By Avinash Mittur
February 11th 2012, The Roxy, Hollywood CA: Once again, Scion A/V has given Southern California the gift of heavy metal, and once again I have returned from their show with an amazingly sore neck. Needless to say, Scion has delivered a fun afternoon of metal to Los Angeles for the umpteenth time, and I couldn’t be happier.
This concert showcased Relapse Records, easily the heaviest and most experimental label Scion A/V have given the spotlight yet. Between the thrash and power metal leanings of Nuclear Blast, and the more modern metal stylings of Prosthetic Records, Relapse Records’ roster of sludge metal, grindcore and post-metal stands out as especially ear-rattling. I came to this show with zero prior knowledge of any of the bands’ music, besides knowing the style in which they played. As such, I gained a unique view of the bands’ performances and the show as a whole.
The concert began with Atlanta, GA’s Royal Thunder, who truly managed to remain an musical enigma throughout their short set. Opening with a track resembling post-metal, the song alternated between slow dirge-like verses and far louder sections with more head-bangable riffing being utilized. After thinking this band would continue with this loud-quiet volume dynamic for the rest of the set, I was surprised to hear their second song begin with an amazingly badass southern hard rock riff that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Mastodon album. This track got many heads moving, and highlighted Mlny Parsonz’s out of this world singing ability. It goes without this saying that this lady could wail. Her singing was full of passion and bluesy grit not unlike a more metal version of Joan Jett. The audience clearly loved this harder-rocking tune, and answered its finish with appropriate applause. The band’s set continued to alternate between post-metal styled tracks and more traditional rockers, which the audience seemed to enjoy. Personally, I would like to see the band decide on one direction and master it instead of attempting both at the same time. With a weapon like Mlny, I can see Royal Thunder succeeding in either style, but perhaps not both. Continue reading “Exhumed Thrills Bloodthirsty Hollywood Crowd”