Metal Army caught up with FLOTSAM AND JETSAM singer ERIC A.K. recently for a one to one interview. The band is out on the road supporting their self-released new album Ugly Noise, which is going to get a world wide distributed re-release from Metal Blade Recordson April 16th. Eric chatted with us about a great many topics such as touring the US for the first time in ages, recording their new album, the state of the music industry, and other topics.
In this exclusive feature special to this blog, today we present the gig report from CLIFF BURTON’S first gig with METALLICA which took place on this date, thirty years ago today. It was truly a momentous occasion in the history of Bay Area Thrash and all of metal as Cliff’s addition to the band truly set them apart from the pack in the scene. Re-printed with permission originally as is ran Metal Mania #10, 1983, and more recently appeared as a critical chapter in the book MURDER IN THE FRONT ROW. Written by BRIAN LEW and HAROLD OIMOEN (D.R.I.), MITFR came out last year from Bazillion Points.
METALLICA, THE STONE, MARCH 5, 1983
by Brian Lew, excerpt from Metal Mania #10, 1983
Six months have passed since METALLICA’s dubious San Francisco debut opening for BITCH in September of ‘82, but in those two hundred-odd days the group has built up a large, rabid following in the Bay Area. This particular show was dubbed “The Night Of The Banging Head” and was the debut of new bassist, Cliff Burton. As a crowd of three hundred or so filed into The Stone, the scene was set for what turned out to be the heaviest show in recent S.F. HM history!
Opening the show were LAAZ ROCKIT and EXODUS. The awesome EXODUS bludgeoned the bangers into submission and induced some wild thrashing on the dance floor with such murderous tunes as “Whipping Queen,” “Die By His Hand,” and “Impaler.” Despite an ecstatic crowd response, EXODUS were denied an encore, but they nonetheless wreaked havoc on craniums and left many a sore neck!
On the other hand, East Bay PRIEST/CRUE clones LAAZ ROCKIT were criminally lacking in originality. Although they do have a good stage presence and show, utilizing some effective lighting, and their new guitarist definitely improves them as a performing unit, their weak, predictable material overshadows these good points. At last, LAAZ completed their allotted set and were gone. Then it was time…
METALLICA, those Supreme Metal Gods, those Purveyors of Raging Sonic Decapitation, those Rabid Vodka-Powered Maniacs, blew our faces off as they stormed onstage through a flurry of smoke and blinding light and got things really banging with “Hit The Lights” and it was time to DIE!!!
As is their style, the band went from power to power as they steamed through “The Mechanix” and “Phantom Lord”, leaving the headbanging horde thrashed and raging, and it was only three songs into the set! The autobiographical “Motorbreath” was as fast as ever and even more plaster cascaded from the ceiling. At this show, the group was incorporating some new lighting and effects and the results were staggering! Their live show is now complete and is the most effective of any club band I’ve seen!
Next up was the fiery cauldron of “Jump In The Fire” and then that “war machine that eats its way across the land,” “No Remorse”! DEATH, DEATH, RESOUNDING DEATH!!! And still METALLICA mercilessly hacked through their list of nuclear soul shatterers. “Seek And Destroy” found its target and drilled our eardrums as the headbanging and thrashing of the crowd (and band) intensified.
The moment many had been waiting for soon arrived. Bassist Cliff Burton’s solo spot!!! Cliff built his solo from a haunting classical guitar-sounding ballad up to a crescendo of some of the fastest, most apocalyptic bass raging ever performed! Step aside Steve Harris, Bill Sheehan and Joey DeMaio!
Throughout his symphony, Cliff (a.k.a. God!) utilized his wah pedal to attain sounds that most would believe impossible; you could swear he was playing lead guitar, not bass. As his solo built up to its conclusion, drummer supreme Lars Ulrich (now playing double bass) and maestro of the six string Dave Mustaine leaped into an awesome jam session that had heads bobbing violently and hair flying in all directions. Then, in one swift action, they were rejoined by vocalist/rhythm guitarist/rager James Hetfield and sped into that ear bleeding anthem “Whiplash.”
As the crowd “banged their heads against the stage like they never did before,” the group continued to go mental right along with them! Closing the set were the two DIAMOND HEAD classics “Am I Evil?” and “The Prince,” which were played, in traditional METALLICA fashion, faster than Sean Harris, et al, could ever dream possible!
For their well-deserved (and loudly requested) encores, METALLICA brought back a song they performed in their early days, BLITZKRIEG’s bombastic “Blitzkreig” (Raging Metallic Death!!!) and then obliterated everyone and everything as they sliced into that anthem to end all anthems, the almighty ode to headbangers “Metal Militia”!!
