November news and noteworthy

On November 18, Disturbed dropped their eighth studio album, their first in four years, called Divisive.  Frontman David Draiman and others have called it a return to form as the sound harkens back to their early albums.  You can even hear some of Draiman's iconic wah-ka-ka vocal stylings on track "Part of Me."  A few years ago Draiman said he was tired of being known for that kind of vocal, but it put them on the map and thankfully it is back.  "Hey You" is probably the most iconic song on this album with "Bad Man" and "Divisive" also rocking hard.  Draiman is quoted as saying that the Covid-19 pandemic and political instability made him "blisteringly angry" and he was anxious to write "new, original, angry, feriocious, brutal material."  A different style is seen on "Don't Tell Me" which features Ann Wilson of Heart and is said to be inspired by founding guitarist Dan Donegan's divorce from his wife of 18 years.  Ann wanted to work with Disturbed since hearing their popular cover of "Sound of Silence."

Saint Asonia also released a 6 song EP titled Extrovert, a follow-up to July's 7 song album Introvert.  The latest release is certainly heavier, and therefore I prefer it a lot more than the slower and lighter precursor.  The best track is probably the opener, "Devestate."

SiriusXM's Jose Mangin has long been my favorite DJ, but now I have another reason to praise the "metal ambassador."  He has started a scholarship for metal-loving STEM students!  According to the website, Headbang for Science is a nonprofit "providing an annual scholarship award to a graduating high school senior, majoring in science/medicine, has financial need, possesses a 3.5 GPA or above, and is far beyond passionate about Heavy Metal music." Applications will be accepted soon from metalheads entering a 4-year college. See https://www.headbangforscience.org for more information.

On November 25, at a special ceremony at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, the Hu were recognized as "The Artist for Peace" for the band's "contribution to the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage and their support for the promotion of cultural diversity through music."  The band's name comes from the Mongolian root word for human being.  They utilize Mongolian throat singing and traditional instruments in their unique version of folk-metal.  Lead throat singer and player of the Morin Khuur (horsehead fiddle), Gala, was quoted as saying, “Mongolians have upmost respect for our history, culture and the language that was left to us from thousands of years ago from our elders and ancestors. ... The HU’s goal and purpose is first and foremost to perform a unique genre of music that gives strength and power upon every listen. Secondly, it is to show the world Mongolia’s nomadic and environmentally aware livelihood that has been passed down from previous generations and to inspire others to live minimalistic lives and enjoy life to its fullest."  I had the pleasure of seeing the Hu live opening for Megadeth and Five Finger Death Punch.  They were as incredible on stage as they are in their videos, and I couldn't be happier for their international recognition.

HBO channels have been airing replays of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony which took place on November 5 and included Duran Duran, Carly Simon, the Eurythmics, Lionel Richie, Pat Benetar, Jimmy Iovine, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Eminem, Judas Priest, and Dolly Parton.  I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly impressed with the live performance by the Eurythmics.  I liked Judas Priest's performance, and the fact that Les Binks and K.K. Downing were a part of the performance and honorees.  Steven Tyler joined Eminem for his song "Sing for the Moment" which heavily samples Aerosmith's "Dream On."  John Mellencamp went hard as he said "fuck antisemitism" while inducting Jewish entertainment lawyer, Allen Grubman.  He then joined Bruce Springsteen in a tribute to the late Jerry Lee Lewis.  Dolly Parton debuted a rock song, called "Rockin'," written for the occasion, which honors her rock and roll influences and featured her playing electric guitar.  She then had multiple guests and honorees, including Rob Halford, join her for a performance of "Jolene" which closed the show.

Rammstein - North American Stadium Tour 2022 (Philadelphia)

 8-31-22 Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA

I have been a fan of Rammstein since I first heard them 25 years ago.  I had wanted to see them live for about as long, especially after hearing about how wild their stage show can be.  Rammstein rarely plays in the US, even though it makes up a huge portion of their fan base.  I own a live DVD and watched some videos online, but it is never the same as being there.  I was thrilled to learn they would be coming back to the US, and would be in my area, after releasing their self-titled seventh major album.  Unfortunately, Covid-19 made me wait two more years before I could go see them.  The tour was postponed in 2020 because of pandemic-related shutdowns.  In 2021 the band decided to postpone after a Covid resurgence would have restricted attendance.  The band wanted to perform with their full stage show to as big a crowd as possible, and looking back now, they made the right call.  Here's my story of the concert going experience.

