HIM, Nostalghia, The Defiled @ 170 Russell, Melbourne (26/02/2014)
The Thursday and Saturday night hot spot was almost unrecognisable as metal fans from all over the city poured into Billboard the Venue sporting their heartagram tattoos. Billboard quickly displayed a full house despite Mushroomhead, Rob Zombie and Korn playing a gig the same time at The Palace Theatre.
Opening the evening were British industrial band The Defiled, whose energy instantly captivated the crowd. Dressed in a metal uniform with glam-rock and hard-core features, bassist Vincent Hyde wore a gas mask while keyboardist ‘The AvD’ flipped his instrument as much as he did his long fringe. Lead vocalist Stitch D owned charisma while lead guitarist Aaron Curse and drummer Needles rocked out.
Their heavy metal sound was an unexpected opening choice for HIM-renowned for their ‘love metal'- but the crowd appeared to enjoy them and their energetic stage presence none-the-less. Throughout the set appeared a Grim Reaper on stage, lingering around and tickling the necks of band members. He soon made his way into the crowd, scaring by-standers and painting red crosses on their foreheads before disappearing into the night. The Defiled completed their set by leaving the mosh full of adrenalin, but the mood was soon to change.
Nostalghia took the crowd by complete surprise. Just like that, everybody in the room developed a crush on lead singer Ciscandra. An Iranian-Californian native with English, Irish and Russian heritage she is an instantaneous recipe for beautiful with her porcelain face, and long black hair that falls well past her lower back. As she compels the crowd with her voice, I am reminded partially of Kate Miller Heidke- if she were a badass. Ciscandra's graceful fingers point to the crowd and she is like a Tim Burton character that has come to life.
While Nostalghia are not a screamo band, it is evident that Ciscandra's vocal abilities can definitely go there any-time. This is exercised as the band performs their popular single Cool For Chaos, where Ciscandra unleashes and allows the music to manifest through her body and all of its movements. As their performance reaches climax, Ciscandra lays down on stage and tips the microphone upside down as she sings gently into it. She remains sultry and deadpan throughout most of the set, becoming more energetic and savvy as multi-instrumentalist Roy Gnan manipulates different layers of sound and cello player Adele lets go.
HIM finally take the stage and open with one of their biggest hits, Buried Alive By Love. The mosh is immediately responsive as the crowd quickly transforms from content to crazy. It is now that I realize I am still an infatuated 14 year old Ville Valo fan-girl at heart. Dark Light single Rip Out the Wings of a Butterfly follows shortly after, while Valo is all smirks and smiles as the crowd screams all the words. The band then ticks off the hit trifecta as they tear into Right here in my Arms leaving the excited crowd jump and sing in a mosh of madness.
As the song draws to an end and the crowd regain their breath, lead guitarist Mikko ''Linde'' Lindstrom and bassist Mikko ''Mige'' Paananen break out into a jam as Valo leaves the stage for his first (and certainly not his last) cigarette break for the evening. As Valo returns to the stage and picks up his guitar (at this point I could almost swear we made eye contact) he proceeds to spit on the stage when he needs to- this is really gross but nobody, including myself seems to care because he's Ville freaking Valo. The night progresses as hits Join Me, Your Sweet 666, and All Lips Go Blue are smashed out.
Valo hits his microphone with his hands to the beat, even onto his head during Passions Killing Floor. After that the band play their early hit and crowd favourite Soul On Fire, shortly followed by their internationally recognized and acclaimed cover of Chris Isaak's Wicked Game. Valo affectionately coughs and clears his throat during one of the late choruses, smiling as he does so. Valo leaves for smoko break-I've-lost-count-of while Linde and Mige entertain the crowd with some impressive improvisation and jamming. Valo returns as the band plays Poison Girl, one of the sets highlights, and For You. Slurring his speech a little Valo pays homage to some of the band's earliest influences and thanks the crowd for their attention as he kindly admits he's "not much of a talker''. When the band returns to the stage for their expected encore after endless chants from the mosh for "one more song'', Valo takes the mic and dedicates their last song of the evening ''When love and death embrace'' to ''all the lovers in the house''.
