Battlemaster, Speedwolf, Swan King, Gnawed
Sunday, March 25 at Strange Matter
So on this season of Mad Men, we finally reach a pivital point in our nation’s history, and the show is now getting bombarded with the Equal Rights movement gaining steam. Don Draper is confronted with more personal demons as Peggy gains a step… Oh, wait. I wasn’t one of the 3.5 million nutjobs that watched this show last Sunday night. I went to see some metal. METAL.
Battlemaster, Speedwolf, Swan King, Gnawed
Sunday, March 25 at Strange Matter
So on this season of Mad Men, we finally reach a pivital point in our nation’s history, and the show is now getting bombarded with the Equal Rights movement gaining steam. Don Draper is confronted with more personal demons as Peggy gains a step… Oh, wait. I wasn’t one of the 3.5 million nutjobs that watched this show last Sunday night. I went to see some metal. METAL.
Oh, Richmond Sunday nights, how I loathe thee, and thy emptied streets of party nights past. I could ride the entirety of Cary St. from my place near Boulevard to campus without being passed by a single car, and that felt great. But as soon as I turned the hairy corner by The Village and onto Grace St., I would expect to happen upon a large queue waiting to have their heads pummeled with yet another feverishly strong lineup at Strange Matter–local crossover mavens Gnawed, Chicago’s Swan King, Denver’s Speedwolf, and the twenty-sided Battlemaster. The bill was pretty huge, but the turnout was not. We’re hampered by TV programming more interesting than our own lives.
Gnawed had the most balanced sound of the evening. From where I was standing at the back of the floor, the guitar and bass seem to be one instrument. Bill and Scott were locked in and their sound was balanced, tuned, synchronized. Will paced back and forth in anticipation of the raucous pit, which wasn’t there, but he didn’t give a shit. He’s not gonna dial down his performance just because we didn’t show up! Did you know that it’s illegal for vocalists in basketball shorts to stand still?
Swan King was the most interesting/different group on the bill, but it didn’t come through live for some reason. I think there was something up with the sound. Very quiet guitars, and the dudes didn’t move around too much either. Can’t really blame them on this night. Musically, they are all over the place, and guitarist/frontman Dallas T. can really do that Alexi Laiho singing/shredding thing real well.
Speedwolf. More guitar! This band could get everyone so amped, but their guitars were completely drowned out by everything. What ddi I see back there, a solid state amp!? Rock n’ Roll blasphemy. This is real highway metal and it needs to be as loud as possible. Man, they sure have a great frontman though. Think a tall dude with Lemmy’s voice, seducing the mic stand like a prom date, showing her how she’s supposed to move. I’d love to see these guys cranked up to eleven someday. Best logo award? A pentagram made of WOLVES with inverted crosses on either side.
It’s been awhile since I’ve seen Battlemaster. I played Warthirsting and Winterbound almost every shift of my metal show at WRIR 97.3 FM back in the day. They are one of those bands where you invite your girlfriend to come check them out, thinking “who wouldn’t like these guys?” only to find your girlfriend looking at you like you’re a freak show when you take a break from headbanging.
The muddy waters guitar curse couldn’t have hit a band harder. There’s just no room for mud butt with all these riffs slamming against each Alex Tomlin drum fill. They played a bunch of older tunes that they hadn’t really played out much, and it came across as such. These songs weren’t as strong as the stuff I’m used to, but this show is as good an opportunity as any to try out new stuff. On the plus side, the older stuff is more raw, more brutal. Andy Horn is a natural entertainer, and together with Alex, you’ve got some of the best talent this town has to offer. Always.
The moral of the story: Everyone rules, but please remember to pack your tube amp.
By Grant Fanning; check out the full set of photos at hardrockrva.blogspot.com
