Concert Review: Cardinal, Phantasmal Abyss, Varulf at The Caravan Lounge

    Downtown San Jose was buzzing last night with all the people in attendance for GalaxyCon along with the massive swarm of mini motorcycle riders tearing down S Market Street as if they were trying to recreate a scene from the iconic 1953 movie The Wild One starring Marlon Brando. However, the premier event was taking place at The Caravan Lounge featuring three ruthless and profanely savage bands. The line-up consisted of Cardinal, Phantasmal Abyss and Varulf, three Bay Area underground bands that know how to deliver some punishing cuts of sadistic brutality. 

     I was definitely looking forward to seeing Cardinal again after attending the show they played in Belmont with the mighty Empty Chalice from Canada. Actually, Varulf also played that show and I do remember the band putting on one intense set. Last night would be my first time seeing Phantasmal Abyss live, however I had heard some of their tracks before and looked forwarded to watching them unleash their vicious style of blackened death thrash. In regards to the venue, The Caravan Lounge is without question an iconic dive bar in Downtown San Jose that has been putting on underground music shows for years, which is definitely important given the limited amount of places for metal/punk bands to play these days. I will say that in terms of space, there is not a lot of room to move around, but you do get to experience that very intimate setting where you can be right up front getting your ears decimated by some utterly decimating riffs. 

Varulf 

    Opening up the show was the local black metal horde Varulf, and I must say that they were an optimal choice for the opening act. The energy that Varulf is able to conjure up is truly amazing to witness as the band plays with tremendous aggression and undeniable passion. Their drummer is perfectly locked in when laying down a cataclysmic beat that allows for the bassist and two guitar players to then hammer out some utterly catastrophic riffs. The vocalist is another key factor in adding to the band’s hellish sound and just like when I saw them performing in Belmont, he once again gave every ounce of energy he could muster up and unleashed these monstrous growls of pure pestilent disgust over the blackened abysmal sounding onslaught. Varulf really got the crowd into their performance and because of that they perfectly set the tone for the rest of the night. 

Phantasmal Abyss 

    After Varulf finished their set to a thunderous applause from the audience, Phantasmal Abyss started getting prepared for their set. I have to say before I start talking about their performance, I was really impressed by their professionalism as the band had their merch laid out and seemed to offer people a variety of items including beer koozies and tote bags. This trio from the East Bay offers up some utterly crushing riffs and can then transition into a more headbanging blackened thrash style. The band’s singer/guitarist Dara Santhai would scream into the mic with a fearsome look on her face while she conjured up some devastating riffs. Bassist Rafael Martinez played with great passion throughout the their set and his bass tone added a bombastically doomy touch to the overall mix. Towards the end the band’s set they had to restart a song, but the audience seemed to be forgiving and the band was able to not let it slow their momentum down. Then again, some of the people in the audience probably didn’t even notice as they were three sheets to the wind with a couple of them drunkenly bumping into me throughout the band's set. I had to breathe and count to ten a few times otherwise I might have gone full Jim Cornette at the Dairy Queen drive-thru mad (If you do not get the reference I recommend searching on Youtube as the video is epic...). 

Cardinal 

    The final band performing for the evening was Cardinal and let me tell you something, if you are a fan of raw and savage black metal with haunting atmospheres, then you need to check this band out right away. Cardinal is not just another generic black metal band putting on the corpse paint and playing cheap ass sounding tremolo style picking riffs to an audience full of apathetic metal hipsters wearing artisan beanies. They have such a strong malevolent sounding energy, and their songs really do remind me of the music from European black metal acts like Abigor, Nokturnal Mortum and Emperor. During their set I did feel that the band was working with less space than the last time I saw them before in Belmont, but they were able to make it work to where there was enough room to fit the keyboard, amps and drum kit. The band’s keyboardist provided a captivatingly spectral contrast to the harshly distorted riffs and fiendish drumming. I like how the band arranges their songs as the dynamic compositions really do keep you fully engaged and can instantly transition from a very dark slow tempo to a more intense sounding burst of bestial destruction. The audience was really into their music as well and you had plenty of people in the front banging their heads to the sinister riffs. Overall, I thought they played a really solid set and I am looking forward to them making a full-length album. 

    In the end, all of those in attendance for this diabolical gathering were dealt a might dose of blackened brutality from all three of these talented bands. If you have a chance to see them live I would highly recommend going without any hesitation. And to all those drunk people who kept bumping into me, I hope that you made it home safe and did not get run over by a gang of mini motorcycle riders, nor were harassed by some furries from GalaxyCon. You may think that you’re tough and kvlt, but those furries in numbers can be extremely dangerous. 

Cardinal Bandcamp:

https://c666.bandcamp.com/album/demonstration-2025

Phantasmal Abyss Bandcamp:

https://phantasmalabyss.bandcamp.com/music

Varulf "Fresh Blades for an Old Enemy (Single) 2024"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzSDnIml9JI

Concert Review: Empty Chalice, Bezaliel, Varulf, Cardinal and Nøkken at Chris' New Harbor Bar (May 31, 2025)

    On May 31st, 2025 darkness descended upon the Bay Area, specifically the city of Belmont, CA where an unholy gathering took place featuring five utterly malevolent bands. Empty Chalice, Cardinal, Bezaliel, Varulf and Nøkken, looked to unleash some cranial shattering riffs and unapologetically blasphemous songs for the fiendish audience in attendance to savor. 

    The show took place at Chris' New Harbor Bar located in Belmont, CA which for all of those unfamiliar with the Bay Area, is a city just south of San Francisco on the San Francisco Peninsula. So unlike going to a show in San Francisco, you don’t have to worry about stepping in human feces and there aren’t hipsters on bikes riding right in front of your goddamn car. Anyway, I have to say that the venue was a perfect place for this type of underground black metal show and I thought the intimate atmosphere inside ended up being a huge benefit during each band’s set. 

    Opening the show was, Nøkken, from the shadowy woods of Boulder Creek, CA. I thought that they did a tremendous job starting the show off by getting the audience to bang their heads to the monstrous riffs. Right from the beginning, the band’s guitarist was utterly possessed as he hammered away at his guitar and he played with such ferocity throughout their set. The drummer also provided some ear shattering rhythms from behind the kit and definitely kept the music fearsomely moving without missing a beat. Plus, the band’s singer really captured the early 90’s black metal aesthetic both in terms of his vocal style as well as his overall image. Seeing him screaming into the mic with the corpse paint on looking like a tortured soul from beyond, just perfectly complimented the band’s misanthropic lyrical content. For my first time seeing them live, I thought the sounded solid and would definitely be down to see them again. 

Nøkken

    The second band, Cardinal, was a band that I had heard of before after watching a video of them playing at an ice cream shop in San Jose. Yes, there was a black metal show at an ice cream shop, probably because the Vietnamese coffee shop in San Jose was hosting an illegal gambling party that night. Now, I think what makes this band standout compared to a lot of other up and coming raw black metal bands is that they have an actual keyboard player coming up with some haunting keyboard arrangements during their songs. I have to say that all four members sounded extremely tight and know how to play their instruments. Also, the malevolent sounds of the keyboard contrasting with the savage guitar riffs sounded great live. Their sound reminded me a bit of what you can hear on Nokturnal Mortum’s “Lunar Poetry,” where the keyboards lull you into this false sense of security and eventually you become overwhelmed by the insanely intense raw compositions flowing at you with this pure evil synergy. Cardinal is a band that I really hope gets around to making a full-length album, because with their creative mindset and sinister passion for black metal, I bet that they could craft some profoundly diabolical tracks.  

Cardinal

    After Cardinal finished their set, the third band, Varulf, from San Jose started setting up for their pulverizing black metal onslaught. At first the ear piercing sounds of feedback and technical challenges delayed them from launching into their first song, however, once they got everything going there was no stopping this band’s demonically brutal energy. Right away, the dual vocals provided by the band’s singer and the band's bassist/singer amplified the music as they each growled mercilessly over the chaotic arrangements. Both guitarists played with tremendously ravenous passion as they hammered out evil sounding chord progressions. Varulf did not let off the pedal once as they continuously dealt out cataclysmic song after song. I feel Varulf is a band highly worth checking out live, because they know how to put on a non-stop adrenaline pumping performance. 

Varulf

    The fourth band on the bill was, Bezaliel, an evil act trio from the Bay Area that played their set with candles, incense burning and red siren lights flashing to establish a very ritualistic atmosphere, which I do believe visually looked great. Also, the bassist was all decked out in chains and spikes, but I must admit unlike some black metal musicians who have the look down yet cannot play their instruments to save their lives, this guy could play like a maniac. There were a couple songs where the bass player laid down some wicked sounding bass parts to inject a juggernaut sized boost of low-end brutality. Also, Bezaliel conjured up some punishing riffs that started getting people moshing around, so I thought that even after three previous bands the crowd was still going strong if they were running around pumping into each other. 

Bezaliel

    The final band of the evening, Empty Chalice, traveled all the way down from Victoria B.C., Canada and this black metal horde is so insanely malevolent and down right badass that they gave Justin Trudeau such terrible nightmares that some say it was why Trudeau decided to resign. If you have been following this blog I have reviewed some of Empty Chalice’s demos in the past, so for me I was very excited to finally see them live, especially after the release of their new demo Violated Oaths. As the members launched into the first song I could tell that they were ready to raise some hell. The two guitar attack provided by the band’s two guitarists provided some deafening riffs as the band’s bassist would also follow along sadistically strike his bass. At one point the drummer from Empty Chalice was playing so fast that one of his drum sticks flew out of his hand and went right by my head, but he pulled out another one and kept feverishly drumming away. During their set the band’s singer did a great job interacting with the crowd between songs trying to get people to headbanging and even took off his noose which was around his neck and then put it on someone who was not banging their head. The band did a killer cover of Marduk’s “Baptism by Fire,” as that is off of one of my favorite Marduk albums, so it was cool that they incorporated into their set. Overall, Empty Chalice sounded brutal and gave the audience a wicked set, so hope that they can comeback to the Bay Area in the future. 

Empty Chalice

    In the end, I thought all the bands sounded extremely solid and the crowd always seemed to be engaged. Unlike some shows where people only go to see their friends play and then just leave, I thought the people in attendance who were passionate fans of extreme underground music stuck around to appreciate what these bands had to offer. I definitely look forward to seeing what these bands have in the works and would recommend checking them out. The Bay Area like a lot places across the US has definitely seen a decline in the availability of venues for extreme metal music, so shoutout to the people who put on this show and Chris' New Harbor Bar for hosting this event. Also, anytime there is a Bay Area metal show and I don't have to drive into SF is a huge win, because when a city has an app that tracks the areas where people poop on the street, that is a place that I like to avoid. 

Empty Chalice Bandcamp:

https://emptychalicebm.bandcamp.com/

Cardinal Bandcamp:

https://c666.bandcamp.com/music

Bezaliel Bandcamp:

https://bezaliel.bandcamp.com/

Nøkken Bandcamp:

https://nokkensemperviren.bandcamp.com/album/demo-1

Review: Fozzy “Capturing Judas” Livestream Show

     

    With everything gone on in the world currently to where people are unable to attend live music shows due to the pandemic, livestream shows are becoming increasingly popular. The hard rock/metal band Fozzy decided that they would not the let the pandemic stop them from playing some slamming hard rock and metal for their fans and offered up people a very unique livestream experience with an event called, “Capturing Judas.”

    The event was more than just another typical livestream performance and started out with special preview of the band’s upcoming documentary, “Fozzy Across America.” The documentary, which the band dedicated in the beginning to the late great Eddie Van Halen, focused primarily on when the band played three shows in three different time zones all in the same day. I was rather impressed by the documentary and thought that the band came off as very appreciative of their loyal fanbase. Of course, being fronted by Chris Jericho who is a wrestling legend with a massive international fanbase definitely helps make such an ambitious effort possible, because playing three shows in one day is not an easy task. Hell, Axl Rose can barely make it to one show!

