In Flames/ Sentenced/ Skinless/ Six Feet Under
Wow, What a great weekend. I made it out to NJ just in time to see Sentenced but finding out that I missed Dark Tranquility almost sent me through the roof! Theres some kind of rivalry between the Birch and LAmours in Brooklyn so most shows that play at one club rarely play the other within a few months of each other. The problem is, if you live close to one of them it can take almost 2.5 hours to get to the other and on a Fri. night its impossible to catch the first band in time. Why DT was on first and Killswitch Engage was second to last is simply mind-boggling.
Anyway, Sentenced was great. I dont own any of their stuff and have only seen them once before at the disastrous NJ Metalfest where their 15-minute set caused people to leave in tears. I thought that they were a more technical band but was pleasantly surprised at their simple approach. They brought to mind early 80s bands like Dokken without the guitar solos or whiney vocals.
Next up was Killswitch Engage. More like Boredom Enrage. If I see one more generic Pantera rip-off Ill pull my hair out.
Finally, after missing the last three NYC area shows I got to see the mighty In Flames. I havent heard the new CD but had quite a bit of apprehension based on the many negative reactions Ive heard about it on the boards. Although the new material is more commercial and streamlined, it held up very well mixed with their older stuff and the term sell-out was the farthest thing from my mind as I blissfully gave myself whiplash. Their set was comprised of an even representation of songs from their catalogue, probably two from each CD with the standouts being from their debut, Whoracle and Colony. Their energy onstage is still exuberant and they but on a great show but theyve adopted a sort of anti-image image which kind of annoys me. They all wore matching, off-white, short-sleeved dress shirts. I know some people feel that one shouldnt care what a band looks like but for me, the visual experience should match the sonic texture of the show and the juxtaposition of their hair, tattoos and general metal vibe with the casual, comfortable shirts was a bit ridiculous.
The following night I got to see Skinless, one of my favorite bands from the many Metalfests Ive been to in the past few years. These guys completely stand out in the crowd. Solid, muscular riffs paired with one of the best vocalists in the death genre makes for a potent combination. Ive said it before but it bares repeating- Sherwood sings likes like a fuckin foghorn. His voice has one of the most pure and brutal tones I have ever heard, especially in the lower register.
Next up was Six Feet Under. I was completely expecting to hate them based on all the reviews Ive seen of them on the boards but fuck, what the hell is everyone talking about? They couldnt have been tighter, the guitar tone alone was worth the price of admission. Barnes was cool and his voice had enough variety and diversity to please anyone. He was cool onstage and put on a great show. Im not sure where he earned such a good reputation for being a prick but he displayed nothing but professionalism and respect for the crowd. Anyone who puts these guys down can go fuck themselves, they were fantastic.
Thats it from me. If anyone else has seen these shows tell me what you think!
Wow, What a great weekend. I made it out to NJ just in time to see Sentenced but finding out that I missed Dark Tranquility almost sent me through the roof! Theres some kind of rivalry between the Birch and LAmours in Brooklyn so most shows that play at one club rarely play the other within a few months of each other. The problem is, if you live close to one of them it can take almost 2.5 hours to get to the other and on a Fri. night its impossible to catch the first band in time. Why DT was on first and Killswitch Engage was second to last is simply mind-boggling.
Anyway, Sentenced was great. I dont own any of their stuff and have only seen them once before at the disastrous NJ Metalfest where their 15-minute set caused people to leave in tears. I thought that they were a more technical band but was pleasantly surprised at their simple approach. They brought to mind early 80s bands like Dokken without the guitar solos or whiney vocals.
Next up was Killswitch Engage. More like Boredom Enrage. If I see one more generic Pantera rip-off Ill pull my hair out.
Finally, after missing the last three NYC area shows I got to see the mighty In Flames. I havent heard the new CD but had quite a bit of apprehension based on the many negative reactions Ive heard about it on the boards. Although the new material is more commercial and streamlined, it held up very well mixed with their older stuff and the term sell-out was the farthest thing from my mind as I blissfully gave myself whiplash. Their set was comprised of an even representation of songs from their catalogue, probably two from each CD with the standouts being from their debut, Whoracle and Colony. Their energy onstage is still exuberant and they but on a great show but theyve adopted a sort of anti-image image which kind of annoys me. They all wore matching, off-white, short-sleeved dress shirts. I know some people feel that one shouldnt care what a band looks like but for me, the visual experience should match the sonic texture of the show and the juxtaposition of their hair, tattoos and general metal vibe with the casual, comfortable shirts was a bit ridiculous.
The following night I got to see Skinless, one of my favorite bands from the many Metalfests Ive been to in the past few years. These guys completely stand out in the crowd. Solid, muscular riffs paired with one of the best vocalists in the death genre makes for a potent combination. Ive said it before but it bares repeating- Sherwood sings likes like a fuckin foghorn. His voice has one of the most pure and brutal tones I have ever heard, especially in the lower register.
Next up was Six Feet Under. I was completely expecting to hate them based on all the reviews Ive seen of them on the boards but fuck, what the hell is everyone talking about? They couldnt have been tighter, the guitar tone alone was worth the price of admission. Barnes was cool and his voice had enough variety and diversity to please anyone. He was cool onstage and put on a great show. Im not sure where he earned such a good reputation for being a prick but he displayed nothing but professionalism and respect for the crowd. Anyone who puts these guys down can go fuck themselves, they were fantastic.
Thats it from me. If anyone else has seen these shows tell me what you think!