I arrived at the stadium with two buddies a little behind schedule, but still with enough time to do some tailgating before entry.  I had heard the opening act would be a couple of pianists, and we decided it was ok if we didn't get to hear them, instead opting to eat some subs and knock back a few beers to cut back on high priced stadium concessions.  We had to walk around a building and through a vacant lot to get to the stadium which took us a little longer than expected so that by the time we made it to our seats at 7:45PM, the pianists had just finished.   At 8:05, the stage went dark and then the band members started to emerge one by one from the fog, becoming visible to the crowd.

The set began with "Armee der Tristen," the leading track of Rammstein's newest album, Zeit.  It was a nice start because it has a driving rhythm at a medium tempo that is hard enough to bang your fist to and also feature's Till's storytelling vocal style.  It is also apropos that the song is about uniting a group of disheartened people, "the party of the hopeless," in a march "against luck."  Here we go, thousands of us together, finally!  The second song was "Zick Zak" off the same album which picked up the tempo and continued to energize the crowd.  This song features classic Rammstein electronica keyboards and industrial influences.  Next came "Links 2, 3, 4" off of 2001's Mutter.  This song was written in opposition to Nazism, and is a common song in the live shows since it was released.  For the fourth song this set we go back even further to the title track from 1997 "Sehnsucht."  This is the first time we get some big flashes of fire on stage, and I get the feeling that the pyrotechnics are off to the races!  Next comes "Zeig Dich," the first track played from 2020's Rammstein.  Then "Mein Herz Brennt" takes things to the next level.  This song was really remarkably heavy to hear live.  It was often the opening song from sets of its era, and I can see why.  Likewise, it kicked off my favorite string of songs in the set.  Next came "Puppe" which is a disturbing song about a child torturing a doll while listening to their sister prostituting herself in the next room.  This was followed by "Heirate Mich" off the debut 1995 album Herzeleid, which was a surprise to hear make it into the set, although it has been favored by the band more over the years.  The song title translates to "Marry Me" though the lyrics speak about necrophilia, thought to be a metaphor for desiring lost loves.  "Zeit" then gives us some relief from the auditory assault and brings the tempo down as the stage fills with smoke creating a fitting aura.  Being a slower song, this was a curious track to be the lead single from the 2022 release, but it became #1 in Germany and was nominated for single of the year by UK magazine Kerrang!

"Deutchland" follows, and as I previously wrote, it's lyrics portray a love-hate relationship with the motherland.  This song has to be in my top 10 Rammstein songs.  It was followed by another banger, "Radio" which felt so much bigger live.  It is now that I'm feeling I am witnessing one of the greatest concerts I have ever seen.  That is quite a big statement coming from someone who has been to over 150 major concerts.  Next comes "Mein Teil" which is a song about a 2001 cannibalism case by Armin Meiwes.  At this point a giant kettle appears on stage.  The keyboard player is playing inside the kettle as Till appears with a butcher's hat and knife looking super menacing on stage.  He grabs a flame thrower and shoots flames under the kettle.  If that wasn't enough, here comes a fire cannon.  Even bigger flames are shot at the kettle and huge fire plumes "cook" the poor keyboard player alive while Till sings "Denn du bist was du isst - you are what you eat."  If that wasn't grandiose enough, next comes their biggest hit "Du Hast."  Check out my commentary on the meaning of this song in my previous blog linked below.  Ironically, this song is presented without much theatrics at 9:30PM.  There was a really cool fire display that went from the stage to the tower in the middle of the arena and back again.  I start to fear we are coming to the end of the show and we hear another concert staple, "Sonne," and more pyrotechnics.  Sure enough, the band then leaves the stage.  The crowd is cheering for an encore and some closeups of people with Rammstein t-shirts and tattoos soon turns to flash-cam as several female patrons delight the crowd by showing their breasts.  Equal opportunity, there were some guys that got just as big a reaction from the crowd, lol.

