#zombiband

A man wearing large black headphones jumped on stage and started smashing at the drums. People took no notice and continued to sit on the floor of the small hall, talking amongst themselves while they waited for the night to begin. But the night had begun, and it was not until a stern faced security guard who was probably called Vladimir grumpily hauled every man, woman, and beard in the room to stand up while the man in headphones pounded at the drums.

There were six guitars on stage, no one came to pick one up. No one came to play a bass, no came to play at the two tiered keyboard in the corner.

The man in headphones continued to pound at the drums while the whole room stared, waiting for something to happen. The man in headphones played faster, louder, quieter, slower. He played with focus, precision, an intense knowledge of his instrument and the scintillant rays of synth emanating from an electronic sampler of some kind fitted snugly around his expert stickmanship. Some voices in the audience quietly described this as a 45 minute drum solo, others compared the experience to public masturbation.

This was Majeure, one man with a synthesiser and a drumkit.  A serious love for Goblin, Can and Argento are immediately apparent, especially if you consider that Majeure is one half of Zombi. Anthony Paterra supported Goblin while playing drums in Zombi during their 2013 tour, and the 80s sci-fi/horror soundtrack sound is a strong part of both Majeure and Zombi’s identity. Majeure makes you feel like you maybe can have a little dance with Zardoz on the set of Suspiria while some witches conspire to steal your SNES. If that sounds like a good way to spend a Saturday night then check them out.

The sold out hall in Hackney filled and filled even more until Grails smiled onto the stage and excited the room with the rarity of their presence and the alchemy of their atmospheric music. A lap harp began and ended the set with delicate melodies and a sea of pedals blinked and twirled at the multitude of instruments resting on the stage. A 12 string Rickenbacker, two Stratocasters and a Fender bass accompanied a strange piano-kazoo, an enormous Korg and of course Emil Amos’ kit.

Amos switched his kit for a guitar and the bassist hopped behind the drums for one song that was decorated with the southern twang of fingerpicked and plucked guitar laden with bent notes and a mantle of synth. Songs from the new album Chalice Hymnal appeared alongside heavier old classics in a set that crescendoed into a crashing vortex of energy. Grails don’t create a wall of sound like most bands that specialise in atmosphere, they weave a universe of heaviness embroidered with rich instrumentation, layered samples and masterfully controlled dynamics.

[All photos by Nina Saeidi]