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Abyss's Review (6/12/02, The World, Times Square, NYC):

Superjoint Ritual Photos by Ylana

Wow. It seems like forever since I had been to a show that wasn't packed. So I guess that means that either metal is becoming more popular, or that none of us ever have anything better to do than go to every show that comes around. Let's pretend it's the former reason, just so we can feel cool. I was a little surprised that The World wasn't packed this particular night, especially with the star power of Phil Anselmo. But apparently there might be some fatigue when it comes to the formidable frontman, so perhaps there's only so many of his projects that people can support.

Skinlab

The crowd that was there, which was significant, was in a frenzy, however. On a few occasions Phil would curtail his usual sermons to absorb the fans' adulation, and encourage a prolonged "SU-PER-JOINT" chant. Obviously, since this is Superjoint's first album and tour, the material was not in question, there really weren't going to be any surprises. You either like the album or you don't. The biggest question was whether the band had much chemistry on stage, and how prepared they were for the show. In both cases, they met expectations, and I can't believe that real fans of the band would be disappointed. I, however, was lukewarm on the album, but let's face it, give me a couple of beers, some heavy music, and good company and it's pretty much impossible for me not to have a good time. So it looks like I just have to work on finding good company (just kidding y'all). Superjoint Ritual did come across better live than on their album, in my opinion, and while this band is still behind Down, Necrophagia, and Pantera on my Phil list, it's definitely a fun time if you want it to be.

Superjoint Ritual

Of course, Superjoint Ritual weren't the only band on the stage this night, and I got inside just in time to see the beginning of Skinlab's set. Most of you probably know that their new album was a piece of crap by now, but the good thing is that it sounds much less nu-metal when seen in a live setting. I have to be honest, I've always liked Skinlab's older material (although I've always considered it damn close to nu-metal), and one crappy album isn't really enough to make me not a fan anymore. I was a little disappointed that they didn't choose to play the slow groove of "Paleface," which I consider to be a much superior song than their better received "Know Your Enemies," which (of course) they played. The reception this band got must be considered disappointing, as there was an anemic response from the crowd. It didn't seem like anyone there really hated the band, but none of them really seemed to care about them either.

The remainder of my night was marked with me arguing with Hel that she should have realized that the new Skinlab material sucked long before she saw Mr. Esquivel in his new trendy Sugar Ray haircut. Just another good natured argument between us as I think she's way too easy a reviewer, and she thinks I'm way too harsh. But hey it was nice to see her coming around on the new Skinlab... there's hope for her yet. So in conclusion, this was a fun, but unremarkable show.

 

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Death's Review (6/12/02, The World, Times Square, NYC):

Superjoint Ritual

Superjoint Ritual and Skinlab. Two bands whose new releases I had had been mildly looking forward to. Two bands whose new releases I was ultimately mildly disappointed by. Speedealer. One band I had already seen at this same venue a month or two earlier (with Motorhead and Morbid Angel) and whom I did not really care about the first time around. Sounds like the makings of a mediocre night.

Still, this show was going to take place at the World; Times Square, NYC. Smack dab in the middle of Manhattan. And any New York show involving Anselmo is always good for a party, right? So I was psyched to go. Add to this the fact that it seemed like an unusual number of people I knew seemed to be out for this one -many familiar faces came together from a number of different directions for this show, and it ended up making for a very fun evening. The actual attendance numbers were significantly below a sellout (by way of comparison, note that Iced Earth/In Flames sold out this same venue earlier this year), so despite Anselmo's primarily Pantera-based notoriety, this felt like a decidedly "insider" and "underground" show, albeit at a "nice" venue. It made for a fun party back at the bar, which spilled out into a nearby club for more after-hours debauchery. Party-wise, this was a great night out, and this general good feeling colored my perception of the music for sure.