Adrianna Connelly
Opening the evening were British industrial band The Defiled, whose energy instantly captivated the crowd. Dressed in a metal uniform with glam-rock and hard-core features, bassist Vincent Hyde wore a gas mask while keyboardist ‘The AvD’ flipped his instrument as much as he did his long fringe. Lead vocalist Stitch D owned charisma while lead guitarist Aaron Curse and drummer Needles rocked out.
Their heavy metal sound was an unexpected opening choice for HIM-renowned for their ‘love metal'- but the crowd appeared to enjoy them and their energetic stage presence none-the-less. Throughout the set appeared a Grim Reaper on stage, lingering around and tickling the necks of band members. He soon made his way into the crowd, scaring by-standers and painting red crosses on their foreheads before disappearing into the night. The Defiled completed their set by leaving the mosh full of adrenalin, but the mood was soon to change.
Nostalghia took the crowd by complete surprise. Just like that, everybody in the room developed a crush on lead singer Ciscandra. An Iranian-Californian native with English, Irish and Russian heritage she is an instantaneous recipe for beautiful with her porcelain face, and long black hair that falls well past her lower back. As she compels the crowd with her voice, I am reminded partially of Kate Miller Heidke- if she were a badass. Ciscandra's graceful fingers point to the crowd and she is like a Tim Burton character that has come to life.
While Nostalghia are not a screamo band, it is evident that Ciscandra's vocal abilities can definitely go there any-time. This is exercised as the band performs their popular single Cool For Chaos, where Ciscandra unleashes and allows the music to manifest through her body and all of its movements. As their performance reaches climax, Ciscandra lays down on stage and tips the microphone upside down as she sings gently into it. She remains sultry and deadpan throughout most of the set, becoming more energetic and savvy as multi-instrumentalist Roy Gnan manipulates different layers of sound and cello player Adele lets go.
HIM finally take the stage and open with one of their biggest hits, Buried Alive By Love. The mosh is immediately responsive as the crowd quickly transforms from content to crazy. It is now that I realize I am still an infatuated 14 year old Ville Valo fan-girl at heart. Dark Light single Rip Out the Wings of a Butterfly follows shortly after, while Valo is all smirks and smiles as the crowd screams all the words. The band then ticks off the hit trifecta as they tear into Right here in my Arms leaving the excited crowd jump and sing in a mosh of madness.
As the song draws to an end and the crowd regain their breath, lead guitarist Mikko ''Linde'' Lindstrom and bassist Mikko ''Mige'' Paananen break out into a jam as Valo leaves the stage for his first (and certainly not his last) cigarette break for the evening. As Valo returns to the stage and picks up his guitar (at this point I could almost swear we made eye contact) he proceeds to spit on the stage when he needs to- this is really gross but nobody, including myself seems to care because he's Ville freaking Valo. The night progresses as hits Join Me, Your Sweet 666, and All Lips Go Blue are smashed out.
Valo hits his microphone with his hands to the beat, even onto his head during Passions Killing Floor. After that the band play their early hit and crowd favourite Soul On Fire, shortly followed by their internationally recognized and acclaimed cover of Chris Isaak's Wicked Game. Valo affectionately coughs and clears his throat during one of the late choruses, smiling as he does so. Valo leaves for smoko break-I've-lost-count-of while Linde and Mige entertain the crowd with some impressive improvisation and jamming. Valo returns as the band plays Poison Girl, one of the sets highlights, and For You. Slurring his speech a little Valo pays homage to some of the band's earliest influences and thanks the crowd for their attention as he kindly admits he's "not much of a talker''. When the band returns to the stage for their expected encore after endless chants from the mosh for "one more song'', Valo takes the mic and dedicates their last song of the evening ''When love and death embrace'' to ''all the lovers in the house''.
Adrianna Connelly