After a few minutes Rammstein appears on a lighted small stage in the middle of the crowd with the pianists from Duo Abelard.  They collectively play "Engel."  As the song plays out, three giant inflatable rafts appear and take the band crowdsurfing back to the main stage.  Next comes "Auslander" which was the third single from the 2020 album and is so catchy that it was stuck in my head all night.  I was happy to get to hear this song, and would have been more than satisfied had the concert ended there.  Instead, we hear "Du Reichst so Gut," another song off the first album, and "Pussy," a sexually charged song, to close out a bangin' encore.  The band leaves the stage for a second time.

But wait, there's more!  The house lights don't come up and after some cheering from the crowd, the band returns to play . . . what else? . . . Rammstein!  Then comes "Ich Will" which goes really hard, and finally "Adieu" as the band says goodbye with the last song from the latest album.  Till says "Thank you; we love you Philadelphia.  Danke!"  They bow at 10:20PM.  The band then appears in what looks like an elevator inside the central tower on stage.  They ascend towards the band logo and flames at the top.  They stop and wave to the crowd.  The image then ascends to the fire and one final explosion takes place and credits start to roll.  It truly takes an army of people to pull off a fantastic show and the proof is in those scrolling credits as well as the dozen or so tractor trailers out in front of the stadium.

Sometimes when you anticipate something so much and build it up in your mind, it can be a letdown when the event actually happens.  This wasn't the case for seeing Rammstein.  They delivered a memorable show that had us rocking from beginning to end.  We were left satisfied, and still wanting more.  There are more songs that I would have liked to hear, but I cannot argue with 21 songs from seven different albums in two hours and fifteen minutes.  If you can make it to the show at MetLife stadium on Sept. 6, or whenever they might come around again, go!  This show had the kind of huge songs like other greats I've seen live such as Black Sabbath and Judas Priest with a stage show bigger than Alice Cooper or Trans-Siberian Orchestra.  Hopefully it is not another decade before they tour the US, but you never know.  

Check out my album by album breakdown here. 

See video from the show on Youtube such as Radio/Mein Teil/Du Hast here.

Summer Vibes

Like it or not, summer has arrived.  I'm looking forward to getting outside for some activities.  I just hope that it is not too ungodly hot this year.  If you're like me, you need some tunes to accompany the barbecues, camping, tailgating, and fire pits.  Here's some lighter options from my usual metal picks.

girlfriends - (e)motion sickness

Like Blink 182, All Time Low, Seaway and other power pop bands with emo leanings?  Check out girlfriends.  I just discovered them looking at new iTunes releases.  It turns out this is a band is made up of singer/rapper/actor Travis Mills and Goldfinger drummer Nick Gross.  They also enlist songwriting and producing from Goldfinger singer and musical mastermind, John Feldman.  The clever tongue-in-cheek lyrics and teen angst vibes on songs like Toothbrush, Told You So, and the title track have me reminiscing about bands from my college years, and thinking that I will be playing (e)motion sickness a lot this summer.  Toaster For A Swim, Scared, and Can You Hear Me Now hit me in the feels like All American Rejects or Blink 182's self-titled.

Lit - Taste's Like Gold

Lit are coming off of two underwhelming albums, the last being 2017's country album, These Are the Days.  They promised a return to their alt-rock form with their latest release and have mostly delivered on that promise, although some songs are still on the slower side.  I actually don't mind their slow songs, however.  Instead of skipping them, I'm enjoying the familiar storytelling and warm vocals provided by lead singer AJ.  They also tout a new approach to production enlisting Carlo Colasacco who has written with Shinedown.  They have No Doubt's drummer Adrian Young featured on "Mouth Shut."  They also throw in a cover song of the Cars' "Let's Go" featuring famous writer and producer Butch Walker (Marvelous 3, Pink, Weezer, Fall Out Boy).  This album is nothing like their first three, but as Jeremy says, "We're not talking viruses, politics or any of that shit."  It could provide some chill background music this summer.

Weezer - SZNZ: Summer

On Friday Weezer released the first single of the summer EP "Records" on a platform that required you to spin yourself (and your phone) like a record in order to play it.  My old phone wouldn't cooperate, but luckily I could find it on YouTube and spare myself the dizziness!  It's a nice pop-rock song with a sing-along chorus.  Rivers is showing off his range including high and low notes on this track as well.  The rest drops on the solstice, June 21.

Update 6/22/22

Lawn Chair: The EP opens with a 2 minute song with some classical sounding strings and lyrics about archangels Gabriel and Michael torturing the humans.  It's very strange.