    As much as the documentary was interesting and informative, one could tell by looking at the chat log on the side of the livestream that the fans were really getting restless and wanted to see Fozzy perform live. Once the documentary finished the band then showed up on the livestream and began hammering out the first song, “Sin & Bones.” Jericho appeared on screen wearing sunglasses and a leather jacket, which is pretty much how he dresses now in All Elite Wrestling. Sometimes I do not know if there is a difference between Jericho the wrestler and Jericho the singer, because his mannerisms are starting to blend. The rest of the band sounded tight and provided a mighty boost of adrenaline pumping riffs to help elevate Jericho’s high pitched screams. 

    During the second song, “Drinking with Jesus,” Jericho was definitely getting into the chorus section and even though I felt like he struggled hitting certain notes, I cannot deny his passion as he stood in front of his mic stand looking like he belongs back in the days of the 80’s hair metal scene. I thought the guitar work from Rich Ward and Billy Grey was solid along with Frank Fontsere’s pulverizing drumming. Probably the heaviest song and most enjoyable track of the evening was, “One Crazed Anarchist.” I thought the song’s colossal sounding main rhythm was perfect for people to clap along to and bang their heads. I’m sure when the band plays it live in front of an audience the entire venue begins to shake, however, sitting at home I’m sure some die hard Fozzy fans were able to make enough noise to wake up their neighbors.

    A common theme of the night that took place in between songs was that the band would tell road stories and humorously banter back and forth. Honestly, because this was a livestream show and not a real live performance I did not get as annoyed as I would have if I was seeing them in a live venue. The fourth song of the night was, “Burn Me Out,” which took on a more commercial friendly Journey like sound. I guess Jericho forgot some lyrics during one of the verse sections, which was quickly noted by fans on the chat log. After the song finished Jericho even noted he forgot the lyrics and stated that he pulled a David Lee Roth which was a nice touch of humor.

    Songs like, “Nowhere to Run,” “Elevator” and “Painless,” all seemed to get positive responses from the fans on the chat the log. The band even told the fans to start a chant during one of the songs in order to get the audience at home feeling like they were at a live show. Still, I feel as though the live experience of going to a concert cannot be beat, but I will say Jericho and the boys tried their best to play with enthusiasm for the entire set. Rich and Billy’s guitar solo spot at the end of the show was impressive and added a flair of excitement into the mix. The band of course finished the night off with, “Judas,” which is by now known amongst all AEW fans since Jericho uses it as his entrance music. I’m sure fans at home were singing the song note for note and I believe that even if you are not a fan of Fozzy, you cannot deny the song’s almost cult like appeal that has grown since the song was first released. 

    There is a lot to take away from this livestream performance when looking back through my notes. I think the Fozzy fans were extremely into the entire performance from beginning to end, especially if you read the comments on that chat log. As someone who is more neutral and objective, I thought the band played a solid set and I respect their enthusiastic nature. I do believe Jericho’s vocal delivery at times seemed a bit off, especially when he tried to hit the high notes. The back up vocals provided by the other members definitely helped cover up Jericho’s limitations as a singer. Overall, their brand of rock and metal is very commercial sounding, but appeals to demographic that is willing to forgive the lack of originality due to the fact that the music does have a catchy hard rock edge. 

   Unlike the wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer who throws five star reviews around like a drunken sailor, and unlike Jim Cornette who can go off on tirade about outlaw wrestling mud shows, I shall be a fair reviewer and give the event 3 out of 5 stars. In the end, Fozzy played their brand of straightforward hard rock music that has established a loyal cult like following to where they can put on events like this and get a positive response from their die hard fans. Like him or not, Chris Jericho is a passionate fan of rock and metal music and the other musicians in Fozzy are no schmucks when pertaining to their level of musicianship. 

If you enjoy Fozzy’s music then I highly recommend check out the event because fans still have the opportunity to purchase tickets and view the event on demand until November 29th through (https://fozzy.veeps.com/). Again, Jericho is an individual who has provided people with years of entertaining content through wrestling and music. Even if you do not agree with what he does 100% of the time and find yourself having to critique his work, you cannot simply deny his passion and driven personality. At the end of the day that is why he is Le Champion...

Concert Review: Unlucky Theta Invades the Bay Area

    For up and coming bands, touring serves as an opportunity to conquer new lands and build a larger fanbase by captivating a new audience with some killer music. People do not understand that even though we can sit on our computers and listen to bands from all around the world, a live show is more compelling and you will never be able to replace that intimate setting.

    Unlucky Theta, a trio from LA with a unique hard rock and metal sound, decided to take their music and venture up to the San Francisco Bay Area to play at the Lister Bar. The band also visited Santa Barbra and Santa Cruz before making their way up to the Bay Area. Unlucky Theta would be joined by San Francisco locals Sting Raze making this a two show bill.

    Upon arriving at the Lister Bar, I knew this would be an interesting venue experience. The bar seems to be very accommodating and before the show had a group of people painting, which I have never seen at a bar before, but I think shows how the venue is open to different artistic groups. I thought the stage was rather suitable and compared to some SF bars I’ve been to in the past, it did not look like it was falling apart.

    Opening the show was Sting Raze, a trio of hard rock psychedelic maniacs who enjoy jamming out some groovy sounding cuts of music. The band started their set off with a trippy instrumental piece that flowed in such cosmic and ethereal fashion. The band’s guitarist Kazuki did a great job constructing these progressive psychedelic chord progressions.  Bassist Abbas and drummer Terrance did a solid job holding down the rhythm section and added to that heavy jamming atmosphere. Overall, I liked how they crafted their songs and I felt like band was very tight.

Sting Raze

    The final act of the night, Unlucky Theta, may have been the out of town band, however, the band received a strong reaction from the crowd once they took to the stage. Their music instantly clicked with the audience, which I would attribute to the band’s overwhelming musical passion and dedicated drive as performers. The opening song, “Thrown Off Olympus Mons,” was a crushing piece of savage riff carnage. Singer and bassist Daniel Goodman played with raw emotion while guitarist Nick Kontje hammered out glorious headbanging riffs complimenting drummer Rel Bleiberg’s juggernaut sized rhythms.

Unlucky Theta 

    Another enjoyable moment during their set was the song, “Psalm,” a very powerful piece of music with Rel on lead vocals. Unlucky Theta’s ability to write dynamic pieces of music is one reason why I believe the crowd responded quite positively throughout their set. The overall musicianship was on point and the songs never seemed to lose that potent punch. Also I want to point out how the band was extremely thoughtful and although they enjoyed smashing out some ear shattering riffs, they offered free ear plugs to people in the audience.

    In the end, both bands exhibited tremendous amounts of impressive musical talent and even though you only had a two band bill, I think the audience enjoyed ever minute of the show. I recommend checking both bands out, because their passion for writing hard rocking mind bending music deserves much praise.

    So for all the young band’s thinking about just sitting around and playing their local scenes, get out and take a chance, because you never know who you might be able to meet and who might become a new devoted fan.



Unlucky Theta Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/unluckytheta/
Sting Raze Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/StingRaze/

Concert Review: Cinco De Metal

  Cinco De Mayo was transformed into Cinco De Metal Saturday night at the House of Rock in Santa Rosa, CA. Four local bands unleashed their extreme music making talents for an audience that was hellbent on hearing some raw and heavy hitting metal music.

   This would mark my first time seeing a show at the House of Rock and for the local metal scene, I thought that this was a great opportunity to lobby for more shows at this venue. The four bands billed: Mournful Cries, Oneiric Eclipse, Ancestors Wrath and Electric Funeral, really turned out to be a solid line-up. Right away though, I need to point out how the venue is extremely professional and the layout is quite impressive. There were video monitors that would show different shots of the bands while they performed and the lighting setup was unbelievably well done. The service that this venue provided made all these bands feel like real rockstars. I bet there were bowls with only brown M&M’s in the back for the artists!

  Taking the stage first was the power trio of doom, Mournful Cries, a band that knows how to hammer out some Iommi like riffs and conjure up wicked sounding jams of authentic doom. I thought band played a crushing set and music sounded extremely tight. Drummer Alex Hernandez was keeping the rhythm section moving strong and threw in some brilliant drum fills at times. Also, bassist Matt Lasserre played an important part in maintaining a heavy rhythmic backbone by thunderously striking his bass like a God of Thunder. Guitarist and singer Luis Olguin put on a strong show too and his guitar tone sounded like something you would hear back in the Vol. 4 days of Sabbath. Songs like “Sinners Pyre” and “Phantasmic Poising,” are such heavy riffing pieces of doom that I can’t wait to hear what they will sound like on a full-length release. From what started out as just a two man project has now turned into a determined trio of musicians playing on stages with video monitors. I tell you, hard work pays off!

Mournful Cries 

  After Mournful Cries finished, Oneiric Eclipse began setting up the stage for their ritual of raw and merciless grim sounding black metal. They brought out some candles and skulls to create a dark atmosphere that would compliment their style of harsh black metal. Standing on the side closest to the bass player, I was able to hear where this band offers a bit more than just raw straightforward black metal. His style of bass playing is not so one dimensional and he has a great prowess for adding fills when needed to inject some technicality into the music. The guitarist and singer did a solid job establishing that bleak and abysmal sounding atmosphere, while the drummer seemed to be playing with precision and not missing a beat. For their first show I think the band sounded really good and unlike some black metal bands, they were able to play a show without Antifa protesting them.

Oneiric Eclipse

  Third up was Ancestors Wrath, a band I would be seeing live for the first time. They were definitely channelling that 80’s thrash metal vibe with a vicious two guitar attack and their music kept the crowd banging their heads throughout the entire set. I thought the singer had outstanding stage presence and did a great job interacting with the audience. He would stick the mic into the crowd and people would actually sing along without forgetting the words. Overall their sound was tight and the songs sounded well written. If you enjoy kickass thrash metal that hits you right in the gut, I definitely recommend checking these guys out.

Ancestors Wrath 

  The final act of the night was, Electric Funeral, a Black Sabbath cover band from the local area. The singer in Electric Funeral, Lance Oskitzo, I have seen before with his other band Skitzo, so I was interested in hearing him tackle all these Sabbath songs. I think for the most part the band executed the cover songs rather well. Of course I have my favorite Sabbath songs, so hearing “Snowblind” and “Children of the Grave,” stood out the most to me. Observing some of the other folks in the crowd, I noticed people singing along word for word. The musicians looked confident playing the material and probably grew up listening to Sabbath to where playing these songs was like taking a trip down memory lane. Their set seemed be well received by the audience and Electric Funeral did a smashing job closing out the night, especially Lance using an air raid siren for their rendition of, “War Pigs.”

Electric Funeral 

  Once again, Sonoma County proves to be a place full of passionate metal bands and fans all celebrating extreme heavy music together. Also, House of Rock is an exceptionally well run venue to host a show. I do wish more local acts get the chance to play this venue, as I feel the people will show up and enjoy their experience. All you need is four crushing acts like the ones who played and you will have one massive heavy metal celebration!

X-Method Album Release Show

X-Method

    Saturday night outside the Phoenix Theater may have been crappy with all the wind and rain, but inside the historic Petaluma venue was a joyous skull crushing metal show to celebrate the release of X-Method’s new album. The punk and metal maniacs who showed up proved that a little rain wasn’t going to prevent them from having a good time.

    Release shows are always fun, especially for the band who is putting out their new album. Plus, you also have some solid supporting bands like the ones who opened for X-Method. The Publiquors, To Kill a MockingBird and Thought Vomit definitely added something extra to the release show by putting on strong performances. Walking into the venue you could feel the positive energy all around and once the first band turned on their amps, people made their way to the front of the stage with full enthusiasm.

The Publiquors

    Opening the show was, The Publiquors, a punk rock trio from Sonoma County. Their songs definitely had that classic punk rock sound that captures the essence of punk from the seventies and early eighties. Also, the band had a tight sound and breezed through their songs without any problems. I could tell the crowd really appreciated the band’s music as people were jumping around and banging their heads. One song towards the end of their set called, “Army of Darkness,” contained a riff that sounded a bit similar to Metallica’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” Not saying there is anything wrong with that since it added something different, but Lars might throw a small tantrum over it. Don’t worry, just have his butler give him a glass of warm milk and cookies and he will calm down.