With the addition of Cliff Burton, METALLlCA now have the heaviest and fastest lineup ever assembled. With dates confirmed for them in New York in early April (including a headlining show on the 1st and a support slot with VANDENBERG on the 8th), and their debut album expected in late spring, things are definitely beginning to happen for this band!
by Brian Lew
(Special thanks to Brian Lew for the blog, the use of the MITFR images and especially to Bazillion Points)
Easily my favorite album of early 2013 is the new album by FLOTSAM AND JETSAM. The anticipation was high for this release and with good reason. The bands’ amazing groundswell of fans making their PledgeMusic campaign was one. The reunion of the Cuatro lineup of the band was another reason to get stoked. When we interviewed guitarist MICHAEL GILBERT last summer about the contributions ofearly member JASON NEWSTED to the new album, marking his return to heavy music, that was yet another. 2010′s “The Cold” wasn’t a bad album, but perhaps it lacked some of the fire the band had. With so many of the classic 1980s Thrash Metal bands turning out excellent records, I was just excited to hear what these guys, reunited and hungry were gonna do with their chance. They certainly did not disappoint. The finished album, self-produced by the band, is totally killer.
“Ugly Noise” kicks off the album in dramatic style with sweeping piano and movie quality, thematic guitar riffs. It has the feeling of the royal the pronouncement of a battle about to take place. After about a minute of this intro, the main beat and riff chime in and just crush it. Such a classic sound of Thrash, one that is both old-school and modern all at once. Then there is singer ERIC A.K. and his performance which pretty much sets the table for the entire album. He teases you with one haunting line at the start of the song. However, it is the swelling verses that increase in passion and anguish each time through the track that really captivate you. Eric has always had one of the preeminent voices in metal, and he announces his return with grand style. His range is outstanding and he carries enough grit to keep things tough. There is also a stellar guitar solo, and a some cool backing vocals by Gilbert there as well. A perfect track to start things off with.
“Giddy Up” is not just a cool song title, but also the galloping tempo of this guitar heavy track. In shape contrast to the epic feel of the first song, this cut hits you quick, has another slick solo and a great chorus too. It’s almost over too quick, but that is not a bad thing. “Run and Hide” changes the pace, by slowing things down and introducing atmospheric keyboards and Eric’s brooding voice. Returning bassist Jason Ward chips in some deep toned-bass lines as well. Flotz was never solely a meat and potatoes-type of Thrash band. Even early in their career, they had a musical depth and maturity their peers didn’t display. This song is an amazing hard rock/classic Prog metal type song that I wish QUEENSRŸCHE could get back to writing. “Carry On” flips the switch again, ratcheting up the beat and the fury. The area where a lot of the early thrash bands have trouble translating to today’s’ sound is in the drums. Luckily for these guys, band founder Kelly David-Smith slams behind the kit, always matching the perfect part with the track. “Rabbit’s Foot” is the only track even close to a ballad, but even when they go down this road, the song still rocks with a heaviness.
“Play Your Part” is flat out amazing and should be considered for a single release. Heavy chopping chords, more lead guitars and yet another cool performance for the ageless pipes of Eric A.K. I believe the melodies and lyrics of this album alone are going to be talked about for many years. “Rage” and “Cross The Sky” are both rough and nasty. Two different kinds of tough songs that fans new and old should love. “Motherfuckery” not only has a badass title, but is my favorite song on the album. Most bands that try to marry some kind of electronic programming with thrash riffs, usually come up short unless you are MINISTRY. This song makes it work in spades! The lyrics will hit home for anyone who’s ever been betrayed by someone of the fairer sex. You also have to give it up to mainstay guitarist Ed Carlson’s guitar work throughout the album too. He really contributes some great parts. The album closes out with the trifecta of “I Believe”, “To Be Free” and “Machine Gun”. Each is a short slab of rock and metal goodness with the band letting everything hang out. They have also managed the difficult trick that ANTHRAX did on Worship Music or FORBIDDEN did on The Omega Wave. Which is to say they made an album that is brutal when it should be, but goes beyond the confines of the style to become something even more: timeless and genre changing.
You can buy Ugly Noise from the bands’ website or when you catch them on tour.
Here is Keefy’s final Top Ten from his overall Top 40 Metal Albums of 2012 list! Enjoy!
