Words and Photos: Valerie Ryan
Mars Music Hall was full of tall, spiked mohawks, patch-covered vests, and fans in sacrilegious shirts – all ready to be spewed upon with fake blood and various bodily fluids. The place was packed, and these metalheads had come to rock.
Cancer Christ kicked off the debauchery with their self-described ‘Reptilian Christian Christ Violence’ genre of music, surely in a league of their own. The lead vocalist was dressed in a bloody priest’s robe and wielded a crucifix as if to exorcise the entire crowd. The band rocked with evil Ork-style marks, flipping off the whole crowd, including the kids brought on stage to ‘baptize’ the audience. Occasionally, a security guard would find themselves entangled in a microphone cord or receive a friendly head pat, particularly during the chanting of ‘God Hates Cops’. They were fast and loud, captivating the crowd, and by the end of the set, the entire floor had turned into a mosh pit, with the bassist lying in the center, being worshipped by the fans.
X Cops pleasantly surprised me with their gritty punk rock sound that reminded me of the punk shows I used to attend in SoCal 25 years ago. Adorned with guns, handcuffs, and bulletproof vests, it almost didn’t seem right to rock out so hard with these bondage keepers of peace. Sprinkled with police brutality and followed by the execution of the drummer, via electric chair, they certainly kept everyone entertained. I enjoyed their sound the most out of the whole show and would love to see them perform again.
Negative Approach’s singer was visibly furious, coming out scowling and screaming his songs at the crowd. Everyone ate it up, and almost immediately the floor turned into a mosh pit. The heavy bass lines got my blood pumping, and the entire front row was shedding their anger, screaming along with the lyrics. Death punk – yeah, that’s how I’d describe this sound. I couldn’t make out a word he said, but I felt like punching someone nonetheless. I watched the end of the show from the second floor, and even that was shaking. I felt beat up after this set, but I didn’t hate it.
GWAR was a bloody nightmare. I’ll go so far as to say this was quite possibly the loudest band I’ve ever heard. My immediate thought was ‘satanic Mad Max on steroids’. The lead vocalist Michael Bishop aka Blother wooed all the emo girls with his four-penis appendage that spewed blood. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but in addition to the mind-blowing theatrics, this was a talented group with melodic choruses; some of their classics you may have recognized we’re “Sick of You’ and “Immortal Corrupter” all played in it’s prime gory lore. Is ‘Freak Show Metal’ a music genre? Vladimir Putin had the nerve to show up and was promptly punished by getting his arms chopped off, squirting blood all over the fans. By this time, blood was blocking my field of vision, but it was clear that someone was getting ground to pieces. This show was delightfully macabre, and they knew what the audience had came for, delivering an execution of some of North Bama’s beloved radio DJs. Rest in peace.
Age of Imbeciles Tour
10/11 Hampton Beach, NH @ Wally’s*
10/12 S. Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground*
10/13 New York, NY @ Palladium Times Square*
10/14 Reading, PA @ Reverb*
10/15 Niagara Falls, NY @ The Rapids Theatre*
10/16 Toronto, ON @ The Phoenix#
10/18 Cincinnati, OH @ Bogarts
10/19 Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
10/20 Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note
10/21 Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom
10/22 Huntsville, AL @ Mars Music Hall
10/24 Richmond, VA @ The National
10/25 Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
10/26 Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
10/27 Gainesville, FL @ The Fest, Bo Diddley Plaza
10/28 Pensacola, FL @ Vinyl Music Hall
10/29 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade (Heaven)
10/30 Orlando, FL @The Beacham
*No X-Cops
#No Negative Approach
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