Metal Assault: Gig Reviews

By Jason Williams

October 2nd 2014, House Of Blues Sunset Strip, West Hollywood CA: Over the past several years, the folk metal genre has undergone quite a few changes. From using growls, to adding more folk-sounding instruments to the mix, bands are incorporating various ways to enhance their sound. Eluveitie, hailing from Switzerland, are one of the bigger metal bands that show true variey in their style of folk/melodic death metal. Having just released their newest album ‘Origins’ Eluveitie set out on a US tour alongside Tyr from the Faroe Islands and Estonia’s Metsatoll. Sadly the weather in California in very recent time would not reflect the fall/winter mood as this tour would let you think. Nevertheless, this would be my first time seeing any of these bands perform live, and making it a mission to attend more folk metal shows as of late, tonight would hold in store a festival of folk, taking place on Hollywood’s famous House of Blues on Sunset Blvd.  Continue reading “Eluveitie & Tyr Perform In Los Angeles”

Review & photos by Andrew Bansal
[Videos by Arturo Gallegos]

September 28th 2014, The Avalon, Hollywood CA: Following their 2012 Metal Blade Records album release ‘Fire & Damnation’ which was their first in 25 years, German thrash metal band Exumer are now hard at work on their next batch of tunes but before going into full-on writing mode, they made a rare US appearance with a one-off headline gig in Los Angeles last night, only their third show in the United States overall. Taking place at the Avalon in Hollywood, the gig was put together by promoters False Cause and featured a support cast of Sadistic Intent, Merciless Death, Morbid Saint, Sakrifcer and Social Overload. Despite concerns about the ticket price in local circles in the weeks leading up to the event, LA’s entire thrash community appeared to have come out in large numbers to support all these bands as the venue was packed soon after the doors opened at 6 PM, and all was in readiness for an all-thrash affair. Continue reading “Exumer & Sadistic Intent Play One-Off Los Angeles Show”

Review & photos by Andrew Bansal

September 27th 2014, The Whisky-A-Go-Go, West Hollywood CA: Primarily known as Madonna’s touring guitar player and former member of Prong, Metal Blade recording artist Monte Pittman has focussed more on his solo career in recent times, having released his third studio album called ‘The Power Of Three’ last January, produced by Flemming Rasmussen and certainly Pittman’s most metal release till date, signaling his return to heavy music as his next two albums are also written along a similar vein. He headlined the Whisky-A-Go-Go last April, appeared on stage as guest vocalist for Prong earlier this month, and returned to the same venue for a show last night, featuring bassist Max Whipple and drummer Scott Fuller (Abysmal Dawn) in his three-piece setup. This being a one-off event, the show’s lineup did not have any ‘touring’ support acts and comprised merely of Monte Pittman and a stack of local openers, making it a long Saturday evening at the Whisky. Continue reading “Monte Pittman Performs At Whisky-A-Go-Go”

Review & photos by Andrew Bansal

September 27th 2014, The Viper Room, West Hollywood CA: Los Angeles-based rock ‘n roll group Hillbilly Herald were in the enviable position of opening for Slash in all three of his club shows at the Troubadour, Roxy and Whisky in West Hollywood earlier this week, and ending their “0.8 miles in 5 days” tour, they headlined the Viper Room last night. The last and only time I saw Hillbilly Herald was when they rocked the Cat Club with an insane performance during the 2010 edition of the Sunset Strip Music Festival, and for one reason or another, I kept missing all of their shows since then. Last night, I was finally able to rectify that and got a chance to witness what Hillbilly Herald are like in 2014. The Viper Room was packed to near capacity on a typically busy Saturday night, and following a couple of very decent opening acts, specially Blackpool Republic who played just before the headliner and put on a lively show, the audience was in readiness for a healthy dose of Hillbilly Herald. Continue reading “Hillbilly Herald Headlines Viper Room; Joined On Stage By Dennis Rodman”

Review & photos by Andrew Bansal
[Videos by Arturo Gallegos]

September 26th 2014, Complex, Glendale CA: Oakland stoner/thrash band Saviours have been largely inactive in the recent past, but to celebrate their tenth anniversary they’ve come out of hibernation to play a few shows, and this run included a headline gig at Complex in Glendale along with local support from Damnatösque and Bastard. It has been three years, almost exactly to the day, since I last saw Saviours open for Weedeater at the Key Club on October 2nd 2011. Their latest record Death’s Procession had just come out at the time, they were on fire, and it was disappointing to see them disappear, but I was supremely stoked in equal measure to see them after all this time, for this show put together by local promoters Ovrcast Collective and the fine folks at Complex. Continue reading “Saviours Play 10th Anniversary Show In Glendale”

Review & photos by Andrew Bansal

September 26th 2014, Club Nokia, Los Angeles CA: On the back of their successful sixth studio album ‘Hydra’ released earlier this year via Nuclear Blast Records, Dutch symphonic metal group Within Temptation are currently on a short 12-show North American tour of selected ‘major market’ cities with Swedish melodic metal band Amaranthe as sole support, starting off in San Francisco on September 25th and arriving in downtown Los Angeles for a gig at the state-of-the-art Club Nokia last night. Fans of both bands, both local and from out of town, traveling from surrounding cities and states this tour is not visiting this time, lined up early in the evening in anticipation of a great show. As for myself, it turned out to be a ‘metal’ concert experience entirely different from the norm. Continue reading “Within Temptation & Amaranthe Perform At Club Nokia”