Concert Review: Nightmarer, May 29, Lee’s Palace

20190529_184213

Though its members have played in several other bands (including Gigan, War From A Harlots Mouth, and The Ocean) Florida death metallers Nightmarer are a relatively new band, having just released their debut album Cacophony of Terror in March of last year.

Nightmarer are currently on tour behind that album and were the first band up on a stacked bill for the Devastation On The Nation tour that also included Dark Funeral, Belphegor, Incantation, Hate, and Vale of Pnath. Starting things off at the not very metal hour of 6:30pm, the band played to a relatively sparse crowd, but those that showed up early were treated to a fairly intense performance that definitely stood out as unique from the other bands on the bill. At times sounding very reminiscent of Quebec’s Gorguts, Nightmarer created a certain mood with their music and managed to impress within the short time they were given on stage. Over the course of their roughly 25 minute set, singer John Collett spoke not one word between songs, not even to introduce the band, choosing instead to gesture dramatically during each song and basically let the music speak for itself.

That music, as exemplified in songs like “Cave Digger”, “Bleach” and “Fetisch” is really best described by the title of the album on which it appears. As album titles go, Cacophony of Terror is quite apt as this album is indeed pretty damn cacophonous. I mean that, of course, in the best way possible – on album and in concert, the band plays around a lot with dissonance, creating something that is full of different textures, expansive and experimental but at the same time just heavy as fuck. And also very good.

Posted on by Paul in Concerts