On the eve of Halloween Conjurer kick-started the UK leg of their European tour, in Brighton’s intimate Green Door Store. 2022 has been a definitive year for Conjurer who have released their brutal yet sometimes elegant second album Pàthos on Nuclear Blast Records, while hitting some pretty major festivals over the summer. They’ve also put together an intriguing lineup for this autumn run of dates, with Church Road Records extraordinarily talented Tuskar, and Sugar Horse from Small Pond Records in support.
First up Sugar Horse take to the stage for their 30 min warm up slot. The sold out crowd had already filled out the venues bar area and as the first sounds of feedback start to emanate from the stage, the room quickly fills up in order to soak up what the Bristol based four piece have to offer. Restricted by their limited stage time, Sugar Horse choose their setlist carefully, picking some choice cuts largely from their debut album The Love Long After. When the band are in full flow they produce powerful Doom-Metal, slow and methodical which the crowd certainly buy into, with many heads nodding across the room in appreciation. While they also serve up meandering melodic moments of Post-Rock, showing they have two sides to their coin which eloquently compliment each other, allowing vocalist Ashley Tubb to switch from a deep growl, to a tortured sounding clean singing style.
https://sugarhorse.bandcamp.com
Next up Tuskar do a fine job in almost stealing the show. They create an outstanding level of noise for just two people, with the incredible tone on Tom Dimmock’s guitar, making up for the lack of a bass player. Their 45 min set is nothing short of incredible, blending Doom and elements of Post-Metal with a Hardcore influence in places, with Tyler Hodges impressively combining drumming with powerful and snarling lead vocals. Both musicians are extremely talented, with their set relying heavily on this years release of their highly acclaimed album Matriarch. They mix a few older tracks in for good measure and have a decent patter with the crowd in between songs, with their set going down an absolute storm, serving up the perfect appetiser to Conjurer’s main course.
Conjurer hit the stage to a rapturous applause from all of those in attendance, who had been suitably warmed up and were ready to go. The imposingly powerful band now have two excellent albums of material to draw from, and the duel vocals of guitarists Dan Nightingale and Brady Deeprose hit like a sledge hammer, while the rhythm section of bassist Conor Marshall and drummer Noah See perfectly provide the pulsating heartbeat of everything the band do. They provide a menacing concoction of Death-Doom with elements of Post-Metal, and about 20 mins into the set when they increase the pace with a furious cacophony of Thrash-Hardcore, a circle pit opens as the crowd revel in the chaos. The intricate and complex arrangements of Conjourer’s music is nothing but impressive, and they have the room in the palm of their hands throughout their set. This was a thoroughly enjoyable show from start to finish, with a friendly Brighton vibe flowing throughout the venue providing an excellent opening night for the tour. KZ
https://conjureruk.bandcamp.com
Words & Pictures – Abstrakt_Soul
kult-zilla.com 
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