Mournful Cries "Bad Taste"

    Like three wisemen traveling across a desert in a smoke filled caravan, Mournful Cries bestows upon the metal world a gift of pure DOOM with the release of their debut album, “Bad Taste.” The Sonoma County based trio delivers an album containing plenty of killer riffs and seismic jams powerful enough to rattle the Earth’s core.

    Mournful Cries is band that I am quite familiar with since I’ve reviewed a few of their previous demos for the blog. Those demo releases were great starting points and the band was able to build off those past songs and form some truly crushing tracks. The new songs written for the album are extremely well produced and the overall sound is very addicting. Once you starting listening, you do not want to stop.

    The album contains seven tracks, all of them delivering a mighty punch of unapologetic doom making you feel like you are traveling into a misty world of haunting distortion and bombastic rhythms. “Sea of Trees,” is a great opening track which sets the tone by unleashing a groovy main riff that welcomes a blizzard of reverb and thunderous drumming. Guitarist and singer Luis Olguin along with bassist Matt Lasserre feverishly hack away at a tasty main riff, while drummer Alex Hernandez assaults his kit with precision and great feel throughout the song. The band continues that same approach on the next song, “Hallowed Tomb,” taking listeners into a crypt of classic doom like horror.

    “Evil Confessor,” conveys a more gritty and raw attitude where the bass sound really captures your attention. Matt seems to hit the notes at the right time causing you to feel the impact of each note striking your eardrum. Track number four, “Angelic Envy,” is a blasphemous tale containing a sample from the movie, Dogma. I really like how Luis delivers the lyrics and I find the song’s overall instrumental composition to be very well written. Songs like, “Sinner’s Pyre” and “Bad Taste,” are great examples of track that feature these simple yet catchy riffs and can eventually evolve into these monolith sized jams.

    The album’s final song, “Witches’ Herbs,” is the longest song on the album and runs about nine and a half minutes, allowing the band to throw in quite a few devastating riff compositions. Right when Luis hits that first chord, you know that the band means business. Throughout the song you feel drawn into this endless void of hypnotic sounds that are heightened by the relentless drive of each band member as they conjure such raw power through their instruments.

    Although the metal world has been saturated with bands trying to sound like Black Sabbath and other legendary doom bands for many years, few are able to standout and develop a strong musical identity. Mournful Cries did an impressive job molding their influences together and achieved a unique sound that compliments their songwriting style.

    Out of all the albums I've heard this year, I believe, “Bad Taste,” has a certain quality that really stands out, especially considering it being their first album. You can hear how each musicians put a lot of effort into the recordings and each song is played with true dedication and passion. The goal on the next album should be to keep that same drive and passion alive, because that is how you can take the music to an even greater level.

    In the end, I highly recommend this album for fans of doom along with anyone who is looking for an album that will leave you tripping out of your mind on some HEAVY goddam riffs!

Mournful Cries bandcamp:
https://mournfulcries.bandcamp.com/album/bad-taste

Mournful Cries Release New EP “Vices”

    They’re back! Mournful Cries keeps cranking out the demos and EPs with their third release to date, “Vices,” which is another strong invocation of pure doom. The Sonoma County Sabbath worshippers conjure up some wicked sounding riffs from cosmic worlds beyond and tell listeners some haunting tales of bone chilling terror.

    Ever since the band formed I have been tracking their progression and I can tell you that their sound keeps evolving with each new release. The first demo/EP  was definitely more raw and rough sounding, but demonstrated a talented trio that could write some crushing pieces of doom metal. Also, I need to point out how the band self-records their music and drummer Alex Hernandez who does the mixing and engineering on each release does a really solid job capturing the band’s sound. The drum, guitar and bass production on, “Vices,” really stands out and adds a deafening punch to each track. I even thought the vocals provided by singer and guitarist Luis Olguin vividly complimented the instrumental compositions.

    The two songs on this EP are both sinister cuts of doom and convey very dark heavily distorted atmospheres reminiscent to that of music by Saint Vitus and Pentagram. “Sinners Pyre,” is the opening track and slowly builds up into a blizzard of mind crushing doom. There is a catchy overall quality to the song, which is achieved by the song’s tight main rhythm. The other song on this EP, “Phantasmal Poisoning,” is another killer jam of heavy hitting doom with more dynamic compositions thrown into the mix. I thought the ending part of the song was without question the most captivating section. Bassist Matt Lasserre offers up some tasty bass lines and the music simply flows in perfect synergy until the end.

   There is much to be said about this young band’s progression from their first demo, however, in the end I shall sum it all up by saying Mournful Cries is moving in the right direction. A lot of young bands rush themselves by trying to get full-length album out right away and end up creating subpar recordings. I think Mournful Cries is smart for taking their time and slowly building up to their first full-length with these demos and EPs. You get a better sense for what this band can offer and how they are constantly working to improve their sound.

   So crank up the volume, turn out the lights, drink from the chalice and let “Vices” consume your soul...let the doom commence!

Mournful Cries bandcamp and FB:

https://mournfulcries.bandcamp.com/album/vices

https://www.facebook.com/MournfulCries/

Woodswalk Release New Single “As You Sow, So Shall You Reap”

    After a few years of silence, Woodswalk emerges from the dark misty forests of Sonoma County with a blistering piece of raw black metal music. “As You Sow, So Shall You Reap,” is an offering of extreme music that takes you on a journey through pathways of infinite darkness and melancholy sounding atmospheres.

