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Mars Red Sky + Year Of No Light in Toulouse


Event: Rune & Totem Tour
Written by: Darkside Momo
Published: 09.12.2014

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FRA, Toulouse - Rune & Totem Tour by Darkside Momo (12)


A 100% Bordeaux tour, this one. Let's face it: they didn't bring any wine with them... Yet the sound both bands produced was as intoxicatingly good as the alcohols coming from the famous wineyards around their city.

I just need to applaud right now the sound engineers - the "Connexion Live" isn't a bad venue at all, yet this was the first time we had such a stellar sound there, at the same time clear and powerful. So kudos to you guys!


Mars Red Sky

I already saw Mars Red Sky when they, at the last minute or so, replaced The Young Gods and opened for Killing Joke in Paris in 2010. As I'm no fan of this mellow, psychedelic stoner movement, I didn't really came here this evening to see them.

But it would have been stupid to miss them, that's for certain. During this four years gap, they dramatically improved! While their music isn't always heavy at all, they had some pounding moments for sure - sometimes reminiscent of Black Sabbath. And they just kept their whole set interesting and flowing nicely, so even if I'm still not a fan of their psyche / stoner stuff, I wasn't bored at all. And, to my surprise, I really enjoyed Julien Pras's soft and relatively high pitched vocals. They indeed add a lot to the textures and moody atmosphere of the songs...
Icing on the trippy cake, this Rune & Totem show got both bands playing together their collective song "Green Rune White Totem". Well, only three YOLN guys came onstage and not six, but that just might be because the scene would have been too small for nine musicians and all their instruments...

Curious? Here's their bandcamp and a video of the full show!




Year Of No Light

I saw them at Hellfest two years ago and there was no way I would miss them this evening!

So, we've got 6 guys, with 3 guitars, one bass, 2 drumkits, 2 keyboards. And no vocals (these days are long gone). No, no, I made no mistake: one drummer also used a keyboard, while the other keys were in the bass player's charge, and they shifted instruments the songs demanded it (that is both between the songs and during the songs too). Apart from this, they're not that active onstage, but they certainly don't need to run everywhere either

The band played only one hour and we would all have loved some more hypnotic and punishing decibel wave, but a curfew was in place as the venue hosted a student's night or something like that afterward ... I mean, imagine the potency of a band with two drummers. Great, right? Now imagine that for a post-hardcore band renowned for its crushing stuff. Well, that's only scratching the surface. So I'll stop ranting on and on, it HAS to be experienced live. Not that YONL tours that much, but they still have a few upcoming dates in France, then some in the U.S. You know what to do...

Wanna hear and see that safely at home?




Conclusion

No surprise here, this was a great evening - and let's have a tear for those poor souls who made the mistake to go see Kissin' Dynamite that very same evening (by almost all accounts that was a devastatingly lame show)...

Next time, a Year Of No Light / Dirge tour would just be earth shattering. So, dudes, please do that!

Many thanks, once again to Niko and the Noiser team!






Written on 09.12.2014 by Once your regular Hellfest reporter, now retired. I (strangely enough) listen to a lot of metal. And enjoy good beers, comics, novels and role-playing games.


Comments

Comments: 12   Visited by: 41 users
10.12.2014 - 14:41
Ilham
Giant robot
I'm a little jealous.

You seem be to be (getting) into a lot of post-stuff these days, or it me - because I haven't been around for a while before this summer? It's nice to see reports for bands like these.
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10.12.2014 - 14:47
Darkside Momo
Retired
Written by Ilham on 10.12.2014 at 14:41

I'm a little jealous.

You seem be to be/getting into a lot of post-stuff these days, or it me - because I haven't been around for a while before this summer? It's nice to see reports for bands like these.

I've always liked post-stuff on the whole, but for the reports you should thank the Noiser team for bringing the bands in Toulouse (so I can actually enjoy their sets and review them )
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
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10.12.2014 - 17:32
BitterCOld
The Ancient One
Year of Red Sky Light?

Sounds like a great time, even if no red wine.
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get the fuck off my lawn.

Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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10.12.2014 - 18:22
Darkside Momo
Retired
Written by BitterCOld on 10.12.2014 at 17:32

Year of Red Sky Light?

Sounds like a great time, even if no red wine.

