Invictus Ten Year Anniversary Party – Gospel of the Horns + Scythian + Neuron Hammer + Ground of Ruin + Fuil na Seachoille | Live – The Button Factory, Dublin

Make no mistake about it, tonight’s gig is one that has been anticipated amongst underground circles in Dublin and beyond for some time.

With Gospel of the Horns deciding to hit these shores for their final ever night of black thrashing and alcoholic debauchery, Invictus couldn’t have secured an act with better links to their own history. After all, Gospel’s debut, the much vaunted ‘A Call to Arms’ was what first propelled the Irish metal label into the consciousness of so many. 

Overcoming the sudden closure of the planned venue with a ‘fuck it all’ booking of The Button Factory, one of the cities’ premier venues, was always going to up the ante. Adding to this a steady swarm of European visitors appearing in the capital city for Arthur’s Day the proceeding Thursday and with the very legendary Pentagram playing the following night, it was always going to be a Saturday night to remember. 

True to the form of the label, a set of young support bands that signify the continuation of Black/Death metal in an Irish context is provided on the night. Lashing into their first ever set, Dublin trio Fuil na Seanchoille play to almost no-one as the very first headbangers make their way through the doors of the venue.

Eschewing any of the usual Black Metal visual regalia, with the group plough into a straight-forward battering that recalls Von, with some endearingly wild drumfills giving rise a sense of palpable enthusiasm.

The guitar drones and buzzes, delving almost into noise territory with a bank of various ear-splitting frequencies being exploited, while the vocal lines are spat out and the steady whacka-whacka-whacka of the kit delivers the goods in the most primitive of fashions.  It’s unwholesome as fuck, and kick starts the evening in a satisfying way. 

Ground of Ruin are up next and are a far more familiar name on the Irish gig circuit. One gets the impression their inclusion on the bill tonight is more a result of their persistent gigging and proper work ethic than anything else. Recently, their guitarist Dom Brennnan has stepped up to fill the vocal spot of departed singer Dave Hynes, so this gig marks their first big support slot with the recalibrated lineup.

It’s clear that the group are still as tight as ever, punching their way through a decent set of catchy death/thrash from the word go. Movement and fluidity onstage seems to be lacking though, with Brennan seemingly planted behind mike.

The new vocals are capable enough, and the guitars play around with an almost Rotting Christ level of melodics, but it all seems to pass by somewhat inoffensively. Maybe an increase in outright intensity and more experience with the line-up will stand to them, but nonetheless they acquit themselves well this evening. 

None of the above melody is required for Neutron Hammer, with the Finnish group quickly taking to the stage to deliver a set of viciously punked up Black Attakk. You’d hardly think it was their first gig outside Finland, and group are the first of the evening to really own the stage. Vocalist Kaosbringer delivers a fierce growl with some totally twisted facial expressions while the guitar rips along with catchy but completely filthy riffage.

The band are also the first to get some sort of reaction from the ever growing crowd, with heads beginning to bang and a growing roar every time they finish a track. Coming across like Hellhammer kicking the shit out of earliest Sodom, they manage to coat every riff in a sheen of old school depravity and thrash away with abandon up on the stage. Departing with a scuzzed up version of ‘Funeral Moon’ that’s positively ramshackle in its delivery, they add a dose of filth to proceedings and really get things moving out on the floor. 

 Scythian are a group that look like they mean business, regardless of the fact that they don’t carry any sort of big name recognition just yet. Trooping out onstage with a collection of very spiky guitars, and with Alex from Razor of Occam playing bass for them, the expectation of some speedy Death Metal is well and truly borne out. They unleash a selection of cuts from their recent debut, ‘To Those Who Stand Against Us’, in rapid succession.

A wholly different type of affair to Neutron Hammer, their tight, militaristic style recall a thrashier Behemoth, with hints of an almost Destroyer 666 anthemic style underpinning the whole affair. They’re well timed, providing an injection of out and out metallic speed to the evening. The rapt attention they get from a sizeable section of the crowd bears testament to the well done job of warming the place up for the headliners. 

At this stage of the evening, a fairly heroic amount of beer has been consumed and shite talked within the walls of the Button Factory. The modest two hundred or so who pack out the floor of the venue shout and scream good natured abuse at the Austrailians as the headliners logo is beamed across the back wall. Things kick off at a rapid pace, with the group’s setlist primarily pillaging both ‘Eve of the Conquerer’ and ‘A Call to Arms’ of their strongest assets.

The floor roars their approval, as front man Cos exhorts them to greater efforts with a broad grin on his face. Cuts like ‘Desolation Descending’, ‘Time to Strike’ and ‘Chaos Bringer’ have the floor a mass of sprawling bodies and spilt drink, with the chant of “GOS-PEL, GOS-PEL” having the group comment that they feel like they’re playing to a home crowd. 

It’s somewhat strange to see such a spectacle in somewhere that isn’t a sweaty dive, and it’s true to say a fraction of the atmosphere evaporates between songs as the size of the venue looms over the die hard crowd. At this stage of the game though, no-one really gives a fuck, as shouts constantly ring out for certain tracks. It’s when they happily roll into the expansive territory of ‘Slaves’ that the real power of the group is fully unleashed.

The crowd simply roar back the chorus, and the sharp change into the fast part of the track (“You’ve been warned!”) has the place a total forest of pumping fists. It’s a sight that seems only proper considering the power of the track, tempered by the comical sight of those towards the front unable to both rock out the requisite amount while keep a firm footing on the floor. 

A visit to their self-titled track is pretty much essential given the occasion, and the band return for a quick encore before curfew hits, exhorting the crowd to continue the festive fun at the bar. Hell, after all, the night’s only just beginning. A evening of celebration duly held in the only style that anyone gives a damn about.  

Lorcan Archer ::: 04/10/09
Photography by Emmett Connell