Suicidal Tendencies -- Kansas City, MO -- November 29th, 2008

It was a coooold, rainy/snowy Saturday night. KU had won a huge football game earlier in the day (eat it, MU!), but some Suicidal fans packed the Beaumont Club. By the time Suicidal Tendencies got on, it was the second most packed I'd ever seen it. First is Bodom, but this show was way more enjoyable.

Whole Wheat Bread took me back to 2001. They're pop-punk (not such a dirty term) and I'll always have a soft spot for it. They also had some songs which were straight-up hip-hop songs. They were very fun and enjoyable. And they're all BLACK. And they ruled! 7.5/10

Terror, I didn't think I would like. The "hardcore" tag gets thrown around so much that it's acquired bad images when it's heard. But Terror really does embody the old-school hardcore asthetic. Shouted group vocals, goes into hardcore punk speed parts, and it all has a positive message too! The crowd went nutso for them and he gave the crowd the mic several times to sing along. They were great fun and I'll definitely look into their albums now! 8/10

Terror and Whole Wheat Bread must have grown up listening to Suicidal Tendencies, because ST is the perfect combo of Punk, Hardcore, and Thrash Metal. It was magnificent. It was loud and fast. The crowd ate it up. Besides a stupid thing between someone and a security guard, spirits were high all night and everyone was smiling. My personal favorite song of the night was "Send Me Your Money". That bass player sure can play. The new song also sounds sick. Can't wait! SUICIDAL! SUICIDAL! SUICIDAL! 9/10

You Can't Bring Me Down
We Are Family
War Inside My Head
Subliminally
Send Me Your Money
New Song "Come Alive"
Trip At The Brain
Lovely
Cyco Vision
Possessed To Skate
I Saw Your Mommy
How Will I Laugh Tomorrow
---
I Shot Reagan
Pledge Your Allegiance

Suicidal Tendencies - 9/10
Terror - 8/10
Whole Wheat Bread - 7.5/10

Skipping Kansas: Destruction

1 of the big three Teutonic Thrash Metal bands (other 2 are Sodom and Kreator), Destruction is going on a US tour next month, but skipping near us. Closest date is: Mar. 28 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater

Good and Bad 2009 Tours

The Good:

Embryonic Devourment
Lecherous Nocturne
Sol Asunder

March 16 - Kansas City, MO @ The Riot Room


The Bad:

Slipknot
Coheed And Cambria
Trivium

Jan. 24 - Sprint Center - Kansas City, MO

Hate Eternal -- Lawrence, KS -- November 21st, 2008

I'm going to try and keep this clean. Kinda mad about tonight's concert. You can definitely find an unclean version of this review if you look hard enough.

Hate Eternal - 8.5/10
All Shall Perish - 5/10
Animosity - 4/10
Annotations Of An Autopsy - 3/10

AOAA is basically an English version of Waking The Cadaver. Terrible, contains mostly breakdowns, "bree bree" vocals, scene kids love it.

Animosity, to their credit, has alright instrument players, but the vocalist is god-awful. Terribly in the middle between high screams and low growls, but he settles most of the time for bree bree vocals or an almost nu-metal type scream. Scene kids love it.

All Shall Perish, at times, were enjoyable. The guitarists really have some talent and had some nice solos but, once again, it devolved into more breakdown, bree bree garbage. Scene kids love it.

The first, last, and only metal band (aka the only band with true talent that didn't rely on a gimmick) was Hate Eternal. Terrible sound quality at first really didn't stop them and they ended up being awesome, just like back in February. They played Catacombs, which is always good. Erik Rutan really is a metal god and he deserves every ounce of respect he garners.

Hate Eternal:

Hell Envenom
Whom Gods May Destroy
Behold Judas
The Obscure Terror
The Bringer Of Storms
Catacombs
To Know Our Enemies
Powers That Be
I, Monarch
Tombeau
King Of All Kings

Not really going to comment on the crowd aside from the fact that they were terrible. I cannot wait until the "deathcore" fad dies out.

I left before Job For A Cowboy.

Skipping Kansas (for now): Cattle Decapitation

California vegan-deathgrinders Cattle Decapitation (who have actually stopped in and around Kansas City many, many times [including Summer Slaughter 2k7 and Death By Decibels 2k7]) have announced a tour early next year in support of their upcoming album "The Harvest Floor". Although they are skipping Kansas, one has to think there will be more dates or at least another tour: this skips huge markets, such as New York, Chicago, Seattle, etc. So, here's to hoping there's more dates or another tour announced shortly!

Jan. 21 - Santa Barbara, CA - The Jensen Mainstage
Jan. 22 - Bakersfield, CA – Studio 99 (no BOOK OF BLACK EARTH)
Jan. 23 - Berkeley, CA - 924 Gilman Street
Jan. 24 - San Francisco, CA - Thee Parkside
Jan. 25 - Hollywood, CA - Knitting Factory
Jan. 26 - Tempe, AZ - The Sets
Jan. 27 - Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad
Jan. 28 - El Paso, TX - Uncle Paulie's Pub
Jan. 29 - Austin, TX - Red 7
Jan. 30 - San Antonio, TX - White Rabbit
Jan. 31 - Houston, TX - Java Jazz
Feb. 01 - Metairie, LA - The High Ground
Feb. 02 - Pensacola, FL - American Legion Post 33
Feb. 03 - Jacksonville, FL - Fuel Coffeehouse
Feb. 04 - Orlando, FL - Back Booth
Feb. 05 - Tampa, FL - The Orpheum
Feb. 07 - Tallahassee, FL - The Engine Room
Feb. 09 - Little Rock, AR - The Village
Feb. 10 - Dallas, TX - The Lounge on Elm Street
Feb. 11 - Farmington, NM - Gator's
Feb. 12 - Tucson, AZ - The Rock
Feb. 13 - San Marcos, CA - The Jumping Turtle

Support on the shows will come from PSYOPUS, BOOK OF BLACK EARTH and GIGAN.

Possible upcoming tours.

Here's a couple tours that I've heard might be happening next year.



Suffocation and Napalm Death are rumored to be touring next year. Napalm Death is already confirmed for the Maryland Deathfest and both bands have new releases coming next year.

Next up, Mayhem and Marduk are confirmed to Maryland Deathfest as well, and are teaming up for a US tour, supposedly during the Spring of '09.

Iced Earth -- Kansas City, MO -- November 12th, 2008

Just gotta say: Wow.

I walked into the venue (after paying 5 bucks to park?~#$!?@#) as the first local band was playing. I forget their name unfortunately, but they were doing a pretty mean cover of Ace Of Spades. I'd say they sounded kind of like Down: Redneck Metal. Sure.

Troglodyte AKA The best local band in or around Kansas City came out next. Divine Heresy dropped from this bill, so Trog got about 40 minutes and played through what seemed like their entire demo. They also threw in a cover of GG Allin's "Bite It, You Scum" at the end to cap off another fantastic, even longer this time, set of deathgrind. I will always look forward to Trog. 8/10

Early Man was a bit disappointing at first, but they pretty much saved themselves once they kicked in the speed and forgot about the "stoner" part of their stoner/thrash. I think their sound is basically a mash-up of Overkill and Megadeth with the same solos but sometimes half the speed. One of their roadies had a shirt on of the band The Sword. That's pretty much what Early Man was, with more thrash elements. 7/10

Iced Earth. Wow. It's all I can really say. I've never really listened to them before, but I'll start now. Matt Barlow was spot on and hit notes I didn't even know existed. The sound was great and the solos were insane. More often than not, the crowd drowned out the band in most of their songs. It was such a fun crowd to be in. Every single song was just made for headbanging and singing along with. The crowd was very loud for such a small attendance, but we made sure that Iced Earth knew they were welcome. And I'm eager for them to return. 9/10

In Sacred Flames (intro)
Behold The Wicked Child
Invasion (intro)
The Motivation Of Man
Setian Massacre
Burning Times
Declaration Day
Vengeance Is Mine
Ten Thousand Strong
Stormrider
Pure Evil
Watching Over Me
Coming Curse
Dracula
High Water Mark
--
Melancholy
My Own Savior
Iced Earth

Troglodyte:

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Early Man
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Iced Earth
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Maiden: Good News And Bad News

Good News:

Iron Maiden announced their last leg for the Somewhere Back In Time tour! Hooray!

Bad News:

Paul Di'Anno's US Tour has been postponed until 2009. Aww.

Skipping Kansas: Paul Di'Anno

The original voice of Iron Maiden is touring. Closest date seems like Colorado.

Nov. 28 - Springfield, VA @ Jaxx
Nov. 29 - Springfield, VA @ Jaxx
Nov. 30 - Asbury Park, NJ @ Stone Pony
Dec. 03 - Farmingdale, NY @ Crazy Donkey
Dec. 04 - Yonkers, NY @ The Haunt
Dec. 05 - Clifton, NJ @ Dingbatz
Dec. 06 - Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance
Dec. 07 - Toronto, Ontario @ Kathedral
Dec. 09 - Cleveland, OH @ Jigsaw Saloon
Dec. 11 - Mt. Clemens, MI @ Emerald Theater
Dec. 13 - Murfeesboro, NC @ Zakks
Dec. 14 - Raleigh, NC @ Volume 11
Dec. 19 - El Paso, TX @ Uncle Paulies Pub
Dec. 20 - San Antonio, TX @ Roadhouse Pavilion
Dec. 26 - San Juan Capistrano, CA @ Coach House
Dec. 27 - Redondo Beach, CA @ Brixton
Jan. 02 - San Marcos, CA @ Jumping Turtle
Jan. 03 - West Hollywood, CA @ Key Club
Jan. 08 - Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
Jan. 09 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
Jan. 12 - Aurora, CO @ Iliff Park Saloon
Jan. 16 - St. Petersburg, FL @ The Garage

#1 American Metal Fest: Maryland Deathfest