CombiChrist / Rescue Rooms / Nottingham
Here we are…. finally…. at the Rescue Rooms in Nottingham, waiting to see Andy LaPlegua and his unique style of aggrotech / industrial metal. With Covid, it seems like this is a show we’ve been waiting for, for years, and it somehow feels surreal now. CombiChrist are one of our favourites here at LiveWire, and the amazing albums “Making Monsters” (2012) and “Everybody Hates You” (2005) are still regular plays.
First up, we have Mimi Barks on stage. An industrial trap metal artist from Berlin, she performs tonight with Mike Heller on drums. The scene was set early for the night, and her show is full of energy and packs a real punch. Her style mixes both ferocious screamed vocals with much deeper, almost haunting melodies. Dressed all in black with red bloodshot eye makeup, it’s a dramatic image, and adds to the impact with a sense of menace. Climbing on the monitors and leaning out into the crowd, Mimi Barks commands her stage brilliantly, creating an air of confidence and a kind of emotional charge. Mike climbs out from the drums from time to time to dance around the stage in his bright orange jumpsuit, adding to the manic sense.
A great set with powerful, thumping basslines, the sound is loud and pulses throughout the venue. But it’s not just noise, there are delicate elements to it, and throughout you can hear the different elements. The vocals too sit well, not drowned or lost in the maelstrom.
Listening to Mimi on Spotify, the complex sound is something that could get lost in it’s transition to the stage, but I have to say, her material is best experienced live, which just adds that extra layer of intensity.
Mimi Barks is someone I’d love to see again.
Next up we have Priest, featuring former members of Swedish metallers Ghost, with a heavy synth style. The lights dimmed and the crowd roared. As the band hit the stage and hit the “play” button….. and nothing ! Any musicians nightmare, as the laptop simply would not make a sound. The drum machine and modules all worked, just not the laptop. I let for them so much, totally out of their control as the techs worked to try and fix the equipment. After what seemed an age, the sound blasted out, the crowd cheers and the band let out a huge sigh of relief. As a result, the set was somewhat reduced, which was a shame, but they handled the situation brilliantly…. And the set was totally worth the wait !
Led by vocalist Mercury (Ghost bass player Water), keyboardist Salt, (Ghost keyboardist Air) and programmer/ keyboardist Sulfur delivered a pulsating set of heavy synth driven pop. With an eye catching look, in studded black masks and leather outfits they deliver wave after wave of tonally warm but dark industrially futuristic synth-ladened beats.
Mercury’s vocal style mixes very well with the sound of the synths and the programmed beats are brooding reminiscent of the 80’s darkwave. With a dance, trance-like theme, Priest have a unique sound. Their sound is so far from their Ghost origins, it’s hard to believe they are linked at all. Thoroughly entertaining.
Finally, it’s time….. I can’t quite believe it, as the headliners hit the stage. Andy LaPlegua and Combichrist are a force to be reckoned with. Taking the scene by storm with their debut album release in 2003 “The Joy of Gunz” Andy has hit new height after new height. IN the studio CombiChrist is just Andy LaPlegua, working with other musicians, and only coming together as a band on the road. But CombiChrist has developed a reputation as one of the hardest working live bands, delivering some fierce, intense performances of aggro-infused beats, and nightmarish theatrics.
Andy LaPlegua is on fire tonight barking out the lyrics with real intensity, jumping around the stage creating a high energy atmosphere right from the off. The music was aggressive throughout and the lyrics often touch on dark topics, exploring society. New drummer Dane White did an amazing job on the skins tonight, pounding out heavy beat after beat. Guitar duty is handled brilliantly by Eric 13 and Jamie Cronander, who has an incredible stage presence and handled some of the keyboard duties with Elliot Berlin.
Their dark, surreal and dramatic visual imagery linked up with the heavy industrial beats and tense dark lyrical themes creates a unique and powerful imagery. Highlights of the set included Not My Enemy, Maggots at the Party and What the Fuck is Wrong with You? Bu having said that all the songs tonight were intense and aggressive, filled with punk attitude. Clearly massively influenced by the Aggrotech and Industrial metal genres, Combichrist have a distinct and unique sound of their own.
Was it worth the wait ? Boy was it !!!!! All three acts, Mimi Barks, Priest and CombiChrist were different, and yet complimented each other so brilliantly. The heavy electronic sound linking all three. CombiChrist were everything I had hoped for, and more. Intense, powerful, aggressive and loud.
An amazing night, from start to finish