#10. CRYPTOPSY- Cryptopsy (Self Released)
To paraphrase comedian Chris Rock, I’m tired of apologizing for CRYPTOPSY. I was in the minority among people when I loved The Unspoken King. I’m sure as people are reading this; they are scratching their heads again. No matter, CRYPTOPSY has silenced all their critics with an album that matches the best work of their career. A brutal slab of technical death metal on every level the album is great for all the reasons that made the band stellar in the first place. Obviously, people talk about the inhuman level of Drummer FLO MOUNIER. However, the real strength of the band is returning guitarist and writer JON LEVASSEUR and mainstay guitarist/uber producer CHRISITAN DONALDSON. The songs they wrote are superb. I was nervous about Oliver Pinard being able to replace ERIC LANGLOIS on bass, but even he was great too! Lastly, MATT MCGATCHY‘s performance provides the shut the fuck up moment of the year to all the haters. Well done sirs!
#9. PRONG- Carved Into Stone (Long Branch Records/SPV)
I thought my birthday came early this year when PRONG’s new album came out. PRONG has always been one of my favorite bands and all of their recorded output has been always been strong. Carved Into Stone is actually the bands best album since 1996′s Rude Awakening. Not only is the album full of sick tunes, but over the top, guitar playing in general is terrific. TOMMY VICTOR (DANZIG, MINISTRY) has been known for two things in his career: great songs and being a riff master general. The album displays an unexpected depth for any record in 2012. Packed with just the right touch of technical mastery and catchy songwriting to please and the hardcore soul, which hearkens back to Tommy’s NYC metal roots. The performances from TONY CAMPOS (SOULFLY/ MINISTRY/STATIC-X/ASESINO/POSSESSED/OTEP) and ALEXI RODRIGUEZ (ex-3 INCHES OF BLOOD) are matched perfectly too, making this one of the baddest power trio’s around.
#8. GOJIRA – L’Enfant Sauvage (Roadrunner)
GOJIRA albums, when they come out, are an event. The metal world waits with baited breath and the results are always stellar. Armed with a new deal from Roadrunner, the band put out L’Enfant Sauvage over the summer to roars of approval. Perhaps, even I was too cynical to believe that GOJIRA would continue to get increasingly popular as they stayed true to who they were? L’Enfant Sauvage is a great blend of theProgressive Rock/Metal, Tech Death, old-school Death Metal and Thrash influences they are known for. Then there is their subject matter: they are one of the most thoughtful and socially conscious bands around, lyrically. The album hits the right mood on every level, every time and has the musical confidence of a band much more senior in years. Songs like “Explosia”, “The Axe” and “Liquid Fire” are going to be talked about in metal head circles for years to come.
#7. CANNIBAL CORPSE- Torture (Metal Blade)
Like a beautifully marbled steak or a legendary work of art, CANNIBAL CORPSE truly does get better with age. It seems likely that much like SLAYER, the death metal godfathers will keep right on trucking on to oblivion, making skull splitting, gore filled albums for as long as they can. Torture is perfect in every way and all of the things you love about the band are in the mix. Perhaps due to being the most collaborative written album in the bands history, the sound from song to song is quite eclectic. Not like Dubstep, power-ballad eclectic, mind you, but the band has figured out how to blend different song styles seamlessly. Inventive new chord structures and riffs, hard to fathom bass lines and stupendous drumming are all topped off by GEORGE “CORPSEGRINDER” FISHER‘s impeccable voice from hell. Plus, don’t forget the grooves. Oh those crushing grooves! Nobody writes a grooving-ass, brutal riff better than ALEX WEBSTER. The band continues to be the yard stick by which all death metal music and consequently, all death metal bands are measured.
#6. C.O.C. – C.O.C. (Candlelight)
That C.O.C. was able to make a comeback as a trio at this point in their career is not a surprise. The fact that they reunited to make an amazing album is not even a question. What I am surprised by, is that it seems like the rest of the world has caught up to the sound of the band and the love from fans and the press is over flowing. When last we saw C.O.C. as a trio it was the 80s and they were mostly an underground phenomenon. Lots of bands like to say they were influenced by the Sludgy, Crossover Doom masters, but in this age of the Internet; flattery goes a long way to help a new bands rep.To hear WOODY WEATHERMAN tell it, the reunion circuit was totally un-interesting to the band, unless they were gonna make new music. C.O.C., the album has more quality and vitality than many of the upstarts of the genre they helped put on the map. MIKE DEAN‘s bass is full of fuzz and style; Woody‘s soloing is on fire and REED MULLEN, back for the first time in over decade, drums and sings like a man possessed. Let us not forget the poignant political lyrics, much welcomed in these troublesome times of a divided America. You might say the metal world needed C.O.C. to come back, as much as they needed to make a comeback themselves.