To Kill a MockingBird

    After the Publiquors finished the second band began setting up to begin their set. Hailing from Modesto, CA, To Kill a MockingBird takes their name from that famous book that was made into a movie starring Gregory Peck and at the time a young Robert Duvall. Enough about the book and the movie, let us talk about the band and their performance. To Kill a MockingBird played a style of hard rock and metal that seemed to be very emotionally driven. I will be honest and say that the sound was not exactly something I tend to listen to very often, especially the type of riffs they were offering. However, I will give credit to the band for putting on what seemed like a solid set. The band’s singer really stole the show at times by having tremendous stage presence.

Thought Vomit

    Following To KlIl a MockingBird was Thought Vomit, a group I am quite familiar with since I have been writing about these guys for about over a year now. Thought Vomit is one Sonoma County’s hardest working live bands and these guys know how to put on an exciting show. Since seeing them last for their album release show, I was anticipating another electrifying performance. The band definitely mixed up their set with some old material and then some songs from their most recent release, “Punks Brutal Retaliation/Sync the Skies.” It was great to hear my favorite song, “Glad to Lose,” and the bass parts during that song always seem to stand out the most. Guitarist Chris Meyer played some some wicked solos, while drummer Clay Prieto and bassist Jordie Hilley held down the rhythm section. Even though singer Spencer Clark claimed to be feeling like, “dog shit,” he put on a energetic performance and was running around the crowd screaming his head off. During their performance Abby from X-Method came out to sing, “Punks Brutal Retaliation,” which showed the strong friendship between the two bands.

X-Method

    Once Thought Vomit finished and after people took a minute to catch their breath, X-Method started their massive sounding metal assault. I had reviewed the new X-Method album for this blog, so it was nice to hear how the songs sounded live. I will say this about X-Method, they have undeniable passion for metal music which you can hear and see when they play live. I also like how the band has songs where the crowd can sing along. For example, the song “Brutal as Fuck,” has a simple chorus that is easy to learn. You simply repeat the words, “Brutal as Fuck!” The band also played crushing Sepultura cover and I notice that is one group I hear often in X-Method’s sound. All around the band seemed to be playing at the top of their game and each member was on the same page. For their release show you could notice the excitement and enthusiasm from the band which of course resonated with the audience.

    In the end, bad weather could not stop the metal mayhem from being unleashed at the Phoenix Theater. Another solid night of music from the punk and metal community. Congratulations to X-Method on the release of their new album and hope to see all these bands continue to destroy live in the future.

Concert Review: A Burning in the Darkness 2

Xenotaph

    Although we are getting close to summer, the cold and grim music that was played at the Phoenix Theater in downtown Petaluma on Saturday night made it feel as if we were in the heart of winter. Appropriately named, “A Burning in the Darkness 2,” this small festival offered up five brutal black metal acts. The night’s lineup consisted of Modraniht, Ehecatl, Xenotaph, Nan Elmoth and Gloriam Draconis. From what I heard about the festival last year, I was really eager to hear some solid extreme black metal music.  

    Sure enough when arriving to the Phoenix Theater, I saw some underground band wearing black metal dudes outside the venue, who were probably arguing over which of their band shirts was more obscure. After reviewing black metal bands from all across the world for about four years now, I was really looking forward to hearing the extreme and unholy talent that my state had to offer. I think what needs to be brought up right away is that whoever put this show together, really wanted to get all the black metal fans from the Northern California region to come together and enjoy a night of sinister music. The turnout was decent, especially for a show of this style of metal music, and I think those who did not show up missed an opportunity to hear a consistent black metal lineup. 

    Taking the stage first was the two piece black metal band, Gloriam Draconis. Hailing from the Sacramento area, these guys opened up the show with a very traditional sounding black metal song with plenty of minor chords, constant tremolo picking and blast beats. Both members of the band had hoods over their heads to hide their identities, because for all we know they are members of an underground cult... or their parents told them to do that so the neighbors would not find out (Attention: this is not a diss to the band, but a satirical comment on how mainstream society views black metal fans). Anyway, I felt like the two guys had a decent sound and the minor chord progressions were definitely something to bang the head to. However, I felt that the absence of a bass player might have prevented them from having a louder and more impactful sound. Still, for a two piece they did a solid job opening this night of bone chilling musical terror. 

Gloriam Draconis

    Next up on the stage was Nan Elmoth, a band taking their name from the world of Tolkien. This trio of black metal dudes unleashed a vicious sound once they began and I liked the very basic harsh instrumental jams they could conjure up. Their sound definitely reminded me of early European black metal in the way that they were not trying to create technical sounding compositions, but it was more about coming up with a dark and unforgiving overall sound. They put on a wicked sounding set and I think if they find ways to deviate from your usual black metal worship bands, there is the possibility of coming up with some really strong material. 

    Third up on the bill was the Bay Area group, Xenotaph. As they walked on stage their faces were covered with corpse paint and they brought an upside down cross with them. Before they started the first song, all the members of the band drank from a goblet as if they were getting ready to perform a satanic ritual. Xenotaph really captured the sound and spirit of Norwegian black metal in their music. At times though I felt like the songs were recycled black metal riffs that could have used some more variation. The drummer was truly amazing when it came to creating those blast beat rhythms which laid down the foundation for the tremolo picked minor chord riffs. Also, I felt like they could have turned the smoke machine down a bit, since eventually I could barely see the band on stage and the Phoenix was just as smoky as a Cheech and Chong movie. Xenotaph did fit the image and sound of black metal fairly well, so I will give them that without question.

    After all the blast beats, tremolo picking and harsh growl vocals from the previous, I was looking for something to go against the grain a bit. The fourth band, Ehecatl happened to be the act who offered a not so straight forward black metal sound. This group created more ambience in their music and the compositions were very haunting in their presentation. There was also good use of dynamics in their tempos and I really liked the slower and very ritualistic rhythms. I think the band’s drummer and bass player made a tight rhythm section and the singer had a unforgiving vocal presentation. Also, their keyboard player helped add to that overall ambient and dark atmosphere that the band seemed to be going for. The crowd was hooked the entire time during Ehecatl’s set. They are definitely a band with great potential that will hopefully continue to explore their creativity. 

