Tonight - SOILWORK; HINDER; BLACKTHORNE

There's three shows of note tonight - the big one is Sweden's Soilwork at Station 4 in St. Paul (I reviewed their The Living Infinite album here, 5/10). Opening up the show is former Nevermore guitarist Jeff Loomis, Blackguard, The Browning, and Wretched. Doors are early at 6:00 pm for this 16+ show, and it's $20 at the door.

Commercial hard rock fans will want to get down to First Avenue in Minneapolis tonight for Hinder (review of the Welcome To The Freakshow album is here, 1/10), The Last Vegas, and Acidic. Things get underway at 7:00 - it's an 18+ show and tickets are $25 at the door.

At the Cause Spirits & Soundbar in Uptown Minneapolis, you can catch local extreme hardcore band Blackthorne and Bisento. There's no cover charge for this 21+ show.

In Concert This Week - March 21, 2013

There’s a huge number of concerts coming town  over the next three weeks, so brace yourself!

On Sunday, March 24, former Anthrax guitarist Dan Spitz brings his new band Red Lamb to Station 4 in St. Paul as part of the band’s inaugural tour which benefits children with autism. Local support will come from Candy Machine Guns, Prophets Of Aether, Monster Of Creation, and Pandemic. This is a 16+ show.

Also playing on Sunday, March 24 at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis is sludge doom band Jucifer together with local sludge monsters Witchden for an 18+ show.

Long running German industrial dance troupe KMFDM returns to First Avenue in Minneapolis on Monday, March 25 for an 18+ show with Legion Within and Czar.

A big night of metal will ensue Wednesday, March 27 when Sweden’s Soilwork returns to Station 4 in St. Paul with former Nevermore guitarist Jeff Loomis, Blackguard, The Browning, and Wretched for a 16+ show.

Commercial hard rock heroes Hinder bring The Last Vegas and Acidic with them to First Avenue in Minneapolis on Wednesday, March 27 for an 18+ show.

Wednesday, March 27 also has locals Blackthorne and Bisento playing Cause Spirits & Soundbar for a free 21+ show.

Twin Cities-based Prosthetic Records recording artist Ambassador Gun will unleash their insanity at The Nether Bar in Mill City Nights in Minneapolis on Thursday, March 28. This is an 18+ show, and support will come from Nerves, Much Worse, and Call Of The Void.

If you’re up north, Hinder and Acidic play a 21+ show in Duluth at Clyde Iron Works on Thursday, March 28.

Album Review - SOILWORK

Soilwork – The Living Infinite

Nuclear Blast, February 2013

5/10

After putting out a string of great death metal albums (my favorite being 2001’s A Predator’s Portrait), Sweden’s Soilwork began to slide into irrelevance with increasing amounts of metalcore to their sound. I stop caring after the atrocious Stabbing The Drama album was released in 2005. Quite honestly, I haven’t much cared to listen to any new material from Soilwork in some years now and The Living Infinite is a reminder of why. This new album has its moments, but it mainly reminds me of what used to be and what could have been. I can’t get past the band’s continual quest for “groove” now, much less the awful clean vocals from Björn Strid. No amount of slick guitar work and partial returns to form can overcome these faults. The Living Infinite has many instances of fleeting brilliance, but then the predictable breakdown comes along and Björn starts bellowing like Burt Bell from Fear Factory. It’s maddening. Then it really kicked in that this is a double album over 80 minutes long. I really can’t take it. Soilwork seems to be trying to please all of their fans (and former fans) here – the results are inconsistent at best. Obviously the band has gained a huge legion of fans since the time I saw them as a support act at the Quest Club back in 2002 or so, and to them I imagine that The Living Infinite will sound like genius. Call me disgruntled, but I can’t be the only one who’s felt left behind as Soilwork has evolved.

Soilwork performs Wednesday, March 27 at Station 4 in St. Paul with support from Jeff Loomis, Blackguard, The Browning, and Wretched.

NEW CONCERT ANNOUNCEMENTS: SOIL, CHILDREN OF BODOM, DIAMOND HEAD, VREID, FIREWIND

The snow here will have melted by tonight, so get out for one of two great shows. Bay Area thrash masters Death Angel land in Station 4 in St. Paul with Daigoro, Deretia, Purified, and Lockgnar for an 18+ show. Across town in Medina, the Medina Entertainment Center will be hosting 80s phenoms Cinderella with support from Scarlet Haze. The Cinderella show is now sold out!

A few new shows at Station 4 in St. Paul were announced this week, including a couple mind-boggling, amazing bills. First up in this new round of shows is hard rockers from Chicago Soil on May 20 with Wrecking Day, Tepetricy, and Whither The Tide.

