Destruction, , Hidden Intent, Se Bon Ki Ra @ Fowlers Live, Adelaide 21/4/29
Old school trash metal, denim vest’s with patches, the smell of sweat and beer in the air. You could be forgiven for thinking it’s 1983 not 2018 however Fowlers is laying the metal down with three excellent bands headlined by Germany’s Destruction. It’s Saturday night, it’s time to raise those horns.
First up is Adelaide boys Se Bon Ki Ra, they’ve recently just completed a decade as a band and they’re hard work shows in a performance which is both heavy and energetic. Vocalist The Chad knows the stage is too small for the band and even jumps into the crowd for a good old sing song. The five piece keep the metal grooves going backed by the rumbling drums of Svenny right to the glorious conclusion of the set which the crowd loved.
Hidden Intent are a Adelaide three-piece with new album Fear, Prey, Demise. as well as recently back from both a national and Asian tour. Vocalist and Bassist Chris McEwan, Guitarist Phil Bennett and Drummer Paul Lewis are a fish to big for the Adelaide pond. Bennett himself is a guitarist who displays the right balance of extreme shredding with soulful lead melodies. The chemistry between Bennet and McEwan is there for everyone to see as duelling front men, bouncing of each other and the crowd.
Songs like Petrified have a blues groove flowing through them which creates this classic metal sound the band excel in. The set-list is a blend of new songs like Prey For Your Death and the old. Addicted to Trash finishes the show with the crowd fist pumping, head banging away. Bennett taking the opportunity to go soloing into the crowd before they are implored to play an encore song by the over joyed crowd.
Destruction have only ever been to Australia twice before however this Adelaide performance is a debut South Australian show. The legendary German’s crack straight into the show with Curse The Gods and Armageddonizer.
With Fowlers having been visited this week alone by Heavy SA Fest, Counterparts and Polaris, it was a shame that this Saturday night gig was only half full. Those in attendance, patched denim jackets and all, head-banged away regardless as the brutally brilliant Release From Tragedy and Black Mass are performed. Guitarist and longest serving member Mike Sifringer , vocalist and bassist Marcel ‘Schmier’ Schirmer and drummer Randy Black display their experience by putting on a excellent sounding show despite the lack of numbers in the audience.
An always welcome cover of The Dead Kennedy’s Holiday In Cambodia and Bestial Invasion round the show to an appreciative audience who know they watched an experienced band perform their craft.
Considering how long it’s been since they were on Australian shores, we may not see the band again here, which is a shame. They were tight with a crushing sound and show; they actually may well have passed through town as a well kept musical secret. Go check them out on Spotify or YouTube and become acquainted with the pioneers that are Destruction, you won’t be disappointed.
Live Review by Iain McCallum