Led by former Sepultura co-found Max Cavalera, Soulfly has been an intricate part of the Metal scene since 1998 when they released their debut, self-titled album. Now configured with a line-up that features Max’s son Zyon on drums, Tony Campos on bass, and Marc Rizzo on guitar, Soulfly are as strong as ever, touring around and crushing everything in their path. Releasing 2013’s Savages, their ninth studio album, the band continues to perform live throughout 2014, completing a summer run on the west coast of North America before hitting the east coast for summer dates this fall. Stopping at Revolution Bar & Music Hall on Saturday, October 11th, Soulfly’s visit drew in a bunch of excited fans ready to let loose and have a Metal good time.
Supported by three local acts by the name of One More Breath, Fear of None, and Westnyle, the scent of Heavy Metal was in the air from the moment the doors opened. All three acts showcased an array of original tunes that interested the audience and had heads banging. Showing support for the local scene, metalheads moshed and applauded the homegrown products, proving there is still hope for Long Island Metal.
Kicking the excitement up a notch was Revolution Bar & Music Hall favorites Black Water Rising. Out of the borough of Brooklyn, NY, the band are regulars at the club and have built a strong following in the process. Fronted by vocalist/guitarist Rob Traynor, this gritty Rock band is rounded out by Dennis Kimak (guitar), Mike Meselsohn (drums), and Oddie Mclaughlin (bass). Rocking out tunes from their two studio albums, Black Water Rising (2008) and Pissed and Driven (2013), Traynor and company put on a high octane performance of stripped down raw rock, dressed with blistering guitar solos and gruff vocals that the audience ate up. Their dedication to staying true to the foundation of heavy Rock-n-Roll resonates strongly and one can hope this band’s reach extends past the tri-state area with the national touring that they rightfully deserve.
With Revolution Bar & Music Hall now officially packed to the gills, anticipation for Soulfly was running rampant from to the pit, to the bar, and to the VIP sections as well. Always welcome on Long Island, the band has played a bundle of venues across village lines and even visited for an in-store autograph signing at Looney Tunes CD’s back in 2005. As soon as Soulfly hit the stage with 2008’s “Blood Fire War Hate,” the crowd went nuts. Keeping the pedal to the meta,l they rampaged through new tracks like “Bloodshed,” along with older favorite “Back to Primitive.” Complimented by the tremendous abilities of Rizzo, “Living Sacrifice” included a blister guitar solo raised the temperature of the room a few degrees higher. As Max mixed rough growls with anthem-like singing, moshing and crowd interaction was non-stop through the entire set.
As the boys marched into the wee hours of the night, tracks like “Tribe,” “Frontlines,” and “Rise of The Fallen” were just a few of adrenaline filled moments highlighting a good portion of Soulfly’s discography. Keeping the mood positive, Max spoke to the crowd as if they were family as the set came to a close with 1998’s “No” and a cover of Napalm Death’s “Life.” Roaring for more, the crowd waited for the band to return to the stage for a killer encore of Soulfly classics “Jumpdafuckup” and “Eye for an Eye.” Soulfly is dripping with talent, and presently could perhaps have their best lineup of their careers’ put together. This performance was just what the doctor ordered and proves Soulfly are still a force to be reckoned with in Metal.
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