Reviews

Clutch tour hits Pittsburgh…

Published

10 years ago

November 20, 2016

JJ Ulizio

Clutch tour hits Pittsburgh…

By JJ Ulizio

On 10/01/16 I had the extreme pleasure of attending the Pittsburgh stop from the almighty Clutch on their current and final tour for supporting their newest album Psychic Warfare. It was a great rock and metal show with support from Zakk Sabbath, Kyng, and a local School of Rock. While not being sure what the final attendance numbers were the venue appeared to at least be close to capacity. It has been a while since I was crammed and packed that tightly into Stage A.E. I knew I was ready for a good show, but I didn’t quite grasp how good of a show I was in for.

First to hit the stage was a complete surprise. It was the local chapter of The School of Rock, playing a set of covers consisting of metal classics like Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper” and “Ace of Spades” by Motörhead. They jammed through their short set while skillfully playing songs in a fashion that I am sure would make the artists who wrote them proud. After each song the crowd erupted in applause and rightfully so, these kids definitely rocked and rocked hard. The highlight of the performance of course came with the set closer when they performed the Clutch song “Subtle Hustle”. The guitarists rocked their way through the first verse as the singer belted out the lyrics, in what I imagine was a surprise, Clutch vocalist Neil Fallon himself came out onto the stage and sang the song with the kids from The School of Rock! I hope they had as much fun doing that as I did watching it because it was great. I hope all of them stick with music because they were a very talented group of kids!

Partial Set from School of Rock Wexford PA Location
Featuring Neil Fallon of Clutch. Stage AE, Pittsburgh PA 10/01/16

Next up was Kyng originating from Los Angeles California as they were supporting their upcoming album entitled Breathe in the Water. A lot of sound, for a three piece band, was coming from the stage as their heavy groove riffs, intense drums, and thick yet nimble bass lines dominated the air around the crowd. Their music demanded the audience’s attention and they got every bit of it. Through the course of their first song I saw people in line to get drinks actually leave their lines to go check these guys out. The riffs and grooves being belted out by this band had heads banging all over the venue. A solid band all the way around, great albums and a killer live show.

Iommi, Butler, Ward, Osbourne. If you are reading this article, then chances are that you probably know who those names are already. But in the off chance that you don’t, I’ll tell you. Those names are the four parts that make up the almighty Black Sabbath. No, Black Sabbath didn’t open up for Clutch. That would be awesome and weird at the same time. Instead of the metal pioneers from England we had what I can only assume is the next best thing. Zakk Sabbath. The long time Ozzy Osbourne guitarist and the main man behind Black Label Society put himself together a Black Sabbath tribute band. Yes, you read that right, and IT WAS AWESOME! I had some personal reservations about it while going into the show. Zakk is for sure an extremely capable guitar player, but the idea of tribute bands is something I never really understood. Once Zakk, Blasko, & Joey took the stage, the roof blew off the place. Zakk’s signature guitar sound ripped through the opening of the Sabbath classic “Children of the Grave”. Not a head was still through the course of the set. Other Sabbath classics like “Fairies Wear Boots”, “NIB”, and “Snowblind” all kept the set moving at a brisk pace. The power that Black Sabbath has was readily apparent because if Zakk wanted too he wouldn’t have had to sing a single song. The crowd belted out every lyric of every verse. They quickly made a believer out of me. Being the fan of the source material that I am, I had an insane amount of fun during the set. The highlight was midway through the set when they performed “War Pigs” from the 1970 classic album Paranoid. Zakk definitely seemed to be enjoying himself as the crowd clapped along to the verse and sang line for line. When the song reached the guitar solo Zakk turned to his crowd pleasers and played the solo with the guitar behind his head, used his teeth. He even walked out onto the floor of the venue with the audience. Right in the middle he continued the solo with the guitar behind his head as the tightly packed audience gathered around and took photos, broadcasted live on Facebook and posted snaps to snapchat. He eventually made his way back to the stage to finish the song.

Their overall set, was just… fun. I’d recommend any fan of Black Sabbath to go and see this live. You will enjoy it.