Ehecatl 

    The last band on the bill was the black metal trio from Sacramento known as, Modraniht. The band began their set by standing together on stage and performing this ancient pagan chanting that paid homage to the Hag of Winter. It had a very calming spiritual effect which grabbed by attention along with the other concert attendees. Then once they were finished, each them went to their instruments and tore into a crushing piece of black metal music. I also detected elements of doom in their sound, which at times amplified their music’s bold emotional tone. The band sounded very tight as if they were all connected by some unforeseen guiding force. Throughout their set I could tell that each member played a vital role in creating Modraniht’s extreme and powerful sound. I think they were a perfect choice to end the show and I would really like to see them back at the Phoenix Theater. 

Modraniht

    At the end of the night, I do believe the black metal fans who attended were given their extreme sounding fix at this year’s, “A Burning in the Darkness 2.” Putting on a black metal show is not easy and there are very few venues that can support a show of this type, so major thanks to Tom and the Phoenix along with the people who worked to put this show together. I am looking forward to, “A Burning in the Darkness 3,” and hope to see more bands and people come out for the unholy celebration of a style of music that has been known to inspire some of the internet's best memes. 

Concert Review: Anvil, Night Demon, Unleash the Archers, Graveshadow

    A Tuesday night in San Francisco may seem like a tough night for people to get out and attend a concert, however, when you have Anvil playing along with Night Demon, Unleash the Archers and Graveshadow, it does not matter what day of the week it is. Last night’s concert at the DNA Lounge proved that heavy metal fans have passion and will show up ready to bang their heads and drink some beer. 

    After waging a great battle through the streets of San Francisco just to find parking, I made my way to the DNA Lounge. It would be my first time attending a show at the venue, and I must say I liked how the place was set up. The stage is raised a bit higher than most venues, but no matter where you go in the venue, I feel like you get a decent view of the stage. I was surprised to see a fair amount of metal fans already inside, which means there was a solid crowd for the first opener. Besides Night Demon who I have seen three times before, this would be my first time seeing the other three bands. Also, Anvil being such an iconic group that influenced bands like Metallica, I knew there would be those die hard metal heads who have the jackets with endless patches and remember when Lars still had hair. Actually, you had a mix of old school metal heads and the younger metal fans which was due in part to the DNA Lounge’s awesome all ages policy. 

    Starting off the night of epic fist raising metal was the symphonic metal band, Graveshadow. I became quite interested in how they would sound once I saw that they had a keyboard player. Most of your symphonic metal bands come from Europe, but Graveshadow was from Sacramento, CA. It sounded like they had a decent following come out to support them since Sacramento is not far from SF. Right away the band hammered out a bombastic sounding riff followed up by some cinematic keyboard arrangements. Graveshadow’s singer was able to switch from clean vocals to growl vocals, while matching the instrumental tones. She seemed very comfortable on stage along with the other band members. However, I found their set to be filled with repetitive song structures and the lead guitar playing needed a boost. Again, they seemed to be having a great time on stage and their keyboard player was really banging her head while she played the keys. Not my cup of tea musically, but I respect the passion and their onstage presence. 

Graveshadow

    Taking the stage next was Vancouver’s Unleash the Archers. This band of epic metal musicians from the North has been on my radar for some time now, and I have always wanted to hear how they sound live. Their recordings and music videos are rather impressive, especially the Mad Max themed one. When they firs took the stage I was slightly confused as to why they only had two guitar players and no bass player. Even without a bass player, Unleash the Archers found ways to put on an enjoyable set. Singer Brittney Slayes has a phenomenal voice and her vocal range is amazing. She can really hit those high notes like on the band’s albums which is not easy to do live. The twin guitar attack of Grant Truesdell and Andrew Kingsley was working overtime by trading off leads and ripping through epic melodic riffs. Drummer Scott Buchanan held down the rhythm section and contributed to the group’s tight sound. Finishing with the song, “General of the Dark Army,” the band kept the energy flowing until the very last note. The crowd was really engaged during their entire set and I was not surprised when the fans chanted for them to play one more song. 

Unleash the Archers

   Well, Unleash the Archers did not play another song, probably due to the fact that the openers needed to adhere to a strict time limit. Getting ready to go on next was Ventura, CA’s Night Demon. Waving the flag for traditional style heavy metal and relentlessly touring since they released their debut album, Night Demon once again delivered a smashing set. Opening with the song “Ritual” from their first EP, Night Demon destroyed in top notch heavy metal form. Bassist and singer Jarvis Leatherby rocked the mic and feverishly struck the strings on his flying v bass. Guitarist Armand John Anthony who joined the band in late March has solidified his role as the band’s guitarist. Watching him play the riffs in, “Mastermind” and “The Chalice,” was simply amazing. Drummer Dusty Squires of course did a solid job behind the kit by pounding out thunderous rhythms with precision. The band played three covers with my favorite being their version of Golden Earning’s, “Radar Love.” I felt like I would have preferred more songs from their debut album, “Curse of the Damned,” but I understand that the band might have wanted to change up the set list. Still, their entire performance was on another level and I feel each time I see them they find ways to get more metal fans rocking out to their crushing style of classic metal. 

Night Demon

    After Night Demon ended their set with their always enjoyable self-titled song, Anvil was getting ready to begin their highly anticipated set. This band has really been touring the United States more since that documentary came out and I was looking forward to finally being able to see them. When the band came out it was just drummer Robb Reiner and their new bassist Chris Robertson. I was looking around thinking, where is guitarist Steven "Lips" Kudlow?! Then I looked in the middle of the crowd and saw a crazy brown haired dude holding a red flying v guitar, and realized he was in the crowd! Talk about being up close to personal with the audience. You don’t see Axl Rose and Gene "Money Bag" Simmons doing that. 

