Show Recap

A/V Photos Show Recap

BARONESS, EARTHLESS, & U.S. CHRISTMAS: videos and photos from the Minneapolis show

BARONESS live at the Triple Rock in MN 11/27/2009

Last Friday (Nov. 27), the Metal Injection-sponsored tour featuring BARONESS, EARTHLESS, and U.S. CHRISTMAS played at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis, MN, and your faithful MI contributor (Ryan Buege) was in the crowd and able to capture some video and photos throughout the concert. All bands killed it, and though the refined epics of BARONESS and the manic shred of EARTHLESS definitely turned the most heads, the show-starting set of smoky Americana meets suffocating doom from U.S. CHRISTMAS was what really had my jaw on the floor. Long story short, it was a good idea arrive early(, and considering that DARK CASTLE, GAZA, and IRON AGE will be supporting on tail-end of the tour, I know this won't change as BARONESS travels on into the west and the south). Keep reading to enjoy the sights and sounds of this night of glorious psych-metal from the perspective of my trusty camera.

Video: BARONESS "Steel That Sleeps the Eye/Swollen & Halo" live @ the Triple Rock in Minneapolis, MN 11/27/2009

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Breakups Show Recap

WITH DEAD HANDS RISING say farewell


Video: WITH DEAD HANDS RISING (feat. Colin and Burke on vocals) – "Distress Patterns"

When Minneapolis-based metalheads WITH DEAD HANDS RISING began their foray into a devastatingly brutal style of contemporary hardcore in 2001, the word "deathcore" was little more than whitty quip on par with the likes of "jockcore" or "lumberjackcore". THE RED CHORD still had to get another year of practice under their belts before Fused Together Through Revolving Doors would see the light of day, and the members of  future local deathcore Sumerian-signees AFTER THE BURIAL were most likely drawing band logos on the backs of their algebra notebooks while WDHR were playing their pioneering blend of Meshuggah-esque death metal and emotional hardcore in clubs around the MN area. Though their early albums Behind Inquisition and The Horror Grows Near earned the band a small-yet-rabidly devoted fanbase in the U.S. underground,  their career never sky-rocketed off in the way that their peers' would half a decade later. Over the years, as the world of "deathcore" rose up around them, numerous lineup changes and stylistic shifts morphed them into an almost entirely different band, and eventually the once-revered group became just another face in an overpopulated scene diluted by tired, emotionless cliches. Hindsight shows that the band may have been just too far ahead of their time to be wholly appreciated.

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Show Recap

ALICE IN CHAINS' comeback is for serious

Alice in Chains
photo by Justina Villaneuva

As I watched Alice in Chains power through their amazing 90+ minute set at Irving Plaza this past Tuesday, I couldn't help but think of how many modern rock radio bands ripped off Jerry Cantrell's signature sound. There probably wouldn't be a modern rock radio if it wasn't for Alice In Chains. In fact, I tweeted "All shitty new radio rock bands need to bow down at the alter of Sir Jerry Cantrell. Lookin at you Shinedown!" (more…)

Dispatches from the Van Show Recap

Mayhem Festival 2009: Our Trip To Camden NJ

After hours of traffic along the NJ Turnpike, we arrived at the box office booth where an ocean of arms swung back and forth in praise of Behemoth. I asked Rob, "Is that Behemoth?" By the time the words left my mouth, however, I could see the tall corpsepainted bodies. No matter how bad I had been anticipating seeing those evil motherfuckers, after holding my urine for hours while in traffic, finding a toilet become the priority at hand. And yes, the Tweeter Center actually has indoor, clean restrooms. Despite my personal matters, I still found a way to get a portrait of bassist Orion (above) for you Injection-seekers out there.

Read about the rest of the bands after the jump.
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Blackendfest Show Recap

MAYHEM at Station 4 in St. Paul, MN – the day after Blackenedfest dissolved

Mayhem live @ Station 4

As Mayhem brought Blackened Fest to St. Paul, MN on June 9, 20009, the vibe was unexpectedly and unfortunately even more somber than one would have hoped for the return of some of Norwegian black metal's reigning elite. After already suffering the crippling blow of a late visa-related cancellation from Marduk before the tour began, the rest of the lineup except for Mayhem (Cephalic Carnage, Cattle Decapitation, and Withered) were forced to cut the trek short the night before St. Paul due to a variety of complications described by Justina V. already. Whether or not Justina's indictment of Mayhem's responsibility for the festival's implosion is accurate or not, I'm not here to argue. However, I certainly can understand her resentment as a fellow Metal Injection reporter (non-roving, based in MPLS) and someone who was on the opening band's guestlists that never arrived. To put it shortly, it was a huge bummer to be greeted with the cancellation announcement sign as I walked in, and it made me skeptical I'd even enjoy what was now becoming an expensive evening for me (although, I must admit, the ticket price was actually slashed to 1/2 the original cost for those who bought advanced tickets, and refunds and free tickets to next week's Absu show were being offered to attendees – in other words, the venue was graciously being overly apologetic for the unfortunate circumstances).

While performances from Cattle Decap, Cephalic Carnage, Withered, and Marduk would never occur, Mayhem pushed on alone, against the odds and advice of financial experts, carrying the torch of blackness alone on the remaining dates of a now-solo headlining tour. Playing to a crowd of devoted Twin Cities extreme metal faithful, Mayhem's blistering, theatrical black metal combined with a choice selection of local supports bands eventually succeeded and won over the dejected. (more…)

Show Recap

Concert Recap: MASTODON, KYLESA, & INTRONAUT heavy on sweet riffage, light on commentary @ Fine Line Music Cafe

Mastodon live at the Fine Lin

Last week, the conceptual prog/thrash/stoner metal masters in MASTODON came to the intimate Fine Line Music Cafe in the heart of downtown Minneapolis’s  club district in support of their brilliant new album Crack the Skye, and without a single word spoken to the audience the entire night, the band played through a gripping set that left the devoted Minnesota crowd salivating for more. It’s one thing to make every one of your albums into a separate concept piece, but it’s an entirely different story when you are able to execute that concept, front-to-back, in front of the live audience. However, MASTODON succeeded at just that by dedicating the entire first half of their set to the new release, and it didn’t even end there; in fact, they treated each of their releases with the same type of reverence, playing back through their career with mini-conceptual sets devoted to Blood Mountain, Leviathan, and Remission as the night went on…  (more…)

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