29 Mar 2024
UsernamePassword

Remember Me? | Join | Recover
Click here to sign in via social networking
  • Articles »
  • Reviews »
  • Imperial Slave - Gig Review: Imperial Slave @ Castle 789, Palmerston North - 21/01/2023

Imperial Slave - Gig Review: Imperial Slave @ Castle 789, Palmerston North - 21/01/2023

23 Jan 2023 // A review by River Tucker

It was pretty balmy in Palmy last Saturday night at Castle 789, but the Summer heat didn’t deter people from wearing black, with nearly every major metal band represented on patches and T-shirts by a small but dedicated crowd of enthusiastic metalheads.

Tribute band Meiniak kicked things off with an extended set of all the Pantera greats, nailing such crowd-pleasers as A New Level, 5 Minutes Alone, Drag The Waters and Walk. Apart from a couple of chord selections and the Mouth of War false start, it was a faultless performance from the first support band who genuinely made me feel like I was back in the day watching Pantera play.

Tending towards the more speed side of Death Metal, Sam Sheppard’s (Sinate, 8 Foot Sativa) new band, Imperial Slave, set about demolishing people’s eardrums with a brilliant selection of songs from their must-have self-titled debut album. Bands sometimes run the risk of treating the first gig on a tour as a practice session, especially when they’re playing their hometown. Not so Imperial Slave, who proficiently blasted through their short but sweet set.

Every bit as crisp as the studio recordings, Imperial Slave’s set was boosted by a new track from their much-anticipated upcoming second album. Perhaps inspired by early Cradle of Filth, Exterminate somewhat overshadows COF’s latest material with its precision and ferocity. But there are lots of metal bands throughout the ages that you could reference while listening to Imperial Slave. In this respect they’re a quintessential metal band that has large crossover appeal.

It’s not just Sam Sheppard’s ability to write killer riffs and produce high quality material that sets Imperial Slave apart from much of the competition. There’s also the exceptional interplay between guitarists Isaac Lundy and Ant Hati, who both displayed a mastery of their mean Ibanez and Jackson axes. At times Imperial Slave set such a blistering pace that the PA struggled to keep up with the bands intensity, with chugs and slapbacks being eclipsed by incredibly intricate and brutal dynamics. It certainly helps that Achilles Manley is a beast on the bass and drummer Matt Wright is supremely ambidextrous when it comes to playing such punishing and demanding blast beats.

Of course these bands are in your face. But there’s a common misconception that metal musicians are all deviants because of the aggressive music they play. However most aren’t the reprobates many believe them to be. Instead they’re often the nicest people you could ever hope to meet. Invariably the genre itself and the dedication it takes to become accomplished creates mutual respect, which was a nice dynamic on display when different band members helped each other out with equipment during changeovers.

It was well into the witching hour by the time New Zealand’s preeminent Motörhead tribute band Metropölis took to the stage. Frontman Jay rocked the mic just like Lemmy while his monumental guitar solos on an exquisite Gibson Flying V Custom kept the audience enthralled. A few technical and tempo issues didn’t deter punters from enjoying an excellent selection of Motörhead’s classics, as well as some B-sides, well into the early hours. Metropölis even threw in a sing-along rendition of Louie Louie, but it was an up tempo cover of the Ace of Spades that drew their largest applause.

If you’re ready to be audibly impressed with some guitar-drenched mayhem, heading along to see Imperial Slave is definitely worth ticking off your bucket list.

 

About Imperial Slave

Formed by Sinate and ex-8 Foot Sativa drummer Sam Sheppard in Palmerston North with local musicians from Deaths Door, Reignmaker, Skitz Hydro and Decoma.

Imperial Slave was formed in 2020 and released their first self-titled album in 2021.


Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Imperial Slave

Releases

There are no releases to display for Imperial Slave.

