It always seems to be the case that when you have little or no expectations for a live show that you leave the venue completely stunned. Such was the case last night at The Foundry in Lakewood for Full of Hell and Mutilation Rites, which ended up being one of the better shows I've seen in a while despite a relatively weak turnout. I'd like to start by giving a concise review of the venue. The Foundry, despite various name and thematic changes over the years, is a staple in the city of Lakewood for being one of the remaining venues that consistently holds exclusively live music. Bill and JC are doing a fantastic job with booking and creating one of the more comfortable and welcoming environments in the area and I think a kudos is in order for all of their hard work and dedication. If you're looking for good grub and some good live music, you need to spend some time in this place. The drinks are reasonably priced, the food is prepared well and tastes great, and management makes it a point to treat bands and patrons alike with respect and dignity.
I showed up late and hadn't eaten, so I immediately destroyed a plate of wings (that I wish I could remember the name of because they were fucking phenomenal) before Mutilation Rites took the stage. Friends of mine including Woods had been telling me about these guys for a while so I delayed giving them a listen before this set. Black metal from Brooklyn, NY may invoke sneers and scoffs from some metal elitists, but once you see this band live you will appreciate their legitimacy. Mutilation Rites began their set without saying a word, picked up their gear, and began playing a style of black metal akin to Bathory and early Ulver with subtle influences from thrash and death metal. Make no mistake, this band is absolutely crushing. I particularly enjoyed when the tempo is slowed down to a mid-pace and the eerie sliding notes seem to gallop into an atmospheric daze. As I looked around and saw the heads banging in unison, I knew I wasn't alone in this opinion. Mutilation Rites understands also that good black metal begins and ends with a solid drummer. Their effective use of the ride symbol and rapidly alternating changes in rhythm give their music character and an extra sense of aggression. Even though the band seemed slightly irritated by the lack of guitar in the drum monitor and one of the vocal mics malfunctioning, they carried on with poise and finished the set strongly without missing a beat, a testament to the band's professionalism and experience.
In my experience of attending shows over the years, if the first thing out of a singer's mouth is for the crowd to move closer while he stands on the floor intensely glaring at the audience, you're in for a good set. Full of Hell's set up speaks volumes about what the audience is in for. The guitarist and bassist are far apart from one another on opposite sides of the stage to ensure that either one doesn't murder the other during the performance. When the vocalist isn't destroying everyone's ears by fumbling around a guitar case full of noise pedals, knobs, and other materials that only Novak understands the workings of, he's pacing around seemingly in anticipation of someone he's wanted to murder for five years entering the room at any moment. Walls of feedback are meant to make you uncomfortable, almost daring you to leave the room or find save haven. "We're Full of Hell, we play music at various tempos" is all the singer says before the madness ensues. Rather than yelling "one, two, three, four" or anything like that, the drummer simply holds up his sticks and does his best impression of Ted Bundy in a courtroom that somehow lets the other members know that its time to initiate one of their many short bursts of raw and confrontational grinding madness. Frantic blast beats accompany spastic riffs before the music takes a turn into punishingly heavy sludge. I have no idea what the bassist is tuned to, perhaps Z, but it does the trick and gets the point across. This shit is meant to hurt you and it does. It's noisy, it's chaotic, it's sludgy, it's fast, there's some death metal, some Swans, and I think I tasted egg and cinnamon. If the music isn't brutal enough, the vocalist gets right up in your grill with ear piercing shrieks, inhuman low growls, and some disturbing and strange spoken parts for good measure. You're trapped like a caged animal in Full of Hell's den of mental instability, there's no escape until they abruptly release their grip on you. "We're Full of Hell, thanks for sticking around" is all that you get for enduring the beating and it's somehow satisfying.
I went outside, my ears ringing annoyingly from the box of noise and feedback, and realized that I had actually been blown away at a show. As you get older, this doesn't happen as frequently as it does in your youth and when it does it's a big enough deal to jump on a computer and write something that only three of your friends will give a shit about. Great bands not only put on intense performances, they inspire musicians to get up and do the same. As I watched Full of Hell and Mutilation Rites, I thought of following their set with one of my own. What would I do? Would I be able to follow it or match the intensity? How would the crowd respond? Such as it is the case with athletes, when musicians witness performers at the top of their games it motivates you to take yours to the next level.
- Joe