ninehertz

I didn't attend the London show but the first stop on the European Tour - Berlin. Actually the first concert for CHURCH OF MISERY ever in Europe!!! In a small place called Rosi's (I guess we were between 60-75 people there smoking tons of weed) these Japanese guys rocked the place apart.

For me it was definitely concert of the year. They even topped BORIS, HIGH ON FIRE, BLACK SABBATH...everything! The new singer proved to be exactly the maniac a band like CHURCH OF MISERY needs. He screamed through most of the new tracks crawling around on stage trying to strangulate himself with the microphone line. He was really something. But you kind of expect that from a band singing about Jeffery Dahmer, Jim Jones, Henly Lee Lucas and good old Gacy.

What I like about the doom/sludge metal played by CHURCH OF MISERY is the bluesy feeling that stays with the band. You can always sense cool 70's bands like CACTUS or FOGHAT in their music. The bass player Tatsu Mikami is the musical genius behind CHURCH OF MISERY and he really delivered the goods that night (a new SONIC FLOWER album is supposed to be on the way!). The band closed the night with a killer version of 'Candy Man' (originally from Boston Strangler - also to be found on the new album). I talked to the guy who owns Leaf Hound Records and he said CHURCH OF MISERY might be back in Europe next year for the Roadburn Festival in Holland.

A good thing about the first stop on the tour - you could get the t-shirts in Large!