ITP V.05 LIVE REVIEW: King Diamond, Nile,The Black Dahlia Murder, Behemoth

(EDITORS NOTE- I can't find said tours flyer and the above flyer was from a show I didn't go to, I saw the show in Poughkeepsie, NY-Lots of memories of this show, dedicated to Jay Lavalle)









King Diamond, Nile,The Black Dahlia Murder, Behemoth-4/23/05-The Chance Poughkeepsie, NY
"Ahhh, Saattan, SATAN, SA-TAAAN!!!"-Delusional metal fan, Poughkeepsie, NY (He later broke his nose in the pit, poor thing :shakes head: )
Yeees. On a drizzly Saturday evening, I got to Poughkeepsie, NY early, around 530pm. For a few minutes I watched the roadies load in King Diamond's mammoth gear. There was an extra (HUGE) truck full of King Diamond's shtuff in it, and I mean SHTUFF. My jaw dropped.
I went to a neighborhood bar to have a SODA, (yes, soda) and some street urchin whom saw me walking down the street followed me (unsolicited) into the bar with a shit eating grin (probably looking for a piece of ass). I proceeded to ignore him, and when he realized he was in a gay bar, and (probably wasn't bi, gay or lesbian) he left. Pheew. Poughkeepsie, NY can be a sketchy neighborhood.
Around 7PM a line started to form in front of the Chance when I noticed a few New Paltz, NY squatters hanging around. The squatters held a sign pleading "NEED CHANGE FOR TICS, WILL DO TRICKS". LMAO. (EDITORS NOTE-RIP Jay Lavalle-miss your funny tricks-and he got IN too) Of course I bought my tic well in advance on my b'day. The squatters spanging for tics were akin to those Grateful Dead fans (bad analogy I know) that hold signs that state "I need a miracle" (Lingo for I need a tic please)..
The Black Dahlia Murder's guitarist took notice to the squatters plight and arranged to let the New Paltz, NY squatters in for free on the guestlist by way of the tour manager. Cool.The Black Dahlia Murder are really cool guys, with no egos and a down to earth attitude.Metal horns to TBDM \m/
This night was a very special night of metal mayhem indeed as The Chance Theatre was packed straight up to the balcony, and I mean JAM PACKED. I'm sure the show eventually sold out. All fans were checked for weapons and asked to remove chains, gauntlets, spikes, ect, as an extra safety measure.
Polish black/death metal heroes, Behemoth, took the stage to the roar of the crowd, and tore the the place up.The crowd went apeshit and was sent into an instant frenzy as Behemoth lead the crowd into chants, fist pumping, hair spinning, headbanging, black metal mayhem. Behemoth played some new material and some brutal tunes from Zos Kias Cultus, Thelma, and Satanica and overall a very solid set to a very receptive crowd. Behemoth could easily be headlining anywhere they want in America. Towards then end of Behemoth's set, Nergal (vocalist/guitarist) came out in a leather trench coat with a black metal face mask, (and as always) corpse paint to the ROAR \m/ -l- of the crowd. AWESOME set from Behemoth and it's great to see some Blackened death metal (BM/DM) around these parts...
Next was The Black Dahlia Murder whom have a strong At The Gates/Slayer influence and a good following in the metal/metalcore scene.The Black Dahlia Murder's vocalist was shirtless,sporting a tattoo on his pot belly. BDM played a solid set that got a good pit going as they were TIGHT. I briefly spoke to a member of TBDM whom said their new CD (MIASMA) should be "different" from the last (and debut) release. BDM's vocalist alternates between screams and growls, and damn if you weren't enjoying TBDM's set, WTF were you thinking? Then from the Egyptian ruins of South Carolina, USA came NILE..
After a friend of mine bought Dallas Toler Wade (lead guitarist/vocalist Nile) drinks before the show, (and we do owe him one for getting us drunk in October of '03) Nile took the stage. Dallas has taken over lead vox, center stage in Jon Vesano's (former Nile bassists) absence. Nile introduced their new bassist (apparently a 19 year old kid as his name alludes me, I'm sowwwy) who in all his calm and composure looked like he was having the time of his life.To score the gig as Nile's new bassist, the kid must be awestruck. Nile's new bassist shreds. The new Nile CD may NOT have as much of an Middle Eastern theme as their last few releases. I spoke to Dallas before the show to confirm rumors that Nile is touring with Chimaria and Three Inches of Blood?! (shrugs I read it on smnnews) and although very polite, humble, and soft spoken, Dallas didn't deny nor confirm those rumors. Dallas did say that he doesn't mind touring with bands that are "different" whom are not just total blastbeats ect.
