Carrie's 70,000 Tons of Metal Review And Photos

 An adventure review from a fan’s perspective, or what it was like on the cruise!

by Carrie aka Metal Goddess

click to enlargeImagine the best vacation ever.   2,000 of my metal brothers and sisters from around the world and I just experienced the most amazing event in the history of metal festivals.  A heavy metal buffet served aboard a grand and glorious cruise ship!   In case you have been living under a rock for the last year and haven’t heard about it, let me tell you about 70,000 Tons of Metal.   

70,000 Tons of Metal was billed as the “World’s Largest Floating Heavy Metal Festival,” and it delivered.  42 metal bands of all metal genres played for four days aboard Royal Caribbean’s ship, “Her Majesty of the Seas.”  The cruise set sail in Miami then cruised onto Cozumel, Mexico and back over the course of four incredible days (January 24 to January 28, 2011).  A few thought it was unattainable, in fact, canceling their reservations because they didn’t think it would happen.   Poor saps, they missed out.  You can view the full lineup of bands here:  http://www.70000tons.com/artists.htm

click to enlargeMany of us flew into Miami early to enjoy the city before the cruise to enjoy the sunshine and meet up to party.  Walking up and down Miami beach, we ran into fellow cruisers as well as cruise bands all taking in the sites of Miami.  It was obvious that the international metal community had taken over Miami.

Thanks to the internet, many of us fellow cruisers had been chatting for months and had gotten to know each other.   It was so cool meeting people I had been chatting with from Australia, Germany, Canada, Ireland, England, Sweden, etc., and the local Florida peeps.  Our Florida friend, Captain Metal, coordinated a pre-party show Sunday, January 23, in downtown Miami with some great local metal bands.  

click to enlargeIt was a challenge for many of us to get to the Port of Miami on Monday, as there was a public memorial for two fallen officers at the huge arena close to the port.  Roads were closed and traffic was backed up.  Thank goodness the local Miami peeps gave us a heads up so we got an early start. 

We arrived at the Port of Miami to board this mammoth ship.  I’ve never been on a cruise, so I had no idea what to expect.  Not a lot of security on the outside, they must have been at the memorial across the street.  Getting onto the ship is similar to going through an airport.  Do you know how funny it is to watch hundreds of metalheads dressed in leather, studs and steel-toed shoes going through a metal detector?  Ha!  Everyone was way cool, and we all got through it just fine. 

click to enlargeAfter boarding the ship, we found our room, dropped off our stuff and headed to the top deck.  Around every corner was a Royal Caribbean crew member asking if we wanted a drink, so we bought a bucket of beer to begin our adventure.  All 2,000 of us, the bands, and the crews were all waiting for the ship to set sail. 

I had listened to all of the bands online over the last few months, as well as the metal channel on satellite radio (which I’m surprised was not a sponsor).  However, I did not look at pictures of the bands, so I did not recognize very many of them.  A lot of us fans are also in metal bands and look it.  One big happy metal family. 

click to enlargeAt 4:15 p.m., everyone, including the bands, had to go through the “Compulsory Guest Muster Drill.”  We broke up into our assigned “musters” and had to chug our drinks before drill.  It was great fun.  I was in Muster 7, along with my friends Evil Red and Hodgy from Seattle, as well as the Fear Factory guys!   Muster 1 was by far the loudest and most rowdy.  After we were done being shown how to use our life vests and where our assigned lifeboats were, we were back on to the deck to watch the departure.  We left dock at around 6:30 p.m. after a beautiful Miami sunset.

