Bassist Waylon Riffs’s 3rd person characterization of himself led into a crusty set of pain soaked riffs with bouts of stoned giggles in between. This band has been on my list of must-see for two years now; initially I heard of them through a freight hoppin’ motherfucker from their home town, Greensboro S.C. Their sound resembles much of the sludgy grunge-metal from that region: Eye Hate God, Catharsis, Buzzov-en. Their hypnotic riffs are so completely full with seething disgust for corporate society and its minions that they pass for blast beats. It feels like these guys just want to live out in the woods doin’ their shit, smokin’ weed, playin’ music, runnin’ with the wolves, but they can’t, and are really pissed off that they can‘t.
SATAN
RULES.
I was already acquainted with, and somewhat prepared for, their sound, but their stage presence was a whole other dimension. Their sound check began with them falling into a jam almost against their will, it came that easily. Then the bassist cut the mic-check short by announcing that “we’re only screaming, that’s all we’re gonna do - you shouldn’t even be able to hear us”. Jason Crumer, the guitarist who looked straight outta a death metal Dazed and Confused, catatonically held his guitar like his gut and laughed with eyes 99.9% shut. There was no bullshit here, the boys were just out to have a good time. I mean, their passivity was disarming; anyone having a bad day just had to laugh with them. Launching off with a song from their new album NPON they put to rest any argument against their ability to play well while all fucked up. Crumer’s guitar had a warm fuzz that focused on bright tone - reminiscent of Thin Lizzy or ZZ Top - but BRUUTAL! Ryan Wolfe’s drums kicked in catchy and poignant with a million fills. He has the ability to play a beat so that it rises in intensity steedily to the point when you think it can’t go any higher but it does. And with the multitude of riff extensions he holds everything together.
In between songs the band left long pauses of southern hospitality. The crowd heckled with things like “Go back to Florida”, “I’m gonna throw myself out”, and of course “Play it slower”. But FACEDOWNINSHIT were in no hurry to get to the next song - instead they just kinda laughed hard and heckled back. I mean, from the depth of the depression in the lyrics you’d think there’d be signs of anger in their mien but they were completely down to earth and well natured. The show continued to rock til the last song and at one point filled the room with their characteristic whining feedback, forcing most of the crowd to hold their ears shut: the show was fucking loud. So loud, in fact, the police arrived shortly after they left the stage. 
That night four other bands played: Minsk, Cretin, Fuck The Facts, and Unearthly Trance (in that order). Unearthly Trance headlined and I wish I’d gotten a better listen but the night was old at that point, and I hate to be a puss, but I was tired. I do have to throw a shout out to Cretin for keepin’ it real with the Carcass/Phobia stylin’ old school grind. I especially liked “A little ditty about a girl with one titty”. And for anyone who cares, Fuck The Facts is the fucking shit. I gotta say, when the 95lb lead singer Mel Mongeon and bassist Marc-Andre Mongeon took the stage barefoot I was a little skeptical but it turned out they were not talentless hippies. At first they reminded me of Dillenger Escape Plan “mathmetal” or whatever. Some of the guitar was really mind blowing and the dead stops consistent and precise. As the show went on elements of grindcore as well as NYC or Boston hardcore came out. Mel belted heavy growls and the few times she did her pig-squeal-style-vox it was off the hook. Personally I’d like to hear more of that from her because it gave more range to her sound. Part of Mel’s performance is taking a drink of water and spitting it on the floor in front or on the audience; she also let it kinda drip outta her mouth and down her chin. You thinking what I’m thinking? Good prop. When their set was over their merch table was totally swamped and I think that speaks for itself.
No comments:
Post a Comment