19/4/2013 Obsessive Compulsive @ The Black Heart

Subject	Obsessive Compulsive @ The Black Heart
DateCreated	4/28/2013 5:18:00 PM
PostedDate	4/30/2013 7:09:00 AM
	Friday night finds me heading down to Camden for a gig in one of the area's nicest venues. This show is a bit different - Obsessive Compulsive have taken the plunge and headed down the PledgeMusic path to finance their new album and retain total artistic control. This has been very successful for some established artists like Ginger from the Wildhearts who already have a large following, but some lesser known bands have also taken a chance and surprised both themselves and everybody else with how well things have gone. Eureka Machines and now Obsessive Compulsive have made it work for them. After a well received EP and then an album this band have used PledgeMusic to fan-fund their second album 'Seculo Seculorum'. Tonight is a special album launch party show the band have organised themselves for Pledgers only to say thank you for supporting them in making this album - The Black Heart is pretty full tonight as a result and the show kick's off with a bang! Album opener 'Sick Sick Sick' is aggressive and in your face. There are no other bands on the bill and probably due to the soundcheck being for Obsessive Compulsive only and the settings having not been touched since then the band sound fantastic! Heavy and intense as ever the band are really going for it tonight.  The air of anticipation for this gig by band and fans alike has been intense. The new album is a step forward sonically and the band have never sounded better on CD. The album production is tight and clear, and although they had a bigger budget this time round they have resisted the temptation to over-produce things. It's basic and raw, but not too raw - here 'less is more'. Tonight Obsessive Compulsive manage to bring the same sonic improvement to their live show. New song 'Soul Sucker' is really heavy with an Alice In Chains feel to it - particularly in the vocals. The set now includes one or two slower quieter songs that I wouldn't go as far as to describe as ballads, but they really add light and shade to the set making the rest of the songs sound even heavier. There are around 3 points on the new album where the pace drops and Kelli gets to show us another side of her voice - 'Swallow The Sound' being a particularly impressive number. 'No Logo' is a furious anti-corporate rant - don't expect to hear any of this band's songs appearing in adverts and don't expect any sponsorship deals with the band either! I've seen Obsessive Compulsive a few times now and they've always been good live, but tonight they have really raised their game - they really are on top form. I am not the only one who feels there is something special happening in this room tonight - the band really are on fire! It's very rare to see such a powerful and impassioned performance from any band - Obsessive Compulsive mean it! This band have always had an edge to them, but tonight they are noticeably harder, sharper, and more intense - this is definitely the best performance I've ever seen from them. The band's previous album 'Dreams of Death and the Death of Dreams' won them the Pure Rawk 'Album of the Year' award in 2011, but the new album is even better. Kelli in particular seems to have worked hard on her vocals and is sounding great. As well as the previously mentioned Alice In Chains, the album has parts that remind me of Killing Joke, and also the latest album from The Cult. 'Float' is a bit of a departure for the band - the song starting off quite gently with a riff reminiscent of the Dead Boys 'Sonic Reducer' but building in hypnotic intensity to a crushing climax before fading quietly away... As this is an album launch show we get the whole thing played in it's entirety, and also a choice selection of the band's previous recordings, although I am a little disappointed they don't play the riff-tastic 'In Memory Of...' from the 'Corpses Of Thought' mini-album. What we do get is nearly an hour and a half of Obsessive Compulsive songs - a real treat compared to the half hour or so sets we are used to hearing. And these songs have never sounded better than they do tonight. The whole idea of this gig was to give something 'special' to the band's hardcore fans who had made the new album possible, and I think it succeeded totally - this really was a special gig and I think everyone in the room knew it. I know it's only April, but I think this will prove to be one of the best gigs of the year. Not content with playing this special show in London and another one in their home town of Manchester, they are about to do a proper tour of around 20 dates to promote the album. Obsessive Compulsive really are on form at the moment and have never sounded better - I suggest you catch them if they are playing near you.