    Teaming up with Cosmic Pyre Productions, Woodswalk’s new single is what looks to be the start of more releases to come from this new and promising label. I am honestly extremely pleased with Woodswalk returning and putting out some new music. I remember when I first heard the band’s song, “Death of Tuireann,” which is definitely more ambient and atmospheric. With the new single the band sort of transitions into a very raw black metal sound with plenty of dynamic riff compositions and an overall harsh sounding traditional black metal tone. I thought the vocals were well recorded and did a great job complementing the instrumental arrangements. Also, the recording quality I think was another strong point and allowed the music to be presented in such a vivid and commanding fashion. You feel drawn into this blizzard of guitar distortion while also being bombarded by the vicious sound of the drums. Production wise, this track is everything you want in a black metal recording and definitely stacks up with some of the top black metal releases to come out in the last couple years.

    In the end, “As You Sow, So Shall You Reap,” is a track that makes me want more from Woodswalk. So many black metal bands focus on trying to be evil with their imagery first that the songwriting ends up being very lack luster. There is a certain energy, talent and attitude Woodswalk delivers that I believe separates them from most of the other black metal bands around right now. I am looking forward to hopefully hearing more music from Woodswalk in the coming months and appreciate that there is a black metal band willing to put thought into their music, while still conveying a very raw and grim sound.

Listen to the new single below:

Woodswalk Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/Woodswalk-1532721717010189/

Cosmic Pyre Productions Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/CosmicPyreProductions/

Trecelence "Justified Atrocities"

    Over the last last year I have had the opportunity to witness firsthand the growth and accomplishments of an extremely talented group of very passionate thrash metal musicians. Trecelence is a band that to strives make solid headbanging technical thrash music and they have gained a loyal following within the Sonoma County Metal Community. The Santa Rosa, CA based band's new full-length album, “Justified Atrocities,” now looks to take the global metal world by storm with a fierce arsenal of technical thrash tracks.

  To start, I am already aware that some will question the authenticity of this review and will claim that I am being biased since I know the band. However, as I have mentioned before when writing reviews with bands who I happen to know, I find that I can still present a fair assessment of the music. If I do not particularly like something, I will express my opinion. Also, all humans are biased and this bullshit about being as unbiased as pure white snow is a freaking joke. If the mainstream media is biased as hell, then I can write reviews about my friends’ music.

  Moving on, “Justified Atrocities,” can be described as a technical thrash offering that pays homage to all those eighties bands who led the way by shredding and headbanging with endless amounts of mosh pit conjuring riffs. The album opens with the triumphant instrumental piece, “Canis Major,” and gives listeners a brief introduction to the technical guitar talents of Chris Olney Burnett and Donnie Small. The track then perfectly transitions into the next song, “Into the Gateway,” where bassist/vocalist Zane Covington unleashes an epic scream as the guitars and drums viciously begin their thrash journey into the chaotic sounding vortex. Drummer Ilan Cabrera maintains a solid presence on the track and along with Zane, creates a heavy sounding backbone where Chris and Donnie are able to come up with some impressive leads.

    The area that stands out the most for me on this album is the guitar playing. Song number three, “Shrapnel Surroundings,” is filled to the brim with heavy skull crushing riffs and of course those tremendous note shredding leads. You even get a King Diamond like scream from Zane during the song to add that extra emphasis. I want to point out how Zane’s vocals have definitely improved since the band’s first EP “Acidic Demise,” and his ability to hit the high notes really stands out. Following it up, “Systematic Intimidation,” keeps the thrash machine moving and driving at top speed. At times I felt like the lyrics were getting lost in the riffs and Zane vocals during the verse sections could have been slightly louder.

    Probably my favorite track on the album, “Corporatocracy,” contains a variety of dynamic riffs that have elements of more than just thrash. There is this one part towards the end where one of the guitars picks through these haunting minor chords and sounds a bit like something you might hear in a black metal song. “Agenda 21,” and “Burning the Pendulum,” are a couple of solid tracks that sort of maintain the same style and sound you heard from the previous tracks. The bass playing really stands out during, “Burning the Pendulum,” which helps add that devastating low end punch to the music.

  The final three tracks are, “Under the Elusive Sky,” “Battle Beneath the Skull,” and “Aridscape.” All three tracks do not disappoint and the band stays consistent until the end. My only minor complaint is I am still not completely sold on the production for the vocals. I felt like the guitars and drums would drown out what Zane was saying, but that was only during a few sections. Overall, the band sounds really tight throughout the release.

  To conclude, Trecelence crafted one ambitious sounding album that enters the gateway into the global world of metal by delivering some relentless and ferocious sounding tracks. Unlike some bands in the thrash genre who settle for basic recycled thrash worship riffs, one can hear where Trecelence is pushing themselves to create clever instrumental compositions to compliment their thought provoking lyrics. This is definitely a good starting point for the band and I know that their hard work ethic will allow them to construct even more solid technical thrash tunes in the future. So, get off your Twitters and stop worrying about who is going to be the next circus clown leader of the world circus and go pick up a copy of, “Justified Atrocities.”

Trecelence "Shrapnel Surroundings" :

Trecelence Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/trecelence/?fref=ts

Trecelence Release Show (10/8/16)

Trecelence

    There is without question that Saturday, October 8th at the Arlene Francis Center was a monumental celebration for the Sonoma County Metal and Hardcore Community. For this was not just another show, but the release show for Trecelence’s debut full-length album, “Justified Atrocities.” These die-hard local thrashers have put in a great amount of work leading up to the release of this album and playing in front of their local metal community made the release of this album even more special. 

