Event:	Decapitated + Aborted: UK Tour
Written by:	Baz Anderson
Published:	03.03.2012
Galleries:	Decapitated, Aborted - Nottingham, England, 1st March 2012 by Baz Anderson (40)

Does anyone know of any person that 2012 has started well for? There must be some, but on the first day of the third month, Nottingham was about to get a little dose of medicine called "death metal". It can't be purchased over the counter, not at a pharmacy anyway, and not in this form. A good death metal show is a good enough cure for anything, blasting away the cobwebs and probably brain cells too.




Doors opening very early, the one man band of Foul Body Autopsy kicked off the proceedings with an unnaturally precise set. This band consists of one man, his vocals and guitar backed up with recordings of programmed drum tracks and additional backing instruments. Quite a surreal experience, watching a stage with one person on it producing a whole band-worth of music. It would make you wonder where the band members got their invisibility suits from if the music didn't sound quite so unnaturally tight and mechanical. Bands like Godflesh can get away with it due to the type of music, but surely death metal is about the full blood, sweat and tears experience? Regardless, it was enjoyable and the present audience thought so too.



Up next a full band. Trifixion are a death metal group from London and Leeds with one album to their name, and must have been over the moon to share the stage with the acts to come. Perhaps because of the previous act, or perhaps because they just need more practise, but the band and drummer in particular sounded a tad sloppy and underwhelming compared to the album. Even so, putting this aside the band brought a much more authentic death metal experience to the stage and must have turned a few heads with their ambitious and optimistic death metal.



The night had only just begun though, and brutal Belgians Aborted were about to make the night. Not messing about, the band took the stage with a real spirit and determination, finally bringing the audience up close to the stage and creating some movement. Touring on arguably the best album they've ever put out, this set blasted off with a good number from the latest album, but eventually took everyone back to the Engineering The Dead and Goremageddon albums for a blast too. Energy-wise, Aborted were a mile above every other band on the stage this night, musically they sounded so much more professional and tight than the previous bands too. Aborted really are finally at the top of death metal, there's not many that bring the brutal like these guys do, along with the groove and the surprisingly not-obnoxious modern-sounding parts. Best band of the night.



Unlike the previous band, Decapitated didn't seem to blast off in such a flurry. Rather, it seemed to take a few songs into the set before the audience and band were really on one page. Decapitated do have a less brutal and more technical approach to death metal, but these guys still sounded pretty great up there on stage. Playing what seemed like most of the latest album, the Polish death metal icons ripped through a blistering set that seemed to come and go in no time at all. The venue was finally at the night's busiest, but still they just unfortunately didn't seem to connect with the audience in this intimate environment. Finishing with a flurry of popular choices from older albums, the band left the stage leaving the audience presumably for an encore, but did not return. Finishing on a slightly confusing note, the guys did do a good job - but the night goes to Aborted for their willingness, effort and sheer energy.