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Abyss's Review (12/1/01 North Six, Brooklyn, NY):
Which Witch in Witchery is Which?
Anyone who has any interest in metal at all knows that Sweden must be one hell of a place. Many theories are around as to why so much great metal comes out of that part of the world, and they’re probably all somewhat true. Many feel that the bleak, harsh winter climate breeds frustration that is best alleviated with aggressive music. Others figure that when it’s freezing and dark outside all day long there isn’t much else to do except get drunk and pick up your guitar. Of course, most of these observations are made by people who have never set foot in that part of the world, and whose closest affiliation with Swedish culture comes from the Swedish Chef from the Muppets (news flash: Swedish people don’t really sound like that.) But we can all agree that there is something inherently metal about Sweden. Take for instance their drinking traditions. In England a toast is announced with “Cheers”, and I believe the Italians use “Salut”, and here in America we say….we say… Hey what the hell do we say? Normally I just see some drunk, fat guy lifting his cup and yelling, “WHOOOOOOOO!”. Anyway, in Sweden they say “Skoal”, which, if my half-assed research has paid off, comes from their old word for skull. That’s metal enough for me, but on top of that, it became a precursor for libation after the Vikings would drink from the skulls of their conquered enemies. Ladies and Gentlemen, it just doesn’t get much more metal than that. So rather than looking for reasons as to why these guys are so metal, let’s just enjoy the fact that we’ve got them.
The Haunted
Photos by HelSo after that laborious introduction, I’ll do the most logical thing and write first about the one band I saw tonight that wasn’t Swedish, Diecast. Diecast brought their American metalcore stylings to Brooklyn in full force, utilizing a crisp sound that accentuated their straightforward, yet infectious grooves culminating in their closest thing to a hit song, “Singled Out”. They also decided to play a cover, which the crowd assumed, in error, would be “Raining Blood”, as they have built a reputation for playing that song live. They instead played Twisted Sister’s “I Wanna Rock”, a fitting choice considering the recent New York Steel concert that featured that band’s reunion. The crowd didn’t seem to mind, and bobbed their heads obediently. Afterwards, Diecast obliged the crowd’s chants and played the Slayer classic, leaving everyone satisfied and awaiting Witchery. I hope this band has continued success, being that they have a sound that could bring more extreme music to the mainstream.
I was very excited to see Witchery, especially considering how good their new album is. I had been practicing putting my “W” into the air (as one must, because there is nothing more embarrassing than putting up something that isn’t quite the horns and isn’t a “W”, I guess it’s the sign language equivalent of stuttering.) And I’ll tell you it’s not that easy, but I quickly got into the rhythm of it. The last time I had seen Witchery was at the now extinct Tramps in NYC, and they struck me as being a little sloppy. Their live performance has tightened up significantly, I’m happy to say, and now that they have three albums of material to draw off of, seeing them live is a much better time all around. Their music is one thing, but it takes a live setting for one to really appreciate how fun this band is. Everything is taken tongue in cheek, kind of like an Elvira show with a killer soundtrack. The crowd loved these guys and their command of the stage was impressive, these guys should be headliners in no time.
WitcheryFinally, The Haunted came out to play. These guys are quickly becoming the underground’s example of a success story. Hell, after winning high awards in their native land, even MTV had to learn their name. I think it’s safe to say that this band has come into it’s own, and they should no longer be described as, “ex-At The Gates”. These guys have two killer albums under their belt, and a shitload of energy. I actually thought they’d pale a little after the success that Witchery had, but I was wrong. This is another band that was lackluster the first time I saw them, and they too have improved tenfold. I had a ball, and I guess I should apologize for throwing up a couple of “W”s by accident (it’s hard to change mid-show). By the time their set was half over I was well in the grips of the alcohol I was abusing, and unfortunately, details seem a bit sketchy (details like, ‘how did my pants get all wet?’), but one thing remained clear. These guys did a great job. I’m usually tired by the time a show reaches it’s conclusion, but these guys inspired me to hop on a subway and hit the bars in Manhattan. Of course, I don’t really remember most of that, but I’m sure it was well worth waking up with an empty wallet. Skoal!
Death's Review (12/1/01 North Six, Brooklyn, NY):
I have to admit I was skeptical when I saw this show scheduled for Brooklyn, at a venue I had never been to yet, North Six. Trekking out to Brooklyn can be a bit of a chore sometimes, as places like L'Amours are a good one to one and a half hour train ride away and shows here can run past 3:00 a.m. Still, this show's promoters, Ubernoize Entertainment, have garnered enough of a reputation for creative venue selection over the last year (Electric Wizard in the hull of a rusted ship? Deceased on the floor of a tourist-oriented theme restaurant?) to give me hope for someplace special. Once again, Ubernoize delivered. North Six is a cool venue, with a full bar, reasonably priced drinks, a front room where merchandise is sold and the ability to get up close and see the band while listening to a quality sound system. Best of all: Williamsburg is a mere 10 minute ride on the L train away from Cyn's place, often our launching-off point for downtown shows. All of this contributed to my enjoyment of the event.
DiecastWe didn't get started until late, and by the time 9:30 rolled around many of our crew was feeling the "maybe I just want to stay home on the couch and watch movies tonight" blahs. Still, a mere round of phone calls and my spazzing out at the suggestion we flake was all it took to rally the troops and set us on a course for Brooklyn by 10:30 p.m. We were on our way.
So we get there, and we walk in to the opening chords of Diecast. Diecast kicked ass, and had a serious fanbase present relative to their "third from the top" position on the bill. New York loves Diecast and the show of support was strong. "Singled Out" was, of course, a highlight, and we learned that the song would be featured in the Ultimate fighting Championship 2 game for X-Box, Dreamcast and Playstation 2. Cool (I am a big videogame nut, FYI). It was clear this night that Diecast is definitely going places. If you like extreme, thrash-influenced metalcore, you really need to be sure to check this band out. And if you like hearing back-to-back Twisted Sister and Slayer covers from a hardcore band (I do!), Diecast is just for you.