Records: The aforementioned single is a classic pop-influenced song and attempts to appeal to the masses.  Rivers has always sought the perfect pop song and this is another great tune with a catchy chorus.

Blue Like Jazz: This is like classic blue album Weezer.  It's alternative, but catchy.  There's melody reminiscent of Mykel and Carli.  All of a sudden I am invested in Summers like there is no tomorrow.

The Opposite of Me: Pinkerton vibes are strong here as Rivers sings about being someone else.  There is a driving drum beat for the verses broken up by slower, almost headbanging, emo beats.  There is some riffing and keyboards that start to rock and then it slows to fade out.

What's the Good of Being Good: Song structure-wise this reminds me of a Pinkerton-Maladroit-Make Believe hybrid.  The verse sounds like it is straight off of Make Believe.  Then Rivers tugs at the heart strings like a Pinkerton song singing "What's the good of being good when your best friend stabs your back and he lies to the people and drags your name through the mud?"  Good guitar work and superb storytelling make this one of the best Weezer songs.

Cuomoville: Very simple at first, this song gives way to some different styles of guitar first very light and airy, and then more ominous and aggressive as Rivers sings "taste your own medicine."  

Thank You and Goodnight: Wow.  This is one of the best Weezer songs in a long time.  We have up-tempo drumming and strumming with lyrics reflective on a successful career, it seems.  The latter half of the song is one of the rockingist things Weezer has ever put out.  In fact, the last thirty seconds really go hard and lyrics "I'll be seeing you" let you know that they are not done yet.

Here's the linktree for Summer: https://weezer.lnk.to/sznzsummer
I'll be playing this one all the way to Fall!

Weezer - SZNZ: Spring

Coming on the heels of a creative outburst during the Covid pandemic, and the release of two full albums to critical success in 2021 (OK Human & Van Weezer), the power pop princes are trying another ambitious set of releases.  The theme is seasons.  Each new season for 2022-23 we will get a new EP.  The first release was seven songs on SZNZ: Spring that came out on March 20.  An eighth song, "Across the Meadow" is on the vinyl version.  Knowing the theme, I predicted correctly that this would be a sugary sweet pop record.  Fortunately, there is some distorted guitar that was absent on OK Human.  The song writing is not quite as bad as the flop that was Pacific Daydream.  Overall, I'm not impressed though.  From the cringy lyrics of "Opening Night" to the near voice cracking falsetto in "Angels on Vacation," this is not their best work.  I'm also not usually critical of mixes, but this one seems to have vocals very forward, and everything else falling back with drums being really thin sounding throughout.  Ironically, a song called "The Sound of Drums" doesn't even feature the instrument.

The highlight is definitely the single, "A Little Bit of Love."  You can see the lyric video with some animations here.  The simple romanticism of "Garden of Eden" is cute too, if you are in the mood for that kind of thing.  I rate Spring 3/5 stars.  If you are a fan of Weezer's poppier stuff, you likely would enjoy this EP.  Rivers said, “Spring is kind of like happy chill . . . and then we move through to dance rock, like a Strokes-style album for the fall.”  That sounds more up my alley so I'll look forward to the September release.  Winter is likely to be a slower, more acoustic sad record.  Summer is a toss up.  If it sounds more like "Island in the Sun" and "LA Girls" than "Feels Like Summer" we will be in good shape.

Weezer has just celebrated their 30th year as a band in February, and the 30th anniversary of their first show one day before SZNS came out!  The latter two thirds has been with a consistent lineup.  At least twice during that run it looked like Rivers didn't want to continue the band.  Now they are showing no signs of slowing down and he said on their social media they are "nowhere near the end of our story."  While it has been a bit of a roller coaster in terms of musical style since Scott joined, I'm here for the ride.

Top 10 Albums of 2021

2021 was an interesting year for rock.  The quarantine creativity outbursts from many bands were still getting to see the light of day.  A new wave of nu-metal has come while the OGs like Papa Roach, Disturbed, and (Hed)PE still continue to create.  Tours were rescheduled, started and stopped, and reimagined amongst the various challenges presented by the continuous Covid-19 pandemic and ever changing regulations and protocols.  As it is approaching the end of the calendar year, my focus will be on my favorite albums from the past year.  Critic darlings Foo Fighters and Iron Maiden won't be found below.  They just didn't rock me.  Friends and followers may not be surprised by many familiar favorites, but I surprised myself with how the top 10 ended up after going through my library to re-listen to song after song to try to come to a consensus.

