Report
Lik Proves That Swedish Loss of life Steel Nonetheless Guidelines In Prague, Czechia
Ahhhh… Swedish demise steel. For followers of the style’s excessive sounds, what got here to thoughts while you learn that? Maybe Entombed? Or possibly Grave? How about Unleashed? There are too many to select from—it’s like capturing fish in a barrel. The method hasn’t modified a lot since its inception within the late ’80s and early ’90s, and that’s precisely why one of many newer members of that brotherhood has been steadily rising in reputation for the reason that first time they stepped on a Boss HM-2 pedal. That band is Stockholm’s personal Lik.
I’ve written about Lik a number of occasions already. I first noticed them at Poland’s Mystic Pageant in 2023, reviewed their newest album Necro, and caught them once more ultimately yr’s Brutal Assault. I’m writing about their stay present as soon as extra—this time on the cozy confines of Prague’s Music Membership Modrá Vopice, as they handed via the Czech Republic on their present European tour.
As I discussed above, Modrá Vopice is sort of small for a band with Lik’s reputation. Inside, it’s basically one divided room, with a bar within the again that sits nearly on high of the doorway. It’s not a really perfect area for anybody who suffers from claustrophobia. Modrá Vopice additionally hosts the official Brutal Assault afterparty. I’ve been to a few these, and so they stay as much as the cliché of feeling like sardines in a can. I don’t imagine there’s even a posted most capability restrict—and if there may be, completely nobody offers a fuck. In the summertime, you’ll be dehydrated after two songs, however at the very least the beers are low cost (45 CZK—just a bit over $2 per draft)!
Now that I’ve set the stage, Lik took the stage—after worming their approach via the packed crowd—proper on time, particularly contemplating the opening band had completed simply 20 minutes earlier than the scheduled begin. After a fast “Yeah!” from lead vocalist/guitarist Tomas Åkvik, they ripped into “Deceased” from Necro, and headbanging instantly erupted from each the band and the gang. Their sound on this intimate setting was crystal clear, simply as I remembered from seeing them on competition phases.
I discussed the gang earlier—they had been having a blast. There was loads of fist-pumping, shouted affirmations, and even just a few beers exploding throughout some tried pit motion in the course of the ground. After taking dozens of images on the entrance of the stage, I moved into the second room, separated by a partial wall with an open floor-plan view. This space has tables and benches for many who don’t need to stand and would slightly drink a Pilsner with a stable soundtrack within the background.
New Drummer Emil Wiksten
I used to be in a position to take some higher photographs of the drummer from this facet and someplace in the course of the set, it was introduced that the drummer on this tour is Emil Wiksten who additionally drums for Fetus Stench and the Norwegian black steel legends, Tsjuder. Apparently, he had two weeks to study the setlist and from the reactions from the band checking on him occasionally, he nailed it! Lik sounded tremendous tight to me and I’m fairly acquainted with their songs.
In whole, Lik performed 16 songs, with their set lasting simply over an hour. Do the maths—there wasn’t a lot jibber-jabber between songs, which is precisely what the gang got here for: continuous, punishing, chainsaw guitar–pushed demise steel. By the top of their set, Modrá Vopice had a sure mustiness to it. I don’t say that to gross you out, however slightly to emphasise that it was an important success when it comes to demise steel appreciation. One of the best ways to cap this Street Report comes from the lyrics to “They.” In relation to Lik’s stay exhibits, “They kill”…it.
Right here’s “Warfare Reward” from Lik’s unimaginable set in Prague!
Steel is not only a kind of music, it is a life-style for Nikos Mixas. Along with taking part in guitar for the Phoenix’s personal Mosara, he is a contributing author for V13 and The Sludgelord. And when he is taking a break from all of it and on trip, you may nearly be sure he is banging his head at a steel competition someplace attention-grabbing.