    Playing alongside Trecelence were five other talented metal acts. You had Hellbender, Trial by Combat, Stained Humanity, Sepulchre and Hemotoxin. It was great to have Hemotoxin come from up from the East Bay to play this show. After reviewing their most recent album, “Biological Enslavement,” I was eager to hear the new material live. I found when arriving to the venue everyone was in great spirits as the metal community seemed extremely proud of Trecelence for their accomplishment. Plus, the guys in Trecelence were overly excited to play and give people a chance to hear some music from their new album. One could say it felt like Christmas, besides the fact that inside the venue was hotter than hell and could melt a snowman faster than a grindcore song. 

    Kicking off the massive metal celebration was Stained Humanity. I saw these guys for their first show and was looking forward to hearing how they have progressed. Compared to their first show, one could tell the young dudes were becoming more conformable onstage. The band is starting to form a solid sound that will help them continue to improve and allow them to open up more creative possibilities. The lead guitar playing stood out more too this time around and I think that is going to be an area where they can really explore their technical writing potential. Just need to keep practicing and finding ways to develop a tight and unique sound. 

    Second up was the Pittsburg, CA based group Hemotoxin, who would be playing Santa Rosa for their first time. I think the local audience responded quite well to the technical thrash four piece. Hemotoxin is an extremely atypical thrash group, because you have elements of old school death metal and the band even displays some progressive elements in their music. If you have followed these guys then you cannot deny that, “Biological Enslavement,” is a release that simply raises the bar for this type of music. The technicality in the riffs is top notch and the fluidity of the lead guitar playing is astonishing at times. Towards the middle of their set the pit was furiously moving and the band kept on delivering plenty of crushing songs to bang your head. 

Hemotoxin

    After Hemotoxin was local veteran metal warriors, Trial by Combat. The band would be playing their first show with a new drummer and hopefully he would not combust onstage like the drummer in Spinal Tap. The band of course unleashed their brutal assault of distorted destruction on the crowd and got the people going crazy within seconds. The vocals that came from singer Dashiel McKenzie offered up great amounts of brutality while the riffs from Jesse Palmer and Aaron Dudley annihilated people’s ears. Towards the end they threw in a cover of Amon Amarth’s, “The Pursuit of Vikings,” which went over well with the crowd. 

    Fourth up after Trial By Combat was the three piece old school death metal worshipers, Sepulchre. These guys are very talented and their sound takes from a variety of influences, which I think allows them to separate themselves from the usual old school death metal worship type acts. Also to point out, Chris Olney Burnett would be playing in Trecelence a little later in the evening, so for him to be playing a set with Sepulchre showed how much this young man is dedicated to the music. I would have also liked to see him play a set with his other band Amnesia, but already playing two sets was probably quite a test already. Overall, Sepulchre put on a tremendous performance that in my opinion is their best performance to date since I have known these guys. The passion that Chris along with drummer Forest Giulietti and bassist Luis Olguin had during their set was unbelievable. The riffs conveyed this malevolent sound from abysses beyond and the vibe from the music sounded simply unforgiving at times. For their last song they cranked out a very old school grindcore type song where Chris decided to break his guitar strings and let the crowd partake in the execution of the strings. 

Sepulchre 

    After Sepulchre delivered their killer set, Hellbender went on next to play their style of skull crushing metal. The guys in Hellbender are decent musicians who know how to get the crowd going. I just think a lot of people were feeling the heat inside the venue area and needed a chance to cool off and get some water. Even though the crowd was having a tough time with the temperature, I think the band played a decent set that was well received. They did a solid cover of Mötley Crüe’s, “Live Wire,” to finish off their set with Miguel Martinez from Aftertayst getting up onstage to sing with them.  

    Finally, the band of the night who would be playing songs from their new album hit the stage with an atomic explosion of raw energy. Trecelence tore right into the first song of technical thrash insanity that conjured up a cyclone of moshing metal maniacs. “Into the Gateway,” sounded spectacular and for me it brought back memories when they were guests on my old radio show and we played the demo version of the song. Bassist Zane Covington put on yet another solid performance by offering constant energetic stage presence. Chris Olney Burnett and fellow guitarist Donnie Small shredded their way through scales with tremendous skill and hammered out endless amount of wicked headbanging riffs. Behind the kit Ilan Cabrera pounded his way through each song and provided a strong backbone. Hearing the new material live was a great introduction for the audience and who were hopefully able to pick up a copy of the new album after the set. Overall, Trecelence kept on rocking hard and the crowd kept moving around until the very end. 

    Wrapping up this review, I just want to say that Trecelence should feel really proud about what they accomplished. Also, all the bands deserve major respect for their contributions to this memorable show. Now, I want to point out that the release of this album is a stepping stone for Trecelence. As the band sets their sights on the global metal world, I do believe their dedication, hard work and passion for the music will help achieve more of their goals. To conclude, may Trecelence keep melting metal minds for many years to come and congratulations on the release of, “Justified Atrocities.” Get yourself a copy if you can!  

Concert Review: Phoenix Theater Metal Show 2/20/16

Trecelence 

    Sometimes I wonder if I keep writing the same concert review every time I attend the Phoenix Theater. However, I am being one-hundred percent honest when I say that Saturday’s show was one of the most solid events put on by Sonoma County Metal and Hardcore. All six bands really delivered during their sets and even when conditions did not go exactly their way, I felt the musicians did their best to push on and keep the crowd hysterically shouting for more. With a line-up featuring Scrape the Earth, Water Into Blood, Cyborg Octopus, Trecelence, WRVTH and Aberration, you knew the audience was going to be headbanging and moshing until the very end.

