Trapt, Zelorage, Terminal Zero @ Enigma Bar 20/2/2019

Trends come and go however the music remains the same. Trapt may forever be remembered for Headstrong however seven albums of music suggest they are more than just that and two years after their first jaunt down under, we get treated to a second serving at Enigma Bar.

Opening proceedings tonight are two of the Riverlands finest, Zelorage and first up Terminal Zero.

Terminal Zero have been busy boys with new album Control on its way in the not too distant future and it’s the huge sounding Famous which starts the proceedings. Terminal Zero’s sound is drawn from influences far and wide, with an atmospheric environment underpinning bass driven, melodic metal. Tracks like London and Passenger displaying the diversity from the Warnock brothers, Matthew and Simon, before they finish with the epic title track from the new album, with vocalist Peter Nattrass covering every inch of the tiny stage.

The nu-metal fuelled Zelorage are also working on new material however tonight is about getting those musical wheels back in motion again. The lyrics are snarled and spat by Sam Brand while the rhythm section of drummer Mark Polst and bassist Rowan Brand hold it together in a punk rock could-explode-at-any-moment kind of way. Much like the nu-metal era itself, it’s fast and furious, jumping from heavy to soft in an instant, all with a quirky sense of humour and fuck you attitude to boot.

Headliner Trapt step onto the Enigma stage and get straight into the neck snapping Still Frame. The crowd become’s animated in the compact venue, singing the words back to every song as if it’s there’s last day on earth. A promised newbie entitled Fire is a great driving song, supplemented with a contagious riff lurking below the vocals of Chris Taylor-Brown.

It’s all here, Bring It does what is says on the tin while the band get all lovely and cuddly on Ready When You Are. Echo is sung loud and proud by those around me before a technical substitution happens when Terminal Zero rush to drummer Adam Prentice’s aid with new drumsticks.

The amazing solo from Brendan Hengle is glorious during Black Rose as the heat rises during the final part of the set with Stand Up’ and naturally a raucous Headstrong.

Tonight the band took us on a smorgasbord of their whole career, a sprinkle of Someone In Control, a dash of Reborn and a healthy serve of Only Through The Pain to name a few. What’s evident is the guys keep getting better, the performance consuming and the audience most certainly salivating with delight.

Live Review By Iain McCallum