1. Chevelle - NIRIATIAS

Five years after their last studio album, industrial influenced North Corridor, Chevelle returned to their riff rock revelry with plenty of angst and commentary on anti-science (Self Destructor), space travel (Mars Simula), and the ridiculous notion that we could leave the blue planet for a red one (So Long, Mother Earth).  This, to me, is one of Chevelle's best albums, and that is saying a lot from one of my favorite bands that has 9 incredible albums in their catalogue.  See my full breakdown here

2. Tremonti - Marching in Time

Every time I think that Mark Tremonti has peaked, he surprises me again.  His songwriting keeps getting better, and his playing is phenomenal.  This album has accompanied me on many cooking and cleaning weekends.  It is great front to back with awesome guitar work and big choruses.

3. Volbeat - Servant of the Mind (Deluxe)

The regular version has 13 songs.  The deluxe version contains 18 songs including some alternative versions (Shotgun Blues and Dagen Før) and some more originals.  This album has divided fans on the Facebook fan page, but I don't see what the dissenters have to complain about.  There are some pop leaning songs, but Volbeat has always had that, and there are some heavier songs too (Lasse's Birgitta, Return to None).  It also shows more range than previous albums, and Volbeat have been critcized in the past for making albums that all sound the same.  This one is more versatile and complete while still keeping their Blues and Rockabilly influenced metal sound.

4. Trivium - In the Court of the Dragon

With their 10th album, Trivium shows no sign of slowing down.  In fact, they are now seasoned veterans that continue to impress me.  This album has riffs, grooves, breakdowns, wicked solos, fantastic drumming, and thoughtful lyrics.  What else could you ask for?

5. Wage War - Manic 

This one snuck up on me.  I have listened to Wage War for a while now, but I completely missed the release of this one in late October.  When researching to compile this list I actually got to listen to the whole album and I was blown away.  They got heavier, and I think the songwriting is top notch.  There are some straight bangers.  "Never Said Goodbye" is an emotional one that still rocks.  "If Tomorrow Never Comes" is a strong closing track for an awesome album start to finish.

6. Architects - For Those That Wish To Exist

This was an early contender for album of the year.  I'm kind of surprised that it dropped to sixth on my list.  The main reason is because there are too many slower songs.  "Dead Butterflies" is pretty cool, and helped them expand their audience.  A bit too much of a pop turn with additional slower tempo tracks did not do them any favors with me because I liked them for being fast and extreme - in your face.  That said, the lyrics are more introspective, and they show off their range from brutal to beautiful.  The closer is contemplative and provides a nice bookend to this album that sounds like its own movie soundtrack.

7. Ice Nine Kills - Welcome to Horrorwood: The Silver Scream 2

Sequels are rarely as good as the original, but Ice Nine Kills repeat the magic of the Silver Scream with more horror-inspired alternative metal.  They also have cool collaborations with the likes of Jacoby Shaddix (Papa Roach), Corpsegrinder, Brandon Saller (Atreyu), and more.

8. Wolftooth - Blood & Iron

They are the new Black Sabbath and produced a better album than Zakk Wylde who didn't do too shabby himself.  The vocalist is not going to blow you away, but if you like groovy stoner rock, bass lines for days, and Nordic-themed lyrics, these are your guys.

9. Bullet for My Valentine - s/t

"Knives" goes so hard!!!! "Rainbow Veins" is a more melodic song with a cool metaphor.  The whole album is good, and this is another band that I keep getting prepared to be disappointed by and they just continue to prove me wrong.

10. Of Mice & Men - Echo

This album also vaulted into my top 10 for consistency and headbangability.  I like albums that I can listen to without skipping a bunch of tracks.  This is in my wheelhouse.  "Obsolete" is a standout with great beats, mosh-inducing meter, and a killer chorus.  "Bloom" says "there is no honey made from fake bouquets" and contemplates the meaning of life with dynamic mosaic song structure.