    Now, I want to begin by saying thanks to the promoter of the show for allowing me to sell some vinyls to help raise money for Ksun Radio. I have been involved with Ksun for the last four years of my college life and really appreciated the opportunity to help raise money for it. This show was the perfect place to sell those vinyls, because all six bands were able to draw out a decently sized crowd who seemed to feverishly enjoy metal music. I was stationed in the back of the venue with my vinyls at a table overlooking the floor in an area that at one time was an old piano lounge. Although I did not have the chance to be right up in front of the stage, I did have a great view of the whole venue. 

    Even before Scrape the Earth began their set I was having numerous people coming up to the table looking to obtain some of the vinyls I had out. I thank the members of Trecelence for being some of the first buyers and for giving me a shootout during their set. The looks on their faces when they found certain vinyls reminded me of my four year old nephew opening presents on Christmas morning. Once the vinyl buyers found their choices I turned my attention to the first band, Scrape the Earth. This would be my third time seeing the band and I must say they have come along in their songwriting and onstage performance. The drumming especially held down a solid rhythmic backbone the entire set and drummer Nick Pater was locked in behind the kit hitting each cymbal and snare with precision. Guitarist/singer Forrest Dang along with bassist Matt Lasserre were pounding away at some heavy sounding riffs while displaying tremendous enthusiasm. Scrape the Earth did their job as the opener and kicked the show off with a nuclear bang. 

    Second up was Water Into Blood, another band who I would be seeing for my third time. Unlike the last time when I saw them playing on the Phoenix side stage, the band looked more comfortable on the main stage and sounded really tight. The passion that comes from lead singer Michael McCubbin is astounding. The riffs were crushing and the heads in front of the stage were constantly banging along to the distorted rhythms. Again, the whole group sounded tight with each member hammering away on the same page. I still would like to see some more lead guitar playing, because the solo in the first song should be thrown in more often to add that element of excitement. Just my opinion though and overall they put on a strong set. 

    As Cyborg Octopus began setting up to go on third, I was given plenty of time to sell some vinyl and converse with the fellow metal maniacs. Eventually I started to wonder if the band was taking a bit too long to set up. Here is where I am going to say that the show did not go down south by any means, but compared to the other bands I felt the time it took them to set up could have been shortened. Upon finally getting all the members ready to go I was interested to hear how they would sound. Out of San Ramon, CA, the group is known to play "progressive metal" and let me say they are definitely progressive musical thinkers. They had a saxophone player who also played a keyboard guitar. Musically, they incorporated a lot of different time signatures while throwing in some funky jazz music to add a unique contrast. Personally, not my type of metal, but I do respect the musicianship and thought the two guitar players were quite talented. I would say they were the most experimental band who took to the stage. 

    Fourth up was no other than the vinyl fanatics and local die hard speed thrashers, Trecelence. After winning the Sonoma County Battle of the Bands I have found them to be at level that you do not hear to often from young up and coming acts. Their mix of technicality and old school  sounding thrash is solid and their dedication to the scene is without question. Tonight though would test Trecelence’s ability to soldier on through a shortened set time and a guitar string snapping during the first song. Yes, as the band began tearing away at a vicious thrash riff guitarist Donnie Small happened to have the misfortune of having a guitar string snapping. Luckily one of his roadies ran to the stage and handed him another guitar to use, but in the mean time guitarist Chris Olney Burnett was left to handle the riffs by himself. Bassist Zane Covington and drummer Ilan Cabrera kept the rhythm going and I think they were able to manage and not let it affect them. As the band’s set progressed and no other strings snapped, they looked extremely conformable on stage playing their songs that always received a big pop from the audience. By the time they reached their final song, the venue was buzzing and I could feel the positive metal energy from where I stood in the back. 

    After Trecelence finished the fifth act WRVTH took to the stage. These guys had a very unique lighting set up that in a way complimented their style of metal that had some atmospheric touches. I personally found the dynamic sound and emotional vibe from their music to be very impressive. Every second of their set had me paying attention and focusing my ears to the massive sound that would come from their compositions. Also, they too had a solid singer who pierced the musical landscape with some fierce growls. People wanted another song from them, but unfortunately they were having to adhere to the shortened time limit just like Trecelence. 

    Well, after WRVTH walked off the stage the final act began to set up for their face smashing set. Aberration, who I have seen a few times before, sure knows how to get a place going unbelievably crazy. They were also filming a music video, so the band kept telling the fans to not hold back and let out their extreme inner souls. Watching all this from where I was definitely made me appreciate the hard work that goes into getting a crowd excited and moving around. Singer James Owen unleashed some wicked vocals while revving up the crowd. Aberration never showed signs of slowing down and kept the intense atmosphere going until the last note was struck. 

    I think after the show most fans were dog tired, with a few still able to run up to the vinyl table when I had the prices go down to one dollar per vinyl. Sonoma Metal and Hardcore did it once again with an enjoyable all out metal show at the Phoenix Theater. I think all the bands gave people their metal fix and hopefully we see more shows with some of these bands in the future. Keep coming out and keep supporting the scene. There is a reason heavy metal is still alive and kicking while disco is buried six feet under. I just hope metal bands don’t get too experimental and start mixing metal with disco...That would sound scary...please, do not attempt if you are a band. 

Aberration 

Concert Review: Valley Fire Benefit Show at the Phoenix 2/6/16

Hatriot

    Heavy Metal and a good cause, that is what went down at the Phoenix Theater this past Saturday night. The night featured six bands looking to appease the local metal scene with extreme riffs and mosh pit forming tunes of unapologetic brutality. 

