Cage, Dawn Of Valor, The Angle Obscure Concert Review

Cage, Dawn Of Valor, The Angle Obscure

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis, MN

This was San Diego-based Cage’s second visit to the Twin Cities, and it was a great opportunity for me to catch up with old friends. There were some changes from the original bill, as first Avian and then Avalon dropped off. Regardless, I was pumped to finally see The Angle Obscure attempt their complex, technical, progressive hardcore/metal in a live setting. I’ve already raved about their debut self-released album (the review is here), and this night’s show cemented by opinion that The Angle Obscure is one of the most inventive and exciting new bands. An equipment failure prevented the band from playing with keyboards, but didn’t matter in the least. They played a good chunk of the songs off of their Silence Is Our Canvas album, and the jazzy, free-form parts lent themselves well to some improvisation that kept the songs fresh. Since people were lined up outside the door waiting to get in, most of the good-sized crowd was already here to witness this great band. Their new material is highly anticipated.

 Click picture for more photos of The Angle Obscure (18).

 

Click to watch The Angle Obscure play “Random Deforestation”.

 

Click to watch The Angle Obscure play “Point Of Transition”.

Traditional power metal band Dawn Of Valor was up next, and they really fired up the crowd with their intense style and presence. Vocalist Sean Iredale is a huge, imposing figure on stage, but he lightens up between songs with funny stage banter. The entire band has the intensity of machine gun fire that kept the audience on edge. Dawn Of Valor played all four songs from their self-released EP, as well as some new ones. Musically, they don’t stray far from Iron Maiden-style metal, but it’s hard not to get caught up with the fun that the band seems to have playing together.

 Click picture for more photos of Dawn Of Valor (19).

 

Click to watch Dawn Of Valor play “Devil Within”.

 

Click to watch Dawn Of Valor play “Duel Wield”.

Cage drew two to three times the crowd they did last time they played at Station 4, and they proceeded to level the Triple Rock with the best show I have seen them perform to date. Although this was one of the first shows with their new guitarist and bassist, Cage was tighter than ever. Vocalist Sean Peck isn’t joking when he refers to drummer Norm Leggio (ex-Psychotic Waltz) as “The Legend”. I’ve seen Norm drum many times with his former band Teabag, but never has he played with such intensity. The set relied heavily upon Cage’s most recent album, Science Of Annihilation. After opening with “Planet Crusher”, they ripped their way through “Black River Falls” (inspired by their last trip through the Midwest), “Speed Kills”, “Scarlet Witch”, and “Stranger In Black”. The first two albums were ignored as Cage focused on their recent heavier material from Hell Destroyer and Darker Than Black. We were treated with a couple surprises throughout the night, including the excellent “King Diamond”, the European bonus track to Hell Destroyer, and “War Of The Undead”, a vicious new track played here for the first time ever. Sean Peck pulled off every scream with terrifying precision, and guitarist Dave Garcia let solos fly off his guitar neck all night. The recent personnel changes within Cage would certainly cause doubts to arise about their sound, but the new guys were great on stage and the entire band sounded rejuvenated and ready to take on all comers. Cage has been an underground, DIY phenomenon since day one, but tonight’s show proved once again that they deserve to be ranked among the power metal elite. The band doesn’t tour the US as much as Europe, so get to one of their shows when you have the chance.

 Click picture for more photos of Cage (25).

 

Click to watch Cage play “Planet Crusher”.

 

Click to watch Cage play “War Of The Undead”.

 

Click to watch Cage play “King Diamond”.

 

Click to watch Cage play “Stranger In Black”.

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Cage Tonight!!

I'm back from a bit of a hiatus, so there's lots of updates and reviews to come! I was out of town on two back-to-back trips, one a short vacation and the other for work. Work never stops for me, so it's always very stressful when leaving town and dealing with a mountain of things to do when I return.

If you can make it, be sure to check out San Diego's Cage tonight at The Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis. If you're a Judas Priest and Iron Maiden fan and love power metal, there's no finer American band than Cage. Vocalist Sean Peck is an amazing singer, and the back is always extremely tight. Having lived in San Diego, I've seen Cage many times in the past and they never disappoint. They've only been to St. Paul once before, and they're on a short run through the Midwest en route to a festival headlining appearance in Ohio. Don't miss your chance to catch this incredible band.

In case you're unaware, Cage rose to international acclaim in 1999 when they were selected by fans amongst hundreds of entrants for a slot at the Wacken Open Air Festival. They've toured Europe many times yet they don't have the opportunity to tour America that frequently. One of the most admirable things about Cage is that they've accomplished their success on their own terms, without the backing of a larger label. Vocalist Sean Peck also made national headlines in 1999 when he heckled embattled San Diego Chargers quarterback Ryan Leaf at practice by singing the old Little River Band tune "Lonesome Loser". This led to some verbal back and forth between the two, and seemed to hasten Leaf's demise. Check out one account of the notorious encounter from CBS Sports.

Underground metal fans should also be interested in tonight's show because Cage now features drummer Norm Leggio from legendary power/progressive metal band Psychotic Waltz.

