Super-group is a term thrown around far to wildly these days. Few of these groups are really super at all musically and their output often fails to live up to the hype. However, in the case of LOCK-UP they fulfilled their promise early and often with Pleasures Pave Sewers and Hate Breeds Suffering. These were albums made with all-star lineups of death metal royalty; turning in masterful and sick grindcore albums for the ages. Then as sometimes happens with these super-groups, members get too busy with their main bands or life just gets in the way. After the death of founding member Jesse Pintado (TERRORIZER) who coined the name grindcore, the band reunited in 2011 the record Necropolis Transparent. Due to scheduling and visa issues the band had never toured the USA, but now for a few weeks this year the band hit American soil in full force. If you blinked, forgot or just didn’t go, you missed out. Metal Army America was at the third show of the tour in Revere, MA at the Wonderland Ballroom to bring you in on all the action we heard, saw and felt.
Since work caused me to miss a local band or two I managed to get in the venue in time to catch then of PANZERBASTARD’s set. As usual they are loud as fuck and rowdy fun. Sort of a proto-metal and punk attitude of MOTORHEAD and D.R.I. All rolled into one. Always fun to see the beleaguered sound guys try to manage their ever increasing volume too! They have an EP you should pick up asap if you love fun, heavy music.
STRONG INTENTION is still crazy after all these years.
STRONG INTENTION was up next and they were the first of the touring bands. The band has been around for about 20 years although not always active. Born and bred in Maryland, but with a heart straight outta New York Hardcore the band has always been about aggressive songs, smart lyrics and a good time. Or as they put it on their shirts, “grindcore for assholes”. Ah, gotta love bands with self-deprecating senses of humor. They hit the stage to the still filling up room and immediately ripped into a strong set of their best material like “Carnivore” and “Consumer Sucker”. In addition to founding front man Zac, they were also joined by Sparky formerly of MISERY INDEX and D.R.I. They were definitely aware of the generation gap between them and the young-ish crowd and poked fun at themselves during their short set. The were a might unit musically, harsh and tight as they oughtta be.
Uh-oh. Ben Falgoust has that look in his eye again!
It seemed like a good bunch of the crowd was in the house to see GOATWHORE on this night and it’s easy to see why. GOATWHORE has played the New England area about fifteen times in the last two or three years and they have never been anything less than fierce each time. With their excellent new album Blood For The Master (Metal Blade) just about to drop before this show, the excitement was sky high. With the lights up they checked their gear one last time before slamming into “Collapse In Eternal Worth”, the lead track of the new album. Everybody seemed to know the song and the front of the pit crushed against the little stage with no barricade. As front man Ben Falgoust is want to do, he gets right in the hostile and happy faces of the crowd, ruling the microphone. The bands bare bones approach to songs leaves little to guess at and causes maximum damage to ear drums. Not even taking a mini-breath after the first song they launched into “Provoking the Ritual of Death”. Drummer Zack Simmons was just killing it with his tight, economical style of blasts and double bass work. As always Sammy Duet brings the killer riffs and is an awesome performer with his stage presence. The fans equally lapped up old school jams such as “Alchemy of The Black Sun Cult” and “Sky Inferno”with new songs like “Judgement of the Bleeding Crown”. Closing with their classic “Apocalyptic Havoc” GOATWHORE does what they always do best, destroy.
Set list:
Collapse In Eternal Worth
Provoking the Ritual of Death
The Black Art of Deception
In Deathless Tradition
Carving Out the Eyes of God
Sky Inferno
Alchemy of the Black Sun Cult
When Steel and Bone Meet
Judgement of the Bleeding Crown
Invert the Virgin
An End to Nothing
Apocalyptic Havoc
If it was anyone else save for LOCK-UP coming on next, I’d say they would have a hard time following the previous act. Disappointing to me was the the fact that the crowd half-cleared out before LOCK-UP. I think it is more a statement about the rabid fans of GOATWHORE and LOCK-UP’s somewhat lower profile. But really it is no excuse Boston area metal fans! I know Revere is a tough place to get home from late (thanks for the ride home Jason!), but still I was bummed. Not helping the headliners case was they took almost an hour to set up and play which was odd since their gear was used by most of the openers and there wasn’t much to do. Those who stayed late surely would be rewarded big time.
LOCK-UP. Like a wild beast let loose on stage.