Nile's set list went as follows, I think, lol. :
The Blessed Dead
Ramses Bringer of War
Cast Down the Heretic
Sacrifice unto Sebek
Sarcophagus
Annihilation ofthe Wicked
Black Seeds of Vengeance.. Nile debuted a few new songs from their new CD (due out in late May) Annihilation of the Wicked. The new material went over well, Dallas sounded good and seemed comfortable in the front man role. The sound for Nile's set seemed a little muddy, and yes that was ME screaming for Nile to play "Serpent Headed Mask" from Amongst the Catacombs of Nephran Ka. Next on stage was the headliner King Diamond. As the house lights dimmed, one could see the mammoth stage show King Diamond puts on, as was loaded into the venue earlier that evening. Me and some fans practiced our falsettos (easier for us women, as the death growls can be more difficult) as King Diamond took the stage with corpse paint and full regalia. I noticed King Diamond's custom made mic stand, very black metal indeed. . King Diamond's falsetto vocals are his trade mark, but King Diamond canceled out the Philadelphia, PA (Trocadero) show earlier in the week because of vocal problems. King Diamond, while STILL and extraordinary vocalist, didn't hit as many of the high notes (Remember the Memorex commercials, "Is it REAL or memorex ?"- With the opera singer and the glass breaking? That's King Diamond's vocals) but put on a GREAT show. King Diamond's (formally of MercyFul Fate) played many of his classics in their old school vein of thrash/power metal and had the pit going, and the fans singing along... Diamond's stage set was AWESOME complete with this hawt goth chick, miming, doing all sorts of stage tricks, and at one point acting as a mannequin. I was asking my friend, is that chick going to move? Is she real? Then she MOVED, I was like woooow. King Diamond played classics from Abigail (one and two) Mellissa ect, and one point wheeled in a stage hand dressed as a grandma on a wheelchair, lmao. Throughout the entire show guys were asking if I wanted to crowd surf.. So towards the end of show (towards the end of King Diamond's set) a nice guy, lifted me up and surfed me into the crowd, and AWAY I WENT. I crowd surfed for about two minutes and the bouncers were cool, being there is a barricade between the audience and band , they just pushed me back into the crowd. The crowd held me up there too, for quite a while, and I didn't even fall, just jumped right back into the crowd, and it was FUN... This WAS the metal show of the YEAR at The Chance and we all enjoyed it with as much positive, passion, metal energy as we could. Metal Horns \m/ to a great tour package, and we are so LUCKY to have seen it in this small market area known as the Hudson Valley of New Fucking Yawk. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SHOW and debauchery: An enterprising female fan, whom admittedly knew NOTHING about KD's (a friend who couldn't attend the show gave her a free tic) music found her way onto the tour bus, and was given a free t-shirt and autographs on her "cooch", lmao. One of the New Paltz squatters getting kicked out of the show, after getting in for free on the guestlist after spanging to get in, for smoking a stogie in the venue. Getting to crowd surf, wich was FUN.
Looking for guitar pics (thrown by the bands) on the floor of the Chance.
The New Paltz, NY squatters getting in on the guestlist for FREE (LOL), while spanging for tics outside. Thanks to BDM. you are guys are super cool. \m/
Seeing all of the metal fans dressed in gothic BLACK (some in the full black metal clothing with gauntlets, ect. (Looking good) with their fave metal t-shirts... Plenty of Bathory t-shirts in remembrance of Quorthon. Running into alot of old friends in the metal scene whom I haven't seen or heard from in quite a while. \m/ Getting caught in BDM pit (caught in a mosh) and having to "karate pit" my way out. Trying to find a ride home and debating if I should buy some merch but I had only had $19.00 to my name. Fun night despite local band egos and drama, and a wonderful , BROOTAL, night for the (death/black) metal faithful.
For those of us disillusioned with the metal/and local scene and music trends, these current and up and coming metal tours may be an inspiration. Lesson to us, Stay TROO.
2005, may be a decent year for death metal tours. Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-Tee \m/
PS-Thanks for the ride home New Paltz metal heads \m/
-l-
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Links, Opeth signed to Roadrunner?