    A good amount of metal maniacs and enthusiastic headbangers showed up to support the bands. Also, the proceeds from this event went to help those affected by the Valley Fire, so major respect for the people who put this whole show together. With a line-up featuring Predation, Gangrene, Shadow of Eve, The King Must Die, Water Into Blood and Hatriot, this was a solid bill for a good cause. 

    Opening the show on the Phoenix’s side stage was up and coming locals Predation. Their slamming style of metal definitely offered people a pissed off sounding performance to start off the show. I was really impressed by the singer’s aggression and stage presence. He did not waste time in walking into the crowd to growl his heart out over heavily distorted crushing riffs. Unfortunately, there were some strange feedback issues going in between songs with one of the mics, but the band soldiered on and inished a fairly strong opening set. 

    Second up was Gangrene, who I had seen twice before and was at their first show. This time would be different, because the band has added a second guitarist. Yes, Gangrene is stepping up their game and adding to their already unforgiving distorted mountain troll sized sound. The band mixes slow death doom with these unique timings that give them a distinct sound. Also, I have noticed the band getting some more grindcore like elements in their sound which I would like to see them pursue. Overall, I hear some improvements and they really delivered on the venue’s main stage. 

    Switching back to the side stage, everyone was getting ready for Shadow of Eve to  begin their set. I saw them the week before and I do believe that they are one of the scene’s young bands on the rise. Before their set began, the band and the Phoenix’s sound engineers were trying to sort out some speaker problems that caused a few fans to take a step back from the stage since they were worried that something might explode. After the sound issues were resolved and nothing exploded, the band cranked up the distortion and hit away at a wicked piece of music. They are really focusing on developing a tight sound and the riffs are solid. In time I am sure the band will continue to develop more musical complexity and technicality, but each member is making sure they have down their parts. 

Shadow of Eve

    Fourth up was The King Must Die, a group of veterans who have plenty of experience and passion for metal music. Their set was full of high energy, which all originated from the band’s singer who was running all over the stage. I liked the mix of thrash and punk that at times could turn on the brutality button and get the heads banging in front of the stage. Dashiel McKenzie the singer from another veteran local band, Trial by Combat, joined The King Must Die on stage for one song that sounded extreme to the bone. The dual vocal style worked well and the fans were definitely responding positively once they finished with a thunderous applause. 

    As The King Must Die wrapped up, Water Into Blood quickly began setting up on the side stage. I have to be honest, that side stage can be tough for a band due to the small amount of space. With a drummer, two guitar players, a bass player and a singer, Water into Blood looked as if they had little room to move around. No surprise when the singer decided to follow in the footsteps of Predation’s vocalist and just sing right in the crowd. They put on a solid sounding performance and one could tell they have been playing for some time now. I just felt like they could have added some more variety to their songs. Towards the end though I really dug the chord progressions and the one lead guitar part is something I want to hear more from them. 

    Closing the night was Hatriot, the one band who was not from the Sonoma County area. This East Bay group is highly talked about in the Bay Area metal community, and the bass player/singer and drummer are the sons of Exodus frontman Steve Zetro Souza. Steve actually was in the band at one time before rejoining Exodus. Hatriot right now though sounds unbelievably good and their set was hands down the most exciting. Not saying that the other bands did not sound good, but Hatriot simply killed during their set. The lead guitar playing from Justin Sakogawa and Kosta V. was at a level that I do not hear that often from up and coming players. Both of them shredded and traded-off solos with ease while rocking out in full force. Cody Souza is an impressive frontman just like his father and a talented bass player too. Nick Souza did well behind the kit and knows a thing or two about thrash style drumming. I think the band was having a great time since they decided to do an encore and right before the last song Cody expressed a desire to return to the Sonoma County. I really hope they do! 

    There you have it folks, another awesome and well put together metal show that went towards a great cause. Yet another example of why our scene is thriving and getting bands from out of the area interested in visiting. Let’s keep the metal passion going and try to make our way out to the next headbanging event! 

Concert Review: Thought Vomit, Oden Sun, Hellbender, Damascus, Shadow of Eve at Arlene Francis Center 1/29/16

    January 29th was yet another Sonoma County Metal party for all those who showed up to the Arlene Francis Center in Santa Rosa, CA. The bill was a local selection featuring Shadow of Eve, Damascus, Hellbender, Oden Sun and Thought Vomit. Also, I do believe the Arlene Francis Center was a great place to host a metal show such this one. 

    Upon arriving at the venue, I noticed that the metal maniacs were already hanging around wearing their metal shirts and looking ready to mosh around. I mean, Thought Vomit was playing, so if there was not a mosh pit people would have been asking for refunds. Of course, they would be the band to turn the place up side down and I shall talk about that later in this article. 

    Starting off the show was the young up and coming act, Shadow of Eve. Unfortunately, due to the crappy parking situation in the area around the Arlene Francis Center, I missed half of Shadow of Eve’s set. Though the portion of the band’s set I did catch was impressive. I remember when I first saw them back in October of last year. They put on a strong show for a young band. Their performance at the Arlene Francis Center was quite enjoyable. The band sounded tighter and the songs are starting to take form. The riffs are straightforward hard hitting in style and they even incorporated some epic dual guitar leads. If they keep working on those type of guitar compositions and coming up with catchy heavy metal songs, I believe they will become another solid act in the area. 

    Second band of the night was Damascus. Their vicious style of death metal is fairly simple, yet soul crushing at times. The band’s vocalist had really good stage presence and his range was massive. Some of his growls were unforgiving in nature and added to the band’s overall sound. I thought the guitar work by both guitarists was solid, however, I felt like the riffs were at times repetitious. Also, some of the leads were getting drowned out by the other instruments. Still, the energy that the band conveyed connected with the audience and people were getting more aggressive in the pit. 

