Gig Review: Subspec @ Whammy Bar, Auckland – 7/05/2025

It’s another hazy autumn night at Whammy Bar – another Zero Hazy beer, another tight crowd in a cramped room – my birthplace of ideas. As I sit at the back of the venue, it’s easy to contemplate my existence in places like these… but I feel at home.

It’s not a midweek hobby for everyone. I’m tired as heck from work, but I made it in one piece. I catch glimpses of Subspec’s costume – and I’m in. I’m filled with anticipation, ready to absorb, ready to be lifted. The stage presence of this artist is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Something fierce. Something to help me transcend my thoughts. Something to ignite the senses. I see the leather pants, the skull head with horns, the spiked boots – God, I wish they could pierce through my working week right now and take me elsewhere. But tonight, here will do.

He opens with his track “Chthonic Cimmerian,” like a shaken ritual from the underworld. I feel death calling my name. Not gonna lie – stellar intro and a definite mood-setter. The drum machines are incredibly engaging, and you don’t really know what to expect. It’s not a band, exactly – more of a performance. And we’re just getting started…

The bass kicks in heavy and we launch into the set with an absolute chugger! Leg on the amp like the lord that he is – the crowd’s intrigued, and the costume and lighting are insane. This artist is doing it all solo, by the way. True one-man show. The bass drives everything, while the drum machine and synths bring the full-bodied atmosphere. A word on society drops, followed by the most chilling engines of sound and defiance. The background effects sound straight out of Dark Souls – haunting, chilling, and spitting evil. I wonder if there’s a lair nearby because this feels like the cue to run for your life.

The second track is drawn in by keys and tech soundscapes. It’s banging – beat-heavy and crowd-captivating in no time. I feel themes of medieval reimagination… and I’m still wondering how much it would hurt to be pierced by one of those boot spikes. The bass is blacker than the heart of the monsters in my dreams. I’m paying serious attention, but my mind is drifting literally inside a science-fiction novel.

Track three hits like a ghost on fire – faster, fiercer, but just as chilling. The air stays electric, a static buzz running through the crowd. Vocals tear through the room, raw and merciless. Black-gloved hands rip up and down the fretboard with pure fury. It’s not just a song – it’s a battle cry. Feet stomp, heads thrash, someone mutters something about damnation like it’s a blessing. The artist’s fingers are a blur; mechanical but mastering every riff. Lyrics pour out like prophecy; decaying futures, poisoned minds, shattered illusions. I’m completely in it. This is everything…chaotic, cathartic, and charged.

The next track lurks in, grimy and guttural, dragging the weight of the set. Vocals hit hard, apocalyptic and raw, chanting tales of the ruin of this modern world. It’s pure metal now – no apologies, just aggression! The bass guitar strums so fast it’s like watching Pyramid Head from Silent Hill unleash his torment through an instrument instead of a blade. Even the ambient textures hum with horror; rusted and industrial, like the soundtrack to a decaying metallic dungeon. The crowd answers with scattered screams, perhaps part terror, part worship.

My favourite bit? When Subspec grabs a lighter and breathes a massive fireball for the crowd. A literal flame – gnarly as hell – and it gets some well-earned cheers. Absolutely loved it!

We wrap up with a few more tracks that lean into death metal. But honestly? I almost don’t want to call it that. Sure, it’s got the speed and the rage, but this is more than a genre… it’s a performance. Both visual and sonic. Incredibly unique. Like I said… nothing I’ve ever heard or seen before.

The mask comes off, and what’s left is just a guy – plain clothes, plain world. Too plain. The contrast hits hard. A man walks past wearing a shirt that reads “In a world of lies, freedom dies.” It lands like gospel in the moment – an iconic flashbulb memory from a night soaked in sound and rebellion.

This crowd, this energy, this raw flood of expression – it’s more than music. It’s truth dressed in distortion. Artistry with blood on its knuckles.
For a fleeting moment, we’re free – untethered from the grind, the screens, the rules. If only this could be the norm. If only we weren’t just clocking back into our cages. If only.

The lineup after the set brought some real grit, no doubt – but for me, it was all about Subspec. I came to soak up every second, to bottle that chaos the best I could.

The crowd were mostly here for the headliner – Massacre, a brutal force from beyond Aotearoa’s shores. I met some people that had even travelled up from Hamilton to be there tonight, mid-week. But credit where it’s due… the opening acts held their ground and then some. Big shoutout to Imperial Slave and Slave Cadaver. Their names you might not know but definitely should. Even if metal’s not usually your scene, these bands made a case for themselves with sheer conviction and noise that cuts deep.

All in all this was a night of fire, fury, and freedom. I felt lucky to be there and support this artist’s come-up in the world. All the best to Subspec and his future endeavours with music. I will definitely never forget this one.