Anvil 

    The guys in Anvil may look old, but when on stage they reminded me of young hyper kids having great fun playing their instruments. Some songs that I thought sounded good were, “Badass Rock 'n' Roll” and “Die For a Lie.” Also, the classic song, “Mothra,” gave each member a chance to show off their talents. Honestly, Rob Reiner’s drummer solo kind of took all the spot light and was the high moment of Anvil’s set. He is a master behind that kit and I respect the traditional grip he uses. Lips of course made me laugh a lot by having great stage comments along with using a dildo during his guitar solo. Towards the end of their set the band played the one song that most fans were waiting for which was, “Metal on Metal.” Then for their encore they played a cover of, “Born to Be Wild.” The cover was okay and I think they should have just ended with, “Metal on Metal.” Compared to what I thought going in, Anvil still knows how to rock and roll. 

    After all that metal music from each of the four bands, my ears are still ringing and I am still laughing about the dildo guitar solo. I think the all ages venue definitely allowed for a diverse and passionate audience. Even though I thought Night Demon should have been able to play a couple more songs (I’m biased), it was an enjoyable concert all around and I am glad I went. Whether it be old heavy metal music or new heavy metal music, the fans and bands keep the spirit alive by showing up and banging their heads. 

Decibel Magazine 2016 Tour: Abbath, High on Fire, Skeletonwitch, Tribulation

    A Tuesday night show is usually faced with the challenge of trying to get people to show up, since most of them will have to go to work the next day. However, when you have an artist like Abbath with additional bill support from High on Fire, Skeletonwitch and Tribulation, people won’t care what day it is, and show up ready to bang their heads to massive riffs of savage extreme glory. 

    When the Decibel Magazine 2016 tour announced a Bay Area date, I made sure to secure a ticket right away. Abbath has not been to the United States in awhile and even when he was in Immortal, the band very rarely made the trek out to the States. When I was in high school during the All Shall Fall Tour, they only played one California date and that was all the way down in Los Angeles. So, getting to see one of black metal’s most iconic and well respected members was something I just could not pass up. 

    Arriving at the Regency Ballroom after luckily finding decent parking (SF parking can truly be a nightmare), I noticed a fair amount of metal maniacs hanging outside the venue. I felt like a majority of the people attending this show would be their for Abbath, but with High on Fire and Skeletonwitch as openers, you knew their was going to be a strong turnout of loyal fans from those bands too. Tribulation was the wildcard band for me since I had not heard anything from them before seeing them live, but they turned out to be one of my favorite bands who performed. 

    Starting off the show with incense burning and an ominous stage set up that could be used as scenery in a Hammer Horror film, Tribulation began their set by cranking out a dark jam of blackened rock horror. Their dynamic sound incorporated elements of black metal, doom, old school death metal, hardcore horror punk and seventies psychedelic hard rock. Each member seemed possessed by the music and they looked as if someone just dug them up from the grave and told them to play some unholy sounding music. One guitar player had on a cape and would run around enthusiastically playing his guitar and cranking out some solid leads. I was really taken back by their whole stage presence and musicianship. Plus, the ambience that they created while performing perfectly complimented the music. The one track I enjoyed the most from them was, “Melancholia.” Their two guitar players were jamming on some sinister riffs that also had this slight surf rock and classic punk groove going. Overall, I am glad I showed up early to catch such an awesome live act who I will be listening to more of this week. 

Tribulation

    Taking the stage after Tribulation was the Ohio based extreme metal act, Skeletonwitch. I have always considered them the working man’s extreme metal band and find their brand of blackened thrash to relate to the type of metal fan looking to let off some steam after a stressful day at work. I could tell that they have been playing for some years now, because the musicianship was solid and the energy from their performance was really resonating with the crowd. By midway through their set, I started noticing more people showing up, especially the more fanatical fans who were starting to form a mosh pit. One of Skeletonwitch’s guitarists even noticed how energetic the fans were becoming by saying how this crowd was better than the Los Angeles crowd. Getting back to the band, their vocalist Adam Clemans had a monstrous vocal presentation with such aggressive force that matched the thunderous drumming and wicked riffs. Their two guitar attack was slaying throughout the entire set which allowed for plenty of headbanging opportunities. 

Skeletonwitch

    Once Skeletonwitch finished to an enormous applause from the ravenous audience, High on Fire began setting up for their head crushing set of battle sized riffs. This Bay Area doom/stoner metal trio has been around since the late 90s after guitarist and singer Matt Pike left the band Sleep. Matt Pike is one of my favorite guitar players and I was really looking forward to seeing him live. Being a Bay Area band you knew they were going to receive a major welcome home from the fans. As all three members walked out on stage, the place erupted into complete chaos. High on Fire opened their set with the song, “The Black Plot,” which is off the new album. Personally, I thought choosing this song to open the set was an extremely good idea. The energy that comes from the main riff has this doom mixed with thrash vibe, which is the best way to get a crowd moving around. I think during most of the band’s set I was banging my head. Matt hammered away on his guitar with tremendous force and offered plenty of insane guitar solos. All around the band was giving one-hundred percent effort and their stage presence was at top level. 

High on Fire

    Finally, after waiting for many months, I along with the other metal fans in attendance would finally get to see the mighty Abbath. When the lights dimmed and some epic sounding cinematic intro music began, the venue shook with the force of people yelling and clapping for the Norwegian black metal musician. Coming out on stage in his signature corpse paint and black body armor looking ready for battle, Abbath tore into the first song, “To War!,” by viciously striking a chord on his v-shaped guitar. Abbath began his set with a couple songs from his new solo release, with my favorite being the song, “Winterbane.” Also, I should make note of the other talented musicians that are part of Abbath’s band. On bass you have King Ov Hell who is known for his work in Gorgoroth and many other collaborations such as the release him, Abbath and a couple other black metal musicians put out called, “Between Two Worlds.” On second guitar you had Ole André Farstad who was a skillful player and handled the material very well. On drums was, ‘Creature’ (Gabe Seeber) blasting away at intense rhythms to support the triumphant frost bitten riffs of northern darkness. 