#5. MESHUGGAH- Koloss (Nuclear Blast)
What can you say about MESHUGGAH that hasn’t been said already? It’s not hard to run out of superlatives when talking about the most influential metal band of the last fifteen years. Whether Koloss was going to be great or not was likely not debatable. What was up for grabs, was what direction these geniuses would take the iconic music we have all come to expect. The results were stunning. Can you change things up, and still be the same band? By definition no, but that is MESHUGGAH for you. Koloss is a collection of songs much like the rest of the bands’ storied catalog: brutal, and complex. Most of the songs feature a pulsing groove that has come to the fore in the bands work of late. Every beat and riff is a maelstrom of twisting delight, overlapping time signatures and finger-defying licks galore. Most of all, the album sets another technical high water-mark for guitarist FREDRICK THORDENDAL and drummer TOMAS HAAKE.
#4. TESTAMENT- Dark Roots Of Earth (Nuclear Blast)
The return of TESTAMENT to their former level of greatness is nothing short of a triumph for all of metal. 2008′s Formation of Damnation was an excellent comeback album, after almost a decade of no new music. In the interim years since getting back together, they have toured tirelessly around the world, reignited their chemistry and fulfilled the promise of their early career. Dark Roots of Earth takes the concept of the old-school Thrash style, added a modern sensibility and took it all one step further. Only EXODUS and ANTHRAX have been able to pull of the feat of making new music for modern ears, staying true to their past and begin able to add a level of panache. ERIC PETERSON finally got his dream come true by getting GENE HOGLAN to write and record drums for a TESTAMENT album. The unrelenting bottom end of the songs gives the band a new power they have never had. Every song is a gem. “Native Blood” is one of the catchiest, yet grooviest songs I’ve heard in ages. The chorus is also the best of 2012. CHUCK BILLY‘s ageless voice carries the day and ALEX SKOLNICK displays the chops that verify his legions of fans. Even GREG CHRISTIAN is heard from, with some excellent bass lines. Dark Roots of Earth is all killer and positively no filler.
#3. BARONESS- Yellow And Green (Relapse)
One of the most anticipated albums of 2012 did not disappoint when BARONESS dropped the latest in their color-themed recent discography. The band made no pretense that this album would be not be metal and frankly, that was OK by me. If you have been following the band, they have been less concerned with the trappings of fitting in, in their career up to this point. They instead stayed true to their artistic authenticity. What BARONESS delivered is a double-album of incredible songs, displaying great chops and the best dynamics overall of any album on this list. Some of the songs are quite heavy, but more often than not, that heaviness never came the expense of melodies or tones. “Take My Bones Away” was my out and out favorite song of the entire year. “March To The Sea” was another stone cold rocker, the likes that haven’t been heard since the heyday of QUEEN or THIN LIZZY. Some of the best moments are the most unexpected ones; like the freak-out synth work in “Cocanium”. All of the keyboard work is stellar as is the bass playing, which band leader John Baizley played all of too. “Back Where I Belong”, “Eula” and “Board Up The House” will also rank at the top of the bands’ song book for years to come. The “Green” side of the double set is equally tuneful and more mellow, but no less mint song-craft wise. Finally, tying it all together is the brilliant cover artwork, the years’ best; also by Baizley once again.
#2. DYING FETUS- Reign Supreme (Relapse)
DYING FETUS is such a great band in its current incarnation that one almost forgets there were entire years in their history marked by upheavals and departures. The present day lineup has been intact since 2007 and the comfort level they have together creating the most brutal Death Metal possibly known to man is sky high. Through it all, JOHN GALLAGHER has been the one constant: constantly growing as a guitarist and writer and constantly writing pissed the fuck off, baffling and sick lyrics. Reign Supreme might be remembered years from now as one of the top three releases of the bands’ career with its non-stop violence inspired songs. GALLAGHER and his p-i-c SEAN BEASLEY crush it out of the park on the guttural vocals. Beasley, who was always an underrated bassist for the genre, plays some of the best passages ever recorded for the instrument in the context of technical death metal. TREY WILLIAMS also one-ups his performance from Descend Into Depravity, being a might less technical, but still precise as fuck and bludgeoning as all hell. His blasts are far and away my favorite of any drummer on album this entire year. The album is a masterpiece of death metal brilliance, and that is really saying something considering how deep the sub-genre is these days.
