King Parrot, The Victoria Inn - 12.09.26
A quaint Derby pub gets torn a new one as King Parrot unleashes grindcore mayhem.
As the back room of the Victoria Inn in Derby started filling up, Justice for Lilith took the stage. The female-fronted Midlands hardcore band were absolutely electric. It was impossible to tell that this was only their second or third show. Even though they were the only hardcore band on the bill, their infectious energy and groovy but heavy riffs opened the evening with a bang.
Their tight sound was almost unexpected from a band this fresh on the scene, with breakdowns that hit each song perfectly and showed how passionate they truly are about the genre. It will be interesting to see exactly what path Justice for Lilith will carve out for themselves. Between the bouncy beats and infectious guitar riffs, they really are a two-stepping band to keep an eye out for in the local scene.
Next up to take over the stage were London-based five-piece Burnt Chapter, who kept the show's momentum going and amped up the vibes even further with their unapologetically heavy, melodic sound. Between the aggressive vocals and groovy riffs, their description of “music you can mosh and dance to” is spot on. Armed with filthy breakdowns and a stunning vocal range, they are a must-see if they hit up a venue near you.
The grooviness of the guitars wouldn't have been possible without the beastly drumming that accompanied them. Drawing inspiration from hardcore, deathcore and death metal and mixing it with catchy melodies, these guys had an unforgettable stage presence, showing their clear passion for the genres which they are mixing.
Wrapped up in a cloud of fog were the five piece Thall/Deathcore band hailing from the East of England, Eye of a Nihilist. The first thing that caught my eye was the immense production value which they brought with them. With the thick fog and the impressive lighting set-up, these guys transformed The Victoria Inn into a moody apocalyptic wasteland. In all honesty, I had no idea what “Thall” even was until I saw them, but their sheer presence alone was enough to get me interested and look it up, and so far I am absolutely not disappointed.
A highlight of not just their performance but the whole night was vocalist Mike’s commanding stage presence; not only did he dominate the stage, but when the crowd wasn’t being active enough for his liking, he jumped off the stage and came to the very back, pushing people to the front until they were flush with the stage. This wasn’t his only time mingling with the crowd, as he stared audience members right in the face while delivering guttural vocals that would put many heavyweights to shame.
The instrumental side of the band was also incredibly tight, with earth-shattering breakdowns and technical guitar work bringing the whole sound together. The band showcased remarkable technical ability across the board and is definitely one to watch.
Finally, headliners King Parrot took the stage, the extreme metal grindcore band from Melbourne, Australia. The front immediately filled up as the band's intro song “Absolute Cunt of a Day” filled the room. The second frontman, Youngy, got up there; the intensity and showmanship plunged the venue into chaos.
The band unleashed their signature almost hostile, thrash-infused grindcore, which was like nothing which I had ever witnessed before. Youngy was like a conductor of madness, as the guys down the front were colliding with each other, turning the pit into a joyful warzone. His throat-shredding vocals were unmatched as he remained full of chaotic energy even as crowd surfers were getting thrown on top of him. In between songs, Youngy would also take the time to chat shit with the audience, poking fun at the fact that the English sent their convicts off to Australia while choosing to stay here. He brought top-tier banter with him while annihilating the crowd with his insane stage presence.
The razor-sharp guitars mixed with the distorted bass to create the band's signature hyper-aggressive thrashgrind sound. Despite the mayhem unfolding around them, the band's instrumental delivery was extremely tight. There was not a single person in the crowd who was not moving; the band's infectious energy showed that it didn’t matter if they were playing an arena or a pub, they will give you 110% of their energy.
Finally, the evening came to a close with an explosive performance of Fuck You And The Horse You Rode In On, serving as the cherry on top for an energy-filled night.
Review by Alex Velikova
