Nachtmystium + Wolves In The Throne
Room
Venue: The Knitting Factory, Hollywood, California. Date: October 8,
2008: Review by Dave Schalek
Nachtmystium and Wolves In The Throne Room… sponsored by Scion?!
Much discussion has occurred elsewhere regarding the unusual
occurrence of a free, underground black metal concert being
sponsored by a car manufacturer. However, there was no way that I
was going to pass up the opportunity to see probably the two most
dynamic bands working in the USBM underground today (arguments
begin) on the same bill; that is, Wolves In The Throne Room and
Nachtmystium. "Two Hunters" was my album of the year in 2007 and
“Assassins, Black Meddle Part I" is making a strong case for this
year's best album, so I headed out to the Knitting Factory for a
highly anticipated show. |
Given that the show was free and corporate sponsored, I sort of half
expected company representatives to be working the crowd, giving
Power Point Presentations, handing out business cards, promotional
items, etc. Thankfully, that did not occur and, other than a brief
mention of Scion from the concert's promoter, Church of the 8th Day,
in between bands, you'd have never have known that the show had any
affiliation to Scion whatsoever.
At any rate, Wolves In The Throne Room
took the stage as a quartet and proceeded through a 40+ minute set
consisting of four songs. Beginning with a deep hum of harmonics,
the stage is darkened as Wolves... play with primal ferocity as a
wall of sound washed over the audience. No slamming occurred during
the set and, other than some muted headbanging, the crowd was mostly
silent. Huge applause erupted at the conclusion of each song,
however, as everyone just soaked up the experience. The closer was
"I Will Lay Down My Bones Among The Rocks And Roots" in its
entirety. The band walked off stage to a wall of harmonics, only
briefly acknowledging the appreciative crowd.
Nachtmystium appeared after a
short changeover and proceeded through a great set with a rawer
sound than that |
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present on "Assassins...”, a polished album. Mostly hitting material
from that album as well as "Instinct: Decay" and "Eulogy IV",
Nachtmystium played with a high amount of energy. The crowd
responded in kind with a huge pit opening up, especially during the
closer, a rousing rendition of "I Kill Everything That I Fuck" by
G.G. Allin.
You can check out the high quality art at
http://metalrunsinmyveins.blogspot.com |
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Exhumed To Consume Tour: Bands:
Carcass, Suffocation, 1349, Aborted, Rotten Sound
Venue: House of Blues, Sunset Strip : Date: September 18, 2008 :
Review by Dave Schalek
Oh, you know that this one was on my list! Just about everyone
else’s list, as well, as the beyond sold out HOB Sunset Strip was
just jammed for the biggest death metal concert outing of the year.
A veritable who’s who of the L.A. extreme metal community was in
attendance: Dino Cazares, Shane Embury, Joe Payne, the bands Sothis,
Asesino/ Divine Heresy, Possessed, etc; all were lined up for this
show as fans. Just about everyone that I know in the area was
present, and the atmosphere was one of pure death metal bliss
throughout the evening.
Finnish grindcore sensations Rotten Sound
got things started with a 25 minute set starting around 7pm or so.
The HOB was filling up fast as they blew through a taut set that won
the respect of the crowd, although it was pretty obvious that Rotten
Sound are relatively unknown here. This would be Rotten Sound’s last
stop on this tour, and they celebrated late in the evening by
getting falling down drunk near the merchandise tables.
Aborted were up next, and,
although they more or less played the same set from a few months
back during Summer Slaughter, I felt that they were much better this
time around. They seemed a bit tighter, although I did hear a few
people grumbling about the band’s recent change in direction. |
The main acts began with the always mind altering experience of
1349. Playing as a quartet with
Tony Laureano on drums, 1349 were focused for their set, although I
must say playing as a quartet with only a single guitarist somewhat
mutes the band’s sound. Still, 1349 remain one of my favorite live
acts and I greatly anticipate the band’s next full-length.
