The Biltmore Cabaret - July 30, 2012
One-hundred percent audience participation wiped out any lousy attitudes clear across the room. The entire floor was spun into a grinding-thrash-metal-punk-hardcore subgenre vortex.The level of respect between the band, Skeletonwitch and audience was a mutual affair. From the moment the curtain was pulled vocalist, Chance Garnette worked his way across the the entire front row with a high five for absolutely every fan within reach. The air was so thick with adrenaline and tour momentum there was no end from this point on. The Athens, Ohio band has certainly mastered an unstoppable degree of speed and darkness as they paced through a thrash metal sermon that had worked the floor into a circle pit fervour. The “Abomination Tour” was in a state of unquestioning velocity.
With an audience torn to shreds, this Barn Burner date was the last Canadian stop on the tour. It held a noteworthy mark for the frontman Kevin Keegan who once called Vancouver home. These Montreal rockers did not rest on any laurels. A steady diet of riffs delivered off Bangers II: Scum of the Earth. This heavy metal, stoner rock four piece held the floor captive in the ever-increasing impulse that's been brewing through the entire night.If Baptists weren't already pretty tight, it has just been stepped up a notch. No joke. Not sure if these guys have been rehearsing 24-7 but there was something burning underfoot. This band is motivated. With a string of up coming gigs and a consistent set full of enough material to fill a mighty album, perhaps one of those acts we should take the time to savour. While we still have them on the home front.
The start of it all. Anciients are a heavy band with four members that manage to meld opposing forces of differential. Contrasting tempos, very complex yet melodic. To be brief, but the attention span wasn't. Stay tuned for more.
- More Betty
