Wrath
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
http://www.myspace.com/wrathsite
Wrath Concert Photos
Hattrix (Racine, Wi.)
also:
2-West,
Lazarus
When I did my first concert review, I got all excited looking at the line up. I was going to see Tracii Guns personally, but I had seen both of his openers- or so I thought. It wasn't the band I was expecting, but that Wrath wasn't so bad either. The band I saw has since changed its name to Conniption. This time I was seeing the Wrath I remembered from days of old.
I usually make it a point NOT to listen to new bands. I let their live show tell me about them. It may be backwards, but hey, it's how I had found my favorite bands. I'll tell you, I love Pantera, but I never loved their recordings. Might explain why I saw them around fifteen times. I like my music live. That's just me.
I also try not to let on that I'm reviewing a show. Bands know SOMEONE is there, but I don't want them to know who that someone is 'til after they're done. I don't know why I do this, but in my insane brain it works. I blew it. Met a nice guy before the show, my Club Kingsnake shirt did it. Got to talking and realized we knew a few of the same people including Auggie (who breeds bloods) the guy who designed his tattoo. Turned out to be John, the new singer of Wrath. Cover blown, oh well.
Lazarus was up first. There wasn't much of a crowd there, but a whole lot of the group there was their fans. And honestly, that's a shame. As they were setting up, I was bracing for the worst. A bunch of kids lining the stage, if I had started young I could have been their mother (GAWD I felt old). But what came out of these kids was magic. It brought to mind bands like Exodus, Testament. You know, the Bay Area thrash! The Good Shit. I mean holy shit, this was the real thing. From kids! OK enough of the kids. I thought it was a fluke. I honestly can't say enough good things about this band. The guitars were great, melodic when they needed to be and brutal the rest of the time. They were a tight band. Right now all they have is a four-song demo, and I hope eventually they will have a nice full length release. While I am not usually a fan of covers, for younger bands, it helps sometimes. These guys could end their show with "Toxic Waltz." And they could REALLY do it justice. You can check out three of their four songs on their Myspace page and I really urge you to do so. This band totally blew me away.
2-West is next and while out of the three bands they were my least favorite, they stayed really true to their influences.
I spent the first part of the night trying to think of who they reminded me of. I kept thinking they sounded as though the Old White Zombie mated with Alice in Chains and Stone Temple Pilots. When the singer introed the song "Decay," he made it a tribute to Layne Staley. That's when it really clicked. A few songs played by them, "So It's Like That," "Drive," "Later Days," "Eden," and "Broke." Definitely liked "Broke." It had an almost sexy groove to it. I also really liked the song "So It's Like That." Kinda a big fuck-you of a song. I could be wrong and it wouldn't be the first time, but that was the feel I got. You get the Disturbed feeling from this song.
I could see Brian bouncing and dancing from where he was taking pics, and I knew he was really digging them. On the ride home he helped me figure out their sound a bit more. It is a bit more AIC mixed with Disturbed. I think the vocals throw me. Very AIC/Soundgarden sound. You know 90s Bay Area sound. Listening back to the songs on their MySpace page, I do like them. I did like them then, but I was just BLOWN away by Lazarus and was hoping for a full night of solid thrash. The vocals, while good, threw me for a loop.
Wrath was very cool to see. I saw them many moons ago and as Scott said, when everyone still had hair. Actually to really date myself, I think I was in high school. Once again, this IS thrash. Of