When they were finally ready to come on stage and jam it was like a tiger had been let out of its cage. The band came on stage to the strains of the old POSSESED song “Fallen Angel” and the remaining crowd let out a mini-cheer as each member took their place. Starting right off the bat with “Pleasures Pave Sewers” they really tore the lid off the place. Setting the tone for the rest of the show the vocalist Tomas Lindberg (AT THE GATES, DISFEAR, THE CROWN) lustily ran around the stage smiling maniacally and screaming is guts out. He has always had one of the pinnacle voices in death metal and he sounded great, although he later admitted to having a bad cold. Giving no pause the band reeled of a bunch of songs in rapid succession like “Brethren of the Pentagram”, “Accelerated Mutation” and “Slaughterous Ways” which were terrific. I wasn’t entirely sure were were going to get the great Nick Barker behind the drums, but there he was in all his glory. He was totally relaxed behind the kit, but he was totally crushing it performance wise. Joining him in the grindcore rhythm section for the ages is Danny Lilker (ANTHRAX/S.O.D./NUCULAR ASSAULT/BRUTAL TRUTH) filling in for Shane Embry who is busy with the new NAPALM DEATH album.
Nick Barker was phenomenal, but I'm pretty sure he was miffed at my camera.
Lindberg finally addressed the crowd about this being the bands first time in America and third US show as well. After a few pleasantries the band launched into “Accelerated Mutation” which was just sick. LOCK-UP has had many great guitarists like the a fore mentioned Pintado and another legend Peter Tägtgren. The “new” guy in LOCK-UP is Chilean guitarist Anton Reisenegger (PENTAGRAM (non-US)/CRIMINAL) who was exceptional all night long. He really stood out on tracks like “Triple Six Suck Angels” and “Castrate the Blood”. The band seemed tireless as the blew through cut after cut, some barely a minute long, but all of them heavy and fun. After a touching few words in tribute to Pintado they played two TERORIZOR songs in “Storm of Stress”, “Fear of Napalm”. After a few more blistering originals the band did a solid run through of a DARK ANGEL cover they closed with a triumphant version of “After Life In Purgatory”. It was a great show. I feel bad if you missed it, but hopefully they will come back again.
Halley’s Comet comes around to say hello to the Earth every seventy-six years in speeding ball of fire and cosmic ice. Similarly LOCK UP, the classic grindcore/death metal side project/super group from the UK comes around every few years as a blazing fast, cosmic delight for the metal masses. Unleashing their newest opus, Necropolis Transparent they have even hit the road more than ever before which promised to be a real treat for many who have never seen the group. Seemingly put together like a fantasy lineup by some dudes at a bar, this band has upper echelon talent in their ranks. Made up of legendary names like Tomas Lindburg (AT THE GATES/THE CROWN), Shane Embury (NAPALM DEATH/ BRUJERIA/ VENOMOUS CONCEPT), Nick Barker (CRADLE OF FILTH/SADISTIC INTENT/ATROCITY etc) and Anton Reisenegger (INNER SANCTUM/FALLOUT/CRIMINAL) they could rest on their lofty reputations and slack. However, it’s clear from the jump that this record was created for a sole purpose and that purpose is massive aural and cranial destruction.
Leading off with “Brethren of the Pentagram” we are immediately treated to a heart wrenching scream from Lindburg, who for my money has the pinnacle voice in all of death metal. “Brethren…” is good old, thrashy sounding grindcore with killer riffs and Barker’s signature insane double kick work. Like the majority of the the album if you blink, you will miss the song since it goes by so fast. “Accelerated Mutilation” is next and is disgusting, evil and sick sounding. With Barker blasting away to his hearts content and Reisenegger lobbing riffs and changes at you at lightening speed it’s hard to keep up. The track also has an old school thrash theme in the middle, but quickly returns to the goregrind the band is mining here. “The Embodiment of Paradox and Chaos” is another blistering cut with some black metal and almost prog territory changes at times. In addition to more philosophy motifs and histrionic wails from Lindberg, we get to hear Embury snarling away in a backing voice that matches his bass tone. The title track is next and it is equally unrelenting, offering no peace or shelter from the torrent of notes raining chaos down on you. “Parasite Drama” is a fiendish masterpiece from the bowels of hell. Not even a third of the way through and this album smokes any previous effort under this banner (granted the membership has changed a lot over the years, RIP Jesse Pintado).The entire effort is as consistent as you’d expect from this level of talent, but considering this isn’t a main gig for anyone, it sounds down right glorious. Other standout tracks include “Stygian Reverberations”, “Roar of A Thousand Throats”, “Vomiting Evil” and “Tartarus”. Pick up this record and if you are lucky enough, go see them on tour for every grind heads dream team lineup.
I love THE CROWN and this is one of my favorite tracks on the new record…. BUT, I don’t think this is really a music video if it’s a picture collage. I mean, it’s nice and all but I think a video has to actually be video footage. THE CROWN is a great band though, so check it out if just to hear the song.