Honorable Mentions:

Black Label Society - Doom Crew Inc. (almost made top 10; even the ballads are good; "Ruins" was inspired by the likes of Cream, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin and you can certainly hear elements of these in the music.  Zakk jokes you don't need 64 crayons to make a nice picture.  He said keeping his songs to good riffs and a good chorus are important to him.  This album doesn't have as many flashy solos as some, but is still a solid album.)

Buckcherry - Hellbound (a return to form; their best album since 2006)

Gemini Syndrome - 3rd Degree: The Raising (excellent album; IDK and Die With Me are standouts; a few slower songs kept this out of my top 10, but support them if you can; great live band)

Mammoth WVH - s/t (Wolfgang Van Halen's 14 track debut on which he plays all of the instruments.  It sounds a lot like an Exies album, which isn't a bad thing in my opinion.  "Distance" is the tribute to his father Eddie, and if you haven't heard it yet, check it out.)

Rise Against - Nowhere Generation (IYKYK)

Spiritbox - Eternal Blue (Female fronted; unique alt-metal sound that made waves this year)

Weezer - Van Weezer (the more rocking of their dual releases this year; see track by track breakdown here)

Zero 9:36 - ...If You Don't Save Yourself (rapping and singing melded together like early Linkin Park; collabs with Travis Barker and Hollywood Undead; bright future)

For albums to look forward to in 2022, check out this article from Revolver

Atreyu - Baptize Tour

I am compelled to write about my latest concert experience. It is my third concert post-Covid and one of the best overall in terms of entertainment that I have been to in years. Currently, at Starland Ballroom proof of vaccination against Covid-19 is required. Masks are encouraged, but have been worn by less than 10% of patrons the last two weekends I attended. The concert must have started right at 6PM this Saturday because I got there about quarter after and the first band, Defying Decay was already on stage. I'm glad I caught the end of their set because they really caught my ear. They were heavy, but with a lot of dynamics. The lead singer accomplishes what other bands need two or three vocalists to achieve. He can sing clean, growl, and scream well. The lyrics are all in English, while the band is from Bangkok, Thailand. According to their Facebook page they began in 2010 (formerly Defying the Decay and Defying the Fallen) but have undergone some lineup changes, and most recently added Jennie Natanich who caught my eye. First of all, she is cute. Second of all, she has 3 machines that she works with and is often playing a keyboard and a synthesizer at the same time. Her stance with arms outstretched in either direction is unique and then she headbangs and thrashes around like the rest of the guys. The rest of the band includes lead vocalist/guitarist/synthesis Jay Poom Euarchukiati, guitarists Song Chitipat and Pon Ujjin, drummer Mark Mironov, DJ/Programmer Bunn Bnn, and bassist Pleng Thongboonma. They have been called nu-metal and metalcore, but they prefer alternative metal. According to an interview I read, the founding members met at a Linkin Park concert and idolized Linkin Park and Nine Inch Nails. Defying Decay comes across as heavier than Linkin Park and screams much more than NIN. It was a pretty kick ass way to begin the night.

Next up was Saul. They formed in Iowa in 2007, but didn't break until recently with their EP Aeons (2019) and album Rise As Equals (2020). I knew of them from SiriusXM Octane playing singles Brother, Trial By Fire, and King of Misery. They had good energy on stage, but they sound much better on the radio. The crowd was digging it as there was a little mosh pit started, and people in the back were singing along. The lead singer, Blake Bedsaul, said that we were one of the most receptive crowds on the tour. He also was appreciative to play in front of a big crowd again, and talked about how we are a metal family. He is backed by actual family, his brother Zach Bedsaul on lead guitar, William McIlravy on bass, and new drummer Myles Clayborne. Myles did his own soundcheck and seems to be the most talented in the band in my opinion. Their sound was kind of average, with Brother being the standout track.

Third was Tetrarch. Immediately I noticed that they had a black female as lead guitarist. Her name is Diamond Rowe, and she's pretty damn good. The singer, Josh Fore, said they met when they were around 12 in Atlanta, Georgia and started practicing together after school as they dreamed of touring in a band. Tetrarch is rounded out by bassist Ryan Lerner and drummer Ruben Limas. They are fans of Metallica, Korn, Pantera, and Slipknot. It defintely shows in their music as I heard elements of Adema, Linkin Park, and Korn in the riffs and melodies. Their song I'm Not Right seems a lot like Korn's Freak on A Leash in places, but then there is also their own wailing guitar parts and big heavy drums. They have a really big sound for a foursome. The moshpit intensified and got much bigger during their set. They talked inbetween songs about paying their dues sleeping on couches and in a van in parking lots while playing to empty rooms. Their big break was touring with Avenged Sevenfold. They stayed true to themselves, have built a following, and are finally getting recognition. I liked them enough that I bought their latest cd, Unstable.

