Hard Rock worlds collided when the announcement came down that Burn Halo and Black Tide would be teaming up for a co-headlining tour. Presented by Coldcock American Herbal Flavored Whiskey, the Chasing Shadows tour began back in late November and continues on through December 15th where it wraps up in Houston, Texas. Bringing along SycAmour for the run of shows, the buses made the trip out to Long Island, New York on Thursday, December 2nd. A relatively quiet night, just as the Christmas season built up steam, a dedicated group of Rock fans made it out to Revolution Bar & Music Hall in Amityville village to check out the stellar lineup of bands.
The night begun with local acts by the name of Fight of the Century and Halo to Havoc. Fight of the Century, formed back in 2012, consists of Vocalist AJ, Lead Guitarist Frank Junior Guertin (former lead guitarist of Craving Strange), Rhythm Guitarist Marc Williams, Bassist Joe Giani, and Drummer Joe Iannotti. Bringing an aggressive Hard Rock sound, the band played tracks such as original “Hopeless.” Thereafter, Halo to Havoc kept the venue rocking. No stranger to the stage of Revolution, the band last opened for Avatar back on September 17th. Formed back in 2010, they consist of Vocalist/Lead Guitarist Chris Riegger, Guitarist Chris Peelle, Keyboardist Mike Callari, Bassist Mike Reh, and Drummer Mike Ragone. Playing cuts off their 2014 album, Amongst The Ashes, Halo to Havoc displayed heavy influence of Progressive Metal in their sound. Keep a look out for other dates in around Long Island as these bands build their names.
Next up was Philadelphia, PA band Everlit. Seasoned musicians, Everlit consist of former Willpowerless members Ryan Panfil (vocals), Jordan Panfil (guitar), and Jacob Castro (drums), along with Anthony Michael (guitar) and Kyle Wegman (bass). A new beginning of sorts, Everlit released their debut EP, Renovate, back in early 2015 and have been making some noise in the process. Possessing an inviting, modern Hard Rock style, Everlit immediately energized the room as they played songs like “A Phoenix Will Rise,” “Square One,” and “Break Away.” Behind the standout vocals of Ryan and razor sharp guitar work of Jordan and Michael respectively, Everlit are a band who are headed for big things. Having the experience of their past is no doubt a plus as they move forward, so watch for this fast rising act.
Up first from the tour package was a fairly new band SycAmour from Detroit, Michigan. Releasing their debut full-length album, Indulgence: A Saga Of Lights, via Hopeless Records, the band is dubbed a must see theatrical extravaganza. Featuring two vocalists, screamer Tony Sugent and newcomer Juno Gold for cleans and melody, the band took the stage in an all-black uniform theme with Gold sporting a bright red bowtie. Accompanied by Drummer Victor Yousof, Bassist Charlie McCormick, and Guitarist Zak Diesal, their sound, though difficult to pin exactly, does draw from a number of similar Metalcore acts such as Of Mice and Men while holding its own creatively with electronics and EDM subtleties as they began with the song “Breaks.” Playing for a solid half hour, they showcased songs which really illustrated Gold’s range and the nice interplay between both vocalists, including “Shut the Fuck Up.” The latter provided a nice, cathartic closer, leaving the crowd with a pleasantly bitter taste in their mouths. Clearly making an impact of a growing force to be reckoned with, SycAmour is sure to land spots on future tours, working their way up the ranks.
Moving on to the co-headliners, Burn Halo was the first of the two to hit the Revolution stage. Formed by Eighteen Visions vocalist James Hart back in 2007, Burn Halo made an impact with their 2009 self-titled debut record. Growing with their sound and more of a collective band than ever, 2011’s Up from the Ashes continued to gain attention as Burn Halo solidified themselves. With some frustration and bumps in the road, Burn Halo survived to sign on with eOne Music and, finally, in 2015, released their third studio album, Wolves Of War. Fit with a new lineup consisting of mainstay, Lead Guitarist Joey Roxx (formerly of Die Trying), along with Guitarist Ryan Frost, Bassist Chris Bishop, and Drummer John Duarte, Burn Halo appeared armed for the future. Coming off their The Wolves of War Tour, the band would make a promised return to Revolution Bar & Music Hall after Hart fell ill during the last visit, thus resulting in no Burn Halo performance. Boasting a heavier group of bands to tour with, as well as all members firing on all cylinders, the venue had a much more sizable crowd this time around, and the band seemed eager to redeem themselves.
