The end of a touring cycle makes for some wild antics on stage, often much to the delight of fans.With that said, the conclusion of the Mushroomhead, Doyle, and The Family Ruin tour was no exception in the Mile High City of Denver, Colorado on Friday April 17th. It is always a treat when the Mushroomhead clan comes to tear Denver a new one, and this time they came armed with their 2014 release album The Righteous & the Butterfly, making it the perfect chance to see the new tricks the band had up their sleeve. Joined by Doyle, a monstrously heavy/fast-paced Metal/Punk band from the twisted mind of powerhouse guitarist Doyle (formerly of the Misfits), and lastly, but certainly not least, was The Family Ruin with their high-octane energy and bruising riffs. Initially scheduled to include Dope as part of the billing, the band’s departure before the tour began bumped up openers The Family Ruin and Doyle to direct support, thus giving each longer stage time. Defrosting from a major snow storm in mid April, Denver was ready to shake the cabin fever, Vitamin D deficiency, and get their Metal on at the Summit Music Hall in the beautiful downtown area.
Though UK’s The Family Ruin are technically a newer band, having just signed to KBB Records by grabbing the attention of Ben Bruce from Asking Alexandria along with Kyle Borman (Asking Alexandria’s co-manager), and just released their freshman album The Dearly Departed, they are already proving themselves in this industry. Fresh off the Ashes to Ashes tour with Chelsea Grin, the band was ready to go once more. Led by Johnny Mennell on vocals, Craig Robinson on guitar/vocals, James Langley on guitar, Josh Adamson on bass, and Dom White on drums, their energy was intoxicating and, before the band even realized it, had everyone hooked. Remember those end of tour antics mentioned in the intro, well they kicked off with a flurry within just the first two songs. The band was mobbed on stage by various members of Mushroomhead and Doyle with silly string, Batman PJs, groping, and a very disturbing visual of Tommy Church from Mushroomhead in ladies’ panties, there was no shortage of surprises sparking various reactions from the crowd. Amidst all the shenanigans, The Family Ruin put on a solid set of their songs that had everyone’s attention. People should keep their eyes open for a chance to see The Family Ruin live when they return to the West Coast in June as part of The Family Reunion tour with the Kottonmouth Kings and Hed P.E., among others.
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Next up was the highly anticipated appearance of New Jersey’s Doyle. On the scene since a teenager, Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein has long since established his name as one of music’s most brutal and intimidating guitarists. While he originally came out in force from the underground Punk idols The Misfits, Doyle has more than proved his Metal fortitude. In 2013 he released his debut solo record entitled Abominator, demonstrating one of the year’s most inspired works. That same year he excited fans when he reunited with Danzig on stage for a 25th anniversary. Now Doyle and his own band; consisting of vocalist Alex Wolfman Story, drummer Anthony “Tiny” Biuso, and bassist DieTrich Thrall; are making waves of their own, continuing to support the hybrid Metal and Punk Rock songs off Abominator.
The band treated the crowd to a healthy dose of fresh material from the new album, showcasing their aggression in force and own personal direction. However the band did not wait long to unleash a string of perfectly executed Misfits covers including “Skulls” and “Where Eagles Dare” while welcoming Mushroomhead’s Church on stage, this time fully dressed, to play guitar alongside the one and only Doyle. Keeping the excitement high the entire set, Wolfman demonstrated intense energy and amazing control over his vocals through the new and old songs. The overall chemistry within this band was hard to deny, as they made the statement ”we have arrived” with no hesitation. Be sure to catch Doyle and his ghouls as they continue touring for headlining dates through May 3rd when they return home to New York to perform at Saint Vitus in Brooklyn.
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The masked madmen of Mushroomhead closed out the night in a fashion only they could offer. Making a name for themselves coming out of Cleveland, Ohio some two decades ago, Mushroomhead have often been compared to the likes of Slipknot, but this is simply unjust, as the band have their own unique identity and sound vastly different. Marking their eighth overall album with The Righteous & The Butterfly, the band also welcoming back original singer J-Mann in 2013, was like having Christmas in July for old school Mushroomhead fans. While one would think a trio of singers including J-Mann, Jeffrey Nothing, and Waylon would be somewhat overkill, Mushroomhead executed it with surgical precision.
Kicking off their set with their first single off their latest album entitled “Qwerty”, there was no question that their loyal fanbase not only had the record but memorized every beat along with it, as they offered one hell of a brutal chorus to their favorite band. One trait a fan has to love about this band, is that their discography spans almost twenty years and yet they never break from any of the albums, giving everyone a sonic history lesson in all that is Mushroomhead. Performing songs like “Sun Doesn’t Rise,” “Solitaire/Unraveling” along with another newbie “Son of Seven,” the intensity was evenly delivered as fans indulged in the dark nightmarish visions.
Still at the top of their game with a bullet, Mushroomhead was only more brutal and visually horrific this tour, which is sure to get fans begging for the next round. There will be a few more opportunities to see the band through May 16th before they head over to Germany to hit Wacken 2015 July 30th, so do not miss out!
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