I feel really sorry for you...
If you've ever heard a nearby foot begin to stomp when Phil Rudd's high-hat clicks out the '1, 2, 3, 4' beginning to AC/DC's "Back In Black," you've experienced a rock-and-roll fan in their natural habitat. That gentleman (or lady (probably not)) feels the same love for AC/DC that your everyday British subject felt for Diana, Princess of Wales. Experiencing one's emotions through such a potent medium as music is quite a severe regiment to live by; and besides the KISS Army, no other fan base is as dedicated to the craft dedicated to them as the loyal Bolt Thrower regular. You wanted the best; you got the best - people came from Holland to see the mighty Bolt Thrower. They were beautiful; they spoke well; and they traveled across an ocean to see the best death metal band in the world. KISS came to entertain; Alice Cooper came to desensitize - Bolt Thrower comes to destroy. Period.
For over twenty-five years, Bolt Thrower have played Zeus to a pantheon of death metal gods. San Francisco's Possessed forged the genre with Seven Churches (1985); Cannibal Corpse chewed it up and spit it out for 1990's Eaten Back to Life; Sepultura's Arise and Death's Human (1991) came from opposite ends of the civilized/colonized world - there was a rift in the force. Under the radar, in 1986, a few blokes got together in Coventry, England and decided to corner the genre, poke it and prod it until it exploded, left foaming at the mouth and baying for blood--its natural state.
Bolt Thrower write songs about war; and that's just what their music sounds like. Constantinople? Bolt Thrower did it. World War I? It took them two albums to cover the Great War; but Bolt Thrower did it. Listen to "Lest We Forget" or "At First Light," and try not to feel the bullets whip past your face. Gatling guns don't fuck around; especially when everyone around you is flailing incredulously to the sound of the guns. Korea, Soviet mercenaries, space warfare - if people kill other people, and do it loudly, Bolt Thrower have written a song about it. And they don't dress up or paint their faces to do it, either. Bolt Thrower put the 'death metal' in death metal band; and I saw them at Reggie's Music Joint Sunday, June 2nd, 2013.
There were t-shirts at the merchandise table for ten American dollars. Son-of-a-bitch mother-fucker - you have got to be kidding me, right? Needless to say, I bought three shirts: two Bolt Thrower; one Benediction. If I were to hear a studio track of Benediction material, I would probably ask my friend John to skip to Burzum of something - something better. But live - fuck. Nothing says "British" like longevity. Benediction have been destroying ears and minds since 1989, and it showed. These cats could ride into Station 4 and bring the house down. They'd also stick around after to help the fire-men and rescue workers - at least they'd buy beer for everyone. Benediction want to fuck shit up and enjoy themselves whilst doing it. Sunday at Reggie's, they almost got away with murder. Darren "Paganini Fingers" Brookes channels the original Lord of Darkness with the sickest lead lines this side of the Mississippi--or, perhaps, the Atlantic. Dudes in their late forties tore the room up better than the sad bitches playing Mill City Nights any given weekend. Except Ghost.
Bolt Thrower don't make albums any longer. They've no need for it. 2005's Those Once Loyal may just be the pinnacle Bolt Thrower document. But they do tour. And they sell out everywhere, every time. Their concert June 2nd was, for all intents and purposes, the last Bolt Thrower show in America. When your friends begin handing off personal possessions like candy, you become concerned for their mental health. When Bolt Thrower sells t-shirts for $10, you understand the Hari Kari is on it way. Say goodbye to the old gods. We shalln't see the likes of them again.
In the smile of Wesley Willis, a bunch of middle-aged folks bumped back and forth (sort of) to the churning riffs of Bolt Thrower. It was stuffy, it was sweaty, and it was...dank, really; but it was good. As John Lennon once said, "All together now!" Quite possibly one of the top five shows I've seen. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than Iggy & the Stooges - and I thought that was pretty fucking impressive. Bolt Thrower were the superlative metal show experience. That is all.
No comments:
Post a Comment