than 2 minute songs.
Something Rotten in Aisle 9 does what it says on the tin, the guitar is loud, and low, before things ramp up to top speed, it’s been a huge night for drums, a test of endurance almost, there’s something putrid in the most delightful way about this band’s catalogue.
We’re told, “there’s only 4 tracks left, so that’s about 2 minutes” classic grindcore gag, we go way back to 2014 for this one, Gravel Rash is chaotic, distorted and grim, just how it should be.
While nothing has been officially announced as yet, I asked the right questions after the show, we thankfully don’t have to wait so long to see them again, they’ve got a couple of things in the works real soon, so stay tuned for some upcoming shows that are still being smoothed out. Apparently they have CDs and tapes, maybe one day they’ll remember to bring merch, or they won’t, it’s a bit of a running joke, hey maybe it’s time to start getting crafty with the bootlegs folks.
Gig Gallery:
