There is something gloriously reassuring about going to tiny local shows and being reminded of the glory of our scene. Sure, I may have showed up too early because finding the venue was easier than I had anticipate, and sure, I ended up having to take a taxi part of the way home because my ride was too wasted and the trains shut down earlier than expected, but that's part of the beauty of it. I got to see four glorious bands tonight, and got drunk in a parking lot, this is what I was born to do. The long and short of it is that metal is about nights like this, spent with friends, old and new (in my case mostly new) trying to feel the vibes of this triumphant metal meltdown.
The first band up was Slutlust, a band I had been disproportionately excited for, only on the strength of their name. They played the kind of stripped down vicious death metal that seems to be such a uniquely American phenomenon. The songs here were rather simple, but they had a great sense of groove so it made the show fun. These guys aren't flashy, they understand the brutal realities of this world, their music reflects the kind of primal glory of death metal. Vicious and metal thrashing mad, this is definitely a band I want to see again, they know how to put on a fun, if not especially tight set. Their five songs set the night off for a great start and got me pumped for what was to come.
Castle Freak took the stage a while after Slutlust, and by god was I stoked. This was perhaps the band I've wanted to see the most on the night. Their set was a pleasure to watch, and they clearly like it fast and loose. Andy, the bands singer had spent the entire first part of the night getting drunk, so there was a certain Lemmy-like glory to his attack. The riffs here were tight though and the amount of hair the band sent flying around the stage was fun to watch. Sure, Andy's stage banter is a little silly, but they don't mess around when it comes to playing. With flashy solos and a massive bottom end, Castle Freak tore out throats and crushed skulls for the entire set.
Incisor are a thrash metal act I hadn't even heard of before tonight, and it was a lot of fun to watch. The way that they bring forth the kind of unholy metal attack that has defined so many bands of their generation and those that came before and reminded me of the triumph that bands like these embody. There are countless groups like Incisor, but not are exactly similar. None can claim to have this specific type of attack with its crunchy guitar parts that cut into the listener with a serrated edge. In other words, Incisor get what metal is all about and simply want to make the kind of music that we thrive on, this made their set all the more human, and ultimately, all the better.
Finally as the our got late it was time for Wastelander to storm on stage. Now, these guys do some pretty interesting and exciting stuff. They are a trio with two members providing vocals, which is already kinda cool. On top of that, a lot of their riffs have a pretty distinct feel, a blackened touch on to thrash metal anarchy. I was especially impressed by the solos which added a fun dose of old school heavy metal into the proceedings. There was a certain beauty in getting to see these guys, all the way from Michigan, to play for this small crowd. Guys like us will always be there, this is our lives, this is all we have, and damn did Wastelander put on a great show.
As I proceeded in a misadventure to get home (Various drugs were involved along with train cancellations) it felt good to have finally gotten to do this. It had been a while since I had gotten to see the triumph of a tiny bar show, and I had way more fun than I had anticipated. At the end of the day though, I have to say Castle Freak were my favorite band on the night, not only because I knew their music best, but also because they balanced perfectly on that knife's edge of tight, and ridiculous, meaning that they could stand tall as masters of a reality they themselves crafted.
Find the bands on Facebook and Bandcamp!
Slutlust: http://slutlust.bandcamp.com/
Castle Freak: https://www.facebook.com/CastleFreakPhilly
Wastelander: https://www.facebook.com/wastelandermichigan
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