The bands played in three different venues, the Chorus Line Theater, the Spectrum Lounge and the Pool Deck.  They covered one of the two pools on the deck in front of the Pool Deck stage for more standing room.  The Chorus Line Theatre was a larger, elegant venue where they normally have Broadway-type shows on regular cruises, and the Spectrum Lounge, which was a smaller, more intimate venue. The sound in all three venues was very good once it was finally dialed in.  The running order of the bands was overlapping in many instances, which meant missing or running to the next show.  You can view the running order here:  http://www.70000tons.com/order.htm

click to enlargeThe first band to play was EXODUS at 7 p.m. Monday night in the Chorus Line Theatre.  They did not have much time to set up, do a sound check, etc., after boarding the boat, so the shows in that venue were about an hour behind schedule.   All 42 of the bands were scheduled to play at least two times, so we went for dinner, found our luggage and settled in our room. 

We ventured back out at 12:30 a.m. to find FEAR FACTORY rocking the pool deck.  It was the most amazing thing, to be on the deck of a cruise ship watching Fear Factory play in the warm Caribbean breeze with a remarkable sound and light show. 

click to enlargeI’m not going to go into play by play song analysis of any of the bands we saw.  I was a bit buzzed, and I was having a great time enjoying the bands, that’s all that really mattered to me.  

We stayed out on the deck because it was so lovely, the partially full moon in the sky, to see the next band, FINTROLL.  I had briefly listened to them online, but they definitely were better live!   We enjoyed their set immensely!   They are not a band I would have normally bought tickets to see, but that was the beauty of this lineup—all types of metal to give us a chance to experience all of them. 

click to enlargeWe then went to the Chorus Line Theatre to see a couple songs from the godfathers of death metal, MALEVOLENT CREATION.   We were exhausted, and went back to our room around 3:30 a.m.

Tuesday was a beautiful day.  We got up, had breakfast (bacon and mimosas), put on our swim suits and headed for the pool deck.  We jumped in one of the two hot tubs on the deck with our new international friends to watch CRIPPER at 10 a.m. (yes, that’s right).  I had listened to them and had them on my list to see, but I didn’t realize they were fronted by a powerhouse female singer.  Fucking excellent!

click to enlargeNext band to hit the Pool Deck was AGENT STEEL, who was high on my list of bands to see.   I got out of the hot tub to get closer to the stage to watch these guys and their classic style of heavy metal.  I was wondering why the singer was singing lyrics off paper.  After asking, I found out their singer Jon Cyriis could not make the trip, so Rick Mythiasin from STEEL PROPHET filled in.  Later, James Rivera of HELSTAR joined in for a couple of songs. They did a kickass cover of JUDAS PRIEST’s “Ripper” in their set.  Great band! 

We had another drink, then laid out in the sun while TYR played.  What an unusual, unique style of music—folk metal.  It was very cool to listen to! 

click to enlargeNeeding a little break from the sun, we headed indoors to the Chorus Line to watch SABATON.  Those Norwegian guys had mega-metal energy, and the crowd was amazing!    Power metal!  

After a lunch break, we headed back out to the Pool Deck to see FORBIDDEN.  I had never seen them and loved their music, so I pushed myself up to the front to headbang.  Fucking killer set from these Bay Area artists.  I’ll be damned if I didn’t meet Russ the singer when I first got on the boat, but didn’t know it was him.  He was probably wondering why I didn’t say something at that time.  I concentrate on listening to the music more that what a band looks like, as it should be. 

click to enlargeWe had a couple of drinks while waiting for OBITUARY to hit the Pool Deck.  One of my favorite bands!   I watched the first couple of songs from the top deck, then headed down to the floor to headbang along side my one of my best friends, Evil Red.  The sound was as good in front as it was in the back.  I’ve seen OBITUARY a few times and have never been disappointed.  The atmosphere was electric!! 

After OBITUARY we took a dinner break and ate a couple of tables away from them.  Wow.  How cool is that?  

We then headed to the Spectrum Lounge for an intimate set with click to enlargeSANCTUARY.  Wow, it was so cool seeing the band together again!   It was very crowded in there so we weren’t able to get too close since we were late getting there.  They sounded great and were definitely jazzed by the crowd!

