Hypercoma – Hobgoblin Staines
Hypercoma - 03 September 2009
Mental Metal Mayhem at The Hob Staines
The British hardcore act Hypercoma were part of a triumvirate of metal monsters visiting the Staines music venue The Hobgoblin on 3rd September- for Metal Night hosted by BUCKLE-UP . Preceding the “Hyper” boys were ‘Avenge Thee’ and at the top of-the-bill were exceptionally prodigious local legends ‘Bloodloss’.
With HYPERCOMA the frequent luxurious key changes and outstanding melodic riffs created a windmill of dark emotions – the electric sails slicing menacingly through the fraught night air. But the band was not just dark and sinister they were also in an exhilarating and excitingly lively mood and the energy and effervescence delighted the Middlesex crowd.
Intermittent syncopated power chords (Burn the Priest/Lamb of God) ruled supreme and the thunderous rolling drums with growling threatening bass/rhythm along with the death knell of haunted voice ROU SAUBOLE (lead vocals) painted the dark textures that established the depth and mood of the atmosphere.
Hypercoma tend to mix clean vocals intermittently with the unclean and, with the outstanding melodic riffs, (courtesy of twin leads from Matt Frost and Mat Carlin ) the result is a bit like bombastic clan-metal ( see ‘Children of Bodom’).
Double-kicks and plenty of hi hat and snare fills from Rick Murtagh on drums come with the territory but these all helped to set up and encrust the thrashingly rapid chord changes and the snarling and threatening bass/rhythm lines.
Even though the pesky and gurning ‘ Guinness Lady’ almost eclipsed Rou at times (who gradually lost his own clothes in cabaret fashion, as the debris of his garments literally fell from him) the depth and majesty of the sounds, with their associated breakdowns and the slower intense passages, fuelled the buzz of the mosh and helped the joyful slam and the ritualistic headbanging.
A damn fine slice of progressive thrash/metal from Hypercoma if ever I heard it - as the liquid energy from the pulsating flames of guitar filled the air. If you like ‘Enter Shikari’, ‘Firewind’ , ‘Lamb of God’ or even ‘Korpiklaani’ – then I dare you not to luv this band!
© Neil_Mach
September 2009
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