Some of my friends are a little worried that I'd forsake my strict metal upbringing and abandon them for techno. Worry not. In fact (thanks to my recent club excursions) I find myself even thirstier for a little musical mayhem. Last night I braved the elements to be part of one of the more significant shows this year had to offer in extreme metal: the much anticipated Fear Factory concert.
The night started with Decapitated. I'll be honest, Im not actually familiar with their music at all. I even skipped the show so I could avoid that inevitable line up. That plan didn't work at all. That line was still there when I arrived and (like a good little fanboy) I waited it out for its entire length in -15 degree weather. I wonder if anybody saw the first act at all.
The most crucial part of my plan was to make it to the show just in time to see Hypocrisy. That plan worked. As soon as I stepped into the club Hypocrisy took the stage and the night truly began. Being a big big fan of Peter Tatgren it was a hell of an experience for me to see him in person. Peter and the crew laid the crowd to waste with a beautiful selection from their ten year history and reinforced their classics with choice cuts off their new cd. I've seen many clips of Hypocrisy on stage but nothing matches the experience.
Suffocation took to the stage next and even though Im not familiar with their music either I was not dissapointed. Before bludgeoning us all to death the lead "singer" announced the MIA status of his bassist who fell victim to our vicious canadian winter. The played on without him and the resulting sound was crisp, clean and punishing beyond all words. Im not going to decry the importance of a bassist in a band but the sound heard on the stage for this performance was by far the best all night.
Then came the moment I had been waiting for. This is the third time Ive seen Fear Factory and I can honestly say that this truly was their strongest performance to date. Due to the intensity of their shows FF at times can be a little sloppy but this was not the case tonight.
After starting the set with a devastating track off their new album FF went back to their earliest songs and worked their way up from there. Even though they were fully capable of slowing things down they never did. This made for one very intense evening and one very happy crowd. Burton C. Bell seems more comfortable on stage then ever before and his vocals have never been better. Suprisingly enough Christian Olde Wolbers pitched in with backing vocals. It was so convincing that I have to admit: it may very well have been a prerecording of Burton himself.
My favourite memory from this show will be Burton telling the crowd that we were the most intense, energetic crowd he has seen yet on this tour, a comment made by all bands preceding FF. Clearly I am not the only one who had the time of their life.
The night started with Decapitated. I'll be honest, Im not actually familiar with their music at all. I even skipped the show so I could avoid that inevitable line up. That plan didn't work at all. That line was still there when I arrived and (like a good little fanboy) I waited it out for its entire length in -15 degree weather. I wonder if anybody saw the first act at all.
The most crucial part of my plan was to make it to the show just in time to see Hypocrisy. That plan worked. As soon as I stepped into the club Hypocrisy took the stage and the night truly began. Being a big big fan of Peter Tatgren it was a hell of an experience for me to see him in person. Peter and the crew laid the crowd to waste with a beautiful selection from their ten year history and reinforced their classics with choice cuts off their new cd. I've seen many clips of Hypocrisy on stage but nothing matches the experience.
Suffocation took to the stage next and even though Im not familiar with their music either I was not dissapointed. Before bludgeoning us all to death the lead "singer" announced the MIA status of his bassist who fell victim to our vicious canadian winter. The played on without him and the resulting sound was crisp, clean and punishing beyond all words. Im not going to decry the importance of a bassist in a band but the sound heard on the stage for this performance was by far the best all night.
Then came the moment I had been waiting for. This is the third time Ive seen Fear Factory and I can honestly say that this truly was their strongest performance to date. Due to the intensity of their shows FF at times can be a little sloppy but this was not the case tonight.
After starting the set with a devastating track off their new album FF went back to their earliest songs and worked their way up from there. Even though they were fully capable of slowing things down they never did. This made for one very intense evening and one very happy crowd. Burton C. Bell seems more comfortable on stage then ever before and his vocals have never been better. Suprisingly enough Christian Olde Wolbers pitched in with backing vocals. It was so convincing that I have to admit: it may very well have been a prerecording of Burton himself.
My favourite memory from this show will be Burton telling the crowd that we were the most intense, energetic crowd he has seen yet on this tour, a comment made by all bands preceding FF. Clearly I am not the only one who had the time of their life.
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