 |
| Pictured: DevilDriver Photos and review by Chris Rowella |
Toad’s Place is probably the best place to see a metal show in Connecticut. Not too big, not too small, good sound, and (for venues around here) decent drink prices. Most metal tours end up in Hartford’s Webster Theater or skip the Nutmeg State altogether, so I was excited to see a great tour package like this end up at Toad’s.
Unfortunately we arrived late and only caught two songs from Thy Will Be Done. For a newer band they are consummate performers, and I’m proud to say they are from my home state. If Kataklysm had a baby that grew up in the ’90s CT hardcore scene, it would sound a lot like Thy Will Be Done. Their sophomore release, In Ancient of Days, shows a real progression of musical ability; in a live setting, the songs approach a new level of (confidence and) power. After their set, I had an old-man moment hearing one pimply-faced teen say to another: “I appreciated them throwing in some Slayer.” Were you even alive when Lombardo was behind the kit the first time around?
 |
I’m not sure if it’s some kind of metal community service requirement, but apparently Goatwhore have to play about 300 shows a year. That’s not a slight; their blackened Cajun thrash attack has been honed to perfection from a never-ending tour schedule. This might lead to burnout for some bands, but they proved that idea wrong with flawless renditions of “Apocalyptic Havoc,” “Alchemy Of The Black Sun Cult,” and “Blood Guilt Eucharist.” Ben Falgoust was a true metal diplomat, repeatedly thanking and praising the other bands. He didn’t leave the fans out, either, saying, “Even if you don’t like us, thanks for coming anyway.” Some guys looked around as if they were actually seeking out people who didn’t like Goatwhore. No haters in this crowd.
 |
Suffocation are one of those bands where I love what they do so much it’s almost hard to put into words. (See also: Down, Iron Maiden, and High on Fire.) They have never disappointed, live or on disc, and I can’t think of a death metal band I enjoy more. Frank Mullen employed his signature moves, the death metal spirit fingers and blastbeat six-shooter, in just about every song. Terrance Hobbs and Guy Marchais were in lockstep groove on riff workouts like “Thrones of Blood” and “Infecting the Crypts.” Derek Boyer’s squatting upright bass stance still seems like an optical illusion to me. The real star, though, has to be Mike Smith. How any person can make endless blastbeats and ridiculous drum fills look so effortless is beyond belief. I thought my mosh days were long gone, but when Mullen called for a circle pit during “Liege of Inveracity,” I had no choice but to comply.
These sets were going to be hard to follow, no matter what band it was. Full disclosure: I enjoy DevilDriver. They’re a decent groove metal band with some cool songs that are fun to sing along to. Dez Fafara is an engaging frontman, and his band is comprised of some talented guys. New tunes like “Pray For Villains” and “Fate Stepped In” meshed right in with crowd-pleasers “Hold Back the Day,” “End of the Line,” and “Grinfucked.” DevilDriver might not approach the level of Goatwhore or Suffocation, but those bands wouldn’t have played here if Dez hadn’t invited them on the tour. Whether you like his band or not, thanks for coming anyway.
Related posts:
I missed this tour in Cbus… after reading, I regret missing it even more.
I likely won't be able to make it to the West Hollywood date, and am already kicking myself for it.
That shot of Devildriver has some Planet of the Apes-looking action behind the kit.
Actually, the headlining band doesn't usually invite bands on the tour. Promotions agents and band management make those decisions. If a headliner has a problem with a certain band they can veto, but more often than not the package is put together in the background.
Just caught their Toronto stop on Tuesday and reviewed it for Exclaim! Canada and my blog, and I have to say, it was one of the more enjoyable shows I've seen in awhile. Everyone was in a great mood; not too many douches in the audience and despite the weather being somewhat rotten, the bands were in fine form.
I'd never seen Suffocation before and had the opportunity to stand between the stage and the barrier and yeah, was pretty amazed by both Mike Smith and Derek Boyer's playing. Good night and great start to what will hopefully be a decent year of shows.
Averse: That is true, but both Mullen and Falgoust thanked Dez personally for "bringing them on board" during their respective sets. It might just have been a nice thing to say though, so who knows.
Saw the show on Long Island (home of Suffocation!), with the addition of the mighty Behemoth (who were slated to play before Devildriver, but due to scheduling issues, headlined the night). Terrific show, every band was great…probably enjoyed Behemoth and Suffocation the most; nothing really beats Suffocation in Long Island for a metal fan.
I like that I now have a term for Mullen's spasm's ("death metal spirit fingers"), they are always entertaining, and many fans do it along with him. I think he is easily the most entertaining frontman in death metal. His banter with the crowd is absolutely classic.