Suffocation are always a
fantastic band in a live setting with the inhuman dual guitar work
and the drumming of Mike Smith. In addition, Frank Mullen is always
entertaining as a front man, although he recycles his jokes. No
matter, though, as Suffocation’s set was fantastic and book ended by
“Liege of Inveracity” and “Bind Torture Kill”. Fans were also given
a peek at a new track from the upcoming full-length entitled “Blood
Oath”. Awesome!
The main act, Carcass, was
really everyone’s reason for attending, and Carcass did not
disappoint with an excellent show replete with gore-laced, blurred
out, pathology/ dissection films and photographs projected onto a
screen above the band for the duration of the huge 90 minute set. I
can’t say for certain as it has been awhile, but I believe that
“Necroticism…” and “Heartwork” |
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were played in their entirety, as well as a few cuts each from
“Symphonies of Sickness” and “Reek of Putrefaction”. You simply
couldn’t ask for anything more as Carcass just ruled the stage this
evening. Wow!
As usual, the garbage can be found at
http://metalrunsinmyveins.blogspot.com |
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Metal Masters Tour
Bands: Judas Priest, Heaven And Hell, Motorhead, Testament
Venue: San Manuel Amphitheatre, Devore, California Date: August 30,
2008 By: Dave Schalek
The amount of legends all on the same bill makes this tour an
absolutely must see. With that in mind, I was willing to shell out a
few bucks for a seat about 100 feet or so from the stage, and drive
75 miles out to the desert’s edge in Devore, California, a suburb on
the far eastern edge of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The list
seems to be endless: Rob Halford, Tony Iommi, Lemmy, Chuck Billy,
and so on. Needless to say, anticipation was in the air as the
amphitheatre was filled to capacity.
Starting right on the dot at 5:30pm just as I arrived in the
broiling heat, first up were Bay Area giants
Testament, who have made a strong statement with “The
Formation of Damnation”, the band’s recent, highly regarded
full-length (the band that Metallica should’ve become, but that’s a
whole other Oprah). Playing a short set that drew heavily from that
album, Testament were obviously giddy to be included on this bill,
and were energetic and focused for their half hour slot. The theater
was already filling as they began, and the crowd formed a pit all
the way up on the lawn, hundreds of feet from the stage. I now make
it a point to see Testament in a more intimate setting. |
Next up were
Motorhead, whom I haven’t seen
since about 1984 or so (I know, I’ve been remiss). Fellow scribe
Chris Davison was on my mind as a hugely invigorated Motorhead blew
through a great set that drew from all over the band’s career.
Lemmy’s son Paul joined the fun on stage as a second guitarist for a
rousing rendition of “Killed By Death”. Set closers were “Ace of
Spades” and “Overkill”.
Graciously playing below Judas Priest were the Dio-fronted version
of Black Sabbath, Heaven And Hell.
Drawing from the three full-lengths with a mammoth stage set,
highlights included “Heaven And Hell”, “The Sign of the Southern
Cross”, and the encore “Neon Knights” (“Voodoo” was absent,
however). An excellent set as Dio’s pipes were on full display and
he shows no sign of diminishing.
Opening with “Dawn of Creation” and “Prophecy” from the double album
“Nostradamus”, Rob Halford and Judas Priest
take the stage amid smoke and huge lighting effects.
Keeping the banter short, Judas Priest were focused as they mostly
hit a string of classics and generally stayed away from “Nostradamus”.
A huge highlight for me was the inclusion of “Dissident Aggressor”,
which I absolutely did not expect. A large amount of older material
was included, with “Metal Gods”, “Electric Eye”, “Painkiller”, and
“The Green Manalishi (with the Two Prong Crown)” being |
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highlights. The expected “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin” closed out
the evening.
How often do you get a chance to see so many legends, essentially
artists that started the art form that we all worship, all in the
same place? Enough said.
You can check out the usual garbage at
http://metalrunsinmyveins.blogspot.com |
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