Live Review: Unto Others @ The Mash House, Edinburgh (01/04/22)

With Support From Zetra

The darkness is calling: After a couple of weeks of reflection, here's our review of Unto Others, w/ support from Zetra, live at The Mash House, Edinburgh.

After signing to Roadrunner Records in the summer of 2021 and releasing their second full length record Strength later that year, Unto Others felt like a band on the precipice of greatness. Mana, the Portland band's debut album (released under the name Unto Others in 2019), had immediately impressed; the quartet's bleak, yet catchy blend of thrash, punk, classic rock, goth, rock n' roll and heavy metal spreading quickly through the underground and proving irresistible to the ears of much of the metal community. The release of Strength, and particularly lead single When Will God's Work Be Done, further cemented Unto Others as one of the world's best new metal acts.

The band look and sound like rock stars too but with a little bit of a dark twist, like a goth Guns N' Roses or an undead Ramones. Singer/guitarist Gabriel Franco's image crosses Slash with Joey Ramone, whilst his deep, melodic singing, gruff shouts and vocal barks channel goth icons, Glen Danzig and Peter Steele. Lead guitarist Sebastian Silva sports a head of hair that would make Claudio Sanchez proud, ripping through guitar hero solos and chugging metal riffs, and drummer Colin Vranizan and bassist Brandon Hill complete the group's look, clad in black leather and dark glasses, fueling the band's engine with a goth n' roll cocktail of thumping, crashing drums and rolling, grooving bass lines.

Despite the buzz around the band, this was still a small gig held in The Mash House's smallest room, yet the occasion itself felt absolutely massive. For me, this was a golden opportunity to catch one of the coolest new bands on the planet in an intimate setting, and in Edinburgh no less, a stop most other bands miss out in favour of Glasgow while touring the UK (for the record they also played King Tut's in Gtown the following night - legends). It also felt like an auspicious moment, like one of the last chances to catch a band before they finally break through.

It was the relatively unknown Zetra, though, who had the first opportunity of the night to impress. The London-based two-piece (signed to Church Road Records) arrived on stage amidst swirling, squalling feedback and, in tribute to the headliners, launched straight into an immaculate cover of Destiny, starting the party off right. Their own sound, on songs like The Raven's Game, Call of the Void and Pull Me Under invoked a sort of space goth vibe combining astral synths, distorted riffs, thumping drum loops and effect-laden solos with sci-fi visuals and a proper metal aesthetic: painted faces, hooded cloaks, studded wrist gauntlets and mic stands draped in chains. It was a memorable performance of lush vocal harmonies, apocalyptic dance party grooves and, at times, crushingly heavy instrumentals. In a nice touch, the guitarist ended the set by fleeing the stage, dashing through the crowd and closing the show under a shroud of magic and mystery.

It was a formidable start to the evening and after a short break Unto Others arrived to deliver a huge set covering songs from both of their albums, both of their Don't Waste Your Time EPs and a trio of classic covers of Thin Lizzy (Cold Sweat), Ramones (Pet Sematary) and Misfits (Halloween). In the context of Unto Others' own brand of classic rock, heavy metal guitars, driving horror punk riffs and catchy punk rock choruses these covers made perfect sense. The band were impeccable, ripping through nearly 20 songs with swagger and panache. As the night progressed, it became apparent they already have an enviable back catalogue of hits to call upon. Future classics like Nightfall, Downtown, Jackie & When Will God's Work Be Done, to list just a few, sounded outstanding live, all boasting huge sing-a-long, shout-a-long and air instrumental moments sure to elicit a Pavlovian response from fans of the likes of Alice Cooper, Iron Maiden and Ghost.

On record, this a band that can appeal to fans of both classic and contemporary metal and it was a pleasure to discover that they're able to faithfully translate that sound over to a live setting. Since, first hearing Mana, Unto Others have quickly become one of my favourite bands and getting the chance to see them live, locally and on the small stage has only strengthened my love for them. To quote one of Zetra's lyrics, “The Darkness Is Calling”.

Peace.