Zakk Sabbath “War Pigs”
Stage AE, Pittsburgh PA 10/01/16

As much as I enjoyed all the music prior, finally the moment had come. The main reason the majority of the people where there to begin with. From Germantown, Maryland, on tour supporting their newest album, Psychic Warfare, the mighty Clutch. Kicking off their set with a classic from their sophomore self-titled album, “The House That Peterbilt” the riffs and grooves started moving followed by Earth Rocker’s “Unto The Breach.” Two songs back to back seemingly separated by roughly twenty years were eagerly consumed by their legion of fans. They played songs spanning their entire 25 year career. Songs like “Crucial Velocity” & “The Mob Goes Wild” to “The Elephant Riders” and “Noble Savage”. They also preformed a few personal favorites of mine “Escape from the Prison Planet” and “Gravel Road.” I was happy as vocalist Neil Fallon made his way back and forth across the stage raising his hands up and down and pointing periodically at the crowd in the manner of a southern preacher.

The crowd erupted, song after song. Line after line. The band had them in the palm of their hands until the band attempted to close their set with the fan favorite blues rock jam “Electric Worry/One Eye Dollar.” After which the band cleared the stage as the crowd began chanting for more “Clutch Clutch Clutch Clutch” over and over. Considering the lights never came on nor did the house music, it was no surprise when the band came back on stage for an encore. Finishing the night they rocked the stage to “D.C. Sound Attack” and “The Wolf Man Kindly Presents…” featuring harmonica performances and a cow bell solo by Mr. Fallon. It turned into one hell of a rock and roll show.

Clutch and their fans are a special breed. Loyal to the music and the band alike. As the band has grown and evolved their sound a lot of their fans have done the same. Through out the night I heard a lot of the conversations from long time fans. One fan talked of her drive from Maryland to see them for the 22^nd time. While another fan told us that that he was there for his 44^th. The band earned what they have the hard way, through relentless touring. From where I was looking; it definitely seems to have paid off.

Clutch will continue on tour through the end of the year supporting Psychic Warfare, after which they will be taking a short break before beginning to work on the follow up to Psychic Warfare. This was an incredible rock show, well played musically with some amazing showcasing of the music itself. If this tour hits a city near you I highly recommend checking it out it’ll is a gig you won’t soon forget.

Make sure to check out the interview I did with Neil Fallon of Clutch by clicking here.

About Author

JJ Ulizio

JJ has been a contributing writer and huge asset to Empire and Empire Extreme since the very begining. He is always digging for new bands and has a true heart and desire to see the bands grow and succeed.

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Related Topics:clutch Kyng School of Rock spotlight Zakk Sabbath

Concert Reviews

Resistor – Live Review

Published

2 months ago

May 6, 2026

Josh Drespling

Resistor at Preserving Underground: Knuckle-Dragging, Wika-Wika Fury

New Kensington, PA – By the time Resistor took the stage at Preserving Underground on April 30th, the room had already been baptized. Inferious had spent their opening slot proving why they belong on this tour and Monochromatic Black followed suit. The crowd: sweaty, tired, and grinning stood shoulder to shoulder in the basement of a converted church, ready for the Long Island quintet to deliver the main course. They did not disappoint!

The “Knuckle Dragging Wika Wika Core” Arrives

For the uninitiated, a quick vocabulary lesson is needed. Resistor doesn’t just play heavy music; they’ve patented their own subgenre. They call it “knuckle dragging wika wika core”. The “knuckle dragging” part is the downtuned, beatdown-ready hardcore riffage that makes you want to punch a hole in the nearest wall. The “wika wika” is the turntable wizardry of Anthony Arce, a Manhattan-based DJ whose scratches and samples add an extra layer of chaotic texture to the band’s already ferocious sound.

And on this night, in the intimate confines of Preserving Underground, that sound hit like a freight train with no brakes. The band made up of Anthony Grambo on vocals, Anthony Conti on guitar, Ian Schneider on bass, Peter Smith on drums, and Arce on turntables launched into their set with the kind of immediate aggression that separates headliners from openers. Resistor brought a sharp, more hardcore-infused edge. The bass drum kicks vibrated your sternum. The turntable scratches cut through the mix like a knife. And Grambo? Clad in Selena t-shirt didn’t just sing into the mic, he seemed to be wrestling it for control.

A Set Built for 2026

The band had good reason to be confident. Just over a month before, Resistor released their debut full-length album, BITE THIS!. Produced by Randy LeBoeuf (Kublai Khan TX, The Acacia Strain), the 30-minute, 10-track assault has been described as “an aggressive trip with a hardcore ethos” that blends nu-metal’s cocky swagger with 21st-century heaviness.