By now it is only 10 minutes after 8PM and I already feel like I got my money's worth. Tickets were $25 (+fees) which is more than reasonable for five bands, especially after not having toured for at least 18 months. Next up was Crown the Empire out of Dallas, Texas. The band currently consists of singer "Andy Leo" Rockhold, guitarist Brandon Hoover, bassist Hayden tree, and drummer Brent Taddie. They performed at Warped Tour 2014 and have toured with bands such as Asking Alexandria, Motionless in White, Volumes, and Ice Nine Kills. Crown the Empire's songs "What I Am" and "Blurry" get played in heavy rotation on SiriusXM Octane. Blurry is one of their best songs, but one of the most pop-oriented. A lot of their songs have more screaming. The guys seem a little scummy, but also fun. The crowd was dancing at all three bars, and down front. I was jumping and headbanging myself. Fans were also providing them shots of tequila and whiskey which they proudly indulged in. As they walked off stage Andy said "smoke weed every day!"

Finally, at about 9:40PM it was time for Atreyu. They amped up the crowd a little more by playing Bon Jovi "Livin' On A Prayer" as their introduction. It isn't just pandering, as they actually covered Bon Jovi's "You Give Love A Bad Name" for the Mr. and Mrs. Smith soundtrack. I first saw Atreyu in 2004 at one of my first shows at Starland Ballroom. I remember being close to the stage barricade and being wowed by their energy. I knew they would be successful, but I had no idea that I would be watching them 17 years later as headliner. Back then Alex Varkatzas was the lead singer and they were more emo-metal. Brandon Saller had been the drummer, but he also sang on a lot of the songs as co-lead or backing vocalist. I remember him being really good back in the day. Brandon has now stepped out in front of the kit to become the lead singer with a mostly clean style. Bassist Marc "Porter" McKnight sings unclean backing vocals. The new drummer is Kyle Rosa. They still have long time rhythm guitarist Travis Miguel and original lead guitarist Dan Jacobs. The sound is still alternative metal, but they aren't afraid to play around with different sounds, even leaning more commercial rock. They aren't as tight as they once were, but they are fun. When a fan yelled out "You're the fucking man!" to Brandon he said, "Aww, thanks, you're the fucking man." Then he said that we need to bring that positive energy into our daily lives, for instance, if we get a plate of nachos with 80% coverage of cheese and toppings we should yell "Fuck yeah, this is fucking awesome!" I was really disappointed that they didn't play new song "Catastrophe" but they did play Baptize, Broken Again, Save Us, Untouchable, and Warrior from the new album along with classics Becoming the Bull, Right Side of the Bed, Bleeding Mascara, Ex's and Oh's, and Lip Gloss and Black which was the encore song. 

All in all, it was a five hour show with five awesome bands at a great value that made for the perfect Saturday night.  I was pleased to see three bands representing POC, all the bands shouted out the crowd and the other bands, the moshpit was lively but they were keeping people safe, the attendance was probably double that of Buckcherry, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.  This is what it is all about, brothers and sisters in metal.  Rock on!

3 Doors Down - The Better Life Anniversary Tour

 3 Doors Down - The Better Life Anniversary Tour: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The short summary:

The Good - Concerts are back!  Anniversary of Debut Album!  Free parking and good venue

The Bad - Seether cancelled last minute

The Ugly - Litter and traffic in Philly

For those that want the full details, please read on!

Twenty-one years ago, before their video for Kryptonite made the TRL countdown, I discovered 3 Doors Down on Napster.  Remember Napster?  I discovered a lot of good bands there, and built up my music catalogue (Thank you for sharing, as the slogan goes).  But even as a recent high school graduate without much money, I liked to support the artists I found for free.  I couldn't tell you the first song I heard for certain, but I soon downloaded every song I could find by them.  It seemed as if each song was better than the last.  I couldn't believe how awesome they were.  I immediately looked up their website and bought a t-shirt (to support them with the purchase and advertising).  I saw them for the first time in late 2000 at a small college in PA where they lit up the stage.  Fast forward a little bit and soon they were blowing up.  Their three singles all did well and The Better Life went 7x platinum!  Fast forward to 2021, and they celebrated their 20 year anniversary, plus one, because as Brad said last night "last year didn't count."