Abbath

    Abbath’s set was comprised of an almost equal amount of new solo material and classic Immortal songs. Some fans kept shouting for him to play more Immortal songs, but I understand why he wanted to play the new music. Plus, I think the new tracks are solid crushing extreme pieces of music and a majority of the fans were rocking out to them. Also, I thought it was great when he did the song, “Warriors,” from the “Between Two Worlds,” release. Of course, once he broke out songs like “Tyrants” and “One by One,” the venue would become overly fanatical. I had drunk dudes pushing past me trying to get to the stage and their behavior was down right annoying. Another part during Abbath’s set where I was not exactly thrilled, was when Abbath finished a song and for a few minutes just walked around throwing his arms up in the air getting the crowd to react to his epic looking Abbath poses. I swear, he could have added another song to the set list! To make up for the time wasted, at least I was treated to some of my personal favorite Immortal classics like, “Solarfall,” and, “Nebular Ravens Winter.” The band finished the set with, “All Shall Fall,” which brought about a thunderous reaction. The crowd kept roaring for one more, but the band did not come out to play an encore. Disappointing that there was no encore, but Abbath still put on a great performance.

    All around this tour delivered in brutal and epic style, so thank you Decibel for putting together one amazing tour package. Not only did I get to see the mighty Abbath, but I watched High on Fire, Skeletonwitch and Tribulation offer up extremely impressive performances of their own. I think the energy from the bands on stage stood out the most, and there was not one dual sounding moment on that stage. Yes, Abbath doing his epic poses was rather silly, but when you are a black metal icon you can do whatever you want. As long as you play some killer songs, people will be rocking out the whole way! Hail Abbath!  \m/ 

Concert Review: Satan, Night Demon and Hell Fire in SF

Night Demon

     Good Friday, the Friday before Easter Sunday, happened to be the perfect night to see the legendary band called, Satan. San Francisco and Bay Area metal fans were given quite a show with three excellent heavy metal acts.  

    The line-up of Satan, Night Demon and Hell Fire sure delivered a solid live experience for those metal fans who attended. Being one of NWOBHM’s most respected bands, I knew that there was going to be a decent turnout. Honestly, I did not realize the amount of people who really fanatical Satan fans. When I arrived at the venue after searching almost an hour for parking, the line to get into the Elbo Room was surprisingly very long. Also, you had metal fans ranging from young to old, drunk to super drunk, but mostly looking ready to rock out to some killer music. 

    Opening the show was SF locals, Hell Fire, who were also celebrating the release of their first album. I saw Hell Fire play with Night Demon two years ago at the Knock Out, and was rather impressed with their take on classic style heavy metal. However, the band’s singer who I saw at the Knock Out was not with them anymore, and I personally thought he played a crucial role in their overall sound. Though, the band’s new singer was someone who I did find to be a suitable replacement. Jake Nunn, the band’s new singer, played in a band called Hysteria who I had seen a few times. I really enjoyed the band’s live energy and could tell they have been working hard at developing that tight heavy metal sound. The riffs were fierce and the music flowed with great synergy. For an opener they did a solid job getting the fans ready, especially when Jake challenged everyone to try and match his vocals. He may have lost 59 times before, but I think he can count last night as a win for putting on a wicked live set. 

Hell Fire

    Taking the stage next after Hell Fire, was Ventura, CA’s very own, Night Demon. One of heavy metal’s most electrifying and talented bands around, Night Demon take’s listeners back in time to the NWOBHM period with some brilliant songwriting and one passionate live experience. Once they took to the stage supported by a phenomenal lighting set up and epic looking background, the band owned that space and unleashed killer song after song. Also to point out, this would be the band’s first show with new guitarist, Armand Anthony. Again, I have a hard time adjusting to when certain bands make line-up changes, especially when the band was firing at all cylinders like Night Demon. However, Armand did a tremendous job for his first show and seemed to have all the guitar parts down. I also liked how he added to the band’s stage presence. Him and bassist/singer Jarvis Leatherby were a strong live presence and their playing matched up perfectly. Dusty Squires was a monster behind the kit and has such a powerful sound that maintains an extremely supportive rhythmic backbone. 

    Song’s like “Full Speed Ahead,” “Curse of the Damned,” and “The Howling Man,” sounded simply amazing. During their song, “The Chalice,” from Night Demon’s first EP, the band’s mascot “Rocky” made his way out and seemed to get a big pop from the audience. The band’s performance was one of their best in my opinion, which is saying something, because the other two times I have seen them were exceptional sets. I think the crowd also really enjoyed the band’s performance and people were throwing the horns up until the very end. 

    After Night Demon finished their killer set, the band of the night began getting ready. Satan definitely was the reason a lot of fans were there, and when they came out on stage, everyone seemed to make their way to the stage. The venue was so packed I felt like a sardine in a can. Holy crap! I did not realize how many people were fanatical Satan fans. Once the band cranked up the guitar distortion and kicked into the first song, I could understand why people showed up in full force. Satan for an older band sounded very solid and does not let their age prevent them from rocking out with kick jams. Singer Brian Ross has an amazing voice along with unbelievably great stage presence. The guttering playing from Russ Tippins and Steve Ramsey was truly smashing, especially the lead guitar playing. Bassist Graeme English and drummer Sean Taylor were very good players as well and added to the band’s overall sound. 

    I respected how they played a decent balance of new and old material. Some fans were shouting for them to play more old songs, but I find those people to be either drunk, or just completely ignorant. Satan’s new songs sounded just as exciting and well written as the band’s work from, “Court in the Act.” Yes, “Trial by Fire” and “Blades of Steel,” were really awesome to hear live, but the new songs from “Atom By Atom,” happened to be well received. “Farewell Evolution,” hands down was my favorite song during their set. 

    Well, there you have it folks, an amazing night of heavy metal for Bay Area metal fans to always remember (unless they drank so much that they blacked out). I think this was a well put together bill that showed a classic metal band that still knows how to put on a killer live show, and also give a couple of up and coming bands the opportunity to offer their crushing heavy metal music. In the end, if you went to this show, you did not lose out on a great heavy metal evening...you might have lost some money thanks to parking, but the music hopefully made up for that.  

Satan