Setlist highlights came fast and furious. Opening with “BORN 2 BREAK,” the band immediately established the night’s tone: pummeling, unapologetic, and laced with just enough turntable chaos to keep things unpredictable. “L33CH” followed, with Arce’s scratches adding an almost industrial layer of noise to the already dense wall of guitar. By the time they hit “DEAD SOUL” a track the band has called “the perfect entry point” to the album the pit had fully reignited.

The Secret Weapon: Anthony Arce

What sets Resistor apart from every other heavy band on this tour is the turntable. In 2026, seeing a DJ on stage at a hardcore show feels almost nostalgic. A throwback to the nu-metal heyday of the late ’90s and early 2000s. But Resistor doesn’t use the turntable as a gimmick. Arce’s contributions are woven directly into the fabric of their sound, from the extra chaos on “PETTY FUCK” to the almost Deftones-esque atmosphere of “FROZEN AT 29”.

Live, those moments hit even harder. During “LOVE SONG (BULLSH!T),” Arce dropped into a scratch solo of sorts, that had the crowd throwing horns and nodding in appreciation. It was a small moment, but it underscored something essential about Resistor: they’re not just heavy for the sake of being heavy. They’re heavy with purpose, texture, and a genuine understanding of how different elements can collide to create something new.

Closing Strong

By the time they reached the set’s final tracks “XXXL” and “FEEL LIKE SHIT” the room was a mess of flying bodies, raised voices, and genuine appreciation. The band didn’t overstay their welcome. They played, they destroyed, and they stepped back, leaving the crowd to catch their breath before Filth’s headlining set.

Verdict

Resistor proved exactly why they were chosen for this 10th-anniversary tour. With a new album that’s been called “nothing short of an aggressive trip” and a live show that delivers every ounce of that aggression, they’ve positioned themselves as one of the most interesting heavy bands coming out of the New York scene. The “knuckle dragging wika wika core” label might sound like a joke, but the music is anything but.

Catch them on the remaining dates of the Back To Tha Gutta tour if you can. Just bring earplugs. And maybe a change of shirt.

About Author

Josh Drespling

Josh is the Publisher and creator of Empire Extreme and it’s sister publication Kingdom Extreme Magazine. He is an accomplished writer, photographer and graphic designer. He is always conjuring up new ideas and has a amazing passion for the music industry and all the things that surround it.

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CD Reviews

Resistor – Bite This! Album Review

Published

3 months ago

March 25, 2026

Josh Drespling

Review by Josh Drespling

This album is fresh and filthy. A heaping serving of nasty bass, thunderous guitar, and intense angry vocal mix with DJ scratching and slammin’ grooves that congeal to form a monstrous cyclops. The monster that is Resistor not only pays homage to the musical past, but they also forcefully migrate the genre with what they have christened “knuckle-dragging wika wika core.”

When asked about the album, the Long Island, NY, quintet’s bassist, Ian Schneider, said, “I want everybody who listens to it to have a stank face for as close to 29 minutes as possible.” And the ten-track album delivers grooves that hit with enough tectonic force to do just that.

The follow-up to the band’s 2023 EP So It Begins and their 2025 EP HEADCASE opens with the track “Born 2 Break.” The first sound is the crackle and feedback of a loose 1/4-inch guitar cord being plugged in, followed by four strums of a dissident yet thin guitar sound. This is quickly obliterated by a pummeling disturbance that could easily make the head of an uninitiated listener explode from pure brute force. Pick drags, guttural screams, and a bombastic rhythm destroy your speakers within the first fifteen seconds of the album. Led by a nasty bass riff bathed in a tone that had to have taken months or even years to dial in. The earth-shattering bass coupled with coarse vocals is ripped to shreds by the DJ’s scratching, followed by an earthquake-inducing rhythm. This opening track, which after a brief two minutes and forty-seven seconds leaves you needing to gasp for air.

L33CH
“L33CH” is the second track, and it follows suit and feels like a continuation of the previous song, “Born 2 Break.” Clocking in at just two and a half minutes, this bombastic ditty will make your ears bleed. Full of guitar noise similar to an early Slipknot, cymbal crashes ring out in the quiet spots. This is the first track where you can hear the multiple vocal styles from the band. I’m not sure if it’s just the single lead vocalist, Anthony Grambo, performing all the vocal parts or if another member is pulling double duty. As there are low guttural screams, high-pitched shrieks, and rapped parts all bathed in aggression, angst, and thunder.

