Thursday March 28th 2024

Full Of Hell / The Body / I Am Become Death / Human Bodies / Lunglust

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Full Of Hell / The Body / I Am Become Death / Human Bodies / Lunglust
Middle East (Up), Cambridge, MA 5/15/15

 

I’m once again doing an undercover operation. No, this is not Samm Gunn. This is Slimedog once again infiltrating the enemy camp of metal- I, being a loyalist punk rock extraordinaire.

So I don a disguise, once again, to enter this metal show undetected, my presence not picked up by the metal detectors that are abound.

I’m wearing red and white striped bell bottom trousers held up with white suspenders, no shirt but my chest hair is dyed black just like Kiss is wont to do. And I have a long, curly, golden blond wig on my head and I’m wearing rattlesnake boots. I do notice a few people drop their beers when I walk in but not one dares accuse me of being a punk!

Lunglust is the first band to perform. (And their EP review went in at the same time this review did ). This is the second time I’ve seen them and I think I’m getting a better handle on them.

Again, shortly after the first song, the vocals seem to get buried in the mix but what I can hear sounds like some good death/ hardcore ones.

The band describes themselves as “dirty hardcore” and though the metal elements are in place the hardcore influence shines through more to me tonight. What sets this band apart is they have possibly the hardest hitting rhythm section of any band on our site and I believe they drown out the vocals more than the two guitarists.

Anyway, by the end of their set I’m thinking what an enjoyable band to see and I might describe them as metal with hardcore delivery. And what they deliver is potent, powerful, passionate and intense.

Human Bodies is next who, according to themselves, play black metal. This is more progressive, more ethereal music with some synthesized tracks playing along.

They end up sounding to me like Hawkwind or German kraut-rock bands, the later of which I do like, but not as far as metal goes- this is one of those metal bands that after their set I’m going “Huh?” But this sold out crowd seems to love them so who am I to say.

Now, it’s time for the band that I’ve been looking forward to seeing a lot. I am become Death produced one of the best CD’s I’ve reviewed this year but this is my first time seeing them live. And I’ve had people tell me their CD is good but that they’re so much better live!

Here’s another band where I think they’re rightly classified as metal but the hardcore influence is more apparent live. They put out so much energy during the set I’m surprised there isn’t more moshing.

One of my favorite songs by them is an aggressive, hardcore rant broken up by a clanging, King Crimson like riff (Hey! A prog rock band I actually like) and like Lunglust they have a powerful rhythm section, awesome guitars and great songs.

Their vocalist is great, too, with a happy, confident stage presence. It’s only after the set that I’m made aware that the singer was filling in tonight from Suffer On Acid- another great band who I’ve yet to see!

The Body is the next band to play. This is one of those dreaded two man bands that I’ve yet to find one that I like. Maybe growing up with bands like Loggins & Messina, Seals & Kroft- lame pop/folk scarred me for life? I don’t know.

This “band” or duo consists of a drummer and a guitarist/singer who uses synthesized tracks and spoken word samples.

Again, this is progressive music, something I don’t generally like. Maybe growing up with bands like Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Genesis- lame fairyland lyrics with musical gymnastics scarred me for life? I don’t know.

Anyways, they’re from Portland, Oregon and it seems like they have many devoted followers. The crowd goes wild and I go to take a piss.

But Full Of Hell is on now. This a very young band with a bassist on crutches who’s wearing mascara, a long haired drummer who puts more energy into performing than anyone I’ve seen, a very able skinhead hardcore lead singer who sometimes plays a synth and another guy who plays one as well.

They have some songs that are very fast hardcore and some songs that have a more electronic/noise feel to them and sometimes these elements exist in the same song.

There’s lots of feedback, lots of wild moshing in the crowd and though I think they’re somewhat crazy I also think- it really works!

They are from Maryland and Pennsylvania, describe themselves as “ grindcore death (metal) in a form of hardcore punk” and strike me as a band I could call progressive but I’d rather say they were different, exciting and fun.

I feel silly dressed in my attire now. I guess that’s because it’s 2015 not 1985. But the rock’n’roll dreams never die, do they? Yes, they have. The record company putting you in a limousine with as much coke and champagne as you want-I think we can agree has died.

But what about passion, intensity, art and truth? Have they wasted away? Are they long lost dreams that only old hippies and old punks reminisce about?

No, I see it alive in the hearts of the young. In the bands we write about. I see it pure, true and strong. These bands can see the future and I can, too. And even though I won’t be apart of it, I can tell you.

It’s gonna be a blast!

 

(Slimedog)

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