Abyss's Review (11/20/00 Wetlands Preserve, New York, NY):
Well, I guess it’s official. The Wetlands is NYC’s metal club of choice. My crunchy friends continue to look at me with wonder in their eyes when they ask where I’m going, and I tell them the Wetlands. I can’t help but smirk at the fact that they seem violated, knowing those psychedelic walls that surround their precious jam bands are stained with the abomination that is underground metal. It just makes me feel that, like it or not, metal continues to expand and invade, or perhaps I should say infect, all that surrounds it.
Impaled
Photos by Cynthia PelznerAs always I missed the first couple of bands because every metal show now a days feels the need to have 16 bands on each bill. But I did arrive just in time to see the beginning of Skinless’ set. I was actually quite curious because I’d noticed the buzz on this band continuing to escalate, but every time they played a festival, they were on against a band I really wanted to see. So this is the first Skinless experience I’d ever had. The bottom line is that the buzz was well deserved. These guys have a nice little groovy death thing going on that is fun to listen to as well as watch. The band seemed to benefit from a small, but loyal, fan base that kept the energy level high despite the early slot time. The singer also did his best to get the crowd involved. It’s impossible to say that he wasn’t playing to the crowd considering he entered the crowd on many occasions. And I don’t mean that he surfed the crowd during a solo, or something like that. I mean he literally walked off the stage a walked through the crowd while singing. Unfortunately, he’s kinda short so it was easy to lose him once he left the stage. This band is one to look out for even though there’s nothing here we haven’t seen before.
O.K. I have to admit that I really like Impaled, but unfortunately I really like to make fun of them as well. I don’t think they’d really mind because, after looking at their last album cover, I don’t think they take themselves all that seriously (which is the way it should be). And after having to wait a long time in between set changes (due to technical difficulties) I found my buzz fading and annoyance level rising. I also found myself wanting to make fun of the bassist. Clad in vinyl pants, a billowing shirt and black nail polish, he looked more like a member of Witchery than a gore metal band. Also I think it is my duty to make fun of vinyl pants, because if I don’t do it, that mean someone else will have to do it for me. But as soon as the technicalities were solved and the band began their grinding death, I found myself less interested in making fun of the band than I did just wanting to thrash around and enjoy myself. These guys had a whipsaw-like delivery that seemed to bring the whole crowd in towards the stage. The bassist must be credited with a lot of this, as he is quite a showman (you kinda have to be if you wear vinyl pants). Of course, the most evident example of this was his fire-breathing display. I thought that it was impressive at a Kiss show in an arena, but it’s a million times more effective in a small club setting. I was also impressed by the nonchalance in which the bassist put out his hair (which had caught on fire) with one decisive head bang. Some might think such theatrics take away from the music, but I wholeheartedly disagree.
Incantation was next to take the stage. And with their blasphemous metal reputation they were a crowd favorite. As I’ve noted before, I respect this band a great deal even though I don’t consider myself a fan. I do listen to their albums and enjoy their music, but I just don’t get excited over them. That was pretty much the case tonight as well. I really enjoyed their set, and they played very tight and seemed to have the crowd in the palm of their hands, but sandwiched between Nile and Impaled they seemed unexciting. My opinion was definitely in the minority tonight though, and in all honesty drinking and watching Incantation play is a hell of a lot better than just plain drinking, so I thank them for being there and showing me a quality set.
"I was impressed by the nonchalance in which the bassist put out his hair (which had caught on fire) with one decisive head bang." Nile were the headliners, and deservedly so considering the quality of their last two albums. The last time I had seen Nile was at the inaugural March Metal Meltdown. I remember that they had been awesome, but their computer wasn’t working, so their samples were omitted from their set. It seems technical difficulties continued tonight, although not nearly as bad. But with this band it doesn’t really matter. They are just too damn talented to screw up. The only thing more mind-blowing than their technically complex studio albums is their ability to pull all of that stuff off live. There three prong vocal attack adds to the live presentation, always giving the audience member something else to focus on, and the ability of this band to play complex musical passages flawlessly just proves that this is an exquisite band.
This is a very underrated tour, and I was slightly disappointed by the fact that the venue wasn’t packed. This is the type of tour metal heads should be supporting. Direct, quality, and uncompromising.
Death's Review (11/20/00 Wetlands Preserve, New York, NY):
The death metal capital of the United States in November 2000 had to be the Wetlands. With all due respect to the folks in SoCal, at least for the nine days between November 11 and November 20 it surely was. Deathstock 2000 kicked things off on the 11th with Lamb of God, Vital Remains and Cryptopsy, among others. On November 19, Death Across America 2 came to town, featuring Dying Fetus and Cephalic Carnage among others (although headliner Vader unfortunately had to cancel). Finally, the November death metal trilogy wound up the very next night, November 20, with a Monday night bill featuring Nile, Incantation, Impaled and Skinless. Killer. Here’s my review of that third installment:
NileI think other bands, including the heralded Cattle Press, played earlier, but I got there just in time to see Skinless take the stage. They ruled. Total mosh-driven gutteral American death, packaged together nicely with a killer performance. Hails to these death metal warriors with connections to Albany, NY, where I lived growing up (actually, Latham, but that means nothing to most of you, I’m sure). I had a chance to chat up the drummer later in the night and it was amazing how many of the same people we knew in the late eighties from playing in bands and just being metal-minded musicians in the area. Anyway, the band is a lot of fun. I fully endorse Skinless, and am now eagerly anticipating their debut Relapse Records release in 2001.
Next was Impaled. We reviewed this record a while back, and I remember enjoying the riffs but being turned off a bit by the bowel-movement-and-gore obsessed imagery and humor. But seeing them live here, I “got” Impaled and will never doubt them again. In fact, entertainment value-wise they were surely the best performance of the night. And that’s saying a lot with Nile on the bill. But bassist Ross Sewage really puts on one hell of a show, complete with an axe-shaped bass which shoots fire from the headstock. Top that! Seriously, Impaled were very, very good. Check them out when you can.