Other Reviews By River Tucker

Album Review: The Death Spell
12 Dec 2023 // by River Tucker
There’s a real whisky drinking, bare knuckle fighting edge to the self-titled debut album by The Death Spell, kicking off with Nail You Higher Than Before. Obviously, song lyrics are in your face on this track, especially for any Christians in the audience, but you couldn’t ask for a better intro to the musical style of this Auckland-based band.
Read More...
Beastwars - Gig Review: Reign of the Beast @ Whanganui Musicians Club, Whanganui - 13/10/2023
15 Oct 2023 // by River Tucker
If you're into metal music, the Musicians Club in Whanganui was the place to be last Friday night for a feast of auditory delights to satisfy even the hungriest of souls. Brought to you by Lost Art and Panhead beer, Beastwars and Shepherds Reign headlined an epic concert that was set to bring the house down on the first leg of their not-to-be-missed Reign of the Beast tour.
Read More...
End of an Empire - Album Review: Best Laid Plans
25 Sep 2023 // by River Tucker
It’s been a couple of years since End of an Empire released their favourably reviewed debut album, Within, Without in 2020. Since then, the Wellington-based four-piece have obviously put their time to good use by writing Best Laid Plans, which is arguably one of the finest Hardcore releases to come out of New Zealand this year.
Read More...
The Rising Tide - Gig Review: Inferno - Youth Rock & Metal @ The Stomach, Palmerston North - 5/08/2023
07 Aug 2023 // by River Tucker
It’s not often that you get treated to a mid-winter concert where nearly every metal genre is being performed. But that’s exactly what happened at The Stomach in Palmerston North last Saturday night where four bands gave it their all in a rip-roaring all-ages show that will undoubtedly leave the hundred or so people who attended with lasting impressions.
Read More...
Mammuthus - Album Review: Imperator
18 Jun 2023 // by River Tucker
If you like your stoner metal super-sized and embellished with a nice touch of doom, then Mammuthus’ latest release, Imperator, is definitely the album for you. Seven tracks of deliciously down-tuned, guitar-driven heaviness smash into your eardrums like a well-oiled and relentless steam train.
Read More...
1 Drop Nation - Single Review: I'm Home
08 May 2023 // by River Tucker
When it comes to reggae music 1 Drop Nation's latest single, I'm Home, hits all the right notes. Soulful melodies, tight rhythms, and on-point vocals impart a feel-good vibe that will get you chilling or up and dancing, whatever mood you're in.
Read More...
Gig Review: Devilskin @ The Royal, Palmerston North - 28/04/2023
30 Apr 2023 // by River Tucker
It was well worth getting in early to catch Devilskin’s exclusive VIP performance at The Royal in Palmerston North last Friday night. Following on from a successful show at Homegrown, Devilskin has embarked on their much-anticipated nationwide Let Me Breathe tour, brought to you by The Rock, after a short hiatus that, if anything, has made their current shows all the more sweet.
Read More...
Gig Review #2: Homegrown 2023 @ Wellington Waterfront - 18/03/2023
21 Mar 2023 // by River Tucker
The weather gods must really love live music because they fully turned it on for the Jim Beam Homegrown music festival in Wellington last Saturday. Not only were the tunes absolutely fantastic, the crystal clear blue sky followed by a twinkling starry night set a magical scene for thousands of beautiful party people to enjoy some of New Zealand’s biggest bands performing across five stages on the capital’s spectacular waterfront.
Read More...
View All Articles By River Tucker

NZ Top 10 Singles

  • WE CAN'T BE FRIENDS (WAIT FOR YOUR LOVE)
    Ariana Grande
  • BEAUTIFUL THINGS
    Benson Boone
  • END OF BEGINNING
    Djo
  • LOSE CONTROL
    Teddy Swims
  • TEXAS HOLD 'EM
    Beyonce
  • STICK SEASON
    Noah Kahan
  • PRAISE JAH IN THE MOONLIGHT
    YG Marley
  • CARNIVAL
    Kanye West And Ty Dolla $ign
  • SATURN
    SZA
  • LOVIN ON ME
    Jack Harlow
View the Full NZ Top 40...
muzic.net.nz Logo
100% New Zealand Music
All content on this website is copyright to muzic.net.nz and other respective rights holders. Redistribution of any material presented here without permission is prohibited.
Report a ProblemReport A Problem