Girl at the Rock Shows

If I’m being completely transparent, metal music is no longer my go-to. It used to be, but, honestly, I’m just not angry anymore. I still appreciate the artistry and sheer talent that goes into pulling off a flawless blast beat or an intense breakdown, but it just doesn’t hit me as it used to. That being said, getting lost in a local metal show still has the same effect on me. I love this scene. I love the people, the talent, and everything, so re-entering this world on Saturday night with a stacked five-local band metal show at The Turf Club was amazing and a good reminder of my roots.

I have been wanting to see Den of Thieves for a long time. I know a few of the members (one of which actually made the logo for this blog– love you, Justin!) and know how much talent they can bring to the table. Their set on Saturday may have been short, but it did not disappoint and was just what I imagined it would be. It was heavy, but, more importantly, it came through loud and clear. I loved the fact that, although it was loud, you could hear all of the talent stream through the speakers, whether it was in the dizzying guitars, the thumbing drums, the solid bass, or the sinister vocals. It was a perfect way to start the night.

I said goodbye to local metalheads Agony Reigns with their farewell show last August. It was a sad day for me as I had been following that band for ten years and literally watched the members grow up in front of my eyes. Although I was bummed to say goodbye, I knew that these members were too good and too passionate to just give up music altogether and that they would go on to do amazing things. Nekrotisk is one of those amazing things. With Matt and Micah from Agony Reigns at the helm, this group brought a spotlight to sweltering guitar solos (and when I say sweltering, I mean it). I was dizzy from trying to keep track of the frantic lines of notes happening to the point where it almost frustrated me but in a good way. The talent of these young kids and the creativity shown in this project is truly amazing.

The lights (or lack thereof) frustrated me as I tried to snap some photos of the next band, Cobra Czar, but, at this point in the night, I didn’t care about photos. I was utterly lost in the music and brutality that was radiating off the stage when it came to this group. The last time I saw Cobra Czar was all the way in 2019. I honestly don’t remember much from that day as it was a huge fifteen-band festival (Summer Slaughter Tour at The Cabooze), but I do vaguely remember being hooked by this band, and I was quickly reminded why as they powered through their set on Saturday. There was something almost perfectly restrained about their set. I wish I could elaborate on that a bit more, but all I can say is that this band is made up of veterans of the scene, and that came through loud and clear with their performance. There was no panic and no stress on the stage, yet there was insanely chaotic music coming through the speakers. 

Local death metal heroes Caustic Abyss were up next. I know it’s been awhile since I’ve been in the scene but seeing this band take the stage made my feel my age. I instantly recognized a few of the members from all the way back in college. It made my heart soar to know that they were still doing their thing, but also really bummed me out because I realized just how far removed I have become from this scene. All of the regret was floating around in my head, but it stopped as soon as the music started. Celebrating the release of their new album ‘Eternal Winter Crypt,’ Caustic Abyss instantly hooked the modest audience with the heavy yet perfect sound. I’m not sure if the band was playing old or new songs, but I know that each song that Caustic Abyss played came with a sense of intimidation. That may not translate if you’re not a person who goes to metal shows a lot, but that feeling of intimidation really highlights the talent behind their set.

The closing act, VVOLF MASK, was also celebrating a new album. Honestly, they couldn’t have come at a better time for me. Although I appreciate the metal scene and all of the intense music that comes with it, by the time Caustic Abyss was wrapping up, I couldn’t help but get stuck in the idea that all of these bands had sounded the same. I know that’s not true. Some were death metal, some had a more metalcore influence, Nekrotisk was definitely blackened death metal but trying to explain the difference between those things is difficult. Thankfully, VVOLF MASK has a sound that is more up my alley regarding what I listen to daily. It has much more of a punk influence but with the same intensity as the metal bands that graced the stage before them. The best comparison I could make here would be that VVOLF MASK sounds like Refused, but if Refused had been raised on grindcore and metalcore bands instead of only punk. Just like the four powerhouses before them, VVOLF MASK gave a flawless performance that ended the night oh so perfectly.

Saturday night’s show was long. It was five bands and over four hours of non-stop intensity, non-stop controlled chaos. By the end of it, I was exhausted mentally and physically. That being said, there is no other way I would have liked to spend my Saturday night. Usually, here is where I talk about how much I miss the metal scene and how I vow to get back into it, but honestly, I’ve said that before, and it hasn’t come to fruition. So instead of saying that, I’ll just say that it truly was refreshing to go back to the local metal scene, see some familiar faces, and get my face completely melted by the sheer talent that all of these bands had to offer.

Line Up:

Den of Thieves

Nekrotisk

Cobra Czar

Caustic Abyss

VVOLF MASK

Venue: Turf Club

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 39

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 8 out of 10

Broken Bones- None Spotted

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing

Fights- None Witnessed

Pukers- 0

Passed Out People- 0

Idiots Taken Out By Security – 0

How Many Times I’ve Seen These Bands Before (or at least how many times I can remember)-

Den of Thieves – 0

Nekrotisk – 1

Cobra Czar – 1

Caustic Abyss – 0

VVOLF MASK – 2

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 8 out of 10

Show on Deck —Cashed / Modern Wildlife / Sunken Planes

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