Ok, the official website of the West Memphis Three is an official link to this journal on the RIGHT hand side under links. CORRECTION: The sequal to Paradise Lost is called Paradise Lost-Revelations.

Buy a t-shirt wich will benefit the West Memphis Three and thier legal defense fund, or send $ to thier comissary as instructions are on on thier website.

"Tzaaa, Swedish Death Metal"-New Paltz local imatating Swedish accents.

I found out through Blabbermouth.net and Opeth's (Swedish progressive/melodic/death/doom band) official forum on Ultimate Metal that Opeth are close to signing a record deal with Roadrunner records out of NYC.

Strange that Opeth would sign to Roadrunner considering that the label has a bad reputation of screwing over bands in underground (death/thrash) genres. Although Roadrunner started off as an "extreme" label with bands such as Obituary, Death, Deicide, Life of Agony, Sepultura, Fear Factory ect, over the last ten years the label has signed nu metal acts and spent more money promoting trendy, nu metal and metal core.

  Crappy nu metal bands such as Nickleback, Chaimiria, KSE, Machine Head have gotten tons of promotion from Roadrunner while acts such as Type O Negative, Deicide, Sepultura, Death (RIP Chuck Shuldiner), Fear Factory have jumped ship for greener pastures where they wouldn't have to comprimise thier musically intergrity for trends or CD sales.. Cradle Of Flith, fresh off a stint with the major lable SONY have recently signed to Roadrunner, but we all know that COF's best days are behind them, as thier are no longer "troo" BM.

I'm not sure if Opeth signing to Roadrunner is a part of a larger concept of "selling out" and promoting/marketing themselves to the Hot Topic, mallgoth/nu metal/metal core kids, or if Opeth plan not to comprimise thier music.                                  Perhaps Opeth are signing to Roadrunner because after all, Opeth are far more accesible, with less death, grind, and thrash riffs,(some people are bored by Opeth's lack of outright brutalty/technicality calling them BLOPETH) and melancholy acoustic interludes than thier more brutal counterparts in death and extreme metal. Perhaps Opeth couldn't resist the $ offered by Roadrunner..

Just in the fact that the sounds of The Underground tour (mostly nu metal/hardcore/metalcore featuring Opeth) is in part promoted by Roadrunner and Hot Topic goes to show you the direction that Opeth may be going in the future.

Although Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) did a good job producing Opeth's Black Water Park, Deliverance and Damnation. Many complained that as good as Steven Wilson's production was, it brought a more American, commercial sound to Opeth, hence the raw, atmospheric sounds of Morning Rise, Orchid, Still Life, and My Arms your Hearse are long behind them.

The only personal benefit to Opeth signing to Roadrunner (Roadrunner's USA offices are out of NYC) as I won't feel so obviously guilty about perhaps doing an internship with (the blantly commercial NU METAL/metal core) Roadrunner as I've avoided working with that label as I was offered an internship with the now defunct Hammerheart (Pennslyvania) in 2001, but turned it down because the label was being bought off, and I would have to relocate to Pennsylvania.

Hence the music bizz these days, with P2P file sharing (more on my opinions about P2P file sharing in a future entry) corperate conglomerate labels are folding as the music bizz has been turned upside down, problably for the better.