Children Of Bodom tops the bill with Devin Townsend Project, Septicflesh, and Obscura on July 5. This should be a crazy night, and this one is sure to sell out!

The most unexpected announcement in years comes from NWOBHM legends Diamond Head, who will be playing on August 24 together with Girlschool, Al Atkins (former Judas Priest vocalist), and Hydrogyn. This could be the only opportunity to ever see Diamond Head, so don't miss this!!

A night of black metal will be had on August 31 with Vreid, Kampfar, and Enshrined.

Lastly, Firewind returns to Station 4 on October 19 with a full-throated bill that includes Arsis, White Wizzard, Nightrage, Havok, Cwn Annwn, and Under Eden.

SYMPHONY X Announces Spring 2011 North American Tour With NEVERMORE, SOILWORK, POWERGLOVE, And BLACKGUARD

Long-dormant progressive metal band Symphony X have announced a Spring 2010 North American tour with one of the most impressive bills seen in some time. Joining as support on tour are Nevermore, Soilwork, Powerglove, and Blackguard. The month-long jaunt will hit most areas of the US, including a stop at Station 4 in St. Paul on Monday, May 2. Here is the complete itinerary:

April 21 - Philadelphia, PA, The Trocadero
April 22 - New York, NY, Best Buy Theatre
April 23 - Worcester, MA, The Palladium
April 25 - Montreal, QC, Metropolis
April 26 - Quebec City, QC, Salle Albert Rosseau
April 27 - Toronto, ON, The Opera House
April 29 - Cleveland, OH, Peabody's
April 30 - Detroit, MI, Blondie's
May 1 - Chicago, IL, Bottom Lounge
May 2 - St. Paul, MN, Station 4
May 4 - Denver, CO, Ogden Theater
May 6 - Seattle, WA, Showbox
May 7 - Portland, OR, Hawthorne Theatre
May 8 - San Francisco, CA, The Grand Ballroom
May 10 - Los Angeles, CA, Wiltern Theater
May 11 - Tempe, AZ, Marquee Theatre
May 13 - Dallas, TX, Trees
May 14 - Houston, TX, Scout Bar
May 15 - San Antonio, TX, Backstage Live
May 17 - Orlando, FL, The Club at Firestone
May 18 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Culture Room
May 19 - Atlanta, GA, The Masquerade
May 20 - Raleigh, NC, Volume 11
May 21 - Charlotte, NC, Tremont Music Hall
May 22 - West Springfield, VA, Jaxx
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Soilwork And Death Angel Concert Feedback, From The Vault

Who went to the Soilwork and Death Angel show on Saturday, July 24? Post your comments if you went or caught this tour in a different city! Of course, the show was moved to Robert's in Mounds View due to the closing of The Rock (more on this later). I had family in town and was unable to attend this show, which also featured Augury, Mutiny Within, Swashbuckle, and The Crinn. Evidently Robert's didn't know what to expect with a metal crowd since from what I heard the bar was wiped clean of all their beer at this show!

Death Angel was the band I really wanted to see that night and I was really bummed to have missed them on their first Twin Cities appearance since they reformed. The only time I've seen Death Angel was in 1990 in support of the groundbreaking Act III album. I've posted the ticket stub below, and this show took place at Medusa's in Chicago.

 This was a true thrash feast as Forbidden and Realm opened the show, supporting their Twisted Into Form and Suiciety albums, respectively. I was a big fan of all three bands, and I was eager to hear new Realm material since this show took place a month or so before Suiciety was released. Imagine how mad I was when Realm was forced to start their set as the doors opened. I believe Medusa's was sold out that night, so it took a while to get through the door and I only caught the last couple of songs by Realm. Incidentally, Realm bassist Steve Post used to play in St. Paul's instrumental masters of heaviosity, Zebulon Pike. Forbidden was simply amazing as they blazed through most of Twisted Into Form, closing their set with "Chalice Of Blood". The place went absolutely berserk when Death Angel took the stage with "Seemingly Endless Time". They rolled through a large chunk of Act III including the two acoustic numbers "A Room With A View" and "Veil Of Deception". I'm not a fan of Frolic Through The Park so thankfully little was played from that album, although "Bored" started a massive mosh pit. The Ultra-Violence was given due attention with classics like "Voracious Souls", "Thrashers", and "Mistress Of Pain". This was a legendary show, indeed.

Here's a flyer for a Death Angel show in Baltimore from The Ultra-Violence tour in 1987. I picked this up while on a family vacation, but wasn't able to attend.

Lastly, I'll get to posting some live photos of Swarm, a post-Death Angel band, from San Diego around 2000-2001.