Cobra the Impaler & Hippotraktor / Corporation / Sheffield
A trip up the M1 to Sheffield and the Corporation to catch two of Belgium’s best metal exports on their co-headline UK tour.
First up, we had a support set from local band Mortivius. From just up the road in Barnsley, Mortivius put on a great set. Their sound is a mix of doom and progressive metal, but with some great sections of 80’s stadium rock guitar thrown in for good measure.
Probably the highlight of the set was the track Ferryman which had a dark brooding doom feel to it with heavy resonating bass tones, and some great growling vocals.
A short set, but thoroughly enjoyable start to the night.
Next up are Cobra the Impaler who deliver a masterclass in contemporary heavy metal, with a set packed with heavy anthems that mix technical and complex prowess with soaring hooks and stirring choruses delivered by guitarists James Falckand and Tace DC (ex-Aborted).
And that’s what struck me about Cobra the Impaler, that they make it look so deceptively simple which belies their impressive use of melody. Each track is just dripping with menacingly chugging guitars and huge chorus sections all backed by some incredible skillful and heavy pounding double kickdrumming. They also don’t fit in any neat genre box – and that’s a good thing…. A very good thing ! It means they’ve taken the best elements of a load of different influences from their combined experiences as musicians and created something uniquely them.
Cobra the Impaler don’t take any prisoners and the set is a blast of power and energy from first to final note. For the first few songs, the Sheffield crowd seem strangely quiet and don’t join in much with the banter from the stage, but as the set develops the music does the talking and by the end, the crowd are really into it. Traditional and thrash metal mixes with progressive and stoner elements to create an accessible but unpredictable sound.
They put on a dynamic and superb performance. There’s emotion and passion in every single note played, drum hit and word sung – it’s so vibrant from each member of the band that the crowd can tangibly feel it without the need to be up there with them.
The guitar riffs from James Falck and Tace DC sometimes harmonise in a classic metal fashion and at other times interweave expertly. They switch from crushingly impactful to delightfully intricate at will, never letting up on the intensity and musicianship. Tace unleashes some delicious lead segments, while James commands the crowd in between flying into overdriven riffs.
Manuel Remmerie effortlessly matches the instrumental variety with hauntingly beautiful cleans swelling into raucously powerful harsher vocals. The whole set is excellent from start to finish and these guys certainly deserve a shot at the big stages… They certainly have all the elements ready !
Final band tonight are Hippotraktor, a progressive metal band based in Mechelen, Belgium. They released their debut album “Meridian” in October 2021.
Hippotraktor draw together influences from prog, groove and post-metal, an take the crowd on an incredible ride of soaring hooks, technical riffs and earth-shattering breakdowns. I’d not seen them live before, only read about them, but they are every bit how they are described in print. Their live sound is a monumental juggernaut of modern progressive metal. Interestingly vocalist Stefan De Graef isn’t front and centre, he is positioned half way back to the side of the drummer, and when the mic is on the stand, stands slideways. As he delivers some beautifully harmonised vocals it feels like the vocals are an integral part of the music / performance, not the primary focus, and the balance between the two is outstanding.
The crowd are loving it and as the set progresses they deliver some brutally impassioned heavy segments mixed with more groove dominant hypnotic passages. Throughout, just like with Cobra the Impaler, they are fantastic technicality, but never at the expense of a well structured and melodic song.
Their sound has that powerful, almost visceral feel at times, led by the guitar work from Chiaran Verheyden and Du Jardin, which just drip technical skill, but these sections are balanced with a delicate and artistic element to their sound. But the whole live experience is elevated by the more open and expansive sections that showcase the vocal talents of Stefan De Graef.
Mortivius were a great start to the night with some delightful doom laden licks, and the balance between the two headliners tonight is perfect. I find myself lost in the moment at frequency points, a good sign for any band. Hippotraktor and Cobra the Impaler wok so well together and compliment each others styles.
A brilliant brilliant night.