Too bad Opeth's old label Music For Nations (long known as one of the better underground extreme labels) folded last year, as the label merger left Opeth out in the cold and dropped.

As someone on Opeth's official forum (Ultimate Metal) said, "My life is no longer worth living, good bye"..LMAO.

Stay Metal and Stay Brutal-Tee \m/ -l-

The I'm wasting time before my mom comes up and picks up this 'puter entry

Well this is the LAST entry for another week or two while my mom repairs this piece of shit ('puter) in time for my 35th b'day 4/14.

I raided my medicine cabinet in my bathroom and found some decongestents and anti histemines for this god awful allergy. I slept soundly last night with nice dreams. I woke up sneezing and took another decongestent. Damn, I love the warm days of spring, a time of renewal, but HATE allergies.

I think it's a form of hayfever that I have, sucks for me.

Oh well, my moms on her way, and I REALLY miss my cats, Bo, Beauty, and of course my evil alter ego, Spakyle (\m/) the crazy black cat whom fetches little foam balls and brings them back to me.

Hopefully I'll be able to visit them soon, because I miss them dearly.

Oh, btw, because of my health, and prior commitments, I won't be at this show but please do check out Kreator with Vader and our local death metal heroes Malamor at the Chance this Friday. German thrashers Kreator are always fun live and Vader (Poland) OWN.

Make these guys (Kreator and Vader) feel at home and yell, VA-Der, Va-der and request Vader's excellent cover of Slayer's "Reign in Blood"..That should be a good show and please do continue to support the wordlwide extreme metal scene. I wish I could be there, but ya know, I'll see you later on this month.

Anyway wish me a happy 35th, on 4/14 and I'll see you at some shows. Horns up \m/

Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-Tee \m/ -l-

CRYPTOPSY 4/1/05 The Loft ,Poughkeepsie, NY

Cryptopsy fucking OWNED 4/1/05-The Loft Poughkeepsie, NY






"Metal chicks do it better"-T shirt worn by female fan and Cryptopsy show 4/1/05-Poughkeepsie, NY
 HAAA, YEEES. I saw Cryptopsy Friday night, April 1st at The Loft in Poughkeepsie, NY with Cattle Decapitation, Bone Crushing Annihilation and Crag. AWESOME show ! Packed.This was NO April Fools joke, brutality was in full order t'nite. Damn, even the cab driver (driving from New Paltz, NY to Poughkeepsie, NY) from New Paltz was playing tons of good extreme metal in his CD player: The Haunted, At The Gates, Slayer. AWWWESOME -l- \m/...                                                                                      Thanks for getting me psyched up for the show Jay. The local bands were smart enough to sell tics, and it was heartening to see younger kids at this brutal event.A diverse crowd of black, white, male, plenty of female and gay and straight fans. It's great to see some new blood at metal shows, instead of the same 20 to 40 jaded metal heads with arms folded. Alot of the younger fans were escorted to the show by their parents, which according to Cryptopsy was very "honorable"."All the fans were friendly and sociable, and knowledgeable about metal. At one point one fan said (truthfully) that Children of Bodom are so huge in Europe that one member owns a Farrari. Strangely enough, thrash, death, grind, and extreme metal bands are unknown here in the states and play in small clubs on US tours."Middletown, NY's Bone Crushing Annihilation kicked off the night with a blistering set prompting the fans into a brutal mosh pit. Although BCA were tentatively working out a "deal" with CastleBlack records, unfortunately that deal fell through. However, BCA have improved adding chunky, brutal thrash/ death riffs and a few blast beats to their arsenal."Crag, a three piece from Saugerties, NY, sounded decent, if not generic.Crag worked the crowd into a brutal mosh, crushing them with a full, heavy, death/grind sound for a three piece. Cattle Decapitation, the San Diego, California grind quartet were humorous, if not generic. CATTLE DECAPITATION's vocalist joked about hair metal band Danger, Danger playing downstairs at the Chance) vocalist whom screamed, spit, drooled his grind/ death vocals. There are some tech aspects to Cattle Decapitation's grind sound, but the mediocre sound at The Loft did the band no justice.
Cryptopsy took the stage to the sound of dramatic classical music, and the place went ape shit. Lord Worm, Cryptopsy's reunited vocalist made his dramatic entrance and proceeded to tear through "None so Vile" in it's entirety. Cryptopsy played tight, technical and BROOTAL to a crowd whom were new to the bands older material, and exhausted from their local (band) heroes previous sets.
A few hardcore kids tried showing off in the pit, to the groaning of the metal heads whom didn't need their spinkicks or fights to ruin this good death/grind show. Cryptopsy's set list went as follows in no particular order: None so Vile (entire release); Crown of Horns, Slit your guts, Graves of the Fathers, Dead and Dripping (dedicated to DimeBag of Damageplan/ Pantera-RIP -l-), Benedictine Convulsions, Phobophile, , Orgasmic Disembowelment.From Whisper Supremacy: Cold Hate, Warm Blood From Blasphemy Made Flesh: Open Face Surgery (apparently about curing paranoia)From And Then You'll Beg: We Bleed (about abortion-"We bleed like the rest of you pigs, we breed, fuck like the rest of you parasites."), Back to the Worms."Lord Worm didn't take out his goblet of worms and feed them to the crowd in Poughkeepsie,NY. Apparently the worms are freeze dried, lol. Shit with rainy weather here in the Hudson Valley area of NY,and earthworms crawling out of the flooded dirt, I was going to dig up some worms, kill them and give them to Lord Worm to feed to the crowd, but I forgot about it, lmao.Cryptopsy,'s drummer, Flo Mournier performed a spectacular drum solo and at one point did one handed blastbeats. I felt his double bass from the vibrations of the stage and Flo's feet were flying well over 300 BPM.Lord Worm spoke to the crowd in old English bringing a sophistication to the death/grind show, and at the end of the show knighting everyone's heads with his hands. Lord Worm was very cool, levelheaded and very polite, in an elder death metal statesmen kind of way.I asked Flo, and Lord Worm about the up and coming super death/grind tour featuring Suffocation, Cryptopsy, Vader, Decapitated, Cephalic Carnage, Aborted. Lord Worm explained that the new Cryptopsy CD is tentatively planned for a September release, with the November US tour, :crosses fingers:I found out through the Skinless forum on SMN News forums that none other than Bjork (yes, the Icelandic singer formerly of the Suger Cubes) was at the Cryptopsy, Cattle Decapitation, Skinless gig in NYC at BB' Kings. Cool, I have that much more respect for Bjork now, although I've always liked her, and Scandinavians definitely know their death and black metal. It seems like the veteran extreme metal bands have taken to playing their classic material in it's entirety, including Slayer playing "Reign in Blood" on tour a few years ago (with legendary original drummer Dave Lomabrdo.) Cryptopsy have culled the fan fave "None so Vile" from the archives with Lord Worms first ever US tour, as he is reunited with Cryptopsy.It was a wonderful night, as I met quite a new faces, and the turnout was very good for the Loft. I even got a ride back home from the father of a nice fan. BTW, the Loft is an odd venue, upstairs from Club Cranell (wich is upstairs from the Chance) with weird acoustics, a weird layout as the venue is shaped in a L fashion.Strangely enough, the next day, the Pope croaked, adding hilarity to death metal's anti religious imagery, and irony as well."Good riddance Pope..-l- "                                                                              No more God, safe at last, Embrace the Abyss"-Cryptopsy-Lichmistress-None so Vile.                                                                                                                                                                                                  I can't wait until Cryptopsy release a new CD, and tour again later this year.One fan on Suffocation's forum on SMN News said Lord Worm is the closest thing to God in the metal scene."After all, "It is so, and it can not be other wise"-Lord Worm -l-


Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-