Review by Avinash Mittur, photos by Raymond Ahner
February 20th 2015, Oakland Metro Operahouse, Oakland CA: Nothing in this review will come as a surprise. Absolutely nothing. After releasing yet another superb new record just a month ago, Napalm Death have decided to support it with a nation-wide trek with a bill that simply cannot be fucked with. This particular date at the Oakland Metro Operahouse, sold-out clean by the time the show began, was an exceptional display of the power of this tour, dubbed Through Space And Grind. Though no locals were featured on the bill, the show felt drenched in Bay Area culture. Members of Impaled, Autopsy, Lecherous Gaze, Death Angel and scores of other local acts could be spotted in the crowd, enjoying the festivities alongside fans and friends alike. That communal feeling paired with an energy-packed lineup made for a show was simply unforgettable.
Unfortunately, due to an interview commitment, I was forced to miss Black Crown Initiate’s opening set. As I hadn’t heard their music prior to the show, this was to have been my first exposure to the band. That said, I encourage crowds to arrive early to see Black Crown Initiate, the youngest act on the bill, and give them a fair shot. [Check out photos from their set in the gallery below]. Phobia was the first band I was able to catch, and they offered Oakland the swift and lethal grindcore attack that fans have come to expect from the band. The boundless energy of vocalist Shane Mclachlan was matched by the sheer athletic virtuosity of drummer Bryan Fajardo. Watching the man play was like taking a free master-class in extreme metal drumming, and Phobia’s set was worth it just to see Fajardo beat the living shit out of his kit. The excellent tunes were practically a bonus.
Iron Reagan were next to take the stage and not only did the band slay the crowd, they also slayed a power breaker right as the set began. After recovering from that minor hiccup, Iron Reagan ripped through an extensive thirty-minute set that ably covered their already prolific catalog. This was the first tour to feature a great amount of material from their newest album, ‘The Tyranny of Will,’ and the effect on the set could not have been more apparent. Heavier emphasis was placed on riffs and headbangable grooves rather than the sheer speed that older tracks featured, and the results were excellent. “Miserable Failure” summoned the gnarliest pit of the set, but the most special moment came when Barney Greenway of Napalm Death hopped onstage for a blazing cover of “Glue” by SSD. Marking their eight appearance at the Metro since forming three years back, Iron Reagan once again asserted their status as the support band that audiences love, and the crowd-pleasers that headliners fear.
Iron Reagan Set List:
01. I Won’t Go
02. Eyeball Gore
03. In Greed We Trust
04. Cycles of Violence
05. Tongue Tied
06. The Living Skull
07. Bet On Black
08. Spoiled Identity
09. Zero Gain
10. Miserable Failure
11. Your Kid’s an Asshole
12. Mini Lights
13. Paycheck
14. Glue (SSD cover with Barney Greenway)
15. I Ripped That Testament a New Asshole
16. U Lock the Bike Cop
17. Four More Years
Exhumed have earned a truly special spot in Bay Area history. Gleefully playing their brand of classic death metal sprinkled with just a bit of grind since 1990, the band is now celebrating their twenty-fifth year of existence. One would never guess it when seeing Exhumed play live though. Vocalist and guitarist Matt Harvey still rocks out with youthful vigor, though his soloing has only gotten better with age. He and guitarist Bud Burke made for a formidable duo, and their expertly executed twin solos during “Sickened” was proof of that. The extreme level of touring that Exhumed have gone through in recent years has made them into a well-oiled machine onstage, but that machine experienced a piping hot tune-up on this date.
After a short three-song primer, former bassist and vocalist Ross Sewage joined Exhumed for a set of tracks from their earliest years. A veteran and ardent supporter of Oakland’s thriving metal scene, Sewage looked right at home onstage with Exhumed. His presence seemed to have kicked in extra energy into Harvey, as the two played back to back and banged their necks off while facing each other. Sewage’s famous lows were in prime form, and paired perfectly with Harvey’s bloodsoaked wails. Ross Sewage brought a wild, borderline punk rock energy to Exhumed and it was something that made the band sound refreshed and revitalized compared to their most recent shows.
Exhumed Set List:
01. Waxwork
02. Slaughtercult
03. Sickened
Early years set with Ross Sewage
04.
