Mary Todd, Organ Dealer and Meek Is Murder at ABC No Rio

ABC No Rio really is a magical place to see a show and the kind of thing that invokes dreams oftentimes forgot. It reminds us where we all came from and where we need to be going. Of course, it doesn't detract from the quality of the bans, and the three acts that I got to check out at this afternoons particularly special performance (Conveniently falling on my birthday) helped me to affirm my place in the scene and reminded me why I care so much about this music in the first place. ABC No Rio is important because it brins us back to the basics and reminds us of the eternal magic of punk rock.

Mary Todd are a band I've gotten to see two or three times in the past, and they never get old. There is something wonderfully vital and frenetic about their music. The math-y elements that infringe on their twin vocalist grindcore assault is a lot of fun and helps to invoke a sense of pure chaos. This is a band who are clearly tortured, and the way that they crash forward with demented vocal lines, pounding drums and terrifying guitar parts speaks to the power of their music. I get the impression though that this band is only getting better - there is something incredibly fresh about their music, even though it fits into older polemics and makes me feel like these guys will soon be moving onto greater things.

I've heard a lot about Organ Dealer, mostly dudes in Infest hoodies saying they are 'so sick'. Then I actually saw them for myself, and holy shit, Organ Dealer are so sick. This is a band who are more than just a group of dudes playing deathgrind, they are veritable monsters. Few bands have the level of insanity and intensity that Organ Dealer so easily invoke. With a couple of crazed dreadlocked guitarists juxtaposed with a hipstery frontman (Who is an absolute motherfucker of a performer)this is a band who perfectly understand what it means to create some of the most potent and wonderfully evil death metal that you will ever hear. Watching them live is a truly dangerous experience, proving that Organ Dealer are the real deal, and you better hop on board the bandwagon because this band is going to blow up.

Meek Is Murder of course are on a whole other level. Those in the know are familiar with the hard work that the band has put in and  their endless tours. This is one of those bands who understand what it means to make it in the metal world, and their hyper-intelligent brand of grindcore, with just a dash of silliness is guaranteed to capture the attention of heavy music fans the world over. At this particular performance the band seemed totally on point - Keller jumping off the bass drum and the bands bassist stomping into the pit - driving the punters into a strange fury that only this kind of music can truly invoke in its fans.

And so the afternoon came to a close. Friends were hugged, trains were taken and now I sit here on the couch next to my roommate listening to dubstep remixes of Eiffel 65 songs. That doesn't matter though. What matters is that matinees like this one are what helps to keep the spirit of punk rock alive in New York City. The dudes and dudettes who run this are anarchists of the highest degree - keeping things running forward and guiding us all forward in the crucial search for ultimate freedom. Or maybe they're like me and just really like death metal - fucked if I know.

Find the bands on Facebook!

Mary Todd: https://www.facebook.com/marytoddtheband/?fref=ts

Organ Dealer: https://www.facebook.com/OrganDealer/?fref=ts

Meek Is Murder: https://www.facebook.com/meekismurder/?fref=ts