Can I just say that I'm glad to be back in California? Iowa's great and all, but at least down here there's going to be a steady supply of gigs that are bound to be class acts. I had the opportunity to catch Goatwhore some weeks ago, but after a few beers I couldn't remember details (I can confirm it was good and not much else). Shit happens. But I shan't make that mistake again! I decided to be that dude who takes a paper and pen to shows... like a goddamn nerd.
And hell, did this nerd dig this gig! The first band up were some familiar faces. San Diego death metal band Mortuus Terror immediately set things on the right path. Sick riffs and gut-wrenching vocals kicked off a nice little mosh pit. The band seems like a bunch of great guys, fist-bumping fans and laughing at some of audio sound bites before a couple songs. I'd definitely catch them again.
Next up was Noctuary. To be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about this band, perhaps from my predetermined expectation. I looked them up prior and the internet claimed they were black metal. The name is black metal. Their logo is most definitely black metal-y. What I heard was an interesting On top of some black riffage, there's an uplifting melody that's almost reminiscent of power metal and some hardcore vocal delivery on some songs. More power to these guys for mixing up styles. Their music is something fresh, but might not be for some of the more elitists in the scene; they'd probably go "stick to black metal, bros". Keep it up, fellas!
I don't know how I forgot to include Author & Punisher in my post on San Diego metal because this man is a madman! I'm still dumbfounded by his setup. I don't know what his instruments are made of, how they work, or even what they're called, but Tristan Shone is a one-man doom factory. As he plays, he's got some kind of projection going on behind him. Images become fragmented and frazzled as his music drones and rages on. It was terrifyingly brilliant. One can only guess he'll build in the future. It's gonna be awesome.
And finally, I was hit with the fury and full intensity of Cattle Decapitation. With their new album, The Anthropocene Extinction coming up, they killed it! I have to admire a band that executes a punk rock ethos with steely determination. I may be a total carnivore, but I have nothing but total respect for these brutal vegetarians (that feels like an oxymoron). Whether they're playing the grindcore that kickstarted their career or something more technical, each song was a kick to the genitals that shocks you into a frenzy. Cattle Decapitation are the harbingers of man's inevitable doom and we thanked them for it.
The Anthropocene Extinction drops August 7th. Best keep your eyes out for it! In the meantime, I'm aiming to catch a couple more shows before I leave for Iowa again. Got sights fixed on High on Fire at the end of the month. Hope to see you there.
Stay heavy, my friends.
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