#1. IHSAHN- Eremita (Candlelight)
In what was a high quality year at the top of the heap of metal music, IHSAHN‘s fourth solo outing is my choice for the album of the year. It’s not the sexy choice compared with typical years past, but it is the best choice, by far. Eremita is a sprawling, ambitious album full of musical twists and turns, yet perfectly coalescing into a sensible piece of art. In an interview I conducted with him for Metal Army he talked about the creative process as a continual evolution, a death followed by a rebirth. That would just begin to cover the emotional and lyrical depth in the music. In many ways, this is the album that IHSAHN, famously known as the legendary front man of EMPEROR, has been building up to for his entire career. His mastery as a composer, guitarist, vocalist and lyricist is without equal at this point in his career. Musically the songs cover the gamut of emotions and styles and reveal a complexity that mirrors the artist himself. Songs like “Arrival”, “The Paranoid”, “Something Out There”, “The Eagle And The Snake” and “Departure” are among the best of the year. Topping off the package are the guest performances by the likes of DEVIN TOWNSEND, JEFF LOOMIS, EINAR SOLBERG (LEPROUS), JEFF MUNKENBY on sax and IHSAHN’s wife HEIDI S. TVEITEN‘s enchanting vocal turns, which sends the quality of the album into the stratosphere.
Here is Part II of TITANS EVE’s European Tour Diary- enjoy!
Oct 21st2012
Paris France, Le Bataclan
KICK F@#%ING ASS DUDE! Best Crowd of the tour so far. The French know how to Thrash. We got to the venue around noon and took off to do some tourist shit. Eiffel tower and all that, but I could not believe how into the music the crowd was. It felt great to see so many horns in the air. Sadly, this will be our last night hanging with Hackneyed, but its bitter sweet as we get to hang with our countrymen VOIVOD! Off to Pamplona……FORWARD!
Oct 25th2012
Santiago de Compostela Spain, Capitol
Well getting into our Hotel was a damn nightmare but in the end it was basically a castle in the middle of old Santiago. Cool place man. Touristy but really cool. Our show at Pamplona was excellent. Spain is a really beautiful country. And the crowds have been awesome thus far. So we get to Capitol in Santiago and this stage is pretty small, not a lot of room to move around and for the first time our Casey is playing stage right where I would normally play. I’m telling you the stage setup is weird but it actually worked out. The stage was almost as high as the crowd. You really feel far from the audience but it was still a great show. Onwards now to Madrid then our last show in Barcelona.
Oct 26th2012
Madrid Spain, La Riviera
This venue is awesome. It’s basically a big building put right over a street roundabout. There’s sidewalks and everything in this place. In the middle there’s a tikihut bar and the stage is north of it with allot of room to thrash. Backstage was sweet. Well lit, shower, washer and dryer 4 sinks. And a ton of beer! Fuckin eh man. Kyle got some food poisoning on the way here today, but he still kicked ass on stage. Well we only got one show left then we head back to Canada.
Oct 30th2012
Frankfurt Germany, Airport
Well that’s it. We’re at the airport and about to head home. Barcelona was a beautiful city. We played at Razzmatazz and had a blast. The venue was pretty cool, it seems to be a famous metal bar. It’s even referenced in Metalocalypse as DR.ROXO‘s bands’ name. What a great time we had but i’m stoked to go home and have a beer. Keep it fucking METAL!
by Jesse Hord
Buy TITANS EVE’s new album Life Apocalypse from their website.
Once again Canadian metallers TITANS EVE have hit the road on tour and decided to blog about their experiences for Metal Army. They spent some time opening for ARCH ENEMY and VOIVOD and generally causing a ruckus where ever they went, opening up eyes and ears with their no-holds barred style of music. Bassist Jesse Hord gets us all up to speed!
October 7th 2012
Our bags are packed and we’re ready to catch the plane. This will be our first time crossing the Atlantic waters to bring our own brand of metal to our ancestral countries, and if there’s better way to do it then sharing the stage with the likes of ARCH ENEMY! To tour with these guys is one hell of an honor. Along this tour we`ll be playing with Canadian legends VOIVOD as well as HACKNEYED, a recent addition to my music folder, and from what I’ve heard I can`t wait to meet these guys. And to top it all off, 12 hours from now we`ll be meeting our driver and front of house sound guy Harris Johns. This guy is a celebrity all on his own, recording bands like SODOM, KREATOR, TANKARD, HELLOWEEN and VOIVOD. This tour is going to kick ass.
October 10th 2012
Geneva Switzerland, Usine Geneve
Well our first little bit of driving is out of the way now. We left Frankfurt around noon and got into Dortmund. We stayed the night over and left early to grab our gear from Gatetohell.net in Lunen just outside of Dortmund. (BTW if you`re in the market for rental tour gear in Europe these guys are great!) Leaving Lunen we headed straight to Freiburg for one more night then traveled off to Switzerland to play our first show in Europe and with ARCH ENEMY. What a nerve racking experience. But the crowd was really receptive! This I could get used to. The show’s all done and we`re ready to celebrate. We`ll be going back down to the venire for some more drinks.
October 13 2012
Freiburg Germany, The Crash
Well we were on cloud nine after our first show with ARCH ENEMY, (except me who was in hell after to much free beer and wine) as we left for Freiburg again and this time we really got to experience the city. Wow what a place, this city has it all man, great beer, great food, great liquor, beautiful women and the architecture is crazy! It feels great to walk around in a city that’s been around for over 1000 years. On the 12th our friend Jens Carpenter took us out to a little rock bar that made the greatest schnitzel you’ve ever had, plus litre glasses of beer and 1 euro shots of Jager! Man I love Germany. Anyway tonight is our first show in Germany and we`re headlining! We`re playing with ASSORTED NAILS and FROZEN INFINITY. These bands had great energy and so did the crowd. After the show we once again stuck around for drinks and shots.
October 16 2012
Kundle Austria, Gemeindesaal
Holy hell I am hung-over today. The previous two nights we stayed at a hostel in Munich and spent most of our time at a beer hall called Hofbrauhaus. Excellent slow cook pork, some weisswurst and litre upon litre of dunkel as well as a five finger glass of scotch. (Apparently most people don`t order these) but did I listen? Hell no. But anyway I’m here now and I’m tired as hell. I had to muster a lot of strength to get on that stage, but it was worth it. I love the European crowds. They really get into it. We also met the guys from HACKNEYED tonight. These guys are cool. Well I feel too shitty to finish this paragraph properly.
October 17 2012
Ludwigsburg Germany, Rockfabrik¸
Fully recovered from the previous night, I was able to go out on that stage and not look like a pile of death. And what a place to do it. Rock and Metal legends have ruled this place before me and I`m stoked to be playing this rocking venue. There are buildings within this building. A place truly meant for live metal. Rockfabrik is eye and ear candy. The place is adorned with pictures, murals. Even a drum kit on top of the bar signed by NICKO MCBRAIN. Another great show at another great venue. The days are beginning to merge into one big shows now. Well off to Krefeld then we’ll be in PARIS!
by Jesse Hord
Buy TITANS EVE’s new album Life Apocalypse from their website. Part II coming soon!
The Bro Show Of The Year: Death Is The Only Mortal CD Release show at the Worcester Palladium
So I may have lied, seeing as TERROR/BANE was just this summer, but I wasn’t able to make it out to that, so going with what I know here. Windbreakers, flat-brimmed caps, plugged ears, pullover sweaters, jerseys, and square logos over the left breast were out in full force. ‘Twas a sight to see for anyone unfamiliar with the basic HxC dress code, indeed. Having gotten my ticket quite literally at the last minute, I was able to take my place in the mating ritual one calls a Hardcore show. Buckle up, cos this ride’s for alpha males only.
Opening up the festivities, just as I arrived were DYSENTERY, the most metal band on the line-up, which did little to prevent five people from being knocked out, to say nothing of the countless nosebleeds within the first few minutes. Some kids there obviously didn’t really know any DYSENTERY songs, but still stirred things up during the slamdowns. Such good sports, making total destroy to the soothing ballad-esque “Genocidal God”, and raising some friendly ruckus to the closing song, “Devourer Of The Dead”. Much appreciated by the band, and anyone there who liked to move. Up next should have been RUDE AWAKENING, who had come all the way from Merrimack Valley to play as a local act, but unfortunately the band got into a bit of a kerfuffle with Palladium staff, and as a result couldn’t play at a venue where they had just freshly knocked someone the fuck out. Their loyal hometown fan base was understandably a little angry, and the fallout would precipitate throughout the rest of the show in the form of crowdkilling.
I neglected to do research on NO BRAGGING RIGHTS before the show, but their combination of stay-positive Melodic Hardcore with heavy chugging breakdowns to wake up any unaware made for an entertaining set. They brought a lot of energy to their stage presence, and even had a little of that clean vocal stuff that was in short supply for the other bands. Following them was FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, an example of what Deathcore should ideally sound like; equal parts the blasting fury of Death Metal and breakdowns that make you feel bad for not moving to.
FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY- Photo by Jeremy Saffer
FitFo, as they are often called, have exploded in recent times, possibly helped by having NATE JOHNSON of THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD fame (ca. Malice) on vocals. Add to this a group of musicians who have a good idea of how to play extreme music and you have a good band overall that both Metal and Hardcore people can enjoy without feeling the guilt I assume most women associate with chocolate while dieting. I’m not terribly familiar with any songs of theirs aside from “The Jackal”, and am moderately acquainted with “The Conqueror”, so I’m not a person to have an in-depth FitFo conversation with. Seeing as they book-ended their set with the two aforementioned tracks, I was able to react at the most opportune times, so thanks for that, guys. Aside from nearly losing a shoe in the circle pit, all went well, and we lived happily ever after until I DECLARE WAR came and burned down my village.
I DECLARE WAR was one of the bands I was actually excited to see despite reports and some preliminary hearings of their new material being unworthy of being listened to even when you’re bored and just want to hear a meaningless breakdown. It would be an understatement if I simply said I was “let down” by their performance. They played “Putrefaction Of The Population” too slow, they played “New Age Holocaust” too slow, and new boy fucked up the vocals with his own improvisations instead of sticking to the semi-growl formula that makes them identifiable. New boy also demanded an old-school circle pit, which was damn pointless because there was only about 5 seconds worth of circle-pit material in the song they played. Definitely not worth almost tripping yet again. The crowd was half-hearted in their reception of IDW, and it’s a bad sign when even an established Deathcore band can’t get an audience moving enthusiastically all the way through their set.
Our saviours in CRUEL HAND were there in due time to rinse the bad taste left in our mouths with what I can confidently call literal non-stop action. They are notorious for their rowdy live set, and I can see why after experiencing it first-hand. Ye gods, it’s one thing to pre-game mosh, but a whole 5 minutes of silent throwdown while the band sets up and has some random symphonic music playing in the background has to be a unique phenomenon. These stretching exercises completed, the HAND came out and ripped their fair share of face, with crunchy Thrash Metal riffing colliding headfirst with the intensity and drum-patterns of New York Hardcore at its finest. If I had been more knowledgeable of the band’s output aside from some songs on Lock And Key and Prying Eyes I would have gone about half as balls-out insane as the rest of the guys there, though I’m considering myself lucky to have gotten out with only the hardest kick in the cojones I’ve experienced. Seeing some people walk out with blood streaked down the front of their shirt and face like a bucket of paint was spilled on them from above did wonders to remind me how fortunate I was in the end. A five-minute sit-down was in order, and I’m proud to report that I did not piss blood that night. Here’s to hoping I can see CRUEL HAND again, and if I am indeed injured, that it isn’t facial or genital.
The grand ministers of this whole shindig, THE ACACIA STRAIN, proudly celebrating the release their fifth full-length in their home state of Massachusetts, took the stage as yet another silent mosh was underway to establish the perimeter of the killzone. I’ll start by saying that if you thought THE ACACIA STRAIN was heavy before, you’re in for a surprise with the new album. If one had the energy, they could dance all the way through, with pauses only for the moments between songs or transitioning to another breakdown. TAS, being gentlemen and not wanting to wear everyone out or misspend precious time on songs that few would know aside from thieves, only played “Doomblade” and “Dust and the Helix” from Death Is The Only Mortal, and mostly built their set from fan-favorites with quotable lines like “Dr. Doom”, “See You Next Tuesday”, “JFC”, and the like. Along with having a killer set list, Vincent proved his strength as a front man by encouraging the crowd to let loose, commanding everyone to stagedive at least once. I, being a gentleman, wouldn’t let the man down, so I did my part in inconveniencing the front-most rows during “Passing The Pencil Test”. It’s a wonder TAS aren’t allowed to play the upstairs Palladium more often, since the crowd simply thrives more under conditions that allow up-close interaction with the hatemonger Bennett himself. In a barrier-less setting, TAS not only sound better and taste better, but seem more energized and vital, and Vincent’s words resonate more effectively. There’s also potential for disastrous hilarity, but none of that made itself known.
The Palladium seems to be making more of a conscious effort to end shows early, since JFC ended at precisely 10:30, giving everyone more time to mill about after the show, trade stories of how many scene kid were knocked out, and just reflect on the good time that was had. For any who stuck around long enough after the dust settled, they could get a picture with Vincent himself, most likely to carry in their wallet and pretend they know him personally or whatever else you do with pictures of band members. Ah yes, the point of writing this whole review was to relay the fact that I survived, and am able to continue wasting your time for years to come. Until the next review, cheers.
