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Band:Speed Kill Hate Album:Acts Of Insanity Record Company:Escapi Writer: Bradzilla MP3: MySpace Click Album Cover To Buy Now

Metal Crusaders Tour 2006
Featuring: Vader, Kataklysm, Destruction, Speed\Kill/Hate, Graveworm, The Absence
June 30th Seattle WA
Studio 7

This was definitely the kind of show that started off slow and built up into something great. The Absence played a pretty thrashing style of Swedish death metal, but rather than mimic At The Gates like so many similar bands they actually channel that influence into something that sounds similar but doesn’t bring the word ‘clone’ to mind. They even use rhythm/lead guitar the way In Flames did on “The Jester Race”, with one guitarist playing a lead melody (as opposed to soloing) over the melodic structure of the other guitarist’s riffs. While it did get a tad repetitive they have potential, and it doesn’t hurt that they hail from the land of death metal, Tampa, FL.

Speed/KillHate/ surprised me, playing a modern thrash reminiscent of latter day Exodus rather than groove-based hardcore styled junk like I had feared. Featuring Overkill guitarist Dave Linsk they blasted through several songs that for the most part kept the tempo nice and fast. While the singer has a pretty one-dimensional voice he did have some humorous stage banter. During technical difficulties with the kick drum triggers (damn you, technology!!!) Linsk entertained the crowd with soloing, both his own licks and others from the likes of Yngwie Malmsteen and Randy Rhoads. Partly due to the technical issues their set seemed to run long, and the crowd was really quiet either indicating displeasure or just that they were tired and hot inside the sauna that was Studio Seven. Destruction owned this show and should, by all rights, have been the headliners. At the beginning of the set the energy wasn't quite there, but it started building up pretty quickly. The only song from the new album was the opener, "Soul Collector", in a set made up mostly of songs from the glorious 80s. Other neo-Destruction songs "Metal Discharge", "Thrash Til Death" and "Nailed To the Cross" found their place alongside such classics as "Release From Agony", “Mad Butcher” (YEEEESSSSS!!!!), "Curse the Gods" (YEEEEESSSSS!!!!!!) and "Bestial Invasion" (HELL FUCKING YEEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!). Even "Total Desaster" made a welcome appearance before chants of ‘Destruction! Destruction!’ brought them back for an encore of "The Butcher Strikes Back". Hail to those who obey and believe in Destruction!!!!!!

It was my 4th or 5th time seeing Kataklysm, and the first time since Max reclaimed the drum stool. As much as anything else his drumming helps define the Kataklysm sound and it wasn't the same without him the time before. They always have great stage presence and played a good selection of mostly newer songs like “Manipulation of Souls”, “Shadows and Dust” and brand spankin’ new tracks such as “Crippled and Broken”. They sounded tight for the most part, despite vocalist Maurizio Iacono being off-time during “Manipulation of Souls”, and were well-received. I missed part of their set, talking to friends outside when Kataklysm started playing, and would probably have been even more excited to see them had I not just been thrashed by Destruction.

Vader are totally pro and have an awesome sound, but really if you've seen them once you've seen them 100 times. Similar set from previous tours, great performances but after Destruction I was worn out. They played, as usual, a cross section of older tracks like “The Crucified Ones” and newer ones such as “Dark Transmission” alongside favorites like “Sothis” and “Black To the Blind”. When they came back for the encore vocalist/guitarist Peter asked the crowd “are you ready to thrash?” and then the band took positions facing their respective amps, backs to the crowd, in the manner of Dark Angel leading me to almost hyperventilate at the prospect of Vader busting out their “Merciless Death” cover, but sadly it was not to be as they tore into “Raining Blood”, which despite the personal letdown was a great cover and the crowd went crazy for it. While they may not have been the best band of the night, Vader reminded us all that thrash rules the metal world.

Band:Speed Kill Hate Album:Acts Of Insanity Record Company:Escapi Writer: Bradzilla Click Album Cover To Buy Now

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