Dead Soul
“Dead Soul” is next and has been released as the lead single on this notably short album. It is what the band calls “the perfect introduction to this record.” It features a hip-hop bounce that tempers the brutality while proclaiming the band’s “Fuck you” mantra. With lyrics like “Always running your mouth. I’m casting you out. We built this shit that you know nothing about.” You know that Resistor is not here to play games. This one starts with some frantic scratching and brutal screams by Grambo, kicked off by a “Sit the fuck down” bellow. This, coupled with the samples and/or guitar ambience, makes this song another track that could have been stripped off a Slipknot album. The track pummels you for over three and a half minutes but seems to fly by in a matter of seconds.

The band has described “Dead Soul” as “what to expect from the next nine songs.” In terms of the meaning, it’s a big ‘Fuck you,’ which tends to be our motto and a central theme.”

BITE THIS!
This title track explodes from the speakers like an atomic juggernaut. The understated guitar riff is dirty and disgustingly aggressive in its simplicity. Then there is a “bass break” that will make your windows rattle with sonic pleasure. And the samples just make it go even harder.

PETTY FUCK
A frenetic beat and a jagged, down-tuned chug fuel the sonic bloodletting of “PETTY FUCK.” True to its title, “Petty Fuck” channels frustration and defiance into an unapologetic expression of resentment. Bassist Ian Schneider noted the song’s message is “loud and clear,” adding that while there aren’t a ton of expletives, “there are enough.” Built on thick, punchy riffs and a rhythmic bounce that locks into a head-nodding groove while maintaining aggressive momentum, a signature element that sets Resistor apart from their contemporaries.

LOVE SONG (BULLSH!T)
This is anything but a love song. Maybe somebody needs to reach out to these guys and offer up a heartfelt hug. In all seriousness, this song slams as hard as the previous five songs on this release. There are some interesting samples/DJ/production work going on in this song. It makes for a headbanging, fist-pumping song full of hate and venom.

LEARNING TOOLS
Oh my, the chug at about the 2:15 mark is going to make you drive 100 miles per hour, followed by a decadent guitar decay that leads perfectly into the next track, “Frozen at 29.”

FROZEN AT 29
Noisy, sludgy, down-stroke guitar blasts you face-first into this track whether you like it or not. Distant screams echo through the track, exuding despair and regret. Haunting keyboard draws you in as the agony of Grambo’s vocals echoes in the distant background, giving a bit of a Deftones feel. The track ends with some futuristic computer noises that clean your audio palette in preparation for “XXL.”

XXXL
Turntables snake around the guitars, practically choking out feedback, and Grambo delivers his anthemic state of the union, “This is big boy revolution!” And is that somebody imitating the Fat Boys following the extended vocal growl towards the end of the track, or maybe a sample? Inquiring minds want to know.

FEEL LIKE SHIT
The finale “FEEL LIKE A SHIT” is caustic and cathartic. Slamming you in the face with distortion that will rattle your teeth. Against this backdrop, Grambo bellows, “It only gets worse.” Leaving you wanting more as the album winds down and the final cymbal crash rings out.

This album is a giant step forward for the band. It has a nu-metal feel, bathed in hardcore, married with a DJ’s sensibility. The exclusively live instrument feel makes the anguish, fear, and worry come screaming through the speakers with genuine emotion, catchiness, and above all, heaviness. There is what seems to be genuine chemistry between the five distinct musical identities of the members. The turntables add texture that feels essential, while the bass tone and riffs can knock you on your ass. The album balances brutality with head-nodding grooves, and considering it clocks in at just 29 minutes, it doesn’t overplay their hand.

With production being handled by Randy LeBoeuf (Acacia Stain, Misery Signals, Counterparts, Thy Art is Murder, Every Time I Die, Unity TX, Kublai Khan TX), it is clear that this is just the entry point for Resistors’ journey in the musical world. The album will be released on March 27, 2026, on all the platforms and can be ordered on WeAreResistor.com.
Also check out the Empire Extreme interview with Resistor’s drummer Pete Smith here.

