It’s a cold Sunday evening, and death metal trio Perdition Temple is setting the night’s mood for the stream of fans still entering the building from the snowy scene outdoors. After a short opening set, the lower level is filled with fans of a broad range of ages, ready for some of the hardest hitting metal they can get.
Australian deathcore band Thy Art Is Murder takes the stage next. Almost immediately the crowd breaks into a circle pit, as well as sending several crowd surfers up. The intensity of the band is equally matched with the extreme flashing strobes as the group tears up the stage. Between songs, lead singer CJ McMahon is very vocal about people not looking at their phones to check emails or texts during the performance, a valid point, however one that musicians shouldn’t have to make. It seemed like most of the crowd obliged and honored his request, however with the size of the circle pit in relation to the entire crowd size, it would be rather risky to check an email mid-song. Towards the end of the set, McMahon leapt from the stage to the barricade specifically to call someone a “cunt,” among other choice words. Being Australian, this could have been meant in a positive manner, however the person also might have been on their phone.
The crowd has moshed for the entirety of Thy Art Is Murder’s set, however the fatigue has not set in just yet, and they’re ready for Cannibal Corpse. Red lights bathe the stage as the band enters. Spotlights turn on overhead of the four members positioned at the front of the stage, as they begin their grinding, brutal musical assault on the audience’s ears. I mean this as a compliment, although truthfully, they may also have been one of the loudest bands I’ve ever heard live. The energy from the last band has stayed in the building, and the mosh pits begin again.
The members barely move from their positions, with lead singer George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher providing the most on-stage action through his signature head-banging and hair-spinning. Fisher’s neck muscles were clearly visible, as they seemed to be working overtime to keep his head from flying off of his body. After playing several tracks off of their latest albums, the group headed back into older territory, playing tracks from “Butchered at Birth,” “Bloodthirst,” and “The Bleeding.” About halfway through 18 song set and constant moshing, it was clear that the crowd was beginning to tire out, especially at 10:30pm on a Sunday evening.
Between songs Fisher tossed bottles of water to some audience members, and then told the rest of the crowd he would give them “the most brutal metal gift of all: nothing.” This would be a direct quote from “Metalocalypse,” a cartoon that satirizes death metal, and where the lead singer of fictional band Dethklok is actually based on Corpsegrinder himself. Before the last four songs, the crowd seemed to revitalize, just in time to start a pit for the popular track “I Cum Blood.” At the end of the night, Fisher stated that they would be playing their final song: “Stripped, Raped and Strangled.” Before the crowd could begin to leave, he announced that he had lied, and as expected, they ended the show with the essential “Hammer Smashed Face.” For fanatics of death metal, seeing Cannibal Corpse live is essential, and they never wavered in intensity or heaviness during the entirety of their lengthy performance.
Cannibal Corpse with special guests Thy Art Is Murder and Perdition Temple have some shows remaining on this tour. Check out the tour dates below:
Wed. 11/13- Saint Andrew’s Hall in Detroit, Michigan
Thu. 11/14- London Music Hall in London, Canada
Fri. 11/15- The Opera House in Toronto, Canada
Sat. 11/16- Mtelus in Montreal, Canada
Sun. 11/17- Higher Ground in South Burlington, Vermont
Mon. 11/18- Royale in Boston, Massachusetts
Wed. 11/20- Fete Music Hall in Providence, Rhode Island
Thu. 11/21- Toad’s Place in New Haven, Connecticut
Fri. 11/22- Warsaw in Brooklyn, New York
Sat. 11/23- Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey
Sun. 11/24- Theatre of the Living Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Tue. 11/26- The Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgia
Wed. 11/27- The Orpheum in Tampa, Florida
For tickets and further information on any of the shows listed above, click here.
Fans can find CANNIBAL CORPSE at the following locations:
www.facebook.com/cannibalcorpse
- Photo Credit for Cannibal Corpse, Thy Art Is Murder and Perdition Temple: Ian Storck at 3 Count Photography
