The Interbeing

support The Revolt Of Darwin + New Discolour
author AP date 26/02/11 venue The Rock, Copenhagen, DEN

The final weekend of February boded a UMA (Underground Music Awards) endorsed showcase for up-and-coming Danish bands of the heavier kind. For such a low-profile event, the show was well attended, and for the sake of domestic music I hope this trend continues. My own reasons for attending were simple. First: New Discolour features a good friend of mine on vocals. Their debut album is one of the most full-fledged releases in Denmark in recent times and deserves all the attention it can get. Second: The Revolt of Darwin's light-hearted Southern hardcore has impressed me in the past - even when the band performed without a bassist. Third: I was extremely intrigued by The Interbeing the first time I saw them, and wanted to see the progress they have made over the past two years.

New Discolour

Nearly two years have passed since New Discolour (then known as She is Malignant) had their live debut in this same venue; two years to hone and perfect a show that, judging by vocalist Artem Kushnirenko's listening habits, should draw significant influence from the likes of Converge and The Chariot. But insider knowledge tells me the band has trouble mustering up the will and dedication to pull of such a feat - after all, the band's latest show took place over a year ago. This lack of experience is all too apparent on the band members, who lack the synergy to function as a single unit. But with a new album to promote, New Discolour have blood on their teeth and skeptics to convince; something that is visibly evident particularly in Artem's stage presence. He always had a passionate flair, but tonight it burns even brighter and drives him to take on a role as the centerpiece of the band, zoning from side to side; reduced to his knees during the most emotional parts; and radiating confidence. Bassist Mayu Tharumann, too, has learned a lesson or two from The Chariot's KC Wolf (though his antics remain largely occasional), but the remaining standing members - guitarists Jesper Rasmussen and Søren Thomsen - simply aren't on par. As a result, New Discolour come across not fully trusting of their own capabilities as a band - something that more touring and practice would surely rectify. Still, when placed in comparison with the debut concert two years ago, the band has made leaps and deserves an encouraging push:

The Revolt Of Darwin

The Revolt of Darwin are one of only a few bands in Denmark that have embraced the influence of blues in their music. But even with just two other bands (to my knowledge), Helhorse and Charlie Brown, practicing the style, competition is harsh, and the need to differentiate oneself is paramount. The Revolt of Darwin do this with aid from hardcore punk, and the resulting brew is delightfully upbeat. Not ones to worry about blowing minds with technical prowess and structural complexity, the allure of this band lies in their formidable energy; and bashing out one furious punk beat after the other in best Cancer Bats fashion, with equal parts urgency and raucous attitude. It's the kind of music that obligates movement, whether it be moshing, hardcore dancing or simple nodding; music that, for the metal of heart, constitutes a party soundtrack. As such, The Revolt of Darwin perform in stark contrast with New Discolour: with their instruments strapped low and their songs dedicated to Gaddafi, this is a band that understands the value of humour in a performance. Political commentary may be ripe in their lyrics, but on stage The Revolt of Darwin are just four punk rock dudes with a strange fascination for heavy music, playing music just because. And such care-free delivery is as easy on the ears as it is on the eyes.

The Interbeing

The Interbeing is a far more serious proposition. The band plays a variant of djent with industrial flavourings and offers another kind of experience not resting on relentless energy. Like Meshuggah, The Interbeing pride themselves on delivering technically demanding, time-bending, bottom-heavy dirge with exceptional skill, and limit their visual expression to white and yellow lights and uniform black attire. There are no acrobatics stealing the show, but the small, premeditated details fully compensate for this. If ever there was a genre more appropriate for headbanging than djent, I have not heard of it, because the dense, hypnotising groove of the rhythm section is an almost natural precipient to thrusting your neck up and down - even those adverse to the style should be able to appreciate this. Just listen to "Pulse within the Paradox" and tell me you didn't secretly bang your head a little.

Clearly the potential has not gone unnoticed, because by the time The Interbeing take the stage The Rock is unusually crowded for a domestic showcase. The presence of so many friends and fans seems to have a huge effect on the band, who perform with supreme confidence and authority that belies their underground status. But where such appreciation could easily turn into condescending superiority on the band's part (this happens more than one would like to think even in a market as unforgiving as Denmark), The Interbeing appear both surprised and sincerely grateful for the amount of applause expended by the crowd. In turn, the band prove themselves worthy of the Underground Music Award they won last year with an international par performance, and establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the Danish metal scene.

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