i know all of yall want to know what them southerners are thinking of the rttp bands here is a great review from a great guy!


Posted - 10/07/2004 : 15:19:05
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday Chow:
Just like Jack Frost waiting on Serg's pies on Friday, I found out waiting on Death Metal Dad to start the BBQ was well worth it! I started out with hot dog that Ally gave me while we waited for the 4lbs of sausage Dan bought to cook. I was looking for Layla so I could have my sausage paid for when it was ready and once again, Eggy already had me covered. The sausage fucking ruled! I had some potato salad, which was also fucking excellent. There were also burgers, but I didn't have one of those.

Later in the evening there were steak tips being grilled. They were very righteous and hit the spot with a Corona chaser. I want to thank Death Metal Dad, Layla, Dan and his whole family for hooking us up with that. Everyone appreciated it and thought the chow was excellent!

We also had some complimentary late night chow provided to the Saturday after party by Serg. Matter of fact, I probably ate half a pie during the show after the BBQ closed down. Thanks to Serg for keeping me well fed all weekend and for his generosity to the SnakeNet crew.

Saturday Bands:

Hand Choke Neck - These guys were the perfect opening act for a fest in New England. By that I don't mean that they couldn't have played at the top of the bill, because they certainly were talented enough to do so. What I mean is that their style is representative of what New England Brutality is about. Quite a few of the SnakeNetters told me they were their favorite act of the fest.

Ocean - I was really looking forward to seeing these guys because a lot of people told me how good they were. If you don't like doom metal, you aren't going to like Ocean. The thing that I really liked about the band was that they didn't have one set sound. The songs were varied and interesting, but didn't stick to one of style of doom. I really wish I had been in a different frame of mind when I saw them, but I was too distracted to be able to appreciate all they had to offer. I guess that is why God created CDs.

Porphyria - Good straight ahead death metal. Tim Murphy has the look and sound of the classic death metal growler and he is backed by some fine musicians. The band has only been together for a few months, but you couldn't tell from their stage performance. They were tight as a snare drum.

Liquid Violence - LV is tough to categorize. Their stage outfits and haircuts had people expecting punk, but their sound is more a hybrid hardcore/metalcore/thrash mix. Like Ocean, their songs don't all sound the same. They bust their ass on stage and put on a very high energy set.

Ascendancy - This was my uncovered gem for the show. The thing I love about fests is seeing new bands that later become old favs. I had heard their Mp3s before the fest, but seeing them live added an element of energy that can't come across on a recording. Drummer Seth Greenblatt was amazing. This is my style of music and they get my vote for up and coming death metal band of the year. Fuck...forget that...they've already arrived!

The Accursed - These guys are sick. The first time I heard their Mp3s, I knew they had what it takes. In the year and half since then, they have done a number of fests for me and I have seen them do a couple of other gigs. They always impress me with their over the top stage theatrics and tight musicianship. These guys are pro and have a very good chance to become the first newly signed Screaming Ferret Band to break out.

Estuary - BAH HA HA HA! I love how every time I have Zdenka play a show for me the first comment people make is "I can't believe that is a chick singing". Yeah, boys (and girls) that is a chick singing. Yeah...she's better then Angela. She's better then just about every fucking death metal vocalist out there. While Zdenka's gender and awesome performance is always what people talk about after the set, this isn't some fucking novelty act. Most people can't even see Zdenka over the crowd until they push their way up front and it is head axeman Ash Thomas's crushing guitar and top notch song writing that puts this band a cut above your generic death metal act. They just keep getting better too!

Shroud of Bereavement - Another doom band on the fest, but not just another doom band. To be honest, I am too close with Dan and Kelly to really be considered objective about them. I feel like I have to find something negative to say just so that I don't sound like I am kissing my friends' ass. Oh well...sorry....I don't have anything negative to say. Shroud fucking wailed. Performing songs that are this complex live is very, very difficult but they certainly pulled it off. The sound was full and heavy and artfully performed. I really was surprised how tight they were vs when I saw them in June. I guess all the live shows and rehearsing they have been doing is really paying off. I missed the tail end of the set, which sucked, but I'm sure I will be catching them again soon.

Meliah Rage - I'm sad to say, but I missed all but a few fragments of their set. The crowd seemed to be digging them though. I apologize for not getting to see them play.

Command Presence - Ditto for CP. After all the ragging I did about them possibly not doing the show, when it works out and they finally do get their arses up there, I'm back in the office with Serg dealing with money. Bah! At least I got to see them rehearse their set a couple weeks earlier, but all I caught was the tail end of the last song.

http://www.snakenet.com