Despite kicking black metal stalwart SATANIC WARMASTER to the curb, the event has brought forth a pretty impressive lineup of bands this year. The thing that baffles me though, is that the lineup is so cool until you get to the main stages and see the pure embarrassment that ends each night. I’ll break it down like this…
Awesome Bands: Architects (UK), The Cult, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Morbid Angel, Meshuggah, Coroner, The Haunted, Opeth, Anathema, Orphaned Land, Turisas, Atheist, Mayhem, Gorguts, Unleashed, Dodheimsgard, Bolt Thrower, Triptykon, 1349, Septic Flesh, Lock Up, Exhumed, Morgoth, Tsjuder, Corrosion of Conformity, Eyehategod, Converge, Terror, Comeback Kid, Deez Nuts, Kyuss, Goatsnake, Electric Wizard, Kylesa, BuzzOv-en, Knut, Red Fang, The Gates of Slumber, Ancestors, Morne
Leave it at that and you’ve got an awesome festival!
Watchable Bands: Iggy and the Stooges, Rob Zombie, Valient Thorr, Cavalera Conspiracy, Doro, Firewind, Angel Witch, Suicide Silence, Kreator, Sodom, Destruction, Municipal Waste, Therion, Pain of Salvation, Audrey Horne, Belphegor, Vader, Krisiun, Malevolent Creation, Skyforger, Skeletonwitch, Grave, Hail of Bullets, Monster Magnent, The Melvins, Clutch, In Solitude, Bad Brains, DRI, Times of Grace, Shai Huluud, Hawkwind, Grand Magus, Black Dahlia Murder
I don’t care about these, but I’ll watch who I can without feeling disappointed if I miss one.
Who Cares: Scorpions, Apocalyptica, Black Label Society, Hammerfall, The Exploited, Dagoba, The Dwarves, Svart Crown, Total Fuckin Destruction, Korpiklaani, Cradle of Filth, Your Demise, Nasty
I get why they’re on the bill, I just don’t care that they’re on the bill.
What the fuck?: Disturbed, Alter Bridge, Trust, UFO, Blackrain, Crucified Barbara, Mr. Big, SUP, Maximum The Horomone, Klone, Mekong Delta, Lyzanxia, Arkona, Impureza, The Young Gods, Karma to Burn, Masters of Reality, Church of Misery, Kruger, My Sleeping Karma, Hangman’s Chair, US Bombs, Raw Power, Arma Gathas
I don’t get why they’re on the bill and I don’t give a fuck that they’re there either. Seriously??? Disturbed, Alter Bridge and Mr. Big??? WHAT THE FUCK???
THE CROWN is back from the dead! Six years after the release of their last album, breaking up and reforming with only sporadic touring in between the band has returned to wreak destruction on your ear piece. For those not in the know THE CROWN is an original founding father of Swedish Death Metal known back in the day as CROWN OF THORNS. While other bands in the genre let loose their IRON MAIDEN guitar jones on the world, THE CROWN was always happy to follow their own path and deliver the pure thrash, death and roll. They always have occasional melodic moments, but not taken to the level of some of their peers. Doomsday King is a continuation of that style.
Opening up with the doom and dirge of the tittle track, the BLACK SABBATH inspired heaviness gives way to signature thrash tempos and guitars. Right away I gunned the volume to 11 and was headbanging away to the carnivorous riffs, searing leads and crazy beats. Vocalist Jonas Stalhammer (GOD MACABRE) announces himself right away as worthy of filling the shoes of both Johan Linstrand (ONE MAN ARMY AND THE UNDEAD QUARTET) and the legendary Tomas Lindberg (AT THE GATES/DISFEAR/LOCK UP). Stallhammer has a grotesque and grindy lower guttural snarl that compliments the songs well. As heard on second track “Angel of Death 1839” most of the songs hinge on the fast and simple riffing of longtime axe-men Marco Truvonen (ANGEL BLAKE) and Marco Sunesson (ENGLE). “Age of Iron” comes next and is the finest song heard here. Killer guitars, other-worldly screams and deep sense of evil that demands for throwing the horns; the track is a masterpiece. In addition to cool blast beat drum parts and some fine melodic guitar solos; the song illustrates what is fundamentally great about THE CROWN. You have a band of masterful veterans of the genre and this is not their first rodeo. They have the technical prowess of many younger bands they’ve inspired, but are mature enough song writers to not lose sight of the structure of the music.
“The Tempter And The Bible Black” starts with another classic metal sounding riff, perhaps borrowed from the DANZIG school of rock. Its mid-tempo grind and war drums will make for a first pumping anthem live. Another neck breaking cut is “Soul Slasher” which is about as furious and old-school a track as the band can create. The tempo is insane and the underrated stick work of Janne Saarenpaa carries the song on his talented back. As the fervor of the song builds so does the increasingly impressive drum parts into a boil. Stalhammer doesn’t change his vocal style up much on this or any of the tracks, but what he delivers is consistently brutal and beautiful sounding. “Blood O.D.” and “Through the Eyes of Oblivion” are two other standout tracks that rate a mention as well as a few longer epic style cuts to close out the opus in grand fashion.