    Before the third act, Hellbender, I decided to check out the outside patio area of the venue and catch up with some friends. I noticed as I was in the patio area that people from other bands in the area were passing out flyers for their upcoming shows and networking with their fellow metal comrades. This is just another reason why the Sonoma County Metal Community is so tight and supportive of the scene. Returning to the venue floor area Hellbender was smashing away at a wicked sounding jam. The brutal quartet threw out intense riffs and bombastic rhythms that got the people banging their heads and spilling their beers on my shoe. The high point of the band’s set in my opinion was when they cranked out a bad ass cover of Mötley Crüe’s, “Live Wire.” People were singing along whether they were young or old and the band did a great job handling such a classic song. 

    Oden Sun came up next and I was glad to see them live again. This was their CD release show for the EP, “Impeding Doom.” The band is composed of veteran musicians who play a killer style of traditional metal. Singer Lance Ozanix always provides an epic touch to the band’s set and was with sword in hand as he took to the stage. The guitar playing of both Julian Kidd and Jason Wright was spot on and the riffs just delivered in relentless fashion. I think the new songs sound really good and the band’s veteran presence is something to take note of if there are any young bands looking to improve their sound and stage presentation for that matter. Watching Lance walk around giving evil facial expressions during guitar solos and waving a sword in the area to the Norse Gods is definitely an exciting live experience. 

   The final band of the night was Thought Vomit, a band who I have seen often in the past year and is never an act to disappoint. I think the only thing disappointing was how some of the fans were hanging back during their set, because Thought Vomit simply destroyed during their performance. The people up front started pushing and moshing right away when the band cranked out, “Wreck Shop.” Singer Spencer Clark took advantage of the wireless mic by running through the crowd in a state of complete euphoria. Guitarist Chris Meyer shredded away and would even walk off stage and into the crowd during songs. Jordie and Clay held down the rhythm section and injected more aggression into the Thought Vomit sound. Some other enjoyable songs of the night were, “Punk’s Brutal Retaliation,” and “This is Your God.” With fans falling over after too much moshing and beer, the band closed the set with a brutal new track that will hopefully get recorded soon so more people can hear it. 

   At the end of the night, I think everyone had an enjoyable time and the scene once again showed support for the talented acts who took to the stage at the Arlene Francis Center. No matter if it was a young band like Shadow of Eve, or a veteran group such as Oden Sun, the music kept the crowd going and always wanting more. Sonoma County Hardcore and Metal alive and kicking with more shows to come, so try to make your way down! 

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Concert Review: Infernus Tour 2015 with Hate Eternal and Others at the Phoenix Theater

Hate Eternal

    Friday November 13 at the Phoenix Theater happened to be the perfect day for an all around behemoth of a metal show. Arriving early to the Phoenix Theater, there were already plenty of people lining up for the show and looking eager to get inside. This was a truly solid line-up featuring Hate Eternal as the headliner along with supporting acts Misery Index, Beyond Creation, Rivers of Nihil, Aenimus and Aberration. Anyone who went literally received their money’s worth in brutality and ear bursting riffs. Hell, my ears are still ringing...

    Beginning the show on the side stage of the Phoenix was Sonoma County’s own, Aberration. One could tell the members in the band looked thrilled to be opening this awesome show. Once on stage, they pounded away at some wicked tracks and maintained a fierce edge the entire set. However, the other members could not compete with singer James Owen, who poured out almost every ounce of energy he had during the set. He was running around trying to the get the crowd moving while maintaining a strong vocal delivery. Although their set was not exactly long, I think the band was able to start the night off right and feed the early concert attendees’ a good old helping of melodic death metal.

    After the Aberration’s set I decided to quickly go and get something to eat since I was extremely hungry. Luckily their was a Chinese restaurant a street over and I was able to order my food to go, so I would not miss the next band’s set. Upon returning to the Phoenix I came just in time for Rivers of Nihil’s first song. Finding a suitable place to eat, the top of a skateboard ramp on the side of the venue with a perfect view of the main stage, I was able to enjoy my food while Rivers of Nihil offered sounds of technical death metal brilliance. The band’s musicianship was extremely impressive and the compositions were crushing. The double riff assault from Brody Uttley and Jon Topore was in full effect the entire set. Bassist Adam Biggs was head banging constantly and drummer Alan Balamut was locked in behind the kit. Singer Jake Dieffenbach sounded great too as he growled his way through songs from the new album, “Monarchy,” which I made sure to buy before the night was over.

    Rivers of Nihil finished their set to a thunderous applause from the audience and then concert goers huddled around the side stage for the third act, Aenimus. Another Sonoma County act, Aenimus tore through a set of technical slamming pieces. The band had a very modern metal/deathcore sound that is very popular I have noticed these days. Although I am not a particular fan of this style of metal, I will say that I respected the musicianship and passion the guys showed up on stage. Just like their fellow local act Aberration, Aenimus did a great job representing the Sonoma County Metal community.

    When talking to a few people at the show about who they were interested in seeing, it seemed that the night’s fourth act, Beyond Creation, was a reoccurring answer. The technical progressive death metal musicians from Québec, Canada have been making a name for themselves as a band with unbelievable talent. Sure enough I witnessed that first hand when they began tearing away at their first song. The entire group played with amazing precision and sounded as though they were playing thousands of notes per second. I mean, the guitar tapping dual parts to the complex scale runs were out of this world. Lock me in a room for one-hundred years I do not think I would even come close to the skill level of Beyond the Creation’s two guitar players. Arguably one the most impressive technical live sets I have seen. The crowd was seriously losing their shit after each song!

