Our Dying World CD Release Show of Hymns of Blinding Darkness at Stages in Santa Ana

July 9th, 2022

          Having released their latest record a couple of weeks ago, Hymns of Blinding Darkness, Melodic Death Metal local act Our Dying World set to have an album release party here in Orange County, to celebrate this lofty occasion. Bringing forth a wide variety of other local acts of various styles and genres, this Saturday night at Stages, would help represent and display a glimpse of the Metal scene coming up, as well as one of the bands performing tonight, prepare to travel to Wacken Open Air 2022.

            With countless around the world suffering from the global pandemic, Consciously Dying decided to create their first record based off the troubling mental aspects it brought upon us, Bereavement, a Guide to Loss & Grief.  Released a couple months ago, the music from the record possessed this grim, focused riffing assault, from down-picking frenzies, to these colossal changes in the chords when the tempo greatly increased.  I felt a Black Metal somber, with a Death Metal instrument approach.  That first minute into “Denial”, was evident of the technical changes above, and the vocal dedication, while playing these riffs from Aviv Hadari, were intriguing and a sight to watch.  While his focus was rhythm guitar, the solo exchanges between Hadari and Denis Sherif, complimented their contrasting styles, with Sherif the flashier, more blazing wizard, taking most of the leads and performing them with whirling technique. 

“Depression” showed off Consciously Dying’s mid-tempo form, lyrically focusing on the mental anguish from the pandemic, translating into a metronome-like hypnosis with the sustained chords and melodic palm-muted note sequence.  The cheers were loud for the band, as well as hearing over some talk about wanting to sign them, but being on Metal Assault Records, I have no doubt they’re in good hands.  A lyrically emotional set, followed with impressive musicianship to boat, Consciously Dying caught attention from this savvy crowd, and performed to the delight of Death and Black Metal fans alike.       

1.      Covid 19

2.      Denial

3.      Anger

4.      Bargaining

5.      Depression

6.      Gasping for Air

7.      Begging to Die

Anubis came out energetic, and front man Devin Reiche leading the Metal march.  Constantly moving across the set, interacting with guitarists Justin Escamilla and Eleazar Llerenas, belting out NWOBHM-like singing, Reiche didn’t take his foot off the gas for one second on-stage.  Described as a Power/Thrash Metal group, Anubis’s catchy melodic riffs and sing-along atmosphere could be felt and heard, in the main chorus of “Devour”, with some tasteful palm-muted triplets adding to the headbanging nature of Anubis.  If you closed your eyes and heard the band, there was little to no way you could tell Eleazar was still shredding and hitting the notes, with what looked like a broken finger on the right picking hand.  You couldn’t tell in the body language, yet still performed extremely well! 

Performing their entire soon to be released EP, Dark Paradise, Anubis’s blend of raising the horns with a drink in your hand feeling, on top of fun melodic Power Metal with the downbeat of faster tempo Thrash, worked especially well live.  Hoping the band’s full potential can be heard at some point with a full-length record, but the musical ability from Anubis, as well as Reiche’s melodic high vocals, made for an enjoyable watch.  

1.      Eternal Youth, Eternal Night

2.      Heartless

3.      Priestess

4.      Downfall

5.      Devour

6.      Strife

Certainly, the most visually intriguing aspect of the evening due to the various costumes, props and colourful lighting, Disrupted Euphoria got one of the bigger pops overall.  Starting off the set with a gavel, a stand, and narrating a dark story, Hannah Rebel’s glowing, talented commitment to the vibrant lyrical nature, as well having a wide variety of vocals, growls, singing, and thriller fiber, commanding the audience effortlessly.  It fitted the ominous atmosphere from the band’s attire, red colours, having the feeling of a sinister-themed play, in the comfort of your frontal cortex. 

While the few technical aspects and lead guitar trade-offs from Sydney Sin and Austin Shadowsill, showed their quality skills and teamwork, I felt the quality and diverse aspect of the riffs to be a bit lacking at times, and sometimes mundane.  Had there been a more driven keyboard aspect in Disrupted Euphoria’s music, I can see these more standard sounding start/stop riffing nature backing it up, but by themselves, the notes didn’t seem to take the musical direction into something unique.  The band has not been around for too long, and the songs certainly could be their earliest work, attempting to still figure out their true sound, and eventual prime.  Nevertheless, the glowing aspects of Disrupted Euphoria on-stage kept for a colourfully passionate performance, that had several fans going bonkers for their entire set, and the joyousness you could feel from the band amongst themselves, told the story of how much fun they felt playing for all of us.     

1. The Doctor

2. The Wolf

3. Baron

4. Toy

5. Jolly Jane

6. Traitor

            By far you can say, the unorthodox group at Stages, the stunning and astoundingly ascending performance from Hvile I Kaos, completely took over the room in a quieted, yet elated hush.  No drums to back up the rhythm, and instead, 2 cellos, a bass, an acoustic guitar, and a riveting, monstrous violin (more on that later), would take various turns creating an eclectic imagination of Folk-y Black Metal, based in a Classical Music interpretation.

            One of the most fascinating aspects I adore and attempt to learn about instrumental-based music, are how the band communicates while they write material, and how they perform it.  An instrumental version of a song with lyrics, is nowhere near the same as an original instrumental track, as the ‘voice’ generally can be found in the melodies, and the songwriting structure is quite different.  With Hvile I Kaos, you could feel the ‘vocal line’ change directions from ‘Kakophonix’ and ‘H.U.A.’, both the cello players, and then create the driving melodies, alongside the acoustic gallops from ‘Specvlvm’.  Because there was no traditional electric guitar, the bass notes from ‘Resurrectionist’ added extra power to the acoustics, especially to the solo guitar.  The nature of the swelling tempos, were accentuated by the various amount of headbanging from the band, going in rhythm to the dooming beat of the low cello notes.  Arguably the highlight of the evening, the frenetic and sinister play from ‘ViolinistBAKA’, took over many of the ‘lead solo’ portions of Hvile I Kaos’s set.  From sudden drops to these crystal-woven charming melodies, to aggressively interchanging to several of the counterpoints, their enriching abilities on-stage was simply mesmerizing to witness.