One of the coolest bands to the hit the metal scene are Canadian throwback thrashers STRIKER. Their old-school sound and their amazing chops have really opened up ears and eyes in the “Great White North”, and soon the rest of the world will take notice. Lead singer Dan Cleary caught up with Metal Army via email to discuss the success of the band, influences, playing with heroes and, of course, drinking beer!
One of the more underrated albums this past year.
MA: What has been the response to the new album Armed to The Teeth (Napalm Records)?
DC: So far everyone seems to dig it. We have had a lot of great reviews and lots of awesome feedback from fans. We actually finished recording it a year ago around this time so we are itching to get some new material out there.
MA: You guys have been compared by the Canadian music press to the likes of TESTAMENT and ANNIHILATOR among others. What other bands are some of the not so obvious influences on the sound of the band?
DC: Haha I guess the not so obvious influences would be some hair metal bands like RATT, and WHITESNAKE. Not exactly something you hear in our music right away but it’s there. We love that shit! Our influences are kind of all over the place too so there is probably some more weird shit in there we don’t even realize got on the album.
STRIKER
MA: Do you mind being lumped in with the new thrash revival bands?
DC: Nah not really, although I don’t know if I would call us a thrash band, we are kind of a collection of metal genres stuffed into one band, but people definitely label us a “retro” which sounds fucking dumb but I suppose it’s true.
MA: My favorite track on the album is “Land of the Lost”. What is the meaning behind the story of that song?
DC: A long lost land of dinosaurs and monsters. It’s about that haha, or the idea of that. Or maybe the “Land Of The Lost” is about our generations loss of direction in the world…..or maybe it’s just about dinosaurs.
MA: You guys opened up for ANVIL recently. What was that experience like?
DC: It was cool, they put on a good show, everyone got really rowdy it was a good time! I didn’t get a chance to really talk to the guys myself but the other guys did, they seem pretty chill, just having fun playing tunes. We actually recently got the opportunity to open up for METALLICA here in Edmonton as well. Bit of a different size venue to say the least!
MA: What is on tap for STRIKER as far as touring the rest of this year?
DC: At the moment we are looking into booking a tour sometime around February next year in Europe. Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to get over there this fall/winter, but we will be heading back there soon!
MA: If there is one thing sorely lacking in all of metal right now, what do you think that is?
DC: I’m not sure really. A lot of albums lack charm these days, I don’t know what that would be exactly, I think that because it’s so easy and cheap to record albums it’s harder to sift through and find really great albums. There are a lot of really good albums coming out, but it’s harder to find really great ones.
Cheers!
MA: You guys are well know to be heavy beer drinkers What is your favorite beer, the best Canadian beer and the most metal beer to drink in your opinion?
DC: Erdinger is our favorite. For Canadian beer we have to rep our home town brewery Alley Kat. The most metal beer to drink? Shit probably TNT beer.
TITANS EVE brings their brand of thrash metal to the masses this summer!
Canadian thrash metallers TITANS EVE are dropping their new album later this week and Metal Army America is bringing you an exclusive album stream! Life Apocalypse is being released by the band and they are going on the road supporting the mighty ANVIL on a tour beginning later this month. You can hear the track “The Abyss” below and pre-order their album here. They are even giving away a free shirt with the pre-order so jump on this deal and thrash it up!
TITANS EVE: On tour with ANVIL:
July 30, 2012 – The Exchange – Regina, SK w/ ANVIL + guests
July 31, 2012 – The Odeon- Saskatoon, SK w/ ANVIL, Untimely Demise, Lavagoat, Agony Spawn, Caym
August 1, 2012 – The Scott Block – Red Deer, AB w/ ANVIL, Day One
August 2, 2012 – The Pawn Shop – Edmonton, AB w/ ANVIL + guests
August 3, 2012 – The Distillery – Calgary, AB w/ ANVIL + guests
August 4, 2012 – The Sapphire Lounge – Kelowna, BC w/ ANVIL
August 5, 2012 – The Rickshaw Theatre – Vancouver, BC w/ ANVIL, Skullhammer, Dead Asylum
Metal Army America spent some time chatting with Michael Gilbert, guitarist and songwriter for American thrash metal legends FLOTSAM AND JETSAM. The band is hard at work on their forthcoming album, Ugly Noise due out later this year. They are using a unique platform to produce and deliver their new album, using the social media crowd-sourcing channel Pledge Music to bring their music directly to their fans. Michael shared with us the thought process of using this means to make an album, the state of the music industry in 2012, the progress of making new music as well as a few surprises sure to raise some eyebrows and open some ears.
