Hope Drone’s Cloak of Ash is without doubt one of the most enthralling albums I have heard this year. Its flawless production coupled with the band’s instrumental mastery allows the listener to be completely immersed in the bleak, desolate mental environment this record brings forth. Having anxiously looked forward to this record’s release show for some time, I was absolutely blown away by the innate collective musicianship portrayed on the night.

Hope Drone fulfilled every expectation I had for their live performance, delivering a truly captivating set. Watching the group effortlessly glide through their parts was truly exhilarating, and such exuberant confidence is always a pleasure to photograph. Likewise, We Lost the Sea were literally awe inspiring. They dominated the stage in a seemingly effortless way; playing their set without introduction as if to let the music speak for itself, before promptly adjourning to the green room. I was almost certain that they played a shorter set than anyone else on the night, however in retrospect, this could have just been put down to just how amazingly perplexed I was at the time. It’s also worth noting that WLTS are the first band I have witnessed who have unapologetically altered the venue’s stage lighting to better suit their intended aesthetic. This pleasant change to the usual set up made their set a blast to photograph.

Local pseudo-stoner band Lizzard Wizzard delivered their consistently solid show, finally giving fans a sneak peek at a new song which I thoroughly enjoyed – Colour me keen for a new release. On the other hand, Fvck Mountain mentioned numerous times that they hadn’t written any new material, however the band did raise $200 for domestic violence chairty DVConnect though donations at the event, as well the proceeds from their merch sales. They have since divulged via their Facebook page that there is a brand new song in the works which we will all hopefully get to hear soon. I owe a huge thanks to the guys in Hope Drone for allowing me to cover this incredible show; you can purchase their latest masterpiece Cloak of Ash through their bandcamp by clicking here.

Hope Drone

We Lost the Sea

Lizzard Wizzard

Fvck Mountain

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