It was a great time indeed, one you could have enjoyed, I guess
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
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10.12.2014 - 19:15
raveneffect

MRS is such a cool act
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10.12.2014 - 20:40
BloodTears
ANA-thema
Love Mars Red Sky. I know they have played in Portugal before but I didn't manage to catch them. Sounds like a lovely time.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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10.12.2014 - 21:38
Darkside Momo
Retired
They're definitely a band I don't listen to at home, but yeah, live they're nice now. Wouldn't be opposed to see them again, but this site seated, with a glass of belgian beer in my hand (and a good view of the stage of course)
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
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10.12.2014 - 23:32
musclassia

YONL are one of the post-metal bands I think I need to try and get into at some point, checking out a track off of Ausserwelt for the first time and it's pretty ace.

Question regarding the two drummers, do they actually play at the same time? I saw Cult of Luna earlier this year (unbelievable show btw) but as far as I could tell, the two drummers basically alternated between songs over who played the drumkit and who got to play the tambourine/cowbell/whatever hell else other random percussion instrument. Was curious whether these guys actually use both together, and if they do, whether they play in unison or different parts, and how it comes across live?
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11.12.2014 - 00:34
Darkside Momo
Retired
Written by musclassia on 10.12.2014 at 23:32

YONL are one of the post-metal bands I think I need to try and get into at some point, checking out a track off of Ausserwelt for the first time and it's pretty ace.

Question regarding the two drummers, do they actually play at the same time? I saw Cult of Luna earlier this year (unbelievable show btw) but as far as I could tell, the two drummers basically alternated between songs over who played the drumkit and who got to play the tambourine/cowbell/whatever hell else other random percussion instrument. Was curious whether these guys actually use both together, and if they do, whether they play in unison or different parts, and how it comes across live?

YONL has one full-time drummer (one drumkit), the second (the barechest guy playing keys on the last pic)isn't always behind the second drumkit and sometimes plays keyboards - he's more than half the time behind his drums. And when they do play, they indeed play together - mostly different parts, but I think sometimes in unison too (not sure about that - it's the kind of show where you just headbang, eyes closed, and just absord the sound). "how it comes across live?" is easy: MASSIVE (at Hellfest 2012 with all the amps, it was really impressive)
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
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12.12.2014 - 01:19
musclassia

Written by Darkside Momo on 11.12.2014 at 00:34

Thanks for the reply, sounds pretty epic. Hopefully London'll host another post-rock/metal dayfest next spring like this one, and these guys come along so I can see for myself

You're welcome!
So far they've got some French and US dates, no UK shows. Hopefully they'll cross the Channel soon!
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13.12.2014 - 05:34
tea[m]ster
Au Pays Natal
Written by Darkside Momo on 11.12.2014 at 00:34

Written by musclassia on 10.12.2014 at 23:32

YONL are one of the post-metal bands I think I need to try and get into at some point, checking out a track off of Ausserwelt for the first time and it's pretty ace.

Question regarding the two drummers, do they actually play at the same time? I saw Cult of Luna earlier this year (unbelievable show btw) but as far as I could tell, the two drummers basically alternated between songs over who played the drumkit and who got to play the tambourine/cowbell/whatever hell else other random percussion instrument. Was curious whether these guys actually use both together, and if they do, whether they play in unison or different parts, and how it comes across live?

YONL has one full-time drummer (one drumkit), the second (the barechest guy playing keys on the last pic)isn't always behind the second drumkit and sometimes plays keyboards - he's more than half the time behind his drums. And when they do play, they indeed play together - mostly different parts, but I think sometimes in unison too (not sure about that - it's the kind of show where you just headbang, eyes closed, and just absord the sound). "how it comes across live?" is easy: MASSIVE (at Hellfest 2012 with all the amps, it was really impressive)

Sorry for the long quote text...Great article and thanks! And here is a gift, two of my favorite post metal bands doing the two-drummer thing:


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rekt
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13.12.2014 - 16:16
Darkside Momo
Retired
Written by tea[m]ster on 13.12.2014 at 05:34


Sorry for the long quote text...Great article and thanks! And here is a gift, two of my favorite post metal bands doing the two-drummer thing:



you're welcome
Never found Sunpocrisy to be that special, but to each his own I guess
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
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