Concert Review: Rock and Shock(Day 1) Worcester,MA October 15,2010

The Halloween season festival Rock and Shock started up on Friday in Worcester,Massachusetts. The main attraction to this 3 day festival is music at the Palladium and a horror convention down the street at the DCU Center. Day 1 brought together 3 tours to The Palladium The Decibel Defiance Tour featuring Suffocation as the headliner, The Time To Bleed Tour with Suicide Silence headlining and The Hope Division tour which was headlined by Stick To Your Guns. Personally, I didn't give two shits about the Stick To Your Guns tour, I didn't watch a single band from that tour, I spent my time at the downstairs of the Palladium for the most part seeing most of the other two tours.

Conducting From The Grave opened the day. They are a deathcore act, but they had an edge to them. There were slow parts to a few of their songs that where pretty interesting and their guitarwork overall was pretty damn good. These dudes know what they are doing, I enjoyed their set a good amount and I will be sure to check out their material further. Easily the best performance by any band on Suicide Silence's tour.

Molotov Solution was up next. They have a far more generic sound than Conducting From The Grave has. That being said, they weren't bad. They did have a few too many breakdowns for my taste, but Molotov Solution was still pretty decent.

The Tony Danza Tap Dance Extravaganza is a band I am kind of indifferent about. I listened to their new record a couple of months back and I thought it was decent. I saw them live in April at the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival and they were pretty meh. On this occasion, they were better than the first time. Their sound was a lot better than the previous time I saw them. To Danza's credit, Josh Travis is a great guitar player and he nails all of the material live. Danza was pretty decent and improved from the last time I saw them, but I think I would like them a lot more if they threw a couple more curve balls in their songs.

Decrepit Birth was the first band from the Suffocation tour. The crowd which was pretty slim downstairs prior to them playing, got even slimmer when they went on. It's kind of a shame because Decrepit Birth is a great live band. Decrepit Birth didn't looked like they minded playing to a pretty sparse crowd, they still played great. I still don't really enjoy their studio material that much,but they tear shit up live. Fast, brutal, and precise, Decrepit Birth put on an even better show they did at Summer Slaughter.

Through The Eyes Of The Dead was on fire. I saw them in April and they were pretty good, but they put on a very good performance this time around. What surprised me most about their set was how much the old school death metal fans liked them. Their set also brought one of the funniest things I have ever witnessed at a show before, most of the pits were circle pits, but during Failure In The Flesh, the scene kids finally went nuts and pulled some eagle-style hardcore dancing. These bitches were flapping their wings like they where badasses and then the breakdown ended and they left the pit. Through The Eyes Of The Dead was great, and I foresee them winning a lot of fans on this tour with Suffocation.

Dawn Of Ashes was the only band on the bill that was not associated with any tour. I am going to make this brief, they were really bad. They sounded like a Cradle Of Filth cover band that dressed up like a GWAR cover band. Anybody going to the Dimmu Borgir/Enslaved tour show up late, don't force yourself to sit through this band.

After Dawn Of Ashes, I left the venue and went and got an energy drink down the street because MyChildrenMyBride was playing and I could care less about seeing them. Upon my return, I found that Fleshgod Apocalypse was playing the upstairs stage. I booked it up there and they were just finishing up. I didn't see much of their set, but what I did see was great. The only material I am familiar with is the Mafia EP and neither song I saw was off of that so I don't have a set by them. Hopefully they do another US tour soon, I need to see a full set from them.

The Faceless, as usual, destroyed. They are one of my absolute favorite bands of the moment and this was my 3rd time seeing them. The highlights of their set for me was seeing Pestilence live and the new song. Pestilence was really cool because I never seen them play that before. The new song was fucking fantastic as well. It's a bit more progressive than the Planetary Duality material, but it is still heavy as hell. Out of all the bands that have confirmed a 2011 release, The Faceless is the one I am most excited about, they are future legends of death metal.

Suicide Silence was hitting the stage next. They took for fucking ever to set up. They kept testing their drum kit when it sounded fine. This was my 4th time seeing Suicide Silence, none of these times I have really cared about seeing them. I normally do end up enjoying their performance, but this was an expection. I was so bored throughout the duration of their set. They just go through the motions and I just don't care about their band. Mitch Lucker is also kind of a douchebag. He does the same fucking poses on the stage everytime. I am pretty sure he practices these poses in their spare time. I am not really a fan of their studio shit outside of a couple of songs off of No Time To Bleed, so maybe that has something to do with it. Suicide Silence should change their name to Naptime Silence, because that's what I wanted to do during their set.

Finally, the legends themselves Suffocation hit the stage. Unlike Suicide Silence they operate on a no bullshit agenda. They don't need to take 30 minutes to soundcheck, they took half the time to set up and did not a need stupid intro. Suicide Silence should take notes not only from Suffocation, but every band that Suffocation is on tour with this how you play death metal. Suffocation takes the crown of heaviest live band ever. Their songs hit so fucking hard live and I don't I will be able to use the word brutal to describe a performance after Suffocation. Frank Mullen and co. played a jaw dropping set. I only wish I was more awake during their set. I plan on seeing them next time they come here, seeing Suffocation live is a fucking experience.

All in all pretty great show. Seeing Suffocation was a dream come true, and The Faceless was top-notch as well. A lot of good bands on the bill. I had a good time overall, I just wish I was more awake during Suffocation.

Scores
Conducting From The Grave 7.5/10
Moltov Solution 6.5/10
The Tony Danza Tap Dance Extravaganza 6.5/10
Decrepit Birth 8/10
Through The Eyes Of The Dead 8/10
Dawn Of Ashes 3/10
Fleshgod Apocalypse(the 2 songs I saw) 8.5/10
The Faceless 9/10
Suicide Silence 4/10
Suffocation 9/10

Setlists
The Tony Danza Tap Dance Extravaganza
Yippi Kay-Ay Motherfucker
I Am Sammy Jankis
Carroll 14,Wosman 7
I Hate To Empose, But I Am The Ocean
W.A.L.L.S
The Union

Decrepit Birth
The Living Doorway
The Infestation
Diminishing Between Worlds
Symboisis
Polarity
Metatron

Through The Eyes Of The Dead
As Good As Dead
No Haven
Perpetiual Defilement
Pull The Trigger
Dementia
Failure In The Flesh

The Faceless
Planetary Duality I:Hideous Revelation
Planetary Duality II: A Prophices Fruition
Shape Shifters
Coldly Calculated Design
Xenochrist
Pestilence
New Song
An Autopsy
The Anicent Covenant

Suicide Silence(jacked from Setlist FM, I think its correct)
No Time To Bleed
Unanswered
Lifted
Smoke
Suffer
Bludgeoned To Death
Wake Up
Genocide
Disengage
Distorted Thought Of Addiction
The Fallen
No Pity For A Coward

Suffocation(out of order)
Thrones Of Blood
Jesus Wept
Cataclysmic Purifaction
Blood Oath
Entrails Of You
Effigy Of The Forgotten
Come Hell Or High Priest
Infecting The Crypts
Liege Of Inveracity
Pireced From Within
Souls To Deny
Bind Torture Kill

Concert Review: Summer Slaughter Worcester,MA July 31st,2010

Got to the show around 3:40. I ran to the door thinking I was going to miss Vital Remains. Thankfully The Palladium had put 1 local band on the main stage prior to the Summer Slaughter tour package. The local band was playing their last song when I got in. They sounded like a mix of The Faceless(instrumentally) and Arsonists Get All The Girls(vocally).

Anways onto the Summer Slaughter tour package. The New England Death Metal legends Vital Remains took the stage. These dudes know to put on a great show. Vital Remains should be billed higher on this tour simply on merit and experience alone, but I do understand from a popularity standpoint that they aren't very popular despite being around for 20+years. The crowd was going absoultely apeshit during their set. One of the best performances of the day for sure.

Animals As Leaders was also great. Seeing an instrumental band was a nice change of pace on a strictly extreme metal tour and the crowd was into them for the most part. It was really cool to finally see them after recently listening to their studio stuff and really digging it.

I hate Carnifex and thankfully the Over The Limit tour was playing upstairs at the same time. The only band that I liked on that whole tour is Arsonists Get All The Girls(I didn't even end up watching them they were on at the same time as Celphalic Carnage) but I figured any band on that bill is better than Carnifex. When I got upstairs, Thick As Blood was playing. They are pretty much a very average version of Hatebreed, at least middle of the road hardcore is better than shitty ass Carnifex.

