The Heavy Eyes / Oslo / London
After the long trip yesterday to Holmfirth for some class blues rock, today it’s an equally long trip the other way, to Oslo in Hackney for some psychedelic blues rock from Memphis rockers The Heavy Eyes, who (I believe) are performing in London for the first time!
We have two supports tonight and first up are Local boys Mehïga. And what a start to the night! Mehïga deliver some fantastic heavy psych rock that would go down well with fans of the likes of QOTSA. There’s a kind of infectious energy to their style, switching from soft fuzzy moments to outright thunderous riffs.
There’s a real prog element here too, which adds to the interest and keeps the tracks engaging, whilst the pounding percussion adds a grunge like coolness..
Great stuff and a cool start to proceedings.
Next up are Epimetheus, who have travelled across from Bristol for the show. They are Ben Price (vocals & bass), Cillian Breathnach (guitar) and James Jackson (drums). They recently released their debut album “Perseus 9” with a hometown show. The album uses Science Fiction themes, woven into their material, and it’s no surprise one of their influences (as is mine) is writer Philip K. Dick (check out ‘A Scanner Darkly’ and ‘Ubik’.
But their sound is the real story here! As they took their positions on stage a wall of distorted noise hit us….. Is it? Could it be? Cillian’s guitar should have been a give away, with its aluminium neck and headstock, something like an Alef guitar(?), made for down tuning. There’s a real heavy Drone metal influence on display, and that’s a wonderful thing in my book. Clearly influenced by the likes of Sunn O))) (who by the way it sounds like both Epimetheus and I are seeing next Sunday in Bristol!) there are also elements of Stoner Rock and Doom Metal as well. I think sometimes (not from me, I LOVE them) critics of bands like Sunn O))) see nothing but one dimentional noise (oh ye of little faith) but you can’t throw that allegation against Epimetheus. That Drone Metal element adds considerable depth and volume, whilst the addition of some Doom Metal adds melody and rhythm, creating something that’s weird, loud, but also melodic and enjoyable.
The Sci Fi theme is not a simple cliché or imagery. It’s not a mask to hide behind, but it’s used subtly in the themes to not be the centre of attention, but to be a mirror against which they hold up and expose the issues we face and the human experience. And they do it very very well.
The sound is crushing but the riffs can be clearly heard through the mix, and they don’t get lost in endless repetition as some Drone does. The tracks build and create a sense of dread or unease as they use reverb and feedback to good effect to build tension, and atmosphere in their soundscape.
The intro to the final track Persius 9 the title track from their album has one hell of a Black Metal intro – dark and menacing before settling into a Doom beat which sits neatly below Ben’s vocals. It reminded me very much of an old favourite band, no longer around sadly, Mairu from Liverpool. Top stuff indeed.
Just wow…. I’m here for The Heavy Eyes, but I’m going home with a new Bri fave too!
Setlist
Earthbound
Coalesce
Terraform
Perseus 9
Then it’s time for The Heavy Eyes, a Memphis-based psychedelic blues rock band that delivers a style that comprises of influences from heavy blues, stoner rock, and modern influences into a truly psychedelic rock soundscape. The Heavy Eyes are Tripp Shumake (vocals & guitar), Matthew Qualls (guitar), Wally Anderson (bass) and Eric Garcia (drums). Their self-titled debut album came out in 2011 and their latest and fifth offering “Focus” came out this year.
Their latest album “Focus” is perhaps their biggest and boldest yet and the guys are visibly packed with energy as they step out onto the Oslo stage.
The set opens to cheers from an eager crowd who in many cases, have waited a long time to see The Heavy Eyes live. Their sound kicks off with a classic rock, mixed with dark brooding blues rock vibe, and then they kick it up to ‘11’! Wally on bass stands centrally and is a real livewire, swinging that bass round, shouting and cheering with the crowd, and having a drink / fist bump with punters between songs, he adds a real energy to the performance.
The set builds, and grows in depth and volume, and builds a fantastic mix of glorious garage, punk and stoner rock. There’s an old school rock vibe going on, but The Heavy Eyes feel, at the same time, somehow very different, refreshing even. There’s a swagger to their sound particularly from the riffs screaming out of Matthew’s guitar, which give The Heavy Eyes their psychedelic sonic melodies which ties the tracks together so well.
But what impressed me most about The Heavy Eyes was their range of sounds and influences. As well as that psychedelic country blues rock sound, at times it shifted a gear into doom metal territory, with some downright dirty bass riffs and sludge laiden guitar sounds, wonderful stuff.
The Heavy Eyes deliver in bucket loads, it’s just pure sonic blockbuster entertainment from first note to last, with grooves packed with mood and some riffs to die for.
It might have been their first trip to old London town…… but lets hope it’s not their last and they’re back soon !
