with Let It Die, God Complex and Conjurer
Tonight’s show was organised by The Cookie.
Reviewed by Kashif Hussain
Leicester’s Cookie isn’t usually known for its metal gigs. That honour typically goes to more “alternative” venues like Firebug or The Shed, as The Cookie’s repertoire of shows seem to be more along the lines of indie rock bands or comedy acts, so it seemed like a somewhat odd choice to host Woking’s premier metal group and a slew of dissonant support bands. However, it turns out that the miniscule stage was a perfect fit for the chaos that ensued.
First on the stage were Let It Die, hailing from Kettering. Their sound can at best be described as hardcore with a range of extreme music influences. With hardcore breakdowns, grinding guitars and metallic growls, they gave the crowd a taste of what to expect later.
Next on were God Complex from Liverpool, showcasing their own brand of hardcore with the brutality of death metal, grimness of black metal and the sheer explosiveness of deathcore. All of this boiled down to a dynamic performance that was sure to impress the crowd.
Rugby’s Conjurer were on next. Most of their set consisted of tracks from their latest release The Mire, which masterfully utilises their dual vocal approach and sludgy, layered riffs. Their on-stage dynamism transferred well into the crowd who were beginning to throw down.
The movements continued throughout the night, lasting until the headliner’s set, and the gig, both ended. Speaking of which, Employed To Serve, mostly playing tracks from their 2017 album Warmth of a Dying Sun, complete with technical riffing, awesome breakdowns and an energetic stage presence.
Also worth mentioning is frontwoman Justine Jones’ vocals; her anguished screams perfectly convey the nihilism of the song’s lyrics. It comes as no surprised that they’re scheduled to play Tech Fest, Download Festival and Graspop Metal Meeting later this year, seeing as they put on a show this wild.