After the theatrics of Impaled, I was a bit bored by the straight-ahead approach of Incantation, who came on next. Still, Incantation deliver solid, straight-forward death metal with a traditional approach and attack. The crowd loved them, and each of the members carried a more commanding stage presence than anyone else on the bill. Incantation looked liked they belonged up there, and that carried over into their music. Nothing from their performance really sucked me in, but that might have been the Monday night blues more than anything having to do with the band themselves. Plus, I wasn’t quite drunk yet. Anyway, I wandered around the club and chatted with folks quite a bit during their set so perhaps I missed something.
I was still hanging at the bar creating tomorrow’s hangover when Nile took the stage. I was listening, but partying as much as paying attention at first, I have to admit. Funny, ‘cause I was psyched for Nile, but sometimes the booze can be quite the little distraction, I guess. Anyway, eventually I was summoned by Hel via Abyss, who basically came back to the bar to admonish Musashi and I to stop talking with the Skinless dudes and instead get our asses up to the stage front and center and witness the majesty of Nile. Dutiful Metal Judgment writer that I am, I obeyed.
SkinlessI had seen Nile twice before: first at Coney Island High in either late 1998 or early 1999 (memory is vague); the second time was at Milwaukee Metalfest 1999. And yes folks, there is something that bothers me about Nile live: a significant portion of the “ambient Egyptian material” is on computer, rather than being performed by musicians live. Yes folks, Nile plays to a pre-recorded track. No biggie, and I’m sure not much of a surprise at all if you really stop and think about it, but it detracts from the impact of the performance, in my opinion. Not sure if there’s really any other way for them to recreate their music live, but I’m picky and it bothers me. So there.
Anyway, they were killer. The new shit really was the highlight, most notably the ending to “Black Seeds of Vengenace” which was even more powerful in the live setting. A great performance from one of the true death metal elite. Nile deserves the hype they’ve been getting (no kidding, they are in Spin magazine this month, albeit a short mention), and this was backed up by a solid Wetlands performance.
So now, with November coming to a close, the shows have moved on to other locales. Nevermore/In Flames was at CBGB’s, and S.O.D. will also play there soon. Will the Wetlands continue to host killer underground metal in 2001? We can only hope so. For now though, we’re left with the memories. November to Dismember in Los Angeles may have had its problems, but in New York, it was a death metal November to remember.
Hel's Review (11/20/00 Wetlands Preserve, New York, NY):
Back to the Wetlands once more. Despite my complaints about this place, I must say that I'm glad they've been having shows here lately. Since so many of the best venues in Manhattan have closed, there is a level on which I'm just happy that shows still come to the isle at all, so I don't have to travel to the outer boroughs or, gasp, New Jersey. And for that, in honor of the dead turkey that graced my table between when I went to this show and when I'm writing this, I am thankful.
IncantationAs usual, there were multiple opening acts which I missed out on due to my arrival time. Skinless was already up onstage when I walked through the door, and that turned out to be a very nice way to kick off the evening. This is a band that I've seen bits of at various festivals, and I have always held a favorable view of them as a result of those brief exposures. So, relaxing and giving them my full attention, I proceeded to upgrade my opinion from "favorable" to "impressed". A very high-energy, well-played set.
The next order of business was Impaled. I really like The Dead Shall Dead Remain, and I had fun watching them at this year's Milwaukee Metalfest. Now I'm psyched to get to see them at a real venue. Before they even began to play, you knew Impaled was going to be fun to watch. A skull on every microphone stand, and saw blades on the drum set. Now that's metal. Then the band came out onstage. The bass player's guitar head was modified with axe "blades" (Get it? Axe?? HA!) but the coolest part was later when he lit it on fire, then used the flaming bass to breathe fire a couple times, and managed to accidentally set his hair on fire in the process! Now that's metal. When his hair caught on fire, he merely shook it out, and didn't miss a note. Despite initial and ongoing sound problems, they gave 100% and delivered an entertaining, intense set.
Incantation were the next to storm the stage. They were very impressive, with lots of power and energy to their performance. I spent much of the set pondering why, with the quality of the performance I was currently watching, combined with the knowledge that I had enjoyed each time I had seen them previously, and considering I had really liked their new album, why was I not more enthusiastic about seeing them while I was anticipating the show? All the evidence at my fingertips indicated this should be a band to be constantly psyched about. So why do they lack staying power in my brain? I don't have an answer. But if you are feeling a similar lassitude, shake it off and pay attention. Incantation is cool.
Finally, the star attraction, Nile. I was reminded of the last time I had seen them in the city, about two years ago, at dear-departed Coney Island High. Thinking back, I realize how far this band has come, and they truly deserve it, in my opinion. I dig their ancient Egyptian twist on death metal, and they deliver it well live. The only thing lacking from prior performances I've seen were the fans on the floor, blowing their hair up around their heads. But that's certainly a non-essential detail, now isn't it? The important part, they put on a powerful, enthralling set.
"Thinking back, I realize how far Nile has come, and they truly deserve it, in my opinion." I think I'm finally getting used to the quirks of the Wetlands, since I had fewer complaints about the sound, but I stood closer to the stage in general and that may have been the reason. A couple people were there who had clearly just showed up to the Wetlands the wrong night, under the impression that it was supposed to be a hippie club all the time, and it certainly was not this night. That provided me with a bit of humor between sets, but as is always the case when I'm psyched about the bill, the bands were unquestionably the best part. A death metal show through and through, and nothing to complain about. Sounds like a 5 skull show to me.
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