Exodus, Crisis, Watch Them Die, 3 Inches of Blood Tour
Average Rating: 5 Skulls
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Exodus, Crisis, Watch Them Die, 3 Inches of Blood Tour
Average Rating: 5 Skulls |
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Death's Review (10/3/05, Whisky a Go Go, Hollywood, CA and 11/3/05, Galaxy Concert Theatre, Santa Ana, CA):
I was psyched to see the new Exodus configuration on their U.S. Headlining tour. I also liked the lineup for the tour in general. So Hel and I buzzed over to Sunset Strip on a weeknight to see the show. We got there while Watch Them Die was on the stage. While this show wasn’t the band’s best night, they are such a great live act that even an off night is still pretty damn good. 3 Inches of Blood was not on this show for some reason, which was fine by me (all the quicker to get to the headline act). I headed over to Frankie & Johnnies’ pizza to drink beer and eat pizza with some buddies between acts, and we lingered so long we missed Crisis.
Photos by Hel
ExodusOh well, tonight was about Exodus. I was thrilled with the new studio album, Shovel Headed Kill Machine, and was psyched to see the all-star lineup of founding guitarist Gary Holt jam with legendary drummer Paul Bostaph, legendary guitarist Lee Altus, returning bassist Jack Gibson, and new singer Rob Dukes. Suffice to say, the show blew me away. A few classic tracks from the Bonded By Blood album found their way into the set, and Dukes handled them wonderfully, doing justice to Paul Baloff’s legacy. The balance of the set consisted of a few tracks from the last record, Tempo of the Damned, such as “War is My Sheppard,” and the “Scar-Spangled Banner.” Once again, Dukes pulled off the singing – ripping out the Sousa tunes as well as he did with Baloff. Of course, all of these songs, which were great in their original studio incarnation, sounded even better with the insane and pummeling Bostaph drum interpretation we were treated to this night.
The balance of the Exodus set consisted of new material. “Altered Boy” was my personal favorite, causing the heads to bob to the trademarked Exodus groove and sounding just as tight and technical in the live setting as it does on the record. The title track also shredded, as did opener, “Raze.” This show was definitely everything I wanted it to me, and it sent me home wanting to spend more time listening to the album and to see the band again in Santa Ana with they came back through later on the tour.
Watch Them DieOne month later, I drove solo down to Santa Ana on a school night, to catch the show again. I got there pretty late, but 3 Inches of Blood was on the stage. I was amazed to see all the denim and backpatch clad teenage kids in the audience banging their heads like it was 1985. I guess retro metal is making a comeback – although these kids probably see it as ironic. Anyway, I watched for a few minutes and then spent the rest of the set back at the t-shirt stand talking with friends and members of Watch Them Die about the tour. By the time Exodus came on, it was really, really late. I’m talking 12:30, and I’m a 45 minutes + drive from home. So I watched six or seven songs (pretty much the same set as before, but just as fun and just as intense) before deciding I just had to leave. Over an hour and a half spent in the car to see a handful of songs performed live. But when those songs are as killer and as cathartic to go crazy to as the setlist is on the current Exodus tour, trust me, it’s worth it.
Now I can’t wait for the next wave of touring this spring. I’m hoping Exodus play the New England Metal & Hardcore festival too. I’d love them to get a great summer tour like Ozzfest second stage, but I know that will never happen. Whatever they do, I’ll be there when they come through my town. I might even drive an hour to see them again. Five shows on this tour would not be too many for me.
Hel's Review (10/3/05, Whisky a Go Go, Hollywood, CA):
Right on the heels of Overkill's triumphant return to L.A., I find myself once again at the Whisky, this time to view a different legend of thrash: Exodus. However, this time the headline attraction was not the one on the bill I was most eager to see. This time, it was Crisis that had my ass showing up early. The last time I saw Crisis, they were saying farewell to New York as they packed their bags for L.A., hoping for a brighter future. A couple of years later, I ended up doing the same thing yet even after being here for three years and the band playing many shows during that time, I still haven't managed to catch them. Tonight, I was determined that was going to change.
CrisisWatch Them Die was onstage when we arrived, and I hurried up through the rather sparse crowd to about the second row in order to try to catch enough of their set to emerge with some photos. If memory serves, this is my third time seeing Watch Them Die live, and the second at the Whisky. In the past, I've witnessed the vocalist bash himself in the head with his microphone so hard he bled, but that did not happen this time. Still, the intensity was present in the performance and it seems that the rather small audience was pretty blown away.
There may have actually been another band at this point in the night, I think, but I couldn't possibly tell you who it was. Or it may have just been a big set change break. But whatever the case, I went up the street for a slice, and returned as quickly as I could so as to not miss Crisis. They were on when I got back, but had just started their set.
ExodusAfter a little maneuvering I got as close to the stage as I could, and proceeded to try and capture the human dynamo that is Karyn Crisis on "film" (since I shoot digitally, it's not really film, now is it?). I was appalled at the poor reception they received from their adopted hometown. The audience basically ignored them for the most part, though a few people were even less kind. I don't think I've ever seen the L.A. audience act this way before, and I was astonished. The band was giving it their all, but few seemed to care. That negative issue aside, the performance really was great, and Karyn and Co. are still able to deliver the goods, though I definitely wish they had focused more on their older material as the set list was almost completely comprised of songs from their latest effort. I like the new album, don't get me wrong, but I really love the old stuff too.
It was a little disconcerting to note that Karyn is the only original member of the band left. I suppose it doesn't really matter that much, since she's the core of Crisis, but that had never really sunk in before... At any rate, I, and a few others, really enjoyed their performance. By and large though, the reception they received this night was frosty, at best.
ExodusThe bottom line of the night really was that the crowd was there to see one band first and foremost: Exodus. And boy, oh boy, did the band deliver. By the time they finally took the stage the Whisky was full, though not as full as it had been for Overkill, just a week or so before. Many of the faces in the crowd were the same, unsurprisingly. Exodus, like Crisis, has only one original member of the band left, and again, it doesn't really matter because Gary Holt has always been the core of Exodus. The musicians he has chosen to carry the Exodus banner alongside him are an impressive assortment of metal virtuosos and the casting of the new lead singer was a stroke of genius. The new vocalist sound PERFECT - it's truly amazing. The new material is fantastic and was received enthusiastically.
After a splendid, lengthy set, the night drew to a close and it was time to head home. But what a time we all had... Exodus delivered the kind of set that really drives home that this is a band in their prime who has a stranglehold grasp on thrash metal in 2005.
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