Moor Beers Vaults put a show on for three punky bands on a soggy Friday evening (July 21st). Slap bang between two rail strikes (big ups RMT), the free show was a boon and had solid attendance. The venue itself was above my expectations: a marvellous front of house, hot food cooking outside, probably some good beers (I’m the wrong chap to be reviewing those), and a cavern in the back for noisy music.
Ritual Error
Ritual Error kicked things off. They’re a fledgling band but have already landed on a unique sound, a style that forces you to call it post-hardcore for lack of a better term. They’re certainly not trying to be catchy – singer Aaron Akeredolu navigates the straits between spoken words and shrieks, and is a vital part of the idiosyncratic energy of Ritual Error. I felt a lot of Omar Rodríguez-López in their guitarist (Okala Elesia), and in the songwriting too, where some tracks took undeniably proggy turns (particularly the “slow one”, my favourite of the set, full of suspense). David Thair was a precise, focused drummer, and bassist Alessandro Incorvaia became more and more animated toward the set’s end. The band only have a short demo EP out that attempts to capture their eclectic energy and precision. The production makes the band sound like a caged tiger, but it’s not at the fidelity they deserve. Hopefully the band will get some studio time in the near future.
Death Goals
To celebrate the 21st July 2023, queercore Death Goals brought a costume change: matching Barbie crop tops. The Barbenheimer banter was inevitable, and so was the noise. Tight when they needed to be, the duo reveled in disharmonia and panic chord breakdowns. Harry spent more time in the audience than on stage, dropping the guitar for a noise version of “Death Goals In Cursive”. Grog’s vocals, coming direct from the drumseat, had some absolute welly to them. They cut above the dual amp noise for songs like “Ultraviolence” and “A Garden of Dead Flowers”. Most importantly, the band brought the heartwarming “queers to the front” energy that I don’t want to see heavy music without. Discussions with the band between sets included shared enthusiasm for Dreamwell (freshly signed to Prosthetic Records) and practical ArcTanGent 2023 survival strategies.
Dead Harts
By far the most experienced band, Dead Harts headlined with utmost confidence. Their music is simple: hardcore punk descending from The Chariot, like 2023 is 2003 again. In the break since their last LP they’ve remained sharp. Compared to Death Goals and Ritual Error, they provided the most direct beatdown, the most satisfying riffs, and prompted the most bustle from the audience. Dark as they might be in studio, they were jubilant live. Near the end of their set, they honoured the memory of their previous drummer, Ant Allen, a lovely moment that made the joy behind their music all the more specific.
