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Raven Black: The Black Hallows Tour: Lovedrafts Show Review

Ron

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My good friends and Dark Carnival enthusiast Raven Black made their way back to the east coast after a few years, this time bringing with them Cultus Black, Casket Robbery, Dying Oath (who just joined the tour), and Illusions of Granduer, who came to open up the show.

Illusions of Grandeur opened up and got the crowd at LoveDrafts ready for a night of killer music. If you haven’t had the chance to see IOG in person, I urge you to do so. The band combines theatrics, melodic riffs, and vocals that are stellar.

Casket Robbery was up next, and this was my first time seeing the band. If you like your music dark, heavy as fuck, and growls that will knock your dick in the dirt, then Casket Robbery is the band for you. Holy Fuck is this band heavy and, oh, so good. I hope I get to see them again very soon.

Cultus Black was next, and if you haven’t heard of this band, you’re missing out. Led by former Motograter singer James Legion. This band keeps the theatrics and glow paint alive. Killer songs, banging vocals and creepy masks, and a singer covered in black-light body paint, what more could you ask for? This was my first time seeing the band live, and they did not disappoint and got the crowd into it.

My favorite people in the world were up next Raven Black. The core of Raven Black is Raven on vocals and Muppet on drums. New to the mix of misfits are Maezi on guitar and Syd on bass.

Fans of Raven Black call themselves Rejects and were in full gear for the show. It’s been a while since I’ve got to see a headlining Raven Black show, which is always the best because they can play more songs that I love hearing. Opening up with “Hear Me Cry,” the mood was set for a fun time with the Dark Carnival. I got to hear my favorite song again, “The Blackening,” and got to hear “Still Healing,” which I haven’t heard in a long time. Raven Black always puts on the best shows, not only because of the crazy props and theatrics that are on the stage but also because of how amazing Raven is when interacting with the fans on and off the stage. I truly feel that this lineup of the band is the best. The way each other feels off the next, and you can tell that the band is having so much fun on stage and truly happy to be playing for the fans. If you get a chance to see this tour, I urge you to go and get some merchandise to help support DIY bands and keep independent metal running.

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Concert Reviews

The Nothing That Is Tour

George Archibald

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Another fall evening in the Burgh, the air was crisp and cool setting the mood for a great night for metal. The Roxian in McKees Rock, Pa hosted The Nothing That is Tour tonight featuring Fit For An Autopsy. Bodysnatcher, Distant, Sylosisand Judiciary. Fit For An Autopsy brought some of the heaviest and nastiest together to throw down for all of you. An ecclecticbanding of hardcore and deathcore acts that are making waves in the metal community. 

Judiciary kicked things off, their music a blend of hardcore, thrash and punk. Their songs had thrash riffs with hardcore rhythms and breakdowns, with an occasional solo thrown in.  With horns raised in the air, the crowd gave these Texas natives a well received welcome. This band was a great start to night, bringing the energy in the room up quickly. 

Sylosis came out to a fury. Their vocalist ripped at the crowd from the start, asking for a circle pit as they kicked off. This band had moshers and crowd surfers amped up as waves of bodies started coming over the front barricade. Throughout the set the energy never let up, as this band kept pushing the crowd. This energy came to a high when their newest single The Pathwas performed. High paced hardcore mayhem throughout the set, this band had a vast amount of tricks in their bag from solos to even groove to bring to the party.

At the midpoint of the show, Distant took the stage. This band is over the top heavy, riding low tuned grooves into devastatingbreakdowns. The vocalist has a wide range from high pitch screams and growls, to bottom of the barrel gutturals. Distant announced their newest album Tsukuyomi: The Origin, is a week away from coming out. Which kicked off the singleTorturous Symphony. At this point no one was standing still on the floor as moshers were on the move. Bodies colliding into each other until the band finally stopped, at this point the crowd was completely warmed up.

Deathcore veterans Bodysnatcher took the stage next to show Pittsburgh how to throw down. This band rides a low groove while keeping the energy high, accompanied by the unrelentless low growls of vocalist Kyle Medina. The band kicked off withKing of Rats and went right into Dead Rabbit. The floor was swimming with bodies as the band raged on. Other stand out songs were Take Me to Hell, and Black of My Eyes before closing out on Murder8. 

Headliners Fit For An Autopsy took the stage with a fury, kicking off with Lower Purpose into A Higher Level of Hate; for a nasty one two punch out of the gate. Seasoned veterans now in their career the band looked very polished and primed. FFAA just released their newest album The Nothing That Is. The band played through several hits, Black Mammoth, The Sea of Tragic Beasts, and Hellions before diving back into their latest album with Hostage. The crowd stayed up and moving through the set as Fit For an Autopsy is a Pittsburgh favorite having visited the city several times during their tenure. 

The Nothing That Is tour showcases some of heaviest bands touring right now. Fit For An Autopsy have updated their live show and look ready to take the world fresh off the new album. If you are looking to release some steam or to hear some new music The Nothing That Is tour will not disappoint. 

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Concert Reviews

STRYPER ON A SUNDAY. YES PLEASE

Ron

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STRYPER was just in Baltimore the other day on the 40 years of Stryper tour. Playing 2 sets spanning those 40 years. I’ve only ever seen Stryper play at M3 so it was amazing to get to see a full on set then another full on set right after. 

For the 1st set we got the 1984-1990 set which included songs like “Loud N Clear”, “Soldiers under Command” and “To Hell with the Devil”. 

The second set we got 1986, 2004-2024 with songs like “No More Hell to Pay”, “This i Pray” and ending the night with “Sing along Song”. 

It was a great night for Music and sadly more then likely the last show at RamsHead Live I’ll be ever to attend as the are closing their doors (hopefully will be open again with a new venture) but the show was amazing to see Stryper play on the stage. Such great guys and a great band. I love that Stryper is fully engaged with the fans and the show is always amazing. I love that they put their religious beliefs 100% on display but the show never feels preachy or judgmental. If you get a chance to see Stryper play in your city I fully recommend it such a great time and a great band to see play live.    

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Concert Reviews

King Diamond brought the Halloween party to Silver Spring MD

Ron

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King Diamond who’s on tour now with Overkill and Night Demon.

Overkill always puts on a great show and shows that face pace thrash metal is still kick ass. Led by NJ’s Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth Overkill has that distinctive sound with Bobby’s high pitched and raspy vocals. With songs like “Scorched”, “ Rotten to the Core” and “Hello From the Gutter”, Overkill got the crowd into a frenzy and warmed up the stage before the king. 

You know it’s gonna be a good night when it’s 3 days before Halloween and you get to see a kick ass set from King Diamond. King Diamond who’s 68 right now still commands that stage and sounds amazing with his insanely falsettos. The stage show at a King Diamond show is always such a great sight to see. With a multilayer setup of stairs and little pieces of elaborate set all over it’s such a great view and perfect setting to watch a King Diamond set. 

The set list was amazing too we got to hear songs from such a great career like “A Mansion in the Darkness”, “Halloween “, “Spider Lilly”, “Welcome Home”, and “Eye of the Witch” and of course ending the night with “Abagail”. 

If you’re a fan of King Diamond or just a fan of great music that adds that Halloween haunted asylum themed stage performances then you need to go out and check this tour now. King Diamond never disappoints and always puts on one hell of a show. 

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