Vital Remains, Monstrosity, Forever in Terror
11 April 08, Marquis Theater, Denver
by Ryan Starr
Well, it’s been a while since I’ve seen a major tour. And I must say this was a perfect way to get back into it. Last night was intense and diverse. There was grind, core, old and new death metal all wrapped up into one brutal package.
First up was Cheyenne based death/grind band
Deadspeak. While their performance was technically sound, it was basically forgettable. Even though the songs were intense and had a dash of grind style technicality, everything seemed pretty generic. The only thing that I will really remember is the guitarist who dressed like a thug on stage. Seriously, get rid of the rag and flat billed hat. None the less there was an impressive crowd reaction, due to a large contingent of fans who drove all the way from Cheyenne just for this show. I’m sure many people in the crowd enjoyed this band, but for me it was a lackluster way to start the night.
Next up was metal core band
Forever in Terror. Now, for a core band to be on a bill with 2 death metal legends, you have to have some huge balls. Not only did they rock out with confidence, but by the end of the set I think they had convinced the audience they were worthy of being on the tour.
Forever in Terror, may look like your average core band, but musically there is some great stuff that would be please most non elitist metal heads. The lead work and riffing is far superior to your average metal core band, and most importantly, they don’t rely on breakdowns for heaviness. Visually,
Forever in Terror was impressive. They really understand that good stage presence can turn a good show into a great one. These guys know how to rock it, and I would encourage you to check them out, even if metal core isn’t your style.
Third was veteran death metal band
Monstrosity. Personally, they were one of the highlights of the show. I love that old school feel, and
Monstrosity have plenty of it. Visually, there wasn’t much. Vocalist Mike Hrubovcak interacted with the crowd a lot, but the rest of the band didn’t do much. And since
Forever in Terror was so incredibly active, their lack of movement was accentuated. Musically, however, their performance was top notch. Everything felt tight and on the mark, and since they have been around since ’91, they should be! Over all, it was a solid performance, and I can’t wait to see them again at the Maryland Death Fest.
Headlining this event was
Vital Remains, who were obviously the main draw for nearly everyone there. I have to be completely honest though, their set was spectacular and a disappointment.
Vital remains have awesome stage presence and, of course, some bad ass songs! But there was one thing they were lacking: Dave Suzuki. And let’s face it; he is kind of the backbone of the band. But even without Suzuki, they played each song flawlessly. Whoever they got to fill in for Suzuki (sorry, I can’t find his name anywhere) is doing a fantastic job. I hope whatever band he came from keeps him, because he’s destined to go places with talent like that.
All in all, it was a good night, and I hope you all go check out the remaining dates.
Official Vital Remains Website
Official Monstrosity Website
Official Century Media Website
Official Conquest Music Website
Official Metal Blade Website
Official Vital Remains Myspace
Official Monstrosity Myspace
Official Forever in Terror Myspace
Official Deadspeak Myspace
More (bad) Photos
