Since 1991, New York’s Internal Bleeding has continued to set the standard of Death Metal. Coining the term “Slam” in 1992, the Centereach, Long Island natives have waged a crushing war on both the national and international Metal communities over the course of five studio albums, including their most recent from 2014 titled Imperium. Re-launched in 2011 after a seven year break, the latest lineup consists of original drummer Bill Tolley and guitarist Chris Pervelis, along with guitarist Brian Hobbie, bassist Jay Liff, as well as vocalist Keith DeVito. Recharged and receiving positive responses from their aforementioned Unique Leader Records release Imperium, the band is demolishing stages in the process. Before the band sets their sights for a European tour, they join forces with front-line of New Jersey and New York bands to drop the hammer at Bay Shore’s bar and Rock club Even Flow on Saturday March 21st. Headlining the show, Internal Bleeding was flanked by openers Tomorrow’s Victim, Cognitive, and Torturous Inception.
First up and ready to take the stage was Staten Island, NY’s Torturous Inception. Finding their way in 2011 after nine years of lineup changes and three different band names, Torturous Inception are made up of Tyler Lauer (vocals), Devon De Carlo (guitar), Dustin Primeau (guitar), Tom Maroney (bass), and Zach Lieggi (drums). Signing to Torture Music Records, they released their debut album The Parable of Scorched Earth in 2013, and have been going strong ever since. Pulverizing in their opening slot, the band offered a wall of Death Metal that no one could deny. Their set was a perfect way to begin the show and featured a great blend of both Death and Black Metal vocal styles flawlessly performed by Lauer. Through the frustrations of label issues, the band is set to release a new EP July 11th when they hold a release party with Dehumanized, Dysentery, Tomorrow’s Victim, Splattered Entrails, and Necroptic Engorgement.
Next to the stage was Jersey Shore area’s Cognitive. Founded in 2011, this Death Metal force consists of Jorel Hart (vocals), Rob Wharton (guitar), Jake Iannaco (lead guitar), Mike Castro (drums), and Art Sikoa (bass). With Hart tearing up the microphone like a man on a mission, the rest of the band provided a full, thick Technical Death Metal set as they charged through original tunes off self-titled full-length album released via Spanish label Pathologically Explicit Recordings. The band will be heading out on a headlining run across the USA with Placenta Powerfist and Stillborn, so do not miss them.
As direct support for the evening, the audience was treated to Elmont, NY’s own Tomorrow Victim. Together since 2001, this Death Metal band consists of vocalist Beach, bassist Rob, drummer Tommy, along with guitarists Albie and Danny. Releasing their debut album Thousand Gospels of Hate in 2004, this show at Even Flow would mark a celebration for the band’s latest EP, Autophagy. A ruckus from the moment they took the stage, the band brought a powerful brand of American Death Meal that set a tone for the evening. Their set was comprised of a hybrid sub-genre mix of Death Metal that had New York Hardcore sensibilities that can be described as in-your-face brutal. From calling out the pit for being too slow, to getting into the pit while singing, telling people to get involved and stop being wallflowers, nothing was off limits. The set also proves that Autophagy is a must buy for purveyors of New York Death Metal.
Packed with support from fellow Long Islanders, Even Flow was buzzing with metalheads ready to let their aggression out in the pit, all with legends Internal Bleeding. After the proverbial dust settled from the opening acts, Internal Bleeding launched directly into their three-act odyssey “Patterns of Force” off of Imperium. Lighting up the room, it was a fury of arms and slam-dancing. Tracks off of Imperium were the main courses of their set, but old school fans would soon be even more engaged in mosh pit antics as they heard “Falling Down” off of the 1999 release Driven To Conquer. Without skipping a beat, they spearheaded into “Languish in Despair,” hearkening back to their 1995 release Voracious Contempt. Filled with friends old and new, they continued on through their set; ever focusing on their newer material but still throwing in a few old school tracks to quell the diehards. While the room was jam packed, there was just enough room for an aggressive pit adorned with spilled beer. The sound was almost overwhelmingly crushing as every riff could be heard and throbbed through the body. Reaching even further back into their catalog was “Prophet of Blasphemies,” from their 1994 demo Perpetual Degradations, before closing the night out with “Castigo Corpus Meum.”
Internal Bleeding’s output was nothing short of stellar, and even though the pit clamored for more, the night had run its course. The air was damp with sweat and DeVito literally darted to the merchandise table to converse with fans. After the energy-charged set, he still found the time to speak with followers on a personal level. Gearing up for their European tour, this show would serve as a hometown send-off to them as they took one last look at their home.
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