It was a very busy Friday April 11th in New York City on one of the warmest nights of the year. For heavy metal fans, the biggest highlight around town was the Decibel Magazine 2014 Tour. When this tour was announced back in November 2013, a lot of buzz followed with the announcement that melodic death metal titans Carcass would headline, having recently released their first studio album in seventeen years titled Surgical Steel. As if this was not enough to get headbangers blood pumping, a good balance of young and old bands grace the bill with Gorguts, The Black Dahlia Murder, and Noisem. The third annual go-around this year was held at the Best Buy Theater in the heart of Time Square where fans packed tight to mosh, celebrate, and exercise uber amounts of energy.
The opening act Noisem, who are self-proclaimed as “from a Baltimore gutter”, just one year ago embarked on their first US tour with the Black Dahlia Murder gaining themselves recognition in the extreme metal scene. Now with their debut album Agony Defined (2013) under their belt these brutal thrashers are ready to take things to the next level.
Taking the stage with an energizing performance, they kept their composure and played a very tight set. Playing such battering tracks like “Consumed”, “Severed”. and “Agony Defined”, were just a few of the impressive moments in the band’s set. Vocalist Tyler Carnes was in constant motion whipping the mic chord around like Indiana Jones and pacing like a prized fighter. At one point Carnes even leaned over the barricades into the pit, growling like a true heathen among the audience. Headbanging was accelerated on and off the stage through this powerful opening. Noisem set the level high for what would be an intense night ending their 9-song performance with the macabre “Voices in the Morgue”.
Next up, French Canadian death metallers Gorguts entered the ring in urgent and fierce fashion. They played an interesting 4 song set of material all off their newest album Colored Sands (2013). Diverting from the fast intense pace of the other bands on the bill, Gorguts slowed things down a bit with long epic songs that focused on a variety of dynamics instead of just speed. The build-up in their song selection packed a punch for the die-hard fans that have embraced Gorguts over the past twenty years. This was more than just a metal beating, it was an experience of complete domination from veteran musicians that know exactly what they are doing on stage.
On the counterattack, The Black Dahlia Murder were ready to flex their death metal muscles on stage next. Beginning their set with “In Hell Is Where She Waits For me”, off their newest album Everblack (2013), was merely the tip of the iceberg. There are two things their fans can always count on when it comes to this band; brutal melodic songwriting and a crushing live performance. Their set flashed like a bolt of lightening, consisting of songs from almost every one of their albums. As usual, without any let down, the tunes were loud, heavy, clarified, and flawless. Playing classic tracks such as “Statutory Ape” and “What a Horrible Night to Have a Cruse” brought exhilaration to fans. That feeling of energy and adrenaline flowed so quickly that before you knew it the set was ending. The Black Dahlia Murder proved they are one of the best when it comes to converting a studio record into a live show, and that is just the reason fans keep coming out back for more.
After three, impressive, and vastly different opening acts it was time for UK melodic death metal kings Carcass to take the stage. Upon their reformation in 2007 the band has become more popular than ever among the old guard and new generation of death metal fans. Led by Jeff Walker (lead vocals,bass) and Bill Steer (lead guitar/vocals), the newer members Daniel Wilding (drums) and Ben Ash (guitar) are fitting in just perfectly in this melodic death dream.
Taking the crowd completely under their control, performing an unprecedented seventeen song set, they played the generous bundle of songs from Surgical Steel and older classics including “Carnal Forge” and “No Love Lost”. Walker ignited a roar of laughter from the audience, being topical and aware that President Obama was in fact in NYC for the evening. Walked stated that the president was in the back of the venue hanging out with Tony Blair. This little bit of comic relief in the midst of all the carnage was an interesting way to keep the vibe loose and fun.
Without a moment dragging in the entire set the audience were stunned by the decibel level and sharp kick in the ass Carcass brought. By mid-set the level of shock transformed into awestruck mayhem with crowd surfing and headbanging at heightened levels. Fans began to realize they were witnessing a historical metal performance, and Carcass fed off the positive feelings beaming through the room. The technical proficiency and stamina displayed by Carcass was nothing short of unbelievable. The entire set was spot on and very tight, nailing every single song with relentless passion and undying ferocity. The evening concluded with a slashing of “Ruptured in Purulence” fading out with “Carneous Cacoffiny”. Carcass continues to prove why they are a leading force in melodic death metal and fans should give praise to have witness then thrashing hard at this level all these years later.
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