CONFESSION w/ Nazarite Vow + No Way Out (Sydney)

It seems it is becoming few and far between. Going to see a band, loving every single second and not wanting the night to end. Leaving a show and being absolutely blown away. Saturday’s performance at The Manning Bar by Melbourne hardcore outfit CONFESSION was just that. Engaging in its energy and brutally ferocious, CONFESSION captivated the near capacity crowd with heavy guitars, violent drum lines and frontman Michael Crafter’s unmistakably guttural growls, leaving black eyes, bruises and overjoyed fans in their wake.

Opening the night were local boys SIENNA SKIES who proved that gaining the attention of the crowd is never easy. While the set was good, with a blistering performance of “Sea Of Smiles”, it seemed as though the all ages crowd was confused as to what was necessary when it comes to moshing at a hardcore gig. Nonetheless, it was obvious that there is a future for this young and talented band.

Next up was fellow Sydney outfit VEGAS IN RUINS, who opened their crushing set with a tribute to the local scene and urged fans to support up and coming acts. As vocalist Ant’s blood curdling scream pierced the air with “Let’s get fuckin’ metal Sydney!”, the young crowd began to swell and gave birth to the first circle pit of the evening. The boys shredded their way through crowd favourite “Daggers” and ended their vicious 30-minute set with the frighteningly heavy “Shipwreck”.

The volume was turned up to 11 when Melbourne’s own NO WAY OUT and Adelaide’s NAZARITE VOW took the stage and they provided the crowd with plenty of mosh-worthy breakdowns and double-kicks to ensure that there was no shortage of the trademark hardcore move, the two-step. While the bands provided tight, heavy sets that would ordinarily have hardcore fans frothing at the mouth, it was obvious that the crowd at The Manning Bar had journeyed there that night to witness one band and bask in the ferocity that is CONFESSION.

Finally, the moment had arrived. As the lights dimmed and the brooding introduction to opening track “Send A Meat Truck” sounded, the atmosphere in the room escalated and when the ever-animated Crafter ran onto the stage, the crowd erupted and it was evident that from this point on, no one would be spared the brutal onslaught that was now imminent.

By the third offering “Cundalini Wants His Hand Back”, CONFESSION had produced a crushing introduction to the show leaving hardcore fans with a sense of awe at the aural massacre they were about to be a part of. From the opening bar of “I Am The Night Rider”, it was obvious how the rest of the show was going to unfold. The chaos that was already enfolding the room was intense and frightening and CONFESSION showed no signs of slowing down.

Through every bone-crushing riff and brutal breakdown, band and crowd moved as one and Crafter involved the fascinated fans by handing the microphone down to the front row to scream the lyrics to old favourite “Mirrors”.

The band continued with some classic hardcore gems and Michael Crafter was displaying pure rage both physically and vocally. “The Bitch Is Born To Run”, “That’s Not The Goose” and “Bust A Move” all but cemented CONFESSION as a band for fans of heavy music to watch intensely and as one of the premier hardcore acts in the country. Crafter introduced the final opus as “a song about someone we all hate” before tearing into “She’s Not What She Seems”. Taking a stage dive halfway through the song into the waiting arms of fifty sweaty, fired up kids, to be a part of the world just below the stage, the mosh pit. Running through the crowd, mic in hand, Crafter made his way back on stage completely unscathed to close the blistering set with the menacing scream “Get FUCKED!” leaving The Manning Bar upside down, battered and broken, but not finished.

The band had left the stage but one could sense it was not over yet. With the lights still down, and everyone standing their ground, the chant began “ONE MORE SONG, ONE MORE SONG” and to everyone’s delight, the band took the stage for one final, earth-shattering song, the ever-popular crowd favourite from the band’s first EP “Ice Ice Baby”.

CONFESSION had mounted a full-scale assault and had come out victorious and had shown the tired, bleeding and bruised crowd that they have all the necessities to become one of Australia’s premier metal acts. Dominance from other key bands involved in the scene has meant a lot of hard work is needed if a new band is to break through and it is refreshing to see such enthusiastic talent, with the brutality and energy they bring to a live show, on our very willing doorstep.

Nick Caro