Beyond Creation

    While still trying to figure out how Beyond the Creation could be so damn musically insane, the fifth act Misery Index began setting up. The death metal dudes from Baltimore have been around since the early 2000s and continue to put out releases that receive fair praise. I thought they played a decent set and their drummer sounded really good behind his kit of double bass drum destruction. Also, the pit was getting more intense and that seemed to be accomplished by the band’s very straightforward hard hitting style of riffs. My only critique would be that the singer kept referring to the crowd as, “San Francisco.” Now, this can be an honest mistake since San Francisco is not too far from Petaluma, but I still felt like he should have known exactly where he was playing. Bit of a Spinal Tap moment one could say. 

    The final act of the night was Hate Eternal who were definitely an act I was anticipating on seeing along with a decent amount of other people at the Phoenix. Erik Rutan after leaving Morbid Angel formed Hate Eternal, and in my opinion is keeping the old school technical extreme metal formula going strong with each new release. Also, Erik’s other two band members are also very accomplished musicians with Hannes Grossmann on drums and J.J Hrubovcak on bass. Once they tore into the opening song, all hell broke loose on the venue floor. People were head banging furiously at the front of the stage and the mosh pit was an all out metal maniac zone. Hate Eternal did an awesome job balancing old songs with new songs in their set list to which fans seemed pleased no matter what. During the set Erik even dedicated a song to those who had lost their lives in the Paris, France terrorist attacks which happened the day of the concert. Overall, Hate Eternal was one of the most solid sounding live acts I have seen. The way that they conducted themselves on stage as players is something young metal bands should take note of if they want achieve a truly brutal and accomplished sound.

    What more can I say about this concert? ...If you were in the Sonoma County and did not show up you really dropped the ball. Each of the six bands did not disappoint and the crowd was always demonstrating why metal fans are the most passionate music fans. From the young fans, to the old fans, and to the fans who walked around eating Chinese food, the metal community came out in full support at the Phoenix Theater. Hopefully there will continue to be more concerts like this one to come!

Rivers of Nihil

Concert Review: Vital Remains at the Phoenix Theater

Photo of Sepulchre

    Sonoma County Metal and Hardcore really brought something satanically special to the Phoenix Theater last night. Six bands who all offered some extreme headbanging and mosh pit forming music took to the stage for one epic show. Ever since the show was announced, I had been anticipating the chance to see and hear these six bands decimate the Phoenix Theater with their sheer brutal force. Sure enough, they did just that last night and really gave the crowd a show to remember.

    When arriving at the venue I could tell everyone was in good metal spirits. I was glad to see a decently sized turnout that seemed to grow as the night progressed. The six bands billed were Sepulchre, Barren Altar, Embryonic Devourment, The Kennedy Veil, Necronomicon and the headliner...Vital Remains. Being an old school death metal band that has released a fair amount of albums, one would expect Vital Remains to attract more older metal fans. However, there was a mix of old and new fans with one fan being twelve years old. Another example of parenting done right by having your kid listen to awesome extreme music like Vital Remains.

    Kicking off the show on the side stage of the concert venue was Sonoma County’s young ambitious progressive death metal trio, Sepulchre. Having seen them three times before, I was thrilled to see them open this show. There was a decent amount of people who came early, so Sepulchre was greeted with a loud response once they tore into their first song. Playing in a lower tuning to add an even heavier tone to their songs, the band threw down some thunderous jams. Introducing two new songs, “Iniquitous Indiscipline” and “Immolated Conscience,” the guys seemed to be having a grand old time on stage and the music flowed naturally. I really want them to keep exploring their musical creativity, because the new material sounds great. Of course, “Destiny Destroyer,” is a song they should always keep around since the riffs in that song, especially the guitar solo, literally annihilate my mind every time.

    Second up and switching over to the main stage was Embryonic Devourment from Willits, CA. This technical death metal group really put on a blazing set. Their drummer seemed as if his mind was specifically programmed to perform technical blasts on his kit. The guy was sweating profusely by the end of the set! Overall though they delivered an extremely tight sounding performance. The bass player/vocalist was running around the stage banging his head, while the guitarist shredded his way on an amazing looking white guitar. The crowd was definitely beginning to come alive and the front of the stage maintained a passionate amount of energy during the band’s set.

    Once Embryonic Devourment finished their last song, everyone’s attention went back to the side stage where the third band had already set up and was ready to go. Taking the third slot was, Barren Altar, a blackened death doom band who puts on one haunting ritualistic display of soul crushing music. I could already smell the incense burning towards the end of Embryonic Devourment’s set, and by now Barren Altar had the candles out and were ready to destroy. Once that first riff hit with a force like two planets colliding, I felt instantly drawn to the heavy doom atmosphere. The band’s singer would hit himself with the mic before unleashing a brutal growl to cover the sinister slow compositions. Their final song, which was well over ten minutes, featured some brilliant dynamic parts. I saw the band put on a great set about a month ago, and somehow they were able to execute an even better one last night!

    After Barren Altar finished, the final three bands all performed on the main stage. Fourth up on the night was, The Kennedy Veil, who are one of two bands on tour right now with Vital Remains. The Sacramento, CA based band received plenty of roars from the crowd when they started their first song. They played some technical slamming death metal riffs and sounded pretty solid. Also, the singer maintained great stage presence by constantly interacting with the crowd. He had a strong death growl too, so the brutality from their songs never ended. I think the band has a good formula going, but I would like to hear maybe a little more variation in their songs.

    Once the Kennedy Veil walked off stage, the Phoenix staff and next band were ready to set up. Necronomicon, from Eastern Canada, was a black metal trio who at times conveyed some death metal elements. Dressed as traditional black metal warriors with corpse paint similar to that of Immortal, the band delivered a true frost bitten brutal sounding live show. I especially liked when the guitarist and bassist would headbang in unison. The drummer was wearing chainmail and perfectly playing intense blast beat rhythms. During the band's entire set the audience was going crazy and throwing the horns up. I think the crowd appreciated how far this band had come to play and the black metal style that they have made for an epic live set.

    Finally, the blasphemous death metal lords in Vital Remains were ready to give the concert attendees at the Phoenix Theater a lesson in satanic death metal. I swear, once the band hit the stage and began their first song, the energy in the place was massive. The band’s singer kept trying to get the crowd more ravenous and by the end of the night people were dog tired from all the headbanging and moshing. Vital Remains band simply sound great the whole time on stage. Their lead guitarist was shredding through quick scales and played with tremendous fluidity. To cap off the night, the band was able to create a wall of death and towards the end of their set the crowd began ripping apart a bible that some fan had brought.

    Truly an extreme Thursday night of heavy metal music at the Phoenix Theater. All six bands deserve tremendous respect for their hard work on stage. Of course, the fans deserve credit for coming out and giving their full support. I really hope we see more shows in the same vein as this one. Also, I hope more Sonoma County metal fans continue to find their way out to these awesome shows. More metal maniacs equals larger pits of moshing chaos... Hey, beats going to church! \m/

Photo of Necronomicon

Sonoma County Battle of the Bands Concert Review

Thought Vomit

    For the five bands playing last night’s Sonoma County Battle of the Bands, there was an opportunity to win some sweet prizes such as a demo recording from NB Recording, a video filmed by Red Fox Productions and have a show out of the area put on by Pinup Productions. Although this was called a, “battle of the bands,” the night seemed more like a celebration for all those who came out to support Sonoma County Metal and Hardcore community.

    The five groups who played and were hoping to take home the big score were: Thought Vomit, Trecelence, Predation, Gangrene and Abscission. Besides Predation I had seen the other four at least once with this Friday being the third Friday in a row seeing Trecelence. The show was booked at the Arlene Francis Center in Santa Rosa, CA. This was my first time visiting the venue and I instantly noticed how intimate the room was where the bands would play. The stage was not very high at all, but brought the bands and fans very close together.

    Taking the stage first and right on time was Abscission. For an opening band they had a decent amount of people in the audience. I think that the scene came out for this event in full support. Unfortunately, Abscission was without a bass player so the guitarist and drummer were left to fill the void by providing some extra crushing parts. Compared to the last time I saw them, Abscission played with a little more aggression and that might have been due to the lack of a bass player which the singer pointed out a couple times. If you are a bass player in Sonoma County and want to join a death metal band...Abscission is looking for one.

    Second up was Gangrene, who have just really started and I remember seeing them play their first live show. Their unique death doom style is still taking form, but they always put on a solid set. I think they need to keep pushing themselves by adding some more dynamics to their music. The last song they played really interested me, because the guitar parts stood out from the band’s usual riffs.

    After two bands I was starting to feel the heat...of course I am pertaining to the venues warm stuffy setting and not the band’s attitudes towards each other. All the bands seemed to be enjoying themselves and were talking with each other. The third band of the night was Predation. Yet another group just starting out and I was wondering how they would make a first impression. I will say the band played with passion and the riffs had a powerful groove to them. However, the style was not exactly my cup of tea. I respect the singer for jumping into the pit on occasion and most of the crowd seemed to enjoy their set. 

    Setting up faster than the lightening from Thor’s hammer was the night’s fourth band, Trecelence. They have been playing for some time now and really have down a solid technical thrash sound. After playing two weeks in a row you think there is no way they can top the last two. Wrong! Trecelence took their twin guitar attack, speed demon technical drumming and epic metal screams to put on a wicked performance. There were times where bassist Zane Covington, guitarist Donnie Small and guitarist Chris Olney Burnett looked possessed by the metal gods as they banged their heads throughout the set. Even when Zane was having troubles with his amp during one of the songs, he was able to put the technical difficulties behind him and give all his energy for the next song. I think their relentless work ethic and passion for the music shows why they can put on impressive shows week after week.

    After Trecelence went off the stage the final band, Thought Vomit, began setting up. After seeing them twice already, I wondered if Thought Vomit would bring the same amount of intense energy? Sure enough Thought Vomit took the crowd at the Arlene Francis Center and turned them into wild animals. Singer Spencer Clark was in the pit running around screaming his head off. Guitarist Chris Meyer offered up some killer solos and riffs. Drummer Clay Prieto and bassist Jordie Hilley maintained a heavy rhythm section the whole night. I enjoyed the fact that Thought Vomit played some new material at the show and the new music was met with a very positive response. Also, to point out the local band camaraderie, one could see the Trecelence guys moshing during Thought Vomit’s set. Just another reason why this battle of the bands was less like a competition at times and more like a night full of people enjoying great local music.

    Once all the bands put away their gear, the winner was soon to be announced. Finally, after the judges had evaluated each band’s performance, Seth Stephens got on the mic to announce the winner...(drum role Neil Peart)...and the winner was Trecelence. I think all the bands put on a solid show and one could have made the case for some of the other band’s too. In the end, everyone who showed up last night was a winner because their support keeps the Sonoma County metal and hardcore scene going. Hope to see these bands put on more awesome shows and hope to keep seeing more people at the shows rocking out!

Trecelence