Needing some fresh air, we headed outside to check out the last of EPICA.  They were not at the top of my list of bands to see, but their live performance was very cool.  Many of us metal fans are also scifi geeks, so when they broke out with Darth Vader’s theme ala metal, we were drawn in.    

click to enlargeThen we raced back inside to AMON AMARTH in the Chorus Line Theatre.  A great set from a truly epic metal band.  I had seen them years ago, but it was a joy to see them tearing it up again!

We wanted to see more bands, but knew we had to get up for our excursion to Cozumel the next morning, so we went to bed. 

After spending the day zip lining, shopping, and drinking margaritas in Cozumel, we went back on the ship to clean up, eat and get ready for some more metal shows.  The first show we hit was GAMMA RAY on the Pool Deck.  This was another band that I was not that familiar with, but the crowd sure was!   I walked over by the sound booth to check out the set up.  No wonder all the bands sounded so good.  World class sound by a world class crew!  

click to enlargeI then headed inside to see FEAR FACTORY bring it in the Chorus Line Theatre.  Another amazing set by these guys. 

At 10 p.m. I headed back outside to see EXODUS since I missed them the first night.  I love the bay area thrash, and it was so cool to have so many of them on the ship!   Saw them last August at Ozzfest in California, but there was something even more magical about watching them play on the deck of a cruise ship!  

click to enlargeAfter EXODUS, I went back to the theatre to watch SAXON.  I was in awe that I was actually there seeing them perform “Strong Arm of the Law.”  Another of my favorite traditional style metal bands!  I was spent after that, and hit the cabin.  Many of my friends, however, joined the cruise bands at Boleros for some metal karaoke until like 7 a.m. in the morning.

Thursday morning for us started out bright and early at 10 a.m. with SWASHBUCKLE, a pirate metal band (yes, you heard me right).  Bunch of cool guys, and funny as hell!  They literally rocked the Cruise Ship Terror!!  

click to enlargeWe then went inside to see a band called ARSIS.  I have to say that they were my favorite band on this cruise that I had not really listened to before.  The music was traditional thrash with dual guitar leads, right up my alley.  They all made such great technical music look so easy, and it sounded so good.  So, four horns up for ARSIS!   If you haven’t heard them yet, do check them out. 

After lunch and waiting forever to buy merchandise, we went inside the Chorus Line Theatre to watch VOIVOD.  This is another band I really like that I had not seen in a while, but still performed an amazing set.    

click to enlargeThen back outside to the Pool Deck to see the legendary ULI JON ROTH.  He’s an astounding performer, had an incredible backing band, and also hosted the “Sky Academy” seminar on Thursday afternoon.  

We did not stay outside for the belly flop contest as it was a bit chilly outside on Thursday.  Not sure who won or if anyone entered.   We went back in to see another show by OBITUARY in the Chorus Line Theatre. 

After OBITUARY, we went back outside to see TWILIGHT OF THE GODS, a BATHORY tribute band.  Many online were bashing 70,000 Tons for scheduling a tribute band, but the large crowd did not seem to mind!   We enjoyed it as well!

click to enlargeWe took a drink and snack break, then headed to the Spectrum Lounge to see RAVEN.  That was most fun I had at any of the shows on the cruise.  They are amazing now as they were in the 80’s.  Crazy fuckers!  I love RAVEN!   I could kick myself for not seeing them when they were here in Seattle a few months ago.  I had the honor of talking to them at the bar later that night.  What cool guys!  

