Night 2 at the Kings Arms Sports Bar; the one with the picturesque chandelier, the one playing metal that oldies rooting for a pint accidentally stumble into, the one with more band members than punters. Nay, not the roomy-yet-cozy concert venue 'out the back'. Tonight marked the spot for another local gig; one of 3 that night, not including URIAH HEEP playing up in K' Road. It's no wonder an even smaller crowd was drawn than last time. Unfortunate as it may be, I was excited to see BLOODNUT for a second time (the first being CORROSION OF CONFORMITY's support slot last year), and HELGORITHMS, for the first time. SPOOK THE HORSES, an 'Atmospheric Post Hard-core' band (does that exist?) I had never heard of, so I decided to treat myself a little extra to delve into the unknown.

Turning up well early as always, I watched the room slowly... Not fill up. A pint of Guinness later and HELGORITHMS were gearing up; hearing a couple of tracks like "Meatbix" already, I wasn't surprised when the setlist turned out to be a rather fun jaunt; the lads turn whimsical into heavy, and play an interesting (to say the least) array of Post-Metal tracks. Not out with a full EP as of yet, I'm glad they are well into the swing of playing shows, having recently filled a support slot for a couple of legendary THE OCEAN shows a few days previous. A fun spectacle to both view and listen to, the 'stage' a mass of pedals, guitarist Luke throwing down some... Throwdowns, bassist Bailey bleeding desperation to do some sick azz Punk stomps (that he'll finally be able to do when OVERSEER finds a new drummer). An ultimately unclassifiable band, HELGORITHMS shan't just be heard, but also viewed, because one does not simply 'listen' to tracks like "Meatbix" or "Subversion". Erring on the Progressive side of things, what could have been a wall of sound was terrifically dynamic.

Setlist:
1. Shatter The Throne
2. Tether
3. Meatbix
4. Subversion
5. Ellipsis
 

BLOODNUT mosied on up next. Another trio, next on the aural menu was a thunderous mix of groovy Doom-Punk, and plenty of Stoner to go around, excusing the connotation. Incredibly well-suited for the C.O.C. support slot, and one of the best local acts I have seen, a stationary head and functioning neck are impossible with their setlist. The 3 gingers bashed out monster after monster; some of it fuzzy, some of it groovy, some of it jive-y, all of it hairy. Much to my glee, my favourites "Fire Giant" and "Red Face Blues" were played, containing some of the best riffs I've heard them play, and once again, the drumming fuckin' phenomenal. Their tracks tend to carry a different vibe with each consecutive piece being different to the last; a little more Blues here and there, a motherload of groove here and there. Huge is the word. BLOODNUT sound immensely huge.

1.The Space Orangutan ( bow down)
2. The Burning Boosh and
3. Mark of the Outcast
4. Fire giant
5. Red face Blues
6. Send in the Berserkers first.
 

The 'main' act of the night, SPOOK THE HORSES end their nationwide tour in Auckland with the release of their second album, "Rainmaker". Not at all a Post Hardcore kinda guy, I figured it couldn't hurt to give it a shot. Oozing with charisma and emotion, yet abrasive and bullying at the same time. Focusing more on epic, layered atmospheres and thick walls of drawn-out chord progressions, not all of the music is riff-oriented; some of the tracks incredibly lengthy, the odd smatterings of vocals only just diverging the songs away from 'instrumental' status. Their soundscape painted a pretty picture, filled with wanderlust, however I must admit I felt lost at times, some of it feeling directionless. Maybe I'm not cut out for their music; nonetheless, they clearly know what they are doing, and quite frankly, sound like nothing I've ever heard.