1st Annual Blu Phoenix Rising Fest

In case no-one noticed (which is probably the case), I've been pumped about this show for about a month. Now that it finally happened, I feel entitled to rant and rave even more about it. It was amazing, as Joe Angel Productions tend to be, and it went a little something like this:

The opening act was Of All Forms, which I consider to be the quintessential modern Metal band. They're not radio-friendly in the traditional sense, but they sound like they could get some air-time on one of the cooler rock stations. There are no gimmicks or genre-bending, just good ol' Metal. OAF is heavy and loud, as it should be. In fact, they were loud enough that I could hear their awesome tunes all the way from the stupid stamp table at which I was working. Good stuff.

Next up was, uh... I don't know, because I think there were some last minute line-up changes. Let's just pretend that it was Through Gore Comes Glory. Whoever it was, I don't think I've ever seen these guys live, or if I did then I was too drunk to remember it. Either way, when I heard the vocalist during the sound check, I knew I couldn't miss it. So in an act that was somewhere between endearing and obnoxious, I just moved the stamp table in front of the concert hall doors. In the process, I discovered the noble art of headbanging on a skateboard. It was totally worth it.

Next was The Eden Betrayal, a local Metalcore group. I don't know why Christian Rock has such a bad rep, because these guys were effing brutal. The clean vocals were pretty decent, but the screams were absolutely mindblowing. The guitar and bass riffs were hook-y, the drumming was fierce, and the whole stage presence was intense. Again, I was stranded at the stupid stamp table, but I could hear the music- and the raucous applause- from my station.

The fourth band to play was Portrait Of A Mastermind from Albuqurque. Having seen them before, I knew it was worth it to forsake my door-duty to hear them again. The nanosecond I was relieved, I ran to the concert hall like a bat outta hell. Not only is the vocalist a freaking beast, but the guitars are complex to the point of intricacy. The bass and drums keep things heavy, and the dynamics of the band are ultimately a synthesis of melodic and technical styles. The cherry on top is that they have a freaking pirate song, and if that doesn't shiver your timbers, nothing will.

Like I said, I kinda lost track of all the bands, especially since Fields Of Elysium bailed, so forgive me if I give false information here. The next band was (probably) From Sacrifice To Survival. If you clicked on that link, then you know what kind of show they put on. That shit was BADASS. The music is crazy and energetic, with some hella gnarly vocals. And even if I mistook which order they played in, I can redeem myself when FSTS plays the Metal Alliance tour with Devildriver and Job For A Cowboy on April 8th.

I'm pretty sure that Immortal Prophecy was the next band, but don't quote me on it. Anyway, their instrumental style is epic, melodic, and heavy.... in a word, righteous... whereas the vocals are snarly and wicked. For some reason, these guys sound really old-school to me. Their style is a flashback to late 80's/early 90's Metal, and in fact is almost nostalgiac. The vocals, however, seem more contemporary. Well, whatever, the point is they are fucking shredders, and I love their concerts.

Leading into the headliner, I know for a fact, was Impurity Of Mriya. They too were fucking shredders. Their stage presence was spectacular, and their music was rowdy. Their energy was intense, dark, and sometimes a little freaky, just like their album art. I don't know who designed their logo, but it has the same earthy, dark hinted hues of Viraemia, as well as the realistic gore. Their performance was so jarring that it was refreshing, and the whole audience was enraptured by their wicked compositions.

The headliner was The Devastated, who recently got signed to a major label. It has been but a fortnight since they became the latest addition to Century Media, the same company that brought you Arch Enemy, Winds Of Plague, Suicide Silence, and In Flames. To join their ranks, The Devastated has to be some heavy duty stuff. They proved themselves in concert, as they were ruthlessly heavy and painfully loud... That's right, they were so cherry that it hurt. The music was very rhythmic, but almost devoid of melody. Not only was the performance amazing, but they had killer merch as well. Weed Goats and Demon Dogs? Hell yeah. They will be on tour, so check the dates and show these guys some support.

Best night ever. Five stars outta five.

2 Days 2 Cities Levelled

So last time, I informed all you uncultured swine of the impending Metal shows coming to the Albuqurque/ Santa Fe area. Since I am too lazy and stupid to write anything creative today, I'm just going to keep ranting and raving about these concerts. If I can make just one Metalhead as stoked as I am, then my efforts shall not be in vain. So, let's see, who is on the bill?

