Reviews

DEADMEN AND DRAGONS TOUR

Published

2 years ago

October 25, 2022

The House of Blues Cleveland was host to the Deadmen and Dragons tour with Trivium, Between the Buried and Me, Whitechapel, and Khemmis. The crowd packed into the venue for a wide arrangement of metal this night, everything from metalcore, to progressive metal, deathcore and even doom metal on the docket.

Colorado natives Khemmis took the stage first, their blend of doom/sludge metal got the crowd going from their first riffs. Khemmis has been making their way through the area for quite some time and it was nice to see the Cleveland crowd engaging with vocalist, Phil Pendergast. The band’s set was very energetic with twin guitar solos from Phil and Ben Hutcherson.

Whitechapel took the stage next playing a more condensed set than what I have seen them play in the past years. Kicking things off with I Will Find You and moving right into Anticure. The band also fit in crowd favorite This is Exile getting the pit to open up, before finishing out with Doom Woods. It was a good blend of modern Whitechapel with a little of the old remnants thrown in. I do like hearing the clean lines of Bozeman throughout the set especially on Orphan.

Between the Buried and Me kicked things off with Son of Nothing from the Colors album. A crowd favorite, the pit started going right off matching the energy of the band. Vocalist Tommy Rogers paced the stage, almost stalking as he ripped through Revolution in Limbo. Ever the masters of their craft, the band performed every song near perfect, while scaling through several genres of music. As the bands songs are a cornucopia of different musical styles not only metal, but salsa, easy listening, jazz, blues, and mid eastern influences were all touched on during their set.

Before Trivium took the stage they were greeted by a sing along to Run to the Hills from the crowd singing along to the Iron Maiden tune. The curtain drops from the front of the stage, dragon statues and fog were the stage setting for Trivium as they took the stage. High energy from the moment they come out Matt Heafy and Co were all about the entertainment for the night. Blistering solos, crowd sing alongs, and the band working the crowd from every angle of the stage. It was like a carnival going off and not knowing where to look next. Trivium’s set was a full out assault with What the Dead Men Say really kicking off the pace then diving into Amongst the Shadows & the Stones. The crowd was right there with every song feeding from the band’s energy.

If you are looking for a show that covers just about every inch of every musical genre this is the tour to check out. High energy packed from the first band to the last. The entertainment value has been turned up past 11. Be sure to check out the Deadmenand Dragons tour with Trivium, Between the Buried and Me, Whitechapel and Khemmis you will not be disappointed.

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George Archibald

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Reviews

Collective Soul “7EVEN YEAR ITCH” Greatest Hits 1994-2001 Vinyl

Published

4 months ago

January 4, 2024

Ron

I’ve always been a big fan of Collective Soul and have been lucky to have seen them a few times. This band has always been in my music mixes since the 1990s.

The vinyl release is exactly what you would want for a greatest-hits album. All the best songs that collective soul had from 1994–2001 If you were a teenager or an adult in the 90s, you can’t tell me that you didn’t jam out to songs like “Shine,” “Gel,” and “December.”

With other great songs like “Heavy,” “Run,” “The World I Know,” and “Forgiveness,” This greatest hit album sounds amazing on vinyl as well. Craft Recordings has done a really great job of keeping the magic and sound of these amazing songs.

The sleeve cover has some cool photos of the band throughout the years. This vinyl just came out in Collective Soul fashion in December, and is ready to be part of your vinyl collection, and just brings you back to a great time in life.

About Author

Ron

Ron has keen eye for new talent, a love for the underground, and a tremendous passion for music of any genera. You’ll probably bump into him at a horror convention or some seedy club checking out the next need-to-know band.

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Reviews

Otep – Hydra 10th Anniversary Vinyl

Published

5 months ago

December 15, 2023

Ron

I received a copy of the album, and when I first opened it, the artwork struck me first. Otep has always been a great visual artist, with her amazing drawings and characters. I even have one of them tattooed on myself. When you see the artwork on this vinyl release, you will really be drawn in and appreciate the artistry.

The sound of this vinyl is amazing. It’s been years since I’ve listened to anything on vinyl and forgot how much I loved the sound of the medium compared to CDs and digital releases. I love the songs on this album because, as with all Otep albums, it has such raw power and emotions, mixed with the anger and beauty of Otep’s poetry. Otep is one of the greats.

The album starts off with the track “Rising,” and this initial song sets the tone for what you’re about to hear from the balance of the album. The standout tracks on this album have to be “Necromantic,” “Apex Predator,” “Voyeur,” and “Feral Game.” Over all, the album as a complete piece of art is amazing. I would encourage you, if you’re a fan of Otep or a collector of vinyl, to add this vinyl to your collection.

About Author

Ron

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Reviews

WEDNESDAY 13: Performs Muderdolls Lititz PA Show Review

Published

5 months ago

November 24, 2023

Ron

Wednesday 13 came into Lititz, PA, on November 18th, bringing the music, or The MurderDolls, with him. Continuing the legacy of Joey Jordison and Ben Graves.

Wednesday 13 is on a tour now; that’s all MurderDolls. 21 years have passed since Beyond the Valley of the MurderDolls came out, and 13 years have passed since Women and Children Last was released. Wednesday and his bandmates are sharing the stage with Infected Rain and Gemini Syndrome on this tour.

The show was amazing; this was our first time covering a show at Mickey’s Black Box. The venue, the staff, and our media contact were so hospitable. The venue was amazing, with a cool balcony on the second floor to watch the show as well.

We got to hear a full set of 20 MurderDolls songs, which was pretty much every song on both albums. There were some songs I haven’t gotten to hear in a long time, like “Grave Robbing USA”, “Drug Me To Hell”, and “Summertime Suicide”. Of course, it wouldn’t be a MurderDolls show if they didn’t play “I Love to Say Fuck” and finish the night with “Dead in Hollywood.”

It’s always a blast to see Wednesday 13 in concert, and I was so excited for the band that a lot of these shows were sold out. It was also a special night because it was my GF’s “50th” birthday and my buddy’s GF’s birthday the next day. We got the MC of the show, Don Jamieson, to give them a little birthday shout-out.

Although it’s sad that Joey and Ben are no longer with us, I’m sure Joey is loving that Murderdolls is still kicking ass after all those years, and I know that Wednesday 13 is so appreciative of what MurderDolls has done for his career.