PAIN OF SALVATION Ends North American Tour Early, Tonight's St. Paul Concert Canceled

This crushing news was posted within the last hour on the Facebook page of SwordLord Productions, promoter for tonight's concert at Station 4 in St. Paul with Pain Of Salvation, Kingcrow, Imminent Sonic Destruction, Violent Fade, and Redshift. If you saw my review of the new album from Kingcrow, In Crescendo (10/10), you'll understand how deeply disappointing this news is. The SwordLord (Nathan Block) writes on his Facebook page:

"I found out early this morning that Daniel Gildenlöw, lead singer for Pain of Salvation, has developed pneumonia and will be flying home to recover. Obviously the band could no longer perform under such circumstances.

I then tried to negotiate a free show with KINGCROW, IMMINENT SONIC DESTRUCTION and my outstanding local acts in order to salvage the evening. Unfortunately, due to a breakdown in communication, the other bands on the tour package had already started heading home and were now not in a position to make the show on time.

This is the first time in my entire 10 year career of producing Minnesota concerts that I have completely lost a show. I am extremely sorry for the gross inconvenience. Unfortunately these circumstances were far beyond my control.

Advance ticket holders, please return your tickets to your place of purchase for a full refund."

This is the second show cancelled on this brief tour (Quebec City was the other) that only had about eight shows scheduled. In the case of Kingcrow it's curious that they would be "now not in a position to make the show on time." St. Paul was the last stop on the tour, and one would think their returning flight to Italy wouldn't be until at least tomorrow and would depart from Minneapolis. You'd think they would be spending tonight in the Twin Cities regardless of the status of the show, but I'm sure it must be more complicated than this. In any event, we can only hope that Pain Of Salvation and Kingcrow can make it back to the Twin Cities later this year.

Album Review - KINGCROW

Kingcrow – In Crescendo

Sensory, 2013

10/10

Kingcrow is a new band to me, so I’m overwhelmed with awe that In Crescendo from this low-profile Italian band is the best progressive rock album since Porcupine Tree stunned the rock world with In Absentia and Deadwing. In Crescendo will go down as a landmark album on par with other modern classics such as the aforementioned Porcupine Tree albums, Karnivool’s Sound Awake, Devin Townsend’s Ocean Machine (originally released as Biomech by Ocean Machine) and Opeth’s Blackwater Park. I wish I could claim that I had discovered Kingcrow earlier (this is their fifth album), so unfortunately I can’t place In Crescendo in the context of their earlier work.

Photo courtesy Kingcrow (www.kingcrow.it)

There’s everything you’d expect from a masterpiece – beautiful, thoughtful songs, impeccable musicianship, and innovative songcraft. During my first few listens I just couldn’t believe how good this album is. The rhythm section is tight, and picks up with driving force where appropriate, while the guitarwork typically shifts between solid, thick riffs and haunting acoustic melodies oftentimes layered together with electric guitar. Keyboards are ever-present throughout the album, from pulsing electronic rhythms to piano to difficult-to-characterize sounds. Then there’s the voice of Diego Marchesi – dynamic, soaring, majestic. Everything feels like it’s in its proper place. There’s not a whiff of pretention despite the depth of each song. Porcupine Tree is an obvious point of reference (the rhythm of “The Drowning Line” borrows some notes from “Arriving Somewhere But Not Here”), but more so in a stylistic sense. “The Hatch” has an eerie vibe similar to Queensrÿche’s version of “Gonna Get Close To You” before massive guitar chords blow the song wide open. Other high points are the slow-building melodies of “Morning Rain” and the measured grace of “The Glass Fortress”. The entire album is so compelling, so rich and captivating, that there’s no question in my mind that In Crescendo will stand as a monumental classic. So rare are the moments when a perfect, life-affirming album appears as if a gift from the heavens that one must simply bask in the glow and let the music infuse your soul. This is one such moment.

Kingcrow performs tonight, Saturday, May 11 at Station 4 in St. Paul as direct support to Pain Of Salvation with Imminent Sonic Destruction, Violent Fade, and Redshift.

Tonight - PAIN OF SALVATION, CHERIE CURRIE in St. Paul, ESCAPE THE FATE in Minneapolis, DORYDRIVE, BLUE FELIX in the Suburbs

I can't ever recall a night with five shows scattered across the metro, so here we go. My pick of the bunch is Swedish progressive metal outfit Pain Of Salvation with Kingcrow, Imminent Sonic Destruction, Violent Fade, and Redshift. I'll shortly have a review of the new Kingcrow album posted that I hope will convince you to attend. This is a 16+ early show that starts at 6:00, and tickets are $18 at the door.

Another rare performance happens tonight in St. Paul at the Girls Got Rhythm Festival at the Amsterdam Bar - former vocalist of The Runaways, Cherie Currie, headlines the night with Sugar Stems, Marilu And The Machetes, and Is/Is. It all starts at 8:00; it's a 21+ show that will cost you $20 at the door. The Minneapolis StarTribune recently ran a short interview with Cherie Currie.

Over in Minneapolis you can catch Escape The Fate with Glamour Of The Kill and My My Missfire - The Color Morale is no longer a part of this show. This is an all ages show that gets underway at 8:00, and tickets are $20 at the door.

DoryDrive returns to the area for a free show at the Hi 5 Bar in Burnsville; no further information is available.

Finally, Neisen's in Savage has a big local metal package of Blue Felix, Throw The Fight, Gabriel And The Apocalypse, Terror Overising, and A Sound Theory. This show is also free - it's 18+ and starts at 7:00.

In Concert This Week - May 10, 2013

Brace yourself for a ton of great shows coming up this week!

Starting with a couple show outside the metro area, tomorrow, Friday, May 10 has local industrial metal bands Gabriel And The Apocalypse and Thira at Buster's in Mankato for a 21+ show at 9:45 for only $5. Down in Rochester, DoryDrive plays a free 21+ show at the Wicked Moose with Venus On Fire and Angry Room; doors are at 8:00.

Friday also kicks off the Girls Got Rhythm Festival at the Amsterdam Bar in St. Paul with cult punk band The Avengers, Gateway District, The Pinsch, and Total Trash. The second night on Saturday, May 11 features former singer of The Runaways Cherie Currie, Sugar Stems, Marilu And The The Machetes, and Is/Is. These are 21+ shows, and tickets are $20 each night at the door or $35 for a two-day pass. You can read an interview with Cherie Currie and Girls Got Rhythm organizers Dana Raidt and Travis Ramin over at City Pages.

There's four other shows of interest on Saturday, May 11. Fans of progressive metal should turn out for the first U.S. tours of Sweden's Pain Of Salvation, Italy's Kingcrow, Detroit's Imminent Sonic Destruction, Omaha's Violent Fade, and locals Redshift. Over at Mill City Nights in Minneapolis you can catch hard rock band Escape The Fate with support from England’s Glamour Of The Kill. Note that metalcore band The Color Morale is no longer on the Escape The Fate bill. The Hi 5 Bar in Burnsville has alternative rock band DoryDrive. Lastly, it’s a big night of local metal at Neisen’s in Savage with Blue Felix, Throw The Fight, Gabriel And The Apocalypse, and A Sound Theory.

Speaking of Escape The Fate, their former frontman’s new band Falling In Reverse also plays Mill City Nights in Minneapolis on Sunday, May 12 with support from American Fangs. You can save some money by purchasing the “Escape The Fate 2 Show Pack” that gets you into both the Escape The Fate and Falling In Reverse shows for only $25. Just across the street at Epic the same night metalcore band Asking Alexandria tops a large bill with Motionless In White, Whitechapel, Chimaira, and I Killed The Prom Queen.

On Monday, May 13 rock radio darlings Sick Puppies perform at Mill City Nights in Minneapolis with local support from Pinwheel.

Limp Bizkit performing at Kemper Arena in Kansas City on October 22, 1998 on the Family Values Tour. Click on the picture to see more photos from this show (7).

Limp Bizkit returns to town after a long absence for a show at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis. This show sold out quick, and additional tickets were released earlier this week – you can still purchase them through ticketfly here.

The busy week ends on Wednesday, May 15 with metalcore stars Bullet For My Valentine teaming up with Halestorm, Young Guns, and Stars In Stereo at Myth in St. Paul. The Stars In Stereo Album Preview EP was reviewed here (6/10). Also on Wednesday alternative rock band Taproot plays the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis with support from Boy Hits Car, XFactor1, and Willpowerless. Up north, Wednesday finds Sevendust plays Duluth at Clyde Iron Works with Pop Evil and Canadians Monster Truck.

RELATED SEVENDUST POSTS: I reviewed the awesome new Sevendust album Black Out The Sun here. You can download the audio from an early headlining show on July 19, 1997 in Lawrence, Kansas here, and my From The Vault feature has a ton of live photos and promotional materials from 1997–2000.

Sevendust performing June 18, 2000 at Cox Arena in San Diego. Click on the picture to see more photos from this show (18).