Whoah. That's alot of bands. I would burn candles to every god I know just to see Fields Of Elysium, but that's only one of the 12 bands. Immortal Prophecy is pretty damn good, I know I've seen them live at least once before. Portrait Of A Mastermind not only features a female vocalist who can hold her own against the boys, but she's a hottie as well.  The Eden Betrayal is Christian Metalcore, and worth seeing in concert. I've never seen Through Gore Comes Glory, but I've heard enough rumors to keep my expectations high. Eat A Helicopter is one of the bigger bands from Albuqurque, so they too have a reputation that I hope they fulfill. I don't know much more about any of the other bands, but like I said, Ten Bucks is worth it just to see Fields, so I'll see what they got. This is a Joe Angel Production, and he is a man of most refined taste, so I assume this concert will be epic as fuck. See you at W21 on the 17th. Bring ten bucks and arm yourself to the teeth.

Upcoming Shows

Of all the seasons, Spring is the least Metal. That's probably why my writing has sucked lately... There's no brooding cold and darkness for me to bitch about. There's just a bunch of ugly pastel colors and dorky "SPRING into savings!" advertisements for department stores. Then again, that is a far more cruel fate to endure than Winter is, so I guess Spring is actually pretty messed up. Either way, I need some action in my life, so I'll be checking this shit out now that the weather is nice enough to break out the skateboard again.

First off, we'll be getting the first annual Blu Phoenix Rising fest, AKA 2 Days 2 Cities Levelled. The first city on the hit-list is Albuqurque, with an epic Metal-fest consisting of The Devastated, Immortal Prophecy, Fields of Elysium, Portrait of a Mastermind, The Eden Betrayal, Through Gore Comes Glory, and some other bands whose logos are illegible. However, if my memory serves correctly, bands who have crazy logos are usually badass, so here's hoping. After hitting 'Burque on March 16th, the fest moves on to Santa Fe for Saturday the 17th with virtually the same lineup. On both dates, the show starts at 5:30, and it's $10 at the door. Oh yeah, and there will be free BBQ and give-aways all day! See ya there. 

Next on the to-do list: Metal Alliance Tour, 2012. Man, Fields of Elysium are gonna be wiped out by the end of the season! Not only are they playing both dates of 2 Days 2 Cites, but they'll also be sharing the stage with Devildriver on April 8th. Unlike most Metal shows, this one is happening on a Sunday. Also playing will be Job For A Cowboy, The Faceless, Dying Fetus, 3 Inches of Blood, Impending Doom, Wretched, and... uh, another illegible band. This shit is gonna rock! Tickets are $23, they can be purchased from the bands or, if you're in Santa Fe, from the Concrete Jungle smokeshop.

And finally... Occupation Domination. Son of a bitch, this is a lineup and a half! This tour comes around my neck of the woods on May 2nd, at the Historic El Rey Theater of Albuqurque. I would sell my soul just to see Rings Of Saturn, but check out everyone else on the bill. That's not even counting the local bands who will  open, which in all likelihood will probably include Fields Of Elysium again. If I ever get to see Rings Of Saturn and Fields Of Elysium play the same gig, I can finally die happy. This show is in the relatively distant future, so details such as ticket prices and the time the doors open are yet to come. Stay tuned, and rock on.

Yet Another Concert, Yet Another Review

Friday, 1/27/12. Warehouse 21 hosted another Metal show. Rock concerts at W21, though frequent, are anything but routine. Here are the shenanigans that transpired last night:

First up was The Eden Betrayal, a Christian Metal group. Despite all of the evidence to the contrary, I myself am Catholic. I'm not a very good one, but I'm a Catholic all the same. As such, it was nice to see like-minded devotees defy stereotypes and rock out with the best of them. The breakdowns and occasional clean vocals were a testament to a contemporary incarnation of Metalcore. The Eden Betrayal was an excellent band to start the show on the right track.

Next on the set was Of All Forms. This group is good ol', unrefined Metal. In a local scene that prides itself on gimmicks, these musicians are a refreshing hiatus of one unadulterated genre, with very little theatrics. I'm not dissing genre-fusion, nor am I dissing theatrics. I love those things, but sometimes I don't want to be overstimulated. I just want to have the time of my life.

Hailing from Albuqurque, Vale Of Miscreation is high octane, energetic Death Metal. They are simultaneously harmonic and freakishly fast, with deep lyrics laden with social commentary. On top of all of this, VOM also featured thrashy bass riffs and a fussilade of machine-gun drumming. Their musical style is reminiscent of Death Metal titans such as Arch Enemy and Venom.

Headlining was Obelisk, one of the most popular Metal outfits in Santa Fe. Their compositions are reminiscent of old school Stoner Metal, but with heaviness to rival the likes of other contemporary musicians. The guitar riffs feature the kind of hooks that get stuck in your head, and the vocals are immaculate. As such, the night ended on a pretty good note. Four stars outta five.