Mark Morton wows UK clubs with an intimate candlelit show

There is a very special atmosphere at the Underworld tonight for the Mark Morton Acoustic gig

Sunday 12th January 2020 – Camden Underworld, London

Photography: Aggie Anthimidou Photography

Known as the axe wizard of internationally acclaimed American Death Metal band LAMB OF GOD, Mark Morton has ventured to UK shores for a string of dates in order to showcase his solo album ‘Anesthetic‘, which was released last March 2019.

The record features a star studded list of guest artists including his band mate Randy Blythe with Alyssa White Gluz of ARCH ENEMY, Myles Kennedy of SLASH and ALTER BRIDGE, Jacoby Shaddix of  PAPA ROACH, Josh Todd of BUCKCHERRY, Mark Lanegan of MARK LANEGAN BAND and even the late Chester Bennington of LINKIN PARK.

Tonight, however, the lead vocals are handled by SONS OF TEXAS frontman Mark Morales, who is also featured on the album, while HARK guitarist Joe Harvatt is helping on bv’s and second acoustic guitar.

There are no gimmicks; the setting is cosy and unpretentious consisting of only three chairs, blue, red spot lights and scattered candles on a black background. Tonight it is all about the music.

The opening song is Reveal, an original from ‘Anesthetic’ , which certainly sets the mood for the evening. An ethereal slow tempo number showcasing Morales‘ beautiful warm and husky tone while Morton and Harvatt let lose into a tandem of flawless harmonic progressions. No surprises here from the LAMB OF GOD star, who is notorious for his technical ability, however the blend of the three musicians together simply works as magic.

Imaginary Days comes as a bit of a surprise, as the relentless steadiness of the original version with full band gets replaced by a more sparse feel. Nevertheless, the song remains daringly haunting and Morton’s tasteful solo really stands out.

The crowd are in healthy numbers. Amongst those, there are many LAMB OF GOD fans easily recognisable from wearing the band T shirt, yet absolutely everyone seems captivated and simply longing for more.

Morton finally takes to the mic to greet the audience and introduces the next track as the famous single sung by Myles Kennedy on the record.  Save Defiance is simply stunning in either versions, with Kennedy singing in the higher register and Morales keeping it on a more gravelly tone. With a jig type feel, it is sounding full bodied even when played on acoustic and images of walks in the woods on a windy Fall day spring to mind.

When you encounter such greatness all around, it is simply impossible not to be enraptured and feel like the evening could carry on for hours in end. The songs are intricate and offer enough variety to keep the repertoire interesting and fresh. We now have Axis, which is almost spoken and pretty unique, while Blur displays a catchy chorus and a more familiar grungy feel.

Morton lets in on his humour when he makes a joke by thanking his mother for her outstanding contribution to the extravagant production of the show with some left-over Christmas candles. He also thanks the audience for showing up and supporting the album. Follows a trip down memory lane, where we are now thrown into the southern vibe of the spellbinding gem by THE BLACK CROWES, She Talks to Angels. The artist here further showcases his skill with a beautiful slide guitar.

The moment reaches further intensity when introducing the single that will feature on ‘Ether’, the new EP being released on the 17th of this month. The tone gets sombre when Morton explains that behind  All I Had to Lose is his story of addiction. The track has been recorded with Mark Morales on vocals and the singer could not have done a better job in its live translation. An emotionally charged portrayal bearing a certain vulnerability that makes it all the more special, while engaging in a flawless vocal performance that really makes him shine.

Needless to say that even the covers are so skilfully executed that you would easily assume they were written by the band. The mesmerising rendition of Black by PEARL JAM and Down in a Hole by ALICE IN CHAINS, played back to back, simply send chills down your spine. A mention has to also go to Joe Harvatt, whose virtuoso guitar work is simply on point when taking the lead.

Cross Off, the epic song featuring Chester Bennington on the album, could not be missed and is probably the heaviest in the set.  Mark himself deems it very special and offers it as a tribute to the late LINKIN PARK singer.

But it is time for a close, hence Morton launches into another tongue in cheek by saying that they had to choose a SABBATH song because they were playing in Birmingham the night before, or so they had the audience to believe.. “suckers!.. Just playing (laughs). The London show is the last of the tour and a special one indeed, so thank you”. They then unleash Planet Caravan, where a rather vocal audience at this point joins in.

With a good balance of covers made into his own and original songs, we can only look forward to Morton adding to his already very promising repertoire.

The Mark Morton Acoustic Show has been nothing short of enchanting. Admirable to observe the adaptability of this artist who is famed for producing the most intricate, fast and simply brutal mammoth riffs in his Heavy Metal outfit, however being able to compose a compendium of atmospheric and simply mesmerising melodies for his solo project. Some of the songs on the album he even sings himself.

We already know there is an imminent new release featuring more guest artists including Lzzy Hale of HALESTORM and Howard Jones of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and LIGHT THE TORCH, though the options seem endless and the future certainly bright. Indeed one to watch out for.

RATING: 💀💀💀💀💀 

BAND:

Mark Morales – Vocals

Mark Morton – Guitar

Joe Harvatt – Guitar and BV’s

 

SET LIST:

1. REVEAL
2. IMAGINARY DAYS
3. SAVE DEFIANCE
4. AXIS
5. BLUR
6. SHE TALKS TO ANGELS (THE BLACK CROWES)
7. ALL I HAD TO LOSE
8. THE FIGHT 
9. BLACK (PEARL JAM)
10. DOWN IN A HOLE (ALICE IN CHAINS)
11. LOVE MY ENEMY
12. CROSS OFF
13. PLANET CARAVAN (BLACK SABBATH)