Looked at the merch while Decrepit Birth was setting up. Pretty much every band has great designs and the merch is pretty cheap for every band. Onto Decrepit Birth they were pretty good. I am not a fan on disc but their material sounds a lot better live. I really have never understood why I don't like their studio stuff being a pretty big tech-death fan but I have just never gotten into them. I am glad I gave them a chance live and I enjoyed their set a pretty good deal.

Cephalic Carnage is fun as hell live. They go absoultely ballistic and they have great banter. The new songs sound really good I don't remember the names of the new ones but they are about smoking weed and watching Star Trek, and chronic masturbation.

Veil Of Maya is a severely underrated band. Their new album (id) is great and will most likely rank pretty highly on my end of the year list. The thing is with Veil Of Maya is that they are good live but they are better on album for sure. Their set was plagued with weak sound and the guitarist screwed up a few times. Despite those flaws they still put on a good show.

The local heroes from Revere,Massachusetts The Red Chord were on next. The Red Chord never fails to deliver live. They put on an amazing show every time and they look like they are having the time of their lives on the stage. Guy Kozoywk(spelled that wrong for sure) is a whirlwind on stage and he was so excited to be in front of the hometown crowd. He along with his bandmates were out and about all day talking with fans. The Red Chord is truely a class act and a fantastic band.

All Shall Perish is a band that is so much better live than they are on disc it is scary. I like them on disc but live they are 100x better. Sure they have some pig squealing and breakdowns but their guitarwork is fucking fantastic. All Shall Perish is a band that reminds me that deathcore can be done right when in the right hands. Met the singer right after their set as well, he is a really nice guy. Great performance and I will most likely see them next time they come around.

The Faceless was one of the reasons for me to come to this show. They are one of my favorite bands around right now and imo the best tech-death band to emerge in quite some time. This was my 2nd time seeing them and they are fucking great live. Derek Rydquist is a monster of a vocalist. Michael Keene hit every one of his solos to perfection. Best part was they played a longer setlist than they have been playing for most of the tour. Technically perfect,brutal and flat out fantastic. Tied for the best show of the day with The Red Chord.

I had to miss Decapitated and that killed me. Hey I had to make a small sacrifice for my friend not a really big deal. He drove me there and I know he wanted to see Decapitated as well but he wanted to see his girlfriend on her birthday so I gotta respect that. I do love Decapitated and I am sure they will tour again and I will make damn sure that I am there when do.

Great fucking show and If this is coming to your city go. With the exception of Carnifex there is not a weak band on the bill and I think every extreme metal fan will go home happy after this show.


Scores
Vital Remains 8.5/10
Animals As Leaders 8/10
Thick As Blood 5/10
Decrepit Birth 7.5/10
Cephalic Carnage 8/10
Veil Of Maya 7.5/10
The Red Chord 9/10
All Shall Perish 8.5/10
The Faceless 9/10

Setlists
Vital Remains
Dechristianize
Savior To None,Failure To All
?
Hammer Down The Nails

Animals As Leaders
Wave Of Babies
Tempting Time
On Inpulse
CAFO

Cephalic Carnage
Hybrid
Endless Cycle Of Violence
New Song
New Song
New Song
Lucid Interval
?
Kill For Weed

Veil Of Maya
(id)
Unbreakable
Crawl Back
Dark Passenger
Pillars
We Bow In Its Aura
It's Not Safe To Swim Today

The Red Chord
Demoralizer
Bone Needle
Black Santa
Floating Through The Vein
Hour Of Rats
Nihillist
Dreaming In Dog Years
Antman

All Shall Perish
There Is No Buisness To Be Done On A Dead Planet....
Stabbing To Purge Dissimulation
When Life Meant More...
Gagged,Bound,Shelved and Forgotten
Never....Again
Eradication
Wage Slaves

The Faceless
Shape Shifters
Coldly Calculated Design
Sons Of Belial
Xenochrist
The Anicent Covenant
Horizons Of Chaos I: Oracle Of The Onslaught
Legion Of The Serpent
Planetary Duality I: Hideous Revelation
Planetary Duality II: A Prophecies Fruition
An Autopsy