Zetra / The Bodega / Nottingham
A trip to the Bodega in Nottingham to catch gothic-synth duo Zetra on the first night of their debut headline tour.
In support tonight are Moth Slut a Manchester based hell-raised goth duo. Releasing their debut Parabellum in 2021, they’ve built up a strong following with their dark gloomy view. As a live experience the duo are a breath of fresh air with some incredible gothic attitude and dramatic visual aesthetics I can see them developing a strong reputation for intense performances.
The two play guitar and bass, supported with drum tracks, and they deliver a surprisingly full sound. The vocals are appropriately heavy and haunting, as heard in Forever, Again which is powerful and intense from the off. The lighting is dim adding to the ghostly, ethereal atmosphere.
They end the set with Hellhound which is packed with dramatic darkwave sensibilities and is a great closer to the set.
A great start to the night and a great set.
Setlist
Dream of a World Intro
Night of the Moth
Omni Tempore
Never Thought I Knew
Welcome to the Church
Parabellum
In the Dead of Night
Forever, Again
Hellhound
I saw Zetra a while ago around the time of the launch of their debut self-titled album, as they, alongside Gost, supported Health on their tour at the Institute in Birmingham, so I was excited to see them again on their first headline tour. Their sound is a mix of doom, shoegazemetal, powered by synths and a heavy heavy goth influence.
The stage area at the Bodega is small, and the duo step out in ‘Zetra’ black overalls to set up their gear. They set up platforms to perform on and a new large ‘portal’ at the back in the middle of the stage. The portal wasn’t behaving tonight though, and despite initially firing up, with a swirling graphic like a blackhole or whirlpool on the screen, unfortunately technical issues meant it kept stopping so…. ceremonially unplugged, it actually ended up creating an even creepier blackness…. An empty void.
As the taped intro sounds boom out, the duo return to the stage barefoot and dressed in black head to toe with black & white face paint. They pause and crouch down facing the portal in a ritualistic solemn manner before climbing on to their podiums to perform.
With the podiums, Zetra tower over the crowd, and in such a small venue, it creates quite an impressive visual, and as with Moth Slut, the lighting is limited, creating a dark intensity.
The sound is a delightful blend of synth tones and guitar riffs, which are overlaid with hushed and haunting vocals which pierce through the darkness. The effect is quite something to experience live, imitating the portal, creating the sense of ethereal tones from another dimension.
Zetra perform….. its almost ritual like, with no interaction with the crowd. We are here to experience something, and we are transfixed as we listen intently. There is a sense of mystery and aura in the room.
As the performance ends and the final chords fade away, they pay homage to the portal and slip away into the dark off stage, emulating the mysticism of the whole experience. Zetra is unique sonic and visual experience, a journey into the dark shadows with haunting vocals, melodic guitars, and a touch of magic, a sonic soundscape unlike anything else.
Setlist
Suffer Eternally
Sacrifice
Starfall
The Mirror
Shatter the Mountain
Holy Malice (Annabel)
Inseparable
Gaia
Moonfall
Miracle
Satellite
The Angel Cries
Sacred Song
