After twenty-five years of existence, Psyclon Nine played in Europe for the first time last year (we told you about the date in Nantes here). Things went well enough for Nero Bellum and his pals to cross the Atlantic again... but perhaps not well enough to return to France straight away. Then, to enjoy tracks from the recent excellent And Then Oblivion (review), we had to cross the Rhine towards the Logo in Hamburg, a small venue that proudly displays a few photos on the wall of past concerts. We took a look at the “little” bands who have played on this strange stage, split in two by a supporting column in its middle: Gojira in 2010, Oasis in 1994, etc, before checking the merch stand, which, in addition to the usual stuff, was invaded by... an army of Teletubbies. Their faces covered in corpse-paint and with ‘Satan’, ‘Die' or ‘Slut’ written on their bodies. For the Satanic Teletubbies, we must thank Pretty Addicted, who was playing as support act.
PRETTY ADDICTED
These Teletubbies of Satan are a good introduction to the universe of this project, which has been led for fifteen years by its singer Vicious Precious. With its cult for marginalised people and ‘broken children’ who take refuge under the welcoming shadow of the Devil's wings, Pretty Addicted hijacks the codes of organised religion (particularly Christianity) and mixes this rejection with horrific references and a childlike universe. Behind the provocation, behind the repeated ‘Hail Satan!’ and the outrages that are as cathartic as they are as delightful for their cheeky teenage irreverence, you can sense a real tenderness for those who don't fit into the mould, the weird, the broken, the lonely kids and the freaks of all kinds.
It all translates to the stage as Vicious Precious, accompanied by drummer Loki Leviathan, inhabits the Logo with her energy, her rage and her dancing. A grimacing creature who's come to spit out her guts, sure, but she can't hide her smiles behind her make-up. Pretty Addicted is also about tenderness and a good dose of humour. ‘Thank you for forgetting that you're goths and super cool and shit and come dance with me’, she said, after covering Gala's Freed From Desire. Pretty Addicted recently released Little Dark Hymns for the Commune, an album that is perhaps more menacing and atmospheric than the frenetic punk rave that shook We, the Broken Children of Hell. On stage, however, Pretty Addicted haven't come to meditate in the dark: it's aggressive, raw, wild, sincere and generous. It was enough for our two ‘Devil's Rejects’ to win over the laymen present. We willingfully join their cult, which looks welcoming and fun. More than the "Hail Satan" and the horrific imagery, we'll remember this passionate 'we all have human rights' thrown by the singer because that's finally what's Pretty Addicted who give humanity its broadest definition, without petty restrictions. It doesn't matter if you're as ugly as we are, if you have too many or too few of this or that, you belong here.
At the merch stand after the concert, Vicious Precious seemed delighted to show us all her French skills: ‘putain’ (fuck), 'merde' (shit), ‘salope’ (slut), she said, always with that huge smile. We then suggest ‘gloire à Satan’ (Hail Satan), just to enrich her vocabulary and look good in society.
PSYCLON NINE
At this point of the evening, we were still expecting Antania, who accompanied Psyclon Nine and Pretty Addicted during this tour. Maybe we missed the information because we couldn't understand anything in German, or maybe it had been announced somewhere (but where?)... but when we saw Jon Siren take his place behind the drums, we were left with a doubt. We know the drummer to be in a lot of bands, but to the point where he's now also in Antania? Then guitarist Todd Buller shows his face. Is he playing in Antania too? That's a lot of strange coincidences. And the intro to Devils Work started. Well, we finally realised that Antania is no longer on the bill and it's now the headliner's turn to stir up the Logo crowd.
As usual, Nero Bellum is full of grotesque mimics, hiding his face behind his clawed hands and posing like a gargoyle. That being said, we're struck by two glaring improvements on last year's show in Nantes: firstly, the technique was much more polished, allowing us to hear the vocals clearly. Secondly, the tormented soul behind Psyclon Nine was a lot more communicative and seemed to be in an excellent mood. He thanked the audience profusely, shouted at us, and got closer to share his energy, seeming to take it to heart to give everyone an excellent time.
The setlist mixes the most recent tracks with the classics, so we've been treated to the menacing ambience of See You All in Hell or Money Sex and Death, the aggrotech rage of Better Than Suicide and Divine Infekt, the nasty industrial metal riffs of Shoot to Kill or CRWLNG FRM CNT T CSKT... The whole demonstrates the extent of what Psyclon Nine have become, a polycephalous monster capable of combining gloomy atmospheres with the heaviness of metal, while never shying away from electronic experimentation (trap and dark ambient influences add breath and depth). It's varied, catchy, exhilarating and rich. Jon Siren and Todd Buller take care of their part of the show. Electrifying or terrifying, the tracks follow one another far too quickly for a conquered audience. Before bringing the show to a close, the master of ceremonies uttered a ‘thank you for coming to my funeral’, in keeping with the tone of the evening, both sinister and uplifting.
Right after leaving the stage, Nero Bellum immediately went over to the merch stand where, in front of his T-shirts and customised Pretty Addicted Teletubbies, he chatted warmly with those present and signed a few records. It's a rare opportunity to get up close and personal with this artist, so we had to make the most of it. Psyclon Nine's history with Europe is a recent one, and it's about to continue, as they'll be back in September to support Genitorturers. Sandly and once again, no French dates have been announced yet, but we can't advise enough the person who said to Nero after the concert ‘come back to Hamburg’ to check the tour: they'll be playing the same stage again in two months' time. With a setlist that never loses its momentum, judiciously juggling classics and more recent tracks, a trio willing to put on a show and communicate, and an increasingly interesting musical repertoire, Psyclon Nine have never been so convincing. Let's hope, then, that this European story is only in its first chapters!