Skinlab

Still, both Skinlab and Superjoint Ritual sounded better live than they do on their recent albums. Although Skinlab frontman Steev Esquivel did indeed cut his hair, the band sounded quite similar to how it has in its past live performances I've caught. Leaving the allegations of nu-metal sellout which have been leveled at the new record aside, the band sounded cool live - tight and heavy, just like they always have. Past personal Skinlab favorites like "Second Skin: New Flesh" and "Know Your Enemies" caught my attention and set my head to full-on bang mode. So the bottom line is that if you've enjoyed Skinlab live in the past, you'll still enjoy them now. The ReVolting Room material sounded much more like old-Skinlab in the live setting than it does on record, adding credibility to the "the problem is in the total nu-metal production" hypothesis. Their big backdrop was cool too, I guess.

Superjoint

Superjoint Ritual was of course up next, and this time Mr. Anselmo kept the rambling and the antics down to a relative minium. Just like Superjoint's riffs, the show was basic and straightforward. The material was definitely more fun overall in the live setting, with "Fuck Your Enemies" standing out in its ability to "pump me up" the most. Superjoint Ritual were nothing spectacular, but were definitely cool and a fun night out. Music alone, it was a relatively average to average-plus metal show overall, I guess. Seems strange to say about a band with so much "hype" behind it, but the whole Superjoint aesthetic almost begs you don't view them as a supergroup, but rather an entity onto its own. So that's how I look at them, without the collective weight of the band members’ prior accomplishments behind it. Verdict? Average on record, slightly better than average live. Definitely go see them if you get the chance, but just expect to bang around a bit and have a good time. Don't take it too seriously.

 

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Hel's Review (6/12/02, The World, Times Square, NYC):

Skinlab

Ah, another trip to ole Times Square. The World is a nice venue when it's not too packed, and reliable sources tell me that the capacity has been decreased since the Motorhead show, which I consider great news. Unfortunately, that was not the reason for the ample elbowroom that night. Not as many people were at this showfor some reason. Off the top of my head, I'd attribute it to sheer ignorance. Despite Phil's presence, few came.

I was stoked to see Skinlab, as I have always been a fan. I've defended the new album repeatedly at this point, but have never had the opportunity to do a side-by-side comparison in this manner. Until this point, "shuffle" was the best I could do. This, the live setting, was the true test.

Skinlab

Of course, the most striking thing when you first see them is Steev's new haircut. I was taken aback by the pictures, but somehow that didn't sufficiently prepare me for the terrible reality. I may have been in a state of denial, hoping it wasn't as bad in person. I'm here to tell you, it's worse that you can imagine. He looks like a big nu-metal dork. I found the sight appalling and entirely depressing.

Even worse, the new material was really falling flat for me live. I has been a few weeks since the last time I listened to reVolting Room and hearing so many of those songs mixed in with too few of my old favorites, I began to like the record less. Hey, this is why it's important to get out and see bands live sometimes, it can be a significant experience. Once the set was over, I was saddened at the extent to which they eschewed their old records in favor of more tracks from the new one. Always a mistake, and one that many bands make.

Superjoint Ritual

Superjoint Ritual would have no such problem, as they only have one album to work from. Despite that fact, they played a lengthy set, including, it seemed, every song off the record, and an impromptu jam with the chanting audience, after which Phil declared that we'd all just written a song together. All right, you got me - since I have a policy of never participating in crowd chants (or doing anything that someone standing on a stage with a microphone tells me to), I had nothing to do with it. But the rest of the audience was integral, I'm sure.

Phil's rants were fewer and shorter than usual, or so it seemed. I actually found myself in a conversation, which rarely happens, as no one can ever seem to hear my voice over a live metal band, and I was actually distracted from the band for a period of time. So while I can't definitively account for that span, I think it was largely taken up by the audience repeatedly chanting "Super-joint" at every opportunity. The rest of the set was energetic. While the pit during Skinlab was fairly laughable, things got much more serious down there once Superjoint took the stage. With ample and frequent encouragement, of course, from Phil.

All in all, it was a fun night. We did swing by the after-party, and yes, the band was there, though I did not attempt to join the circle of adoration. Go figure - antisocial and rebellious - wonder why I like metal…

 

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