I like anniversary tours so I was intrigued by this.  When I saw Seether was opening for them, I bought a ticket to the earliest show in my area.  Unfortunately, at 5PM, only two hours before door time, Seether posted on their social media that they would not be performing due to a "family emergency."  Third hand news from the box office claims that the band was already at the venue when they got some bad news and bolted.  At this time no further information has been released.  I love Seether, so I hope for their sake that it is nothing too devastating.  Curiously, 3 Doors Down did not mention Seether at all during their set.

I thought about staying at home because I really wanted to see Seether most.  It was also projected to rain, and I didn't know anything about the Mann Center in Philadelphia.  However, I hadn't waited 18 months for a concert to let a little uncertainty keep me at home!  Despite a little traffic getting into the city, I arrived in plenty of time for the 8PM start time.  Parking was free, although it was on grass.  I was a little worried about getting stuck in the mud, but was luckily parked near a tree where the ground was sturdier.  I met some nice folks on the line and we talked about Seether while a double rainbow appeared overhead.  The base rainbow was nice and complete.  Security consisted of a metal detector.  There was no pat down, and they were not policing masks.  Once through the gate there is a patio area with concessions.  T-shirts looked moderately priced, with many at $30.  Drinks and food were outrageous, but I expected nothing less.  The Mann Center is an open-air pavilion with a balcony and a lawn area in back.  My ticket was for a middle seat in the middle section, right next to the sound board.  I had a great view of the stage.  It turned out there was no replacement opening band.  There was a DJ who played a few Seether songs along with classics like Dio and ZZ Top.  At 8:45 he went off stage and the PA played ACDC and some more rock.  I went to the bathrooms (which were clean!) and got an overpriced drink while I waited and hoped 3 Doors Down would go on early.

They took the stage at 9:05PM.  While I hoped they would do a longer set to make up for the fact that Seether wasn't there, they played the same 17 songs as the previous night in Baltimore.  For it's anniversary, they played the Better Life in its entirety and in order.  This means they started with their most infamous song, Kryptonite.  Honestly, I enjoy this album top to bottom, so it was fun to hear it all in person.  The band sounded great, but toned down from the energy they had in 2000 and 2008 when I had seen them previously.  There was also just a small drum riser and a diamond video screen (see pic below).  Gone are the pyrotechnics and running around on stage like when they were younger.  The lack of pyro is likely a cost saving measure after not touring for so long.  Also, the venue was not close to a sell out.  A few times Brad thanked us for being there and gave little stories in between songs.  One standout was about the song "Be Like That."  Brad described how this was written after they had been signed by Universal, but before the debut album was finished, and he was thinking of rock stardom and following his dreams.

After "So I Need You" the band walked off signifying the end of the album.  They returned with "Away From the Sun," but only with guitar (Chet) and vocals (Brad).  They followed this with "Let Me Go, Landing in London, and It's Not My Time."  They then left the stage again.  Lights dimmed, but stayed blue-green over the drum kit.  The crowd did some clapping and chanting to bring about an encore.  Since it is not uncommon to skip the encore these days, I was happy to have them return for two more songs.  They finished with "Here Without You" first with only guitar and vocal and then with bass and a shaker for percussion.  "When I'm Gone" was the last song played, and was dedicated to the military and first responders.  By 10:30PM the lights came up, and it was over.

All in all, I was left satisfied, but wanting more.  3DD has several more great songs that they could have played to fill two hours in the absence of Seether.  I also would have switched out "Landing in London" because it is not one of their better known singles, and it added nothing to the set.  It rained, but I was nice and dry under the pavilion roof.  Most people did not wear masks.  I was lucky to have empty seats next to me, and when I moved over I had nobody on either side or directly behind.  There was a nice breeze in my face too which kept the humidity from being too uncomfortable and circulated more air.  I made it out of the parking area without issue, although if I backed up instead of pulling forward there could have been an issue as there was standing water in back of me.  I would go back to this venue again.