Necromaniac
05. Casketcrusher
06. Limb from Limb
07. In My Human Slaughterhouse
08. The Naked and the Dead
09. Open the Abscess
The last time Voivod visited Oakland, it was only two years ago as a support act for Neurosis at the Fox Theater. Though this was the same city, the Metro was quite a different environment, a grimy warehouse as opposed to a fancy, multi-floor theater. Frankly, the setting felt right for Voivod and the rabid fans that gathered to see them here. Opening with the cannon-fire d-beat of “Kluskap O’Kom,” Voivod stormed through their one-hour set as if they had something to prove. Snake showed why he’s one of the most idiosyncratic singers in thrash, contorting his face whenever he could and moving about in what could only be described as an unnerving manner. Guitarist Chewy took a more conventional tack, headbanging, jumping about and running around the stage. He and new bassist Rocky really let loose during the band’s self-titled song, when the crowd truly burst into action. Crowd surfers and stage-divers filled the air to the delight of the band, and the floor turned into a sea of chaos- in a good way of course.
Kudos are in order for Voivod for creating a truly excellent set list for the timespan they were allotted. Eternal classics like “Voivod” and “Tribal Convictions” mixed beautifully with deeper cuts like “Chaosmöngers” and blast-beat insanity of “Order of the Blackguards” and the band clearly knew their audience well, picking two of their fastest new tracks to play on this tour. Even the brand new song “We Are Connected” came out astoundingly well live, with Away’s signature d-beat driving the track like a thrash metal steam engine. Voivod ended things on a proggy note however, with their masterful take on “Astronomy Domine” by Pink Floyd. It was an epic end to an epic set, and only left fans hungry for more.
Voivod Set List:
01. Kluskap O’Kom
02. Tribal Convictions
03. Order of the Blackguards
04. Nothingface
05. Corps Étranger
06. Chaosmöngers
07. We Are Connected
08. Voivod
09. Astronomy Domine
After a few hours of physically exhausting thrash, grind and death metal, Napalm Death finally let loose for an hour of their excellent noise. Though one would think that the crowd would have been tired by the time Napalm went on, the kids still raged and gave the band the reception they deserved. The two-step shuffle of “When All Is Said and Done” was the first track to really whip the crowd into a frenzy, but it was “Suffer the Children” where the crowd truly lost it. Singer Barney Greenway offered a few speeches, but the liberal crowd uniformly appreciated them. Messages ranging from promoting sexual freedom, fairer treatment for laborers and anti-fascism struck chords with the working class audience, and perhaps even upped their collective energy (unlike most speeches, which usually tend to derail sets). The new tracks were well received as one would expect from a modern Napalm Death show, and it was “Cesspits” that showed itself off as a modern day haymaker. The outro to this new track ignited the largest and most violent pit of the night, a feat unfathomable for nearly any other band playing fresh material.
Greenway was in top shape despite sporting a cast and sling on his right arm. He still spazzed about onstage like a small child on a sugar high, and his patented roar sounded as lethal as ever. Greenway was also tasked with covering the high screeches, which are normally supplied by guitarist Mitch Harris, who had to take a leave of absence for this tour. Those shrieks were certainly missed, though Greenway’s attempt at pulling double-duty was admirable. Stand-in guitarist Erik Burke was the one who truly impressed when it came to filling Harris’ void. Burke perfectly replicated classic riffs from all over Napalm’s catalog with ease, and his presence seemed to inspire the rest of the band to step up their game; this was the tightest I’ve ever heard Napalm Death play. After capping the set off with a guest appearance from local punk legend Jello Biafra and barreling through their latter-day classic “Diktat,” Napalm left the stage as champions.
Napalm Death Set List:
01. Discordance
02. I Abstain
03. Vision Conquest
04. When All Is Said and Done
05. Smash a Single Digit
06. Suffer the Children
07. Plague Rages
08. How the Years Condemn
09. Stubborn Stains
10. Cesspits
11. Everyday Pox
12. Errors in the Signals
13. Self Betrayal
14. Timeless Flogging
15. Scum
16. From Enslavement to Obliteration
17. M.A.D.
18. The Kill
19. You Suffer
20. Dead
21. Nazi Punks Fuck Off (Dead Kennedys cover with Jello Biafra)
22. Diktat
This show didn’t need the guest appearances or the sold-out crowd for it to be outstanding. The Through Space And Grind tour is a perfect encapsulation of quality metal and grindcore that any true fan of extreme music can appreciate. The little touches made this particular date in Oakland truly special though. One could spot Scotty Heath of Tankcrimes, the friendly neighborhood punk and metal label, carting around cases of water bottles before the show. One could hear cheers for the Metro’s soundman, Sonny Reinhardt of Saviours, as he broke down microphones after Iron Reagan’s set. We all raged as Ross Sewage made his long-awaited return to Exhumed. And Jello Biafra joining Napalm Death to sing “Nazi Punks Fuck Off”? Come on, we saw that one coming a mile away and it was still rad. There’s little doubt that Through Space And Grind is an outstanding tour. There was no question that this was a memorable Friday night in Oakland.
Check out a full gallery of 50 photos by Raymond Ahner using the slideshow below. To access their downloadable versions and/or view them on a non-Flash device, click here: