(((O))) Live: King Woman • Cock Star – Oslo, London

Photo: Diana Revell

“Lu…ci…fer, falling from the heights. Lucifer!”

Hackney’s Oslo venue is packed tonight, with a super-stylish, motley crowd that is unambiguously here to immerse ourselves in King Woman. Not just to get drunk; not just because it’s a hot ticket; not just for vibes. It’s sold out for a reason: because King Woman are returning to the UK after almost ten years, and within that time they released their astonishing sophomore album Celestial Blues. Starting as a solo project of vocalist Kris Esfandiari, King Woman currently includes drummer Joey Raygoza, bass-player Peter Arensdorf and guitarist Colin Gallagher. Celestial Blues is an exploration and an embodiment of the archetype of Lucifer for Esfandiari, and she discusses it as part of a cathartic process of healing herself from wounds caused by her strict religious upbringing. While all of their material, including the Doubt ep in 2015 and the debut album Created in the Image of Suffering in (2017) is superlative, I’ll wager we’re all especially keen to hear doomy, moody blues about the Morning Star.

But first a very different kind of star; a Cock Star, in fact, the solo project of Lecxi Doumer, a French musician, and the producer of one of Esfandiari’s other current projects NGHTCRWLR. Clad in heels, striped tights, crop top, leather, studs, arm straps, and swinging long black curly hair, Doumer appears something like a queer version of the recently deceased Venom legend Chronos.

“I’m a silicone sex bomb” growls Doumer at the climax of their set, bringing solo death industrial to Hackney tonight. And who am I to disagree? The tunes are heavy, jerky, and pounding, but very danceable, with a swagger and groove that you can shake your booty to. This really sounds like a proper solo performance, rather than merely a “laptop” set: Doumer’s production experience is certainly evident, as is their camaraderie with King Woman who engage in friendly heckling from the stage side.

Cock Star. Photo: Diana Revell

This is a luscious mixture of various key industrial artists: taking some of Ministry’s clinical precision; KMFDM’s boisterousness; and NIN’s electronic danceability. Marilyn Manson’s influence on the genre is so pervasive that drawing musical influence from his hey-day – when Brian Warner was known as a controversial shock rocker and not an actual abuser – are inevitable, and there are traces of that distinctive sneer in Cock Star’s delivery. Heading deeper into the underground, there’s also more atmospheric moments somewhat reminiscent of Trepaningsritualen, if less dark and ambient.

On a couple of occasions, Cock Star takes to the mic with no instrument, relying on pouring beats or a dirty bass-drop for accompaniment – and they’re some of the strongest moments as it frees them up to focus on the vocals, and to visibly feel the music in their body. It’s an excellent performance and I’m genuinely curious to track down recorded material online, if this even exists yet.

Following a playlist of grunge and nu-metal classics – perfectly pitched judging by the average age of the crowd – King Woman take to the stage with rapturous applause. And from the very first second to the last, Esfandiari absolutely brims over with stage presence, charisma, and – most importantly – pleasure. (“Enjoy Cock” her t-shirt implores and, yes, the support was very good, thank you very much.)

King Woman. Photo: Diana Revell

Beaming with mischief, she leads her band through most tracks from Celestial Blues, opening with the melancholy doom ballad of a title track; and including ‘Golgotha’, with its sinuous, beguiling guitar-and-bass refrain and arresting, urgent snare part; ‘Psychic Wound’, showcasing their heaviest, most aggressive moments; and the dream gloom of ‘Bohz’.

“Hey, to the girl dressed like me!” Esfandiari shouts at one stage, pointing out to the back with a gauntleted arm, “you look awesome”, and welcoming a blue-haired fan right up to the front. As the show progresses, Esfandiari is given several hand-made gifts from excited fans – what look like laminated artworks and a decorated black envelope. She does have that level of cultish charisma about her.

It’s great to hear ‘Utopia’, the sole track from King Woman’s debut tonight, with its trudging monster riff and particularly eerie vocals. If you thought Esfandiari’s voice sounds amazing on record, wait until you hear it live. It’s sure an unusual vocal style, somewhere between alto and baritone (I think), and characterised by deep, eerie moaning: seductive, intimidating, erotic, and aggressive. And she sounds absolutely phenomenal, also executing the occasional higher, clearer parts perfectly.

King Woman. Photo: Diana Revell

The King Woman band complements such a distinctive vocalist by creating a doom metal sound that’s deep and heavy, soft and enticing, nuanced and restrained. There’s no need for intrusive guitar effects or elaborate drum shenanigans: just the best notes in the right place with great tone.

By the time we get to ‘Morning Star’, we know it’s the end and the extra energy that Esfandiari demands when singing along does not disappoint: “Lu-ci-fer, falling from the heights”, goes the refrain, and she’s towering over us, grinning heavily, reaching the mic out to capture us all repeating the syllables and words back to her, in a moment that encapsulates the energy and adoration that define tonight’s show.

King Woman. Photo: Diana Revell

After the brief obligatory adult peekaboo break, King Woman pick up that refrain again, and finish on their encore cover of the Stone Roses ‘I Wanna Be Adored’. Just in case there was any ambiguity remaining, we all absolutely adored this perfect hour-long set and are already longing for King Woman to return to the UK, hopefully with a new album in tow.

“After party in Helgi’s,” Esfandiari reminds us, “we have to leave this venue,” and – fulfilling my professional obligations – I can report that all musicians did indeed join their fans for a raucous celebration at Hackney’s premier occult-themed heavy metal establishment.