After RAVEN, we went back out to the Pool Deck again to watch the last few songs by DEATH ANGEL.  I had forgotten what a kickass thrash band they were.  I saw them with NEVERMORE here in Seattle years ago, definitely want to see them again! 

click to enlargeSABATON played the Pool Deck while we were eating dinner.  Rumor had it, and it is now officially confirmed and documented on YouTube, that one of the members of SABATON was thrown in the pool after their set for wearing a LADY GAGA shirt.  Hahaha!  My sweet friend Madda from Hollywood made him wear it.  Chaching!  Here’s a link to one of the videos:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5OfQ8JoHKc

After dinner, we went to see the great TESTAMENT in the Chorus Line Theater.   Words cannot describe how fucking cool that show was.  After TESTAMENT, we watched a couple of songs by folk metal band KOPRIKLAANI outside, a very different kind of metal, then followed my friends to see the end of the MALEVOLENT CREATION show in the Spectrum Lounge. 

click to enlargeI had never seen SODOM, so we went back to the very packed Chorus Line Theatre for them.  I can see why they were so popular—straight ahead headbanging metal! 

After SODOM, we went outside to watch MOONSPELL for a while, then decided to go back to the room for a bit.  Unfortunately, we fell asleep and missed a few bands we wanted to see.  I woke up in time to go see the last band on the cruise, DUSK MACHINE.  I really enjoyed their set and it was so cool to see the very last band and the very last song on the cruise, ending at 3:15 a.m. on the dot. 

click to enlargeI then went to Boleros Lounge to watch the karaoke taking place, after hearing what fun everyone had on Wednesday night.  Many of my friends and many band members were there drinking and visiting.  I had the epic pleasure of singing JUDAS PRIEST’s “Turbo Lover” with WARREL DANE, along with my friends, Rhiannon and Hector.  It was so much fun partying with everyone, closing the bar down at 6 a.m.

Now for some of the other events on ship, that we did not have time to participate in.  Three workshops were scheduled Thursday afternoon.  One was a bass workshop with John Gallagher from RAVEN, another was a guitar workshop with Victor Smolski from RAGE, and the third was the ULI JON ROTH seminar. 

click to enlargeThere were meet and greets scheduled in the Boleros Lounge on Tuesday and Thursday, but I didn’t feel the need to miss live music in order to meet the bands in person.  Besides, they were at shows, eating in the dining room with us and drinking at the bars.  I didn’t bother bands, but I did a lot of smiling, nodding and winking at them.  They knew how I felt, because I think they felt the same. 

There were also some spa and exercise events, but who had time for that?  I was really hoping to exercise and get a massage, but I had to eat, sleep and watch bands!   The casino also had a poker tournament, which I think some participated in. 

click to enlargeWe debarked the ship starting at 7:30 a.m. Friday morning, which was hell for some of the metalheads, so many of us didn’t even go to bed Thursday night.  We went right to a hotel near the airport to rest, since our flight left very early Saturday Morning.

A post-party featuring TESTAMENT was held in Ft. Lauderdale last night (Saturday, January 29).  Hopefully, the rest of our friends were able to stay and enjoy!

I was a little bummed out that there were about 12 bands we didn’t get to see that we wanted to because of rest, eating, drinking, etc.  I know they had to at least break even in this venture, if not making a profit, because all the alcohol sold.  I heard a rumor that it was an all time alcohol sales record for the first day of a cruise!   I know they were out of merlot and Foster's beer late Wednesday.  Ah, what a party. 

click to enlargeIf they do it 70,000 Tons again next year (which is rumored to be on), I have the following suggestions:   Bigger ship.  At least another day.  A warmer time of year.  A little more time to rest & exercise to take care of ourselves without missing bands.  More time and a quicker way to sell merchandise—that was a failure, in my opinion. 

All hails to the sponsors, the promoters, the sound crew, Allison & Andy, and everyone who coordinated this amazing event.  My little metal world has now expanded into a big, wide universe.  It will take weeks if not months, to wipe the smile off my face.   \m/

Click To Enlarge Any Photo Below

How Do You Get Gwar Blood Out?

How Do You Get Gwar Blood Out?

click to enlargeI'd like to start this review by giving my wife's recipe for getting out Gwar blood.

1. Rinse 3 times in cold water

2. Wash in warm water with detergent and vinegar 3 times

3. One more wash with cold water and detergent

Yes, you go to a Gwar show and your friends die. It's as natural as rain on a goddamn Sunday morning. My old friend Bert played taxi driver as we had not attended a Gwar show in about ten years. This year it was at the Showbox SoDo. Yes, in the Seattle area we have two clubs named The Showbox. The other one is the nicer Showbox Market. Showbox SoDo is where all the metal bands play though. I'm thrilled to see more of the bands I like playing there instead of the tiny and dark El Corazone. Better lighting for photography. Plus the air quality is much better as well.


We missed the first band Mobile Death Camp, but got in just in time for the band Infernaeon. This band could have been really great if their vocalist didn't come off like a total douche. He was the Death Metal version of one of those Jersey Shore guys. He might as well have been fist pumping like a mad man. His stage presence could not have been more boring if he stood still. It was like he had a club foot or something. His vocal delivery was about as flat and monotone as it gets. I understand that it's death metal, but does it have to be boring? Mix it up already so we don't fall asleep. Everyone else in the band however was the exact opposite. These guys were pure rockstars and put everything into it. Their playing was top notch and I am pretty sure they are the reason this band is signed. Now if only they could get rid of that boring vocalist.

Next up was the band The Casualties. I have to admit that the name didn't ring a bell until I saw the logo. Then I knew I was about to be hit with some good old school punk. What I got was something very similar to The Exploited during their Beat The Bastards album. They were smart to toss in a ton of covers and these guys know how to put on a show. For a band most had never heard of these guys had the crowd going nuts. I know can see why this band keeps getting bigger and bigger all the time. If you see them once you will be a fan. I know I am. I have a feeling that if the band had a mo0re stable line up they would be huge.

Next up was the mighty Gwar. The band has been around for a quarter century now and they haven't missed a step. They still kick ass on stage and they still spew more bodily fluids into the crowd than ever. I only counted three decapitations, but I was pretty far back in the crowd and couldn't see much. This band was better in a theater setting where those damn tall bastards like Bert Web didn't block the view. I hate to give away too many spoilers, but Lady Gaga was finally given the respect she deserves. I say I was way in the back, but that was because when you are carrying around camera gear you can't fight to the front like I did when I was in my 20's. When the show started I got to go in front of the security barricade and take some great photos that should be posted later this week. Before the band got on stage all the photographers were talking about how to protect or equipment from the onslaught that was about to happen. That Gwar blood can really destroy thousands of dollars of camera and lens in seconds. I found out that neither Brittney Bush or Graham Lee had plastic freezer bags for their cameras. Well, thanks to my very smart wife I had tons of extras. This was a good thing since we all got drenched. I think I may have got it worse than anyone somehow. Check their websites for photos. They took several. But no matter if I was in the photo pit or the crowd (photographers only ever get the first 3 songs), it was a blast and this band still has many years left in it. So if you haven't seen Gwar in awhile I suggest you go see them again. I know they had some lean times before, but they are back in a very big way. I just hope Gor Gor finds a way to return somehow. I miss the big guy.

Photos of all three bands coming later this week!

Steamcon II (Steampunk Convention)

    click to enlargeSteamcon II is the second annual steam punk convention. The three day convention was held near Seattle and took place in two hotels, the Hilton and the Marriott. This alternate dimensional mixture of Victorian era fashion and steam powered machinery has inspired multiple movies, books and artists, not to mention the multitude of people who came to Steamcon II, elaborately dressed complete with steam punk gizmos, accessories and a multitude of ingenious weapons.

 Steamcon II is not just a gathering place for fans, it’s also a place where they can exchange ideas, attend seminars concerning Victorian etiquette (held in the tea room of course), weapons modification and anything you could imagine, and a few you couldn’t. There were also art galleries and many vendors where you could buy that “special item” to make your costume complete.

Captain Robert of Abney ParkThis year’s convention focused on the American version of steam punk. There were almost as many cowboys and frontiersmen as there were people dressed in Victorian costume. I even came across a couple steam punk pets in the form of mechanical birds, dogs and a leather puppet that resembled Salacious Crumb from Return of the Jedi.

To top it all off there were various steam punk musicians including the most famous steam punk band, Abney Park, who participated in a panel discussion and answered questions as to their influences and what else inspired their music. Later that day they performed, if you were lucky enough to buy a ticket.

click to enlarge Steamcon II was a great success and I encourage everyone to look into steam punk. It’s great fun for children and adults and would be a great hobby or possibly more as I suspect some of the attendants may not only wear their costumes for special occasions. I look forward to next year’s convention and have already started my costume. It’s time to build steam!

For more Info Go To:

http://www.steamcon.org/

http://www.abneypark.com/

For a full gallery of photos CLICK HERE and don't forget to click on the thumbnails for a cool slideshow!

Two Nights of AMERICAN CARNAGE in the Northwest!!

Well, Friday night, Sept 3rd,  I attended the tour in Seattle, Washington at the WaMu Theater at Qwest Field. We got there a little late due to the online information and actual show times difference, and then traffic. So we get there just as Testament is finishing their set.

For the Friday night show, I can tell you for the most part that I am a die hard MEGADETH fan and was so, so disappointed in the sound they had.  Their set energy-wise on stage was awesome. but the sound was crapp, to say the least. I managed to lose my shoes in the pit area as folks moved  to the music of Megadeth. Then it was the Metal Gods, SLAYER, and  even their sound, in my opinion, was horrible.  But they did what they do best, and that is give an amazing set.

Now comes Saturday Sept 4th, in Hillsboro, Oregon at the Washington County Fairgrounds, an outside stage and show. The crowd that came to this show was so different from the other, in that it seemed like die hard thrash fans showed in droves. I was set to take photos of TESTAMENT as they hit the stage.  Chuck and the Boiz ripped it up.  The crowd had several mosh circles going, kicking up so much dust and grass. Testament showed me why I have remained a fan of what they do...

Then MEGADETH hit stage and not only did they sound hundreds of times better than the night before, they seemed  a lot tighter on the stage.  Dave and the guys really came to life even more on an outside stage, and it was just about perfect on all aspects.

Then it came time for what is the highlight of the tour.  With this being the last show for the first leg of this tour, SLAYER was about to hit the stage.  The crowd was getting bigger and louder as they chanted " SLAYER SLAYER SLAYER".  When  Tom and the men hit that stage the crowd went insane, and was swirling the dust bowl even more intensely than for Megadeth or Testament. I was amazed with how differently all the bands play when comparing indoors to outdoors. It always seems bands are more likely to put more into their set for outside shows. It was one of the best metal holiday weekends I have ever had.

I would love to see this tour's second leg with Anthrax opening.  Seeing tours booked like this is what I enjoy.  Now my dream tour or fest would be: Slayer- Reign In Blood, Metallica - Master of Puppets, Metal Church - The Dark, Testament - Practice What You Preach, Overkill - Years of Decay, Death Angel - Act Three, and many more than I can list.  Could you imagine all the  Thrash gods on one big festival tour!??

What Makes Slayer So Great Anyways?

What Makes Slayer So Great Anyways?

Photos posted HERE

 Many of you know that this site loses money, right? So I make my rent by other means. Part of my income is from doing tech consulting for small businesses. Lucky for me that is extremely flexible. Very seldom is there a conflict where I can't go to a show because I have to attend a business function. My other job is not as flexible. I scrub toilets for a school district. That job makes twice as much (almost to the penny) and I get really amazing benefits. So when the greatest tour to hit my area in years comes by I will do my very best to attend. For an old school Thrash purist like myself it doesn't get any better than Testament, Megadeth, and Slayer. Sad thing is that the show announced that it would start at 7 pm and I got off work at 6:30. So I thought I was going to be forced to miss this amazing event. So I had the press agent switch the name to my back up guy Dave Conn. Then the day before the event I hear that everyone can come in early. So I go in early enough to be off at 3:00 pm. Well, the mix up caused me to not be on the list anymore. No ticket and no money to buy one since I wasn't expecting to need to do so. We should have just left it as Dave Conn +1 with photo from the start. Would have caused way less confusion. What I don't understand is why Dave wasn't given my ticket? There still should have been 2 tickets.

Now shortly after I get off work (yeah, I'm jumping around here a little) I start hearing that the show will start at 7:00 pm and that doors open at 5. Plus there is a game and several other events in Seattle that same night. This is on top of being the start of the big three day weekend. So traffic is bound to be beyond insane. So I start telling Dave we need to leave a few hours early. Turns out I was right. We missed Testament. Then when I get to the entrance to the photo/security pit I am told that I only have clearance to shoot photos of Testament, the band that just finished. Then the person tells me they are going to see if they can get me cleared for Slayer, but he has no way to get me clearance for Megadeth. No big deal, Roadrunner has always worked very hard at keeping people from giving their bands coverage so I understand that. Well, the guy comes through for me and I get cleared to shoot Slayer. From this point on things begin to get better.

Now I am a fan of Megadeth, but I have to say I was not too impressed with Dave's voice that night. He seemed to have more whine and less snarl. Maybe he was having vocal problems? Maybe from the side of the stage the mix was bad? Either way it sounded weak compared to how he has sounded in recent past. This was the first time i have witnessed Chris Broderick with the band though and I must say he is a massive improvement over Glen Drover. Glen is an amazing player, but he always looked bored as hell on stage. Chris looks like he is having a blast and that makes it more fun for everyone watching. Dave Jr did a great job on bass as well. Although James LoMenzo did a great job in all aspects, Dave Jr will always be the true bassist in this band. This is the strongest Megadeth line up in decades and I hope this will cause their next release to be better than the extremely disappointing "Endgame".

Now before I get into the Slayer set I want to talk about what makes Slayer so damn great in my eyes (ears). Many would say that the band is brutal, but I think that ignores what truly makes the band so amazing. If it's just the brutality why don't any of these so called extreme metal bands pack out 5 thousand seat theaters? The reason is the song writing. A good Slayer song could probably be played acoustically and still be a great song. Tom has this tone that isn't a clean vocal by any means, but doesn't get into that cartoonish growl that has taken over Metal during the past decade. Sure the lyrics are about killing, Satanism, Anti-Religion, Violence, and Warfare, but they do it with more style than say Cannibal Corpse. It's like the difference between a really good dark drama and a gorefest type horror movie where it's gore for the sake of gore. Again I quote Alice Cooper "Where's the song?" With Slayer it is about the song above all else. From the powerfully slow South Of Heaven to the legendary speed of Reign In Blood it is about the song. Even when they play super fast there is still a hook. There is some riff that you can recognize a half of a second into the song. This is what puts Slayer above the rest. This will always be the case.

I noticed something interesting for Slayer. There was more people! I would say a couple thousand more paid $40 just to see Slayer. That is amazing! Before Dave re-joined the band was getting smaller and smaller crowds, but here they are packing in a 5 thousand seat venue. This band is bigger than ever and they can still pack a punch live. Tom may not be able to bang his head like he used to, but his vocals still have that fierce rasp that I have always loved. Kerry moves a little slower now, but that kind of makes him look even more bad ass. Jeff has always been the silent brood of the band. He comes off like that metalhead that sits quietly in the back of the bar sipping his whiskey and talking to no one. Then years latter they find a few corpses in his basement. Or maybe it's just the way he plays? Dave still has that style that makes Slayer what it is. Sure the band has had drummers that were better players technically, but this isn't some damn prog band! Dave has a style all his own and no one can fit that throne better than him. I sat (yeah, I'm old so STFU) in my chair singing along with Tom grinning like a psycho killer just after a good kill. There is nothing like a good Slayer set to cheer me up. 

Photos posted HERE