I'll have a full account of tonight's show posted soon, as well as some old Cage pictures circa 1999–2001. Be sure to get there early for locals Dawn Of Valor, The Angle Obscure, and Avalon. The Angle Obscure has an amazing self-released album out that I reviewed here. If you bring your ticket stub from the recent Sonata Arctica or Primal Fear shows, admission is free!

Cage performs tonight at The Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis. Support bands are Dawn Of Valor, The Angle Obscure, and Avalon.

The Angle Obscure Album Review

The Angle Obscure – Silence Is Our Canvas

Self-released, 2009

8/10

The Angle Obscure is without a doubt one of the most original bands from The Cities. They follow the lead of experimental, technical hardcore bands like Between The Buried And Me, but Silence Is Our Canvas has this cool, laid-back stoner rock vibe that permeates the songs. Organ is used throughout many of the six songs, half of which are over eight minutes long. The songs are paced well, and nothing feels rushed as the band jams through solo after solo in the lengthy tracks. The hardcore label is a bit misleading, because the group owes more to bands such as Karma To Burn, Clutch, and Nebula. Songs are mid-tempo based, and “Gravity Pulls” pushes the limits of the speed and heaviness of the album. The mellowest song of the album, “Point Of Transition”, is really where The Angle Obscure shines. A neat little riff leads into a righteous groove, which then transitions into some guitar noodling cast over a haunting bass line. Technicality comes into play with the guitar solos, which are numerous and lengthy. I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to hear young bands embrace the art of soloing. Another favorite is the opening track, “Inner City Blues”, which covers a lot of musical ground over its nine minutes. This is music meant to be listened to loud while you zone out, absorbing the vast complexity of sounds and styles. The harsh, screamed vocals are definitely going to put some people off, but I enjoy their contrast to the structured, ordered sense of the album. The Angle Obscure is already hard at work on a new album, and I can’t wait see how the band further develops their sound. This band should definitely be getting some label attention, and they would be a fantastic addition to a label that embraces eclectic music such as Relapse, Victory, Prosthetic, or Tee Pee. Half of the album is available for streaming on the band’s MySpace page, and I would click over there now and start with “Point Of Transition”. A better option is to just download the entire album from Amazon, where it’s a steal for $6. The Angle Obscure is off to an impressive start with Silence Is Our Canvas, and they are well-deserving of wider exposure.

The Angle Obscure plays at Station 4 in St. Paul on Friday, May 28 with Rivkit, Tears Of Ash, Reaping Asmodia, and Debbie Does Malice.

The Angle Obscure’s next appearance is Wednesday, June 23 at The Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis while supporting Cage with Dawn Of Valor and Avalon.

The Angle Obscure Looking For New Guitarist

Technical hardcore visionaries from Minneapolis The Angle Obscure are currently searching for a new guitarist. The band can contacted directly at theangleobscure@aol.com, and head on over to their Myspace blog for full submission and audition details. This apparently will not stop their current live schedule.

The Angle Obscure's next show is tonight, April 23, at Club Underground in Minneapolis with Myiasis, This Will Not End Well, and Cwn Annwn.

The Angle Obscure Issues New Recording Plans

Minneapolis-based The Angle Obscure updated their Myspace page today to announce that they plan to release a three-song EP later this year, to be followed by their second full-length album in 2011. The new songs are described as "lengthy". Two new songs, "Brown Walls" and "Bermuda", from a recent live show can be previewed on the "View Videos" link on their Myspace page.

The band continues to perform around The Cities and currently has the following dates planned:

April 17 - Loud Live N Local Music Festival at The Rock in Maplewood

April 23 - Club Underground in Minneapolis with Myiasis, This Will Not End Well, and Cwn Annwn

May 1 - The ROCC in Eveleth

May 28 - Station 4 in St. Paul with Rivkit, Tears Of Ash, Reaping Asmodia, and Debbie Does Malice

June 23 - The Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis with Cage, Dawn Of Valor, and Avalon

If you purchase a ticket directly from The Angle Obscure for the Loud Live N Local Music Festival, you will receive a free CD copy of their debut album, Silence Is Our Canvas!

SwordLord Announcements And Promotions

Some changes to SwordLord-promoted shows have recently been made, along with some ticket promotions.
First, the complete support bill for Primal Fear on Sunday, May 30 at Station 4 in St. Paul has been finalized in light of Luna Mortis's cancellation due to breaking up. Support acts are now Avian, Havok, and Dawn Of Valor.
Next, Avian has announced that they have been forced to drop off the bill with Cage on Wednesday, June 23 at The Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis. Thanks to individual that posted a comment below that brought this to my attention! Replacing Avian is Dawn Of Valor, The Angle Obscure, and Avalon. Bring your ticket stub from the April 12 Sonata Arctica or May 30 Primal Fear show and admission is free! Otherwise, tickets for Cage are $8 in advance or at the door.
Lastly, head on over to SwordLord's Twitter page to get discounts on upcoming shows. Print out the appropriate tweet to get $5 off admission to Overkill/Vader/God Dethroned/Warbringer/Evile/Woe Of Tyrants on Sunday, April 11 at Station 4 in St. Paul, $3 off Sonata Arctica/Mutiny Within/Powerglove on Monday, April 12 at Station 4 in St. Paul, and $3 off Finntroll/Moonsorrow/Swallow The Sun/Survivors Zero on Saturday, April 17 at Station 4 in St. Paul.