LIVE REVIEW: Wheel / Mür - Thekla, Bristol 24th November 2024

- November 25, 2024

Having driven back from London first thing and experienced Storm Bert flex some ferocious muscles across South Wales, getting back in the car in the evening to trek across the bridge again for this show was not the most attractive option. Hunkering down in front of the wood burner and supping a hot chocolate was infinitely more appealing but having hauled my aching carcass out of the house, this was a show that rewarded in spades and made the horrors of the UK’s motorway network bearable.

I covered the self-titled debut album by Mür recently, and it is likely to creep into my top ten albums of 2024. Having flown in for just a couple of the shows on this tour (sharing support with Monosphere), the Icelandic quintet present as a real curiosity.

They arrive on stage wearing an odd collection of clothing. If they are trying to cultivate an image, then I’m curious to know what it is. Main driver of the band Kári Haraldsson (Vocals, Keytar, Synthesizers) is decked out almost paramilitary style whilst bassist Ívar Klausen seems to have grabbed stuff from his dad’s wardrobe. A vest and no shoes are enough to send the shivers down the spine in a venue which is never warm, (we are in the hull of a ship after all). Fashion police duly notified, what about the music?

The four members of the band (guitarists Hilmir Árnason and Jón Ísak Ragnarsson complete the outfield line-up) apart from drummer Árni Jökull Guðbjartsson, who is hidden in the shadows stage left, stand stock still as Haraldsson controls the intro via his keytar. It’s a slow burn, the band’s lengthy and complex songs possessing a slow fuse that takes a while to come to life. When it does, Haraldsson and Klausen lose control, a dynamic centre of chaos on the stage. Flanked by Ragnarsson and Árnason, content to lay down the riffs, Haraldsson is a flurry of hair as he thrashes around. When he’s singing, it’s a varied delivery, from clean vocals to more angst ridden raging black metal style vocals.

All the music is from the debut album, and from what we hear live, I’m satisfied that my review is spot on. It’s clever, deep, and progressive, switching from ethereal parts to crushingly heavy segments in an instant. The band, who are incredibly youthful, are locked in and rarely look up. In fact, Haraldsson’s first real words come at the end when he thanks the assembled 100 or so punters for their support. It’s a pleasing set regardless, and with youth on their side, Mür may well be back in this part of the world again soon.

No strangers to Bristol, Wheel take the stage bathed in blue light that will be the primary colour throughout the evening. Their third album, Charismatic Leaders is another entry in the end of year charts, and it’s that they are here to promote. Frontman James Lascelles continues to drive this band forward, and although there isn’t huge interaction, when it comes its with a self-depreciating humour that works well with the audience and adds a bit of humanity to what are very focused and sombre music. He’s unable to start Porcelain due to the absence of a foot switch, laughing it off as another “seamless transition”.

When the band do lock in though, this is a mesmeric set, at times transcending the expectations and transporting you away in a dreamy unfocused state. That’s not to say that you don’t focus on the quality of this band, for it’s their complex and progressive tendencies which are the central attraction here. Their mix of Tool, Opeth and others make them one of the most interesting bands around today in my opinion. This is my sixth time seeing the band (Bristol, Bloodstock, Damnation and Arctangent have all featured) and their cohesive energy remains enticing.

From opener Fugue through the self-titled finale, it’s epic stuff. The elongated work outs in Hyperion, Lacking and Saboteur are immense, as the band’s layered sound builds into thunderous passages which incites a fierce but good natured mosh pit for most of the set.

New bassist Jere Lehto has eased comfortably into the band, putting in a flawless display bringing the low end. The set is cleverly curated, drawing from all three albums and EP Rumination, which provides an excellent Synchronise. Despite the somewhat muddy sound, it’s possible to pick up most of the layered and nuanced sections that the band deliver.

Highlights include a visceral Vultures towards the end, a magnificent Dissipating which sprawls epically, and Lacking, one of three from debut album Moving Backwards.

Combined with Lascelles’ deadpan delivery, the curiously assembled fans, ranging from youngsters’ intent on having a mosh to older fans content to absorb the musicianship, are drawn into the elaborate weaved webs that the band spin. With their anthemic Wheel to conclude, it’s a final ovation before heading back to the battle with motorway closures and driving rain.