Ravenous fans were eager to see the band in full force and back to 100% pure aggression. With a simple, yet effective stage setup with a few risers, the band came to the stage lead by Roxx and Frost, followed by newcomers Bishop as well as Duarte for the rhythm section. As Hart made his way to the stage to kick into “Wolves of War,” the crowd became vibrant and started to move. The band demonstrated incredible energy on stage, which honestly should have been bigger to accommodate their intensity. Roxx and Frost have clearly established a rhythm over the past few years on the road and complemented their harmonies effortlessly. Moving into their newer, uncharacteristically vulgar single, “Fuck You,” the band’s recent frustration at both the industry and the toils of labels could be felt through Hart’s vehement chorus.
A few interludes added some nice reprieve between songs as members changed guitars and prepped for a few songs off of Up From the Ashes such as the title track and “I Won’t Back Down.” Hart, as affable and infectious as always, never stood in one place for more than a millisecond, encouraging the crowd to open up the floor and thanking them for their support. Burn Halo clearly has fortified a rabid fanbase, perfectly warranted, throughout the years that was exhibited by the intimate, yet raucous turnout. Giving the audience everything they had through songs like “Walking Dead” and “Enemy Inside,” Duarte even broke his snare head at one point towards the end of their set, calling for a brief break.
Restarting the engine, they kicked it into over-drive with an encore of sorts including the hit single “Tear it Down,” which showcased the amazing chops of Roxx’s frenzied guitar solo. Not to be outdone, the rhythm section had a nice little moment to shine as well, courtesy of a drum solo by Duarte which had the walls of Revolution vibrating with the interplay of double bass and tom smashing. Burn Halo is a band that makes good on the promises, returning only two months later to make up a show that was well-worth the wait.
It has been a long, windy road for Miami, Florida based Black Tide. At one point being known for their extremely young age, which almost prevented them from playing the Jägermeister stage of a late 2000’s Ozzfest lineup, they drew large crowds on Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival in 2008 following their groundbreaking debut released in March of that same year, Light from Above. The album had critics buzzing and drawing comparisons to Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and other Metal heroes. Growing in their sound and expanding to a younger fan base, in 2011 they released the impressive Post Mortem record followed by a stint of Rockstar Energy Uproar Festival that August. Having sustained multiple lineup changes since, Black Tide is now a touring three piece consisting of original Vocalist/Lead Guitarist Gabe Garcia, Guitarist/Bassist Austin Diaz, and newcomer Cody Paige on the skins. Proving a talented band can not be kept down, Black Tide returned with vengeance on their long awaited third record, Chasing Shadows, via Pavement Records releases October 16th. Somewhat forgotten after the long layoff, Black Tide were ready to raise awareness that they are back in the saddle again as the crowd at Revolution Bar & Music Hall gathered close to the stage.
Playing with a more stripped down set, the trio came out to cat calls and general appreciation as they opened with their cover of Metallica’s “Hit the Lights” from their debut, Light from Above. Time has not deterred the band any, Garcia’s shredding is still a force to be reckoned with, at times even channeling the great Kirk Hammett and Dave Mustaine. Moving on, the band played a slew of old favorites off of said debut including “Warriors of Time” and “Shout,” which sounded impeccably spot-on, despite having only three members on stage. The band also included more recent hits from the 2011 flirting with Metalcore album Post Mortem such as “Walking Dead Man” and “That Fire.”
Having everyone banging their heads and rocking out to the music, midway through their set, the rhythm section took a step back to allow Garcia to perform a few acoustic songs for the crowd. Seeming as humble and genuinely friendly as always, the entire band returned to the stage to finish out the night with some newer tunes including latest single “Angel in the Dark.” Bidding farewell to their dedicated fans, Black Tide also made believers of some others who were just coming by for a chance to see some new Rock-n-Roll.
It seems The Chasing Shadows Tour is somewhat under appreciated and should be getting much more press than it has. Between SycAmour, Burn Halo, and Black Tide, each band bring an energy all their own to the stage. In addition, all three bands were on the floor the entire night, both before and after their sets, well into the early morning greeting fans, taking photos, and making friends. It is touring packages such as these that really define what Rock music was meant to be about. While the tour is all but over, hopes are SycAmour, Burn Halo, and Black Tide will be back on Long Island very soon.
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