Cult of Luna w/ Julie Christmas, Whores. and Dälek at the Palladium

I'm still in shock from this show. Absolutely incredible all the way through, and made me completely forget that I was even at one of my least favorite venues in Massachusetts. The sound was incredible and I knew it would be worth missing Cro-Mags and Eyehategod. A very odd and mixed bill that is very unusual to be at the Palladium which is mostly known for booking larger more commercial acts, but nonetheless it was still mindblowing.

Dälek
Genre: Experimental/industrial/hip-hop FFO: Cannibal Ox, Death Grips, Marilyn Manson
As soon as I saw Dälek on the flier, I knew I didn't want to miss it. Dälek are a very unusual hip-hop collective that I like to describe as "rap for metal kids". Its difficult to explain. I've seen very few hip hop sets in my time but Dälek was definitel the best one. The lighting was dimmed down and blood red as the 3 piece performed. The crowd was very into it. parts of the songs where there wouldn't be vocals you would hear MC Dälek let out a loud un-amplified scream. For a hip hop set, it made me feel like i was in a foggy forest at midnight seeing silhouettes running around in my peripherals. Dälek prepared the crowd for the rest of the show with their eerie take on hip hop and ended with the MC saying "Mad respect for Whores. mad respect to Cult of Luna, both incredible bands, hope y'all got ear plugs". A very hip hop statement but also foreshadowing two loud and amazing sets to come, and damn were they right. They also announced a new album being released in September on Epitaph records.

Whores.
Genre: Noise rock/hardcore/sludge metal FFO: Unsane, Black Tusk, Torche
I'll be honest, I listened to Whores. once before this set and thought they were alright but wasn't impressed. This set made me regret ever thinking that. Whores. began with vocalist/guitarist Christain Lembach making the statement of why he was sitting, by the way he was sitting. He stated that he was injured and had a cast on his leg, and he had two options: let down Cult of Luna and  Dälek or sit, and he chose to sit, and we were all glad he did. Whores. played a very spontaneous set with every member of the band, including Christian, was full of energy, with rambunctiously movements on stage. Just from the first song I thought "this is way better than what I was expecting". The band would constantly play Unsane inspired riffs that were all over the place but still in time with the drumming with odd time changes that make you pay attention but still keep a good rock 'n' roll vibe. Just when you think the song ends when the notes drone out, the drumming changes and the song continues. The last song ended with the members chaoticly playing their instruments, and then Christian got up on with his injured leg and joined his fellow band mates, very reminiscent of The Dillinger Escape Plan. The set ended with Christian saying "You don't want to miss Cult of Luna I've gotten to see them a few times now and its incredible" then got on his crutches and walked off stage.

Cult of Luna (w/ Julie Christmas)
Genre: Atmospheric Post Metal FFO: ISIS (the band), The Ocean, Rosetta
Incredible. Amazing. So amazing. Absolutely insane. I was hearing these comments all night whether it was during or after the show. Mariner was one of my favorite releases last year and I was more than excited to hear it live. The lights completely shut off and the beginning echo of Greater Call blasted over the speakers. The band walked out and then Julie followed and appeared to be dressed as some kind of space warrior with black makeup over the top half of her face and a sci fi looking dress and Christmas lights around the mic. The room was full of smoke. The music began and the lighting came on and was projected behind the band. All you saw was silhouettes. The lighting constantly changed with the music, and the sound was clear as day, I'm willing to say the sound was just as incredible as when I saw Neurosis. The atmosphere they created really made you feel like you were on the S.S. Needle and crash landed on an uncharted planet in a whole different dimension. Julie would dance with the music and come up close to the crowd and scream in their faces. When Approaching Transition began, Julie went off stage and I believe it was the bassist (definitely the youngest member) began seeing his part. For the last song Julie let out her final scream and a white light began flashing with the drums and got faster and faster to the point where it basically was a strobe light, the band walked off stage, the lights came back on, and everyone was home on earth and completely blown away by the performance. Definitely one of the best shows I've ever gone to in my life and if you know me you know I've been to a ton.

Neurosis, Converge, and Amenra at the Royale

The day I've waited years for. Three of the most incredible bands played the same stage in one night and it was one of the most phenomenal shows I've ever attended.

Amenra
Genre: Post-Metal/Sludge Metal FFO: ISIS (the band), Celeste, Zao

Personally, I never thought I would ever get the chance to see this band for as long as I lived. Amenra definitely opened the show right showering a dark atmosphere of despair. The lights were off and a projection screen was behind them playing black and white scenes of a gloomy forest and the whole time, because of the lighting, all you would see is the silhouettes of the band playing there instruments. As heavy as Amenra is, the distortion from the guitars, as loud as they were, sounded clear as day, as did the bass, and the vocals were a faint echo of a raspy screech that put together will plunge you into despair. I would definitely say Amenra was a perfect opener for the tour especially considering most of the crowd was there for the set ( very rare to see that nowadays), but also because in a way, Amenra combine the sound of Neurosis and Converge but still make it their own, a very sorrowful, and dissonant sludge metal sound.

Converge
Genre: Mathcore/Metalcore/Post-Metal FFO: The Dillinger Escape Plan, Botch, Cave In

I don't even know where to start. This was my third time seeing Converge and they blow me away more and more with each performance. This was the type of set I never wanted to end. While Amenra set the stage with more of feeling of despair, Converge came and the whole place erupted into pure chaos. Opening up with the song Dark Horse, I've never seen a mosh pit form so quickly. I'm not going to be cocky and get into what I went through in the pit or anything, (Converge being one of the only bands I mosh to), but I love to join in madness. Everyone was jumping for the chance at a mic share for Aimless Arrow, tons of two stepping to Trespasses. Converge played one new unreleased song, and from what I remember it was more on the artsy post-metal side of their style but still very heavy. They also played the two new songs on the ep that came out recently, first with the song "Eve" with its slow atmospheric side, and as the song ended the feedback from the amps continued to drone until Jacob Bannon said the words "I Can Tell You About Pain" and once again the chaos returns. Of course ending with the signature songs: Concubine, Eagles Become Vultures and then of course Jane Doe. endless violence and crowd surfs came from Concubine and Eagles, then massive sing a longs for Jane, with some more chaos in the pit. Jacob Bannon of course ending the set by throwing the mic up into the rafters, just as he did last time Converge played the Royale. Like I said before I can't get enough of this band, the live performances are just as incredible as the record if not better and the crowd always goes absolutely insane. Converge is a highly influential band for both metal and hardcore that you must experience live.

Neurosis
Genre: Post-Metal/Sludge Metal/ Tribal FFO: Cult of Luna, ISIS (the band), The Ocean

Let me start by saying, as much as I really wanted to I could not stay the whole set because of my job requiring me to get up earlier than normal. I managed to catch the first few songs from Neurosis so this may be a short review. Neurosis opened with the song Lost off of Enemy of the Sun and even played the sample at the beginning. as the sample ended and the music began, I was amazed by how perfect the sound quality was. I felt like i was literally listening to the record on vinyl except louder and heavier, its very hard to describe but it was mind blowing. throughout the night people have told me about Neurosis's last tour with The Body and Sumac and everyone said the same thing, Neurosis is the heaviest act they've ever seen. Scott Kelly and Steve Von Till being the two main vocalists have been doing it for over 20 years, and both their voices sound exactly the same as they started the band in '85. I only caught 4 songs I believe but the last song I got to hear was my personal favorite, Locust Star, and it was the heaviest song I've heard all night and Neurosis played it flawlessly and it didn't even look like they were trying. As I said its difficult to describe the experience you get from seeing Neurosis but I've waited years to see them and it was definitely worth the wait. You've never seen a band like this.