Yeah, Time is Coming would totally rule live. I think Eric said he had wanted to add it to the setlist as well as 7 Days in May off SoB, Hatred's Rise off Demonic and some other obscure songs, but he has problems talking the other guys (I'm guessing that doesn't include Gene) into extending the setlist and escaping from the same 20-25 songs from which they've always been composing their set since The Gathering (these obviously are OTW, Haunting, Burnt offerings, Alone, Eerie, New Order, Trial by Fire, Into the pit, Disciples, Preacher, Practice, Sins, Souls, Legacy, Electric Crown, Low, DFG, Demonic Refusal, Burning Times, DNR, Eyes of Wrath, True Believer, 3 days, and now also More than meets the eye, formation, true american hate, rise up, native blood and dark roots). The funny thing is (until the last tour) they would always call it "old school stuff you haven't heard in a long time". Yeah, right.
Of course, they would do some occassional surprises here and there - for a couple of shows or a tour (Let Go Of My World, Raging Waters, Apocalyptic City, Envy Life, Riding the Snake, Trail of Tears are best examples) that would make you thing they'd finally get out of that magic box, but now they seem to have dropped even the more obscure "classics" (i.e. DFG, Demonic, Burning Times, Sins of Omission, The Legacy, Electric Crown) and stick to the half-of-the-TNO,-a-third-of-TL,-the-classic-title-tracks-plus-the-most-obvious-new-songs-there-are formula. I wonder who's blocking the changes. When during the 10 days in May tour in '05 I asked some of the guys why they quit playing Let Go Of My World, they said go ask Chuck. From what he's saying I would imagine he does not want to growl as much so as not to hurt his voice, but he shouldn't have problems handling the more melodic songs (other than re-learning the lyrics).
Anyway, it may sound like I'm bitching over the same thing again, but I'd still go see them play the same set for 100th time than 99% other bands for the first time. But can you imagine a 2-concert (and a live DVD) consisting of the following setlists:
Disc 1:
1. Do or Die
2. Legions (in Hiding)
3. Absence of Light
4. A Day of Reckoning
5. A Day in the Death
6. Killing Season
7. Musical Death (A Dirge)
8. Return to Serenity
9. As the Seasons Grey
10. One Man's Fate
11. All I Could Bleed
12. Careful What You Wish For
13. Together As One
14. All I Could Bleed
15. Time is Coming
Encore:
16. Shades of War
17. Reign of Terror
18. Throne of Thorns
Disc 2:
1. F.E.A.R.
2. Allegiance
3. P.C.
4. The Sermon
5. Falling Fast
6. Malpractice
7. Urotsukidōji
8. Dangers of the Faithless
9. Love to Hate
10. Time is Coming
11. Perilous Nation
12. The Ballad
13. Hail Mary
14. Distorted Lives
15. Last Stand for Independence
Encore:
16. Agony
17. Cold Embrace
18. Leave Me Forever