            Although the production quality was excellent, the sound overall for all the bands could have been slightly louder, and it invoked a few of the fans to talk amongst themselves while the quieter parts of Hvile I Kaos were being played.  Aside that minor annoyance, the crowd marveled from this sensational performance.  For this writer, Hvile I Kaos were the brightest spot and band, this entire show.       

1.      Rise, Engulf, Envenom

2.      The Ride of Kundak

3.      Revelry and Revelation

4.      The Dying Gasps of a Once-Proud Eagle

5.      Cleanse, Dispel, Disperse

            With this being their last performance before the trip to Wacken Open Air, you could feel the energy from Mythraeum, more than usual.  The band’s delicate Black Metal sound, combining with aggressive, melodic riffs, and the dynamics all-throughout the tempo changes staying constantly what I would describe, as ‘active.’  Even through the rhythm and lead parts from Wraith and Algiz, a collective amount of the riffs would flow between transitions, setting up the blastbeats by those same riffs, continuing to linger haunting emotions.  You just felt the subtle changes in the music kept your head positively spinning, and a-many easter egg hunt to sort those in your head.  The surprise Old Man’s Child cover of “Black Seeds on Virgin Soil”, was also a pleasant surprise and twist to the set.

            Tonight’s performance, would give a proper assessment of what to expect for their performance at Wacken, as well as the other contest that the band, and I’m told 30 other bands from different places and countries, to continue forth another ‘battle of the bands’ in Europe:  Plague’s deafening level of movement while nailing those shrieking, vomiting screams over the Celtic-like sorrowful lead melodies from Algiz, all while Hagalaz keeping a tight tempo and hitting powerful cymbal crashing bursts and variations throughout.  We wish Mythraeum all the best for an unforgettable and safe trip to Europe, Wacken Open Air, and to win that additional contest overseas.  Black Metal in Southern California, a paradox maybe 20 years ago, but now, safe to say a home for quality bands, with Mythraeum helping lead the charge.       

1. Terrestrial Despair

2. Harbinger’s Chant

3. Black Seeds on Virgin Soil (Old Man’s Child cover)

4. Archoggoni

5. Where Roots Refuse to Cling

6. Through the Nether

            Although a Saturday night in the SoCal Summer setting, only a small group of the crowd seemed to had left the show before Our Dying World gave the final sonic word of tonight’s festivities.  11:30 PM isn’t too late for a starting time on a weekend, but that’s just me.  On the back of releasing their 2nd record, Hymns of Blinding Darkness, the band would perform a 60-minute headlining set, to the delight of this still rabid, engaged bunch gazing upon the stage.

            While hearing some of the new record, still getting used to the production on it, but live however, the songs completely went on a soaring rocket for take-off!  Bright Melodic Death Metal, with stunning keyboard compositions and contributions from Graham Southern, the balance between the instruments and his volume level were pinpoint, with not one particular sound engulfing the other.  The higher octave picking riff to start off “Everything We Know is Gone”, alongside the gorgeous keyboard notes accompanying the swift melody, the musical talent was prevalent, yet the amount of oozing fun Our Dying World played with, it resonated to the previous bands and fans on the floor, completely into their set.

            From twin guitar melodies, crushing chorus riffs, and nifty solos that blended in beautifully with Graham’s notes, Austin Mitrofanis from Disrupted Euphoria recently joining Our Dying World, and Ray Sanchez, dazzled the audience with their tight picking, and keen sense of hooks, well-placed tremolo notes, and melodic knowledge.  Saved until the last group, vocalist David Ainsworth declared for a wall of death after the 1st riff in “Diary of a War Dog”, spawning a fairly decent rendition I have to say.  Ainsworth’s harsh vocals fit the musical style well of Our Dying World, and much like a special friend’s party, a few members of the bands that played tonight joined them.  Hannah Rebel’s vibrant range meshed greatly with Ainsworth in the melodic interlude and chorus of “Survivor”, while also bringing Kakophonix from Hvile I Kaos to perform cello on “Under the Hunter’s Blade.”  You could see how close the bands were with one another, and still performing at a professional level; you truly love to see it.           

            The number of requests to hear Graham perform various parts and classic songs after the surprise “Mourning Palace” cover from Dimmu Borgir, nailing Stian Aarstad’s classic devilish sounds.  Plague from Mythraeum joined Ainsworth vocally, being one of the heaviest songs performed tonight.  At least until I’m more used to the record, the songs off of Hymns of Blinding Darkness translated better live, feeling the power and overall sonic message from Our Dying World greatly.

            With many in attendance talking with one another, to various band members who played tonight, as well as credit to Our Dying World for not only a strong performance, but assisting Stages and helping out with soundchecks for all the bands.  It felt like a tight community, and the more quality people we have running the scene, the better off we’ll all be, from the locals, to the stadium performers.

1.      Ars Moriendi

2.      Everything We Know is Gone

3.      Diary of a War Dog

4.      Post Mortem

5.      Culticide

6.      The Tyrant

7.      Survivor

8.      Liberation

9.      Under the Hunter’s Blade

10.  Armageddon

11.  Path of the Nomad

12.  Mourning Palace (Dimmu Borgir cover)

13.  Valediction