About Author

Josh Drespling

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Announcement/News

W.A.S.P. Album One Alive 2024 US Tour

Published

2 years ago

August 21, 2024

Josh Drespling

Hollywood, CA (August 20, 2024) — It is 2024, and W.A.S.P. is celebrating 1984! 40 years ago, the landmark debut album from W.A.S.P. was released on August 17, 1984, and the metal world was knocked on their ass!

The W.A.S.P. “Album ONE Alive” Tour celebrates the debut album by playing the album in its entirety, from start to finish.

To give the fans something every week to celebrate W.A.S.P. is giving away…

• 10 pairs of tickets a week for the length of the US tour.

• Silver Award – Blackie is also giving away each week of the tour two personal meet and greets in his dressing room. In HIS dressing room!

• Gold Award – One lucky fan will win Blackie’s personal certified RIAA award for the debut album.

• Platinum Award – And the Grand Prize, one fan and a guest will be provided airfare and a luxury Hollywood hotel to the final show in Los Angeles, meet the band and stay for the after show, end of tour party.

W.A.S.P. can only celebrate 1984 once and they want to do it big!

To enter all you have to do is visit and enter your email address:
https://forms.gle/WU5wE3K4BbmaBSQv9

It was recently announced that Armored Saint will be replacing Death Angel on the tour. W.A.S.P. issued the following statement: “W.A.S.P. is pleased to announce that Armored Saint will now be joining the “Album One Alive” Fall 2024 U.S. Tour. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Death Angel will no longer be able to be a part of this tour. We all wish them the best going forward.”

Tickets and VIP packages available at WASPnati on.com/tour

THE ALBUM ONE ALIVE WORLD TOUR 2024 DATES:

10/26/24 San Luis Obispo, CA @ Fremont Theater*

10/28/24 Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater

10/29/24 Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre

10/30/24 Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre

11/01/24 Calgary, AB The Palace Theatre

11/02/24 Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory

11/03/24 Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory

11/04/24 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot

11/05/24 Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre

11/07/24 Minneapolis, MN @ The Fillmore

11/08/24 St Charles, IL @ The Arcada Theatre

11/09/24 St Charles, IL @ The Arcada Theatre

11/10/24 Detroit, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theatre

11/11/24 Toronto, ON @ History

11/13/24 Montreal, QC @ MTELUS

11/14/24 Quebec City, QC @ Theatre Capitole

11/15/24 Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre

11/16/24 New York, NY @ Hammerstein Ballroom At Manhattan Center

11/17/24 Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall

11/19/24 Cleveland, OH @ The Agora Theater

11/20/24 Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE

11/21/24 Stroudsburg, PA @ The Sherman Theater

11/22/24 Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore

11/23/24 Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore

11/24/24 Orlando, FL @ The Plaza Live

11/26/24 Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium

11/27/24 Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern

11/29/24 Houston, TX @ House Of Blues

11/30/24 San Antonio, TX @ Aztec Theatre

12/01/24 Dallas, TX @ The Factory in Deep Ellum

12/03/24 Little Rock, AR @ The Hall

12/04/24 Wichita, KS @ The Cotillion

12/06/24 Albuquerque, NM @ REVEL

12/07/24 Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee Theatre

12/09/24 Tucson, AZ @ The Rialto Theatre

12/10/24 San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues

12/11/24 Reno, NV @ Grand Sierra Resort and Casino

12/12/24 Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl

12/13/24 San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield

12/14/24 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium

* No support acts.

About W.A.S.P.

Few bands in the history of rock n roll have ever incited the love, the hate, and the raw emotional effect this band has had on the world. From the very beginning, in the small venues of Los Angeles, California, and later to the numerous countries worldwide that banned these Winged Assassins from performing live, the band’s unique style of shock and rock caused religious organizations, local city councils, parliaments, and the Washington D.C. Senate to hold hearings in an effort to bar this group from selling records and trashing stages everywhere they played.

The band’s founding member, frontman Blackie Lawless, has led the group as its lead vocalist and primary songwriter since its beginning. His unique brand of visual, social, and political comment took the group to worldwide heights and sold millions of records alongside a legacy of sold-out shows across the globe for 4 decades.

https://www.waspnation.co m

https://www.facebook.com/W.A.S.P.Nati on

https://www.facebook.com/groups/waspnationofficialgroup/
https://twitter.com/waspofficial
https://instagram.com/waspnationofficial

https://youtube.com/@WASPNationOfficial