WitcheryBy this point I was seriously drinking. Abyss and I were matching drink for drink, and Musashi and some of our other friends were not too far behind. Hel had decided to let Cyn kick back and enjoy the show for a change, so she had gone up front for Diecast to snap some shots, and she came back between sets to report that there was room up front for all of us. Thus, when Witchery took the stage we expertly negotiated our way through the crowd (without spilling our drinks) right up to the front.
Witchery were killer. Much better even than their cool set opening for Cradle of Filth at Tramps a few years back. They really had it together and were a whole lot of fun. I must have pounded four beers during their set alone, and as my buzz increased my love of Witchery only grew. What can I say? While everyone I know has been raving about the latest Witchery record, I found it good but not transcendentally amazing like most of my friends. This night, however, Witchery blew me away. Was it the beer or the band? I honestly don't know. Truthfully, it was probably a little of both.
More drinking ensued, surrounded by schmoozing with a fun variety of amusing metallic friends. Fellow scribes and notorious Internet personalities abounded at this gig, and it was great fun to bullshit about metal and our upcoming top ten lists while getting absolutely sloshed in anticipation of the upcoming set from The Haunted. Soon enough, The Haunted took the stage and all hell literally broke loose. To the best of my drunken recollection, there were no At the Gates covers this time, but the material sounded great and the crowd (with a surprising number of young kids-Diecast fans, perhaps?) ate it all up. I'm a much bigger Haunted fan now than I was, and that is saying a lot. I even jumped in the pit (albeit after literally ten beers or more) and shoved my way up front to high five the band. I was twelve years old again and I loved it! It might have been the beer and not The Haunted that made me do it, but I loved them for it just the same.
The HauntedBy the time The Haunted ended and we finished bullshitting with friends, we were some of the last people left in the club. The clock was pushing 3:00 a,m., and I have to tell you it felt like midnight, which is always a good sign. We jumped on the train and continued the fiesta at some dive bar in Manhattan, where I swear Abyss had to talk me out of throwing a bar stool at the bottles behind the bar for no good reason, and everyone started threatening to make out with each other in to what quickly deteriorated in one drunken mess of an evening. Time to get out of there right? Not until after last call came and went and we were forcibly removed from the less-than-fine establishment. I got home at 4:30 a.m. and loved every minute of it. Nights like that are what metal is all about. I loved it.
Hel's Review (12/1/01 North Six, Brooklyn, NY):
This evening marked my first opportunity to visit a little venue called, “North Six”, in nearby Williamsburg, Brooklyn. While it is often a huge hassle to get to venues outside of Manhattan (as there is no car in my life), for a change, this was not. Not only is the club only a short walk from the subway, it is a nice, intimate size, and it is well laid out, with an actual seating area, and ample room to stand in front of the stage. The concrete pillars on either side made life interesting for those in the pit, but also acted as a natural barrier for those wishing to stand close to the stage, yet not be involved in the pit. The stage was small and shallow, but suited the room well. Definitely a five skull venue.
We departed Manhattan a bit after 10pm, and by the time we arrived, Diecast had just begun their set. While I was somewhat disappointed to not catch Catastrophic, I had already resigned myself to that fate - they are one of those bands that I usually seem to miss, and this time was no different. During Diecast’s set, I discovered one of the bonuses of the shallow stage: the drummer was positioned so that you could actually see what he was doing. As I have often stated, I believe the drummer to be the most metal aspect of this band, and he is not only a powerhouse, but damn fun to watch. The entire band performed well, and the crowd was very into their energetic set from beginning to end.
WitcheryNext up: Witchery. I have to admit I was extremely excited to see this band again. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy Symphony for the Devil, but I considered their performance at the second March Metal Meltdown to be one of the best at that festival, despite the travesty that they were on at the same time as the mighty Testament. Once again, Witchery awed and astounded me with their live performance. Their set was near perfection, replicating the intense, hectic musicianship on their records with incredible skill, and each and every start and stop was impeccable. Bravo!! I could not help but be disappointed when their set came to an end, even though it had been of ample duration.
And yet there was still a band to go! You can’t help but admire a musician who can play demanding back to back sets with two bands on the same night, am I right? Jensen simply changed his shirt, and was onto round two. The Haunted blasted onto the stage, and proceeded to impress and amaze. I had previously witnessed this band live at the third New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, and as my posse had firmly planted themselves at the bar (as usual) at that show, my memory is of watching them from afar. I also caught them at The Wetlands (R.I.P.) So at North Six, I managed convince my crew that they didn’t have to stand next to the bar at the very back of the room, but could come forward toward the stage, and procure their alcohol from that end of the bar. I still can’t believe it actually worked, but it did, I was rewarded with being able to see The Haunted very well this time. Realistically, I think both performances were equally good, but I like this one best because I appreciate actually being able to see the band. I know, I’m nutty that way. From the audience reaction, it was obvious that The Haunted has gained some name recognition from their various MTV activities, and while I object to MTV as a general rule, its good to see a real metal band receive attention, so I suppose I won’t complain at this point.
DiecastAll in all, it was an extremely enjoyable sojourn to Brooklyn. Each band I witnessed did an incredible job, and the venue was respectably crowded though not packed to the rafters, which is exactly how I like it to be. >From my standpoint, it would have been difficult for this evening to be better than it was. I’m happy to be able to say I found another club I like to see bands at, and I’m even happier that I got to see these bands.
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