Hate Eternal -- February 29th, 2012

I had a work meeting that would've kept me from leaving until 6:00, but it got out a bit early. I made the trek to KC and saw the opening band which, to my surprise, was Decimation from Manhattan, KS. I hadn't seen them in forever. I only caught the last song and a half from them, but they sounded really tight. I hope they get on more shows in the future!

After them was Gornography. Featuring the durmmer for Troglodyte and the vocalist for Diskreet (check them out!), they play really catchy brutal death metal/grindcore. The vocalist was all over the place. He even tripped over and fell from the amps, but hopped right back up and went back in the song.
Super fun. I can't wait to see them again.

Good ol' Trog was up next. Their set was as blistering as ever, and they played a new song! It had a crazy solo in it, so I'm already looking forward to the new stuff. They had a setlist was about 15 songs on it, but they got their set cut a bit. Kinda sucks, because they were absolutely on fire that night.

By the worst stroke of luck, both Cerebral Bore and Fallujah has to drop off the tour. Cerebral Bore never made it over because they didn't have Visas, and Fallujah actually flipped their van and trailer the night before. Thankfully they're okay. Their replacement is Battlecross, who are going to be on that pretty killer Origin tour later this year. They drove straight from Michigan to play the tour. They are mostly fun thrash metal. A few breakdowns here and there, but nothing so bad as, say, Lazarus AD. The vocalist is awesome, and their bassist can rip. They had some bass solos! Really cool stuff. Can't wait to see them again.

I'm a pretty big Hate Eternal fan, so I really enjoyed them last night, but I could definitely see how some people would absolutely hate them live. And I know this is such a cop-out, but their older material translates so much better live than their newer stuff. Erik's guitar tone is just absolutely punishing. There's no room to breathe and no room to rest during a Hate Eternal show. It would be rectified if they would get a second guitarist, but I don't see that happening any time soon. No Catacombs this time, but I, Monarch and Behold Judas were especially great.

I actually didn't stay for too much of Goatwhore. I can tell you that I really like their groovy songs a bit more than the straight-up death metal attack. Alchemy Of The Black Sun Cult was the last song I saw from them, but it was fantastic. Goatwhore was the first metal band I saw live, so it was awesome. But Hate Eternal really sucked all the energy from me.

Hate Eternal (partial, out of order):

The Victorious Reign
Behold Judas
Saturated In Dejection
I, Monarch
Thorns of Acacia
Phoenix Amongst The Ashes
Haunting Abound
The Obscure Terror

Goatwhore:

Collapse in Eternal Worth
Provoking the Ritual of Death
The Black Art of Deception
In Deathless Tradition
Carving Out the Eyes of God
Sky Inferno
Alchemy of the Black Sun Cult
When Steel and Bone Meet
Judgement of the Bleeding Crown
Invert the Virgin
An End to Nothing
Apocalyptic Havoc

Battlecross (out of order/partial):

Push Pull Destroy
Kaleb
Man Of Stone
Deception
Breaking You

Troglodyte:

Symphonies Of Sasquatch
Bring Me The Head Of Bigfoot
Beaten And Eaten
Don't Go In The Woods
(The Only Peace In Me Is) A Piece Of You
Crippled Foot Cast (new song)
Mummified Yeti Hand
The Only Good Hippie...Is A Dead Hippie
Caught (On Super 8) (still one of the heaviest songs ever)
Fossil*
Hit By The Hendersons*
Fight For Your Life
They Walk Among Us*
Skunk Ape Rape*

* = On set but not played

Gornography:

Visions Of Gore
Homicidal Maniac
Leech Filled Cunt
Spinal Fuck Fest
Intoxicated Abortion
Vomitous Vaginal Anal Deathmachine
Pissing Blood
Saliva Soaked Shit
Contortions Of Guttural Mayhem
Lakes Of Blood

Goatwhore: 8/10
Hate Eternal: 8/10
Battlecross: 7.5/10
Troglodyte: 8.5/10
Gornography: 8/10
Decimation: n/a