Conquerors Of The World

 

 Holy shit, just look at that sexy lineup. If you missed the show in Albuqurque on the 11th (or anywhere else they already played), sucks to be you. Here's what happened during their performance at Blackwater Music.

Endless Infection, from Albuqurque,  opened the show with blackened death metal.  The drums and riffs persisted at breakneck speed, accompanied by nasty, heavy growls. Their overall sound was primally aggressive yet complex, setting the standard for the rest of the night. 

Deforme, also from Albuqurque,  was a flashback to old-school death metal like Vital Remains and Suffocation. The ruthless music was a catalyst for rowdy mosh pits. Beastly gutterals and thrashy guitar riffs, layered over heavy percussion, resulted in a truly evil sound.

Necronomicon, a 3 piece  black metal group from Montreal, rivaled the headliners in theatrics and musical prowess. Their performance style was defined by atmospheric yet brutal soundwalls. Mid-paced guitar melodies were juxtaposed over dark growls and, for one especially memorable track, haunting female vocals.

Black Crown Initiate diversified the concert, being the only prog band amongst a plethora of black and death metal groups. The vocals were a combination of maudlin cleans and death growls. The melodies were multilayered and melancholy.  Although they were more ambient and less aggressive than the other acts, the music was heavy and the performers are clearly talented musicians. 

Fleshgod Apocalypse was fucking ace. They were at their peak when playing their magnum opus, The Violation. The astounding range in the clean vocals sounded better in the studio than on the stage. However, the relentless gutteral vocals  sounded excellent, especially when juxtaposed over Francesco Paoli's exquisite drumming, who is not only insane but inhuman playing over 300 BPM. Not to mention the eye candy of a bunch of hot Italian dudes wearing tuxedos and corpse paint.

Septicflesh sounded drastically different from their performance at Hellfest, which I've mentioned was nearly identical to their studio recordings. Conquerors Of The World was more like a live show, with more improvisations and audience interaction. I especially enjoyed when Spiros Antoniou would say: "On the count of three, together we destroy," inciting furious headbanging and lethal mosh pits. Three days later, and I still have whiplash.

 The small venue was somewhat claustrophobic for such elaborate, high octane music, yet that was part of the appeal. It made the music overwhelmingly loud and mosh pits virtually inescapable. Even if you weren't in the heart of the slam dance, you would leave the show with a bruise or two. Overall, the concert was damn near perfect. Five stars out of five.

Intronaut Concert Review

Metal is described as many things, but seldom as serene. Prog Metal line ups such as this defy preconcieved notions of the genre while still remaining TRVE and heavy. Nationally renowned bands Intronaut and Scale The Summit headlined this show, but it was immaculate from start to finish. In the beginning....

Distances of Albuqurque NM is defined by a dichotomy of overwhelming heaviness with intense beauty. You know those pictures of outerspace, where the nebulae look so striking but there is no rhyme or reason to their appearance other than the basic laws of physics? That's like this band, making chaos seem gorgeous. The riffs, percussion, and vocals are all extremely harsh, but there is something intriguing and deep about their caustic sound. On the rare moments when your own head isn't banging, it's lots of fun to see the band thrashing around on stage.  

As In We  is a gem of high octane music, immaculately composed and expertly performed. They just returned  to Santa Fe to a loyal fanbase, after being on tour earlier in the year. Although I consider them Metal, this band transcends genres, and is indeed an experimental blend of different styles. I would say Post-Prog-Instru-Metal, but that just makes me sound like a douche.

In a night dominated by Prog, Torn Between Worlds stood out as the only Grind band. Each fast-paced, aggressive track is introduced by a sound clip, then the musicians proceed to violate the audience's eardrums. Out of the whole line up, this was the only band to incite a mosh pit. As usual, they fuckin' killed it. 

Scale The Summit offered a stark contrast to the relentless fussilade of Torn Between Worlds. This band has a musical style so smooth that it borders on jazzy.  Although  they were very smooth and ambient, they still had the virtuosity and intensity that defines Metal. The guitarists are very talented, and there are some moments of Satriani-esque shredding.  This would make a great soundtrack to sipping brandy out a human skull by the fireplace, wearing your burgundy velvet robe and reading Chaucer. This is a pristine example of melodic instrumental music, with a variety of influences that extend beyond the Hard Rock circuit. 

Intronaut makes some stunning music, and their sublime melodies were given a cutting edge by their thunderous percussion. This is another group that balances intensity with precision. Their formidable stage presence was amplified by projected images. The visuals morphed from soaring eagles to burning embers to abstract kaleidoscopic effects, and so on. I overheard one audience member muse: "I don't know if I like them or if I was hypnotized into liking them." Unlike that dude, I know for a fact that I love this band, but the trippy visuals didn't hurt. 

So there you have it. That was about 5 hours worth of hard-hitting, crowd-pleasing, ass-kicking music. Five stars outta five for sure!

Concert Review: Metal At Warehouse 21

Unfortunately, Anomaly broke down and were unable to make it to this gig. Those of us who just had to see them got a second chance tonight at Hooligan's Nightclub in Albuqurque. Anyway, the incredibly talented Savage Wizdom took their place at the last minute, and drew in a huge audience of loyal fans. 

The night was started off by Exalt, who play a fusion of Hip-Hop and Metal. Their musical style is in the vein of Rage Against The Machince, Faith No More, and pretty much all the other Nu-Metal bands ever. They were decent, considering the fact that I don't care for Nu-Metal. If you're into that kind of thing, more power to you. Exalt is pretty great, just not my cup of tea. 

Colossal Swan Dive was more to my liking, with heavier riffs, aggressive drumming, harsh vocals, and a more crusty musical style in general. This was Metal to which I could headbang in all good conscience. There's not much more I could say here... They have no gimmicks or novelties. Colossal Swan Dive is just three dudes playing good ol' Metal. 

I don't even remember Gutwrench playing at all. They must have cancelled at the last minute as well. This is very unfortunate, since they are a throwback to old-school 80's Doom Death Metal. Then again, they are from a completely different country (Mexico), so maybe red tape prevented them from playing last night. That really sucks, I bet they could put on one hell of a show! 

Headlining in the place of Anomaly was Savage Wizdom, a local favorite. If you don't know by now, they are the best Power Metal band in New Mexico. So think catchy riffs, clean vocals, lyrics about dragons, and  a front row full of headbanging fans. Like all Savage Wizdom concerts, this one was glorious. 

The afterparty was pretty sick too. Or so I assume, since I don't really remember it.  This morning, I woke up next to a Chihuahua in Savage Wizdom's studio. Things went from good to better when I realized there was tons of booze left over. Hair of the dog!  

So it was a pretty good night, full of drunk metalheads and uncertain circumstances. The bands who performed were all talented, but I must admit that I am disappointed that Anomaly and Gutwrench didn't make it. I would love to see them both in concert in the near future. 

As it stands, I give the night a rating of four stars outta five. 

Rise From The Ashes Of Disbelief

I'm not a slacker. To the contrary, I got two jobs, and therefore have very little time to write on my precious, precious blog. Also, I don't even own my own computer. And typing entire articles on a smart-phone is a pain in the ass. Enough of my excuses, let's talk abut Metal.



First of all, I'm going to throw a tantrum because I should be at this show as we speak. But my job  kept me overtime, I missed the train to Albuqurque, and I'm fucked out of seeing the sickest line-up I've ever known to play a Monday night. Hardcore punk, black metal, and thrash all in the same night? All ages? But since it's at a bar, old guys like me get to drink anyway? All that and more, but I'm missing it. I hate working retail. I would burn candles to every god I know just to attend this concert. Alas, the stars are not in my favor.

But let's look on the bright side...



 

Awww yeah. I only paid $12 to see Municipal Waste, one of the most prolilfic badass legends of old-school Speed Metal. They sound good on record, but DAMN. They put on one hell of a live performance. If you're into Thrash, Punk, or anything in between, Municipal Waste will in fact fuck you up.  Not to mention the local bands, each of which is amazing in their own right. Torn Between Worlds is notorious for their lethal mosh-pits and insidious musical style. They have remained active since the early 90's, when they were known as Insight, and they've been laying waste to New Mexican eardrums ever since. Carrion Kind is aptly named, since they are basically a superband,  Comprised of former members of local favorites such as Grinkai, Cassovita, and The Seventh Circle. So the name evokes images of vultures thriving off the remains of what once was. Oh yeah, and I think they're also paying homage to the only album released by Disincarnate.

 

 

Those circle pits were off da hook. And I was drunk too!

 

And last night wasn't too bad either...

 

 

 

I may be missing out on The Casualties, Goatwhore, and Havoc today, and that's totally lame. But yesterday marked the second year in a row that I went to a Metal show on Easter Sunday, so I think that's going to be my new annual tradition. Unleash The Baboon is Bass-Heavy, uber-rhythmic Groove Metal in the vein of Skinless or Athiest. Rumors abound about an upcoming album, which I can't wait to get my grubby little hands on. Iconocaust is Denver-based Thrash band with a relentless brutality belied within melodic compositions and occasional clean vocals. They have gained a cult-following in their ever-expanding fanbase, and their new EP, Excidium De Gratia, is available for purchase here.   And headlining was the phenomenal band known as Futilitarian, who transitioned seamlessly from their Thrash/Death beginnings into a more ambient instrumental style. Usually, I prefer Metal with the vocals intact, but Futilitarian has achieved a level of heaviness that most bands can only aspire toward. This is not "Post-Metal" or some shit. This is straight up, in your face, offensively loud and stupidly brutal, true Metal. In a lineup comprised entirely of badasses, Futilitarian deserved their spot as the headliners.

 

 

Much like taking the walk of shame after having a one-night-stand at a Co-ed college, I'm having a hard time bringing this to a graceful conclusion. C'est la vie, mon amie... Au revoir.



 



 

 

 

 

 

Last Minute Update

So... You may or may not remember my chemically altered post from 2 am last night (this morning?). Regardless, there is a change in today's concert. See this flyer? It's a liar.

 Unfortunately, the Victory Heights comeback show is going to be sans- Victory Heights. I know, that's retarded. On the plus side, The Untold Hour are going to be replacing them. For some reason, they don't have any music online, but apparently their influences range "from Slayer to Asking Alexandria to Beethoven", so I like them already. The rest of the line-up is sick anyway, so everyone wins.

And in other news, Whitechapel released their new self-titled album on the 19th, but I was too fat/lonely/poor to even notice. They claim that this is their best material to date, but I'm not going to believe them until I aquire said album.

Th-th-that's all, folks.

Rave, Reggae, Rock

This post is named after a shirt I got from the mall in high school. I think it was from like, Claire's or Hot Topic or some equally corny establishment. It just said "Rave Reggae Rock" in neon colors on a cool tank top.  Anyway, I just got back from a Rave at the very decent hour of 2:18 AM.  It was pretty cool, but I felt self conscious because I thought I looked like a "prosti-tot". I'm not a teenager who dresses like a skank, I'm just a hot chick who happens to be short. Plus, I just a had a nice bowl of marij-- Um, a nice bowl of ice cream, so I was having a pretty good time.

And for the record, I did headbang to dubstep. The rumors are true. Stop yelling at me. Even so,  I've had an epiphany. The audiences at raves are pretty pissed off, even though the music is all uppity. However, Metal audiences are pretty pumped, even though the music is morbid. The fuck is up with that? How can a grown ass man wear so many shades of neon pink and still manage to be mad?

Well, this blog is all about Metal, at least in theory, so I guess here's some upcoming shows for all of you mongrels.

Victory Heights is having a "Comeback Show", which sounds like a euphemism for "Reunion Show". I don't actually know. Regardless, they sound pretty good, so this concert seems legit. Besides,  I can attest to the awesomeness that is Scarless, as well as Forever An End. Each of these bands is some version of Metalcore, and I know approximately jack-shit about the rest of the line-up, but for $7, I'm not complaining. The venue is Amped Performance Center, so don't come drunk or bitchy or they'll throw your dumb ass out. And you'll deserve it.

Tomorrow, there's this show, which is gonna be totally sick. Futilitarian is trippy, intricate Instru-Metal, whereas Bear The Nightmare is kind of like Metalcore, but a little cooler. Don't know the other two, but it doesn't matter because I will be ONE DAY too young to see them anyway.

This show is actually the day of my birthday, so it's my gift to myself. $4 for a Punk show and a bar? Fuck yeah. That's so awesome that it's stupid.  

Local band Xmortis is also going to play at Albuqurque's Launchpad on Sunday, September 2. There is no flyer yet, as the event is pretty distant in the future. In fact, no-one even knows the rest of the line up yet. But Launchpad has pretty high standards, so I'm sure it will rock. Besides, the whole shindig is a benefit for the Save The Music campaign, sponsored by VH1. Big-shot corporations like that don't take their concerts lightly. Even though I don't have many details, I do know that tix are $10 in advance and $12 the day of.  So, get a headstart on that, comrades.

Fuck, I'm about to barf, so be content with what I give you, ya drunk fools.

A Blessing With A Curse

I was kind of bummed out because my posts are half-assed and lame, so I was worried about what to write today. Then I realized I could just post more flyers and call it a day.

Tonight W21 is hosting the annual Get Awesome Fest, aptly titled because it's FREE and features tons of bands from different genres. I don't recognize any Metal bands in the line up. However, I know that HN-88 is a flashback to 90's Pop-Punk, and that we Santa Fe girls go wild for them. Think what Green Day or Sum 41 would be like if they had more personality. State Of The Mingo is outta-this-world Hip Hop. If you've never experienced  an astronaut rapping, this is kind of a must-see. My favorite album of theirs is the fabulously titled Revenge Of The Synth. These Charming Cobras are ridiculously catchy Punk, somewhat Surf-Rock in their style. Mono Stereo is still a mystery to me. They are "Indie",whatever the fuck that means. And I don't know anything about the remaining bands either. Hey, it's a free show, what's the worst that can happen?

If you're in stupid Albuqurque this Sunday, check out the awesome Punk show at the Gasworks. I don't know any of these bands except for Domestic Violence, self-proclaimed Super Punk Rock, which sounds about right. Their reverbnation doesn't quite do them justice, as their stage presence is, quite frankly, phenomenal. For lack of a better description, I would compare them to Rancid but with a hot chick as the lead singer. That's not even mentioning the other 3 bands who are playing, and it's only $5. This is an all-ages show, so don't fuck it up by getting swilly at the venue. You can drink yourself to sleep when it's over.

Another Gasworks show, eh? This one is on Sunday, July 1st. This Is Hell has shared the stage with the likes of Unearth and Within The Ruins, so they are obviously a force to be reckoned with.The Greenery describe themselves as "sexy dudes making sketchy music." Yeah, that's accurate enough. Ecophagy is a bunch of teenagers wreaking havoc on your sense of hearing. I usually don't like chaotic Hardcore, but I have to admit that these dudes are pretty awesome.  Xerxes is kind of mysterious.

This one is on my 21st birthday, so it's my gift to myself. Only $4 to see A.P.D?! That's nothing short of scandalous.  Not to mention four other amazing Punk bands. That's less than a dollar per act. Take, for instance, Doomed To Exist. They've been described as everything from Grimecore to Crust to Thrash. Regardless of the genre, they are fucking amazing. Duke City Bombers are pretty crazy. They're basically old school "Oi! Oi! Oi!" Punk rock. There are approximately infinity Punk bands called Intoxicated, so I'm not sure which one this actually is. Bad Engrish is yet another Colorado Punk band. And unlike most shows, this one will most likely involve heavy drinking. See you there, my loves.  

Upcoming Shows

Warehouse 21, the best all-ages venue in Santa Fe, will be hosting a kick-ass Metal show on Saturday, featuring local legends Savage Wizdom and Grinkai, as well as the Albuqurque death-metallers Echoes Of Fallen and the talented Burst Into Flames hailing from Edgewood. Just because it's an all-ages event, don't think the place will be swarming with bratty kids. Old-school heshers frequent such concerts, and in fact the only difference is that alcohol is strictly prohibited. So leave your drugs at home and check this shit out. $5 at the door, show starts at 7. See you there.

Next on the to-do list is the Metal show on March 2nd. Same venue, same price, same time. Godhunter from Tuscon will be performing alongside the epic thrashers Simfonik Plague of Albuqurque. Skulldron, also from 'Burque, is a trippy taste of local Stoner Metal. The original line-up included Inoculara, but now Wormhole has replaced them on the bill. Don't miss this.

And remember... This is an all ages venue, so no drugs, alchohol, violence, or stupidity. A squalid slab of a venue in which to get your blood-and-metal fix is not without it's allure, but teens deserve a safe environment where they can enjoy good music. Let's keep their interactions with cops and paramedics to a minimum.



National Metal Day

     As VH1 so eloquently put it, themselves alluding to Spinal Tap, this goes one louder. 11/11/11 is National Metal Day, which by divine providence, has been granted to us on a Friday. If your local scene is as awesome as mine, then a venue/radio station/studio near you has the good grace to organize the sickest line ups on this most (un)holy of days. Return the favor; go to as many concerts as humanly possible and show some support. This is what's scratching in my patch of dirt:

On the holy day, local legends Savage Wizdom and Walls Within play alongside rising stars such as Night of Revenge, Ambryzette, and The Nightmare. The extremely talented melodic-metal band Blinddryve is headlining. The ruckus starts at 6:30 P.M, at Albuqurque's historic El Rey Theater. Sponsored by the best radio station in town, 94.1 ROCK, as well as Pyros, Music Go Round, Patron Silver and more. All ages event, $10 presales, $12 at the door. See you there.

Fast forward eight days. Yet another gem of a concert, organized by the exquisite promotion company known as Joe Angel Productions. This is even LOUDER than eleven. Local shred-gods Burn Alive, Numbers, Eve of an End, and Portrait of a Mastermind are featured. Up-and-coming artists include When Darkness Falls, Throw Temple, and Butcher The Sheep. Since the touring band is Scattered Hamlet, odds are they will headline. This will take place at El Rey Theater. Doors open at 6:30 P.M, music starts at 7:00 P.M. This all-ages event is only ten bucks. Did I mention all the kick-ass give-aways, including (but not limited to) skateboards, guitars, posters, CD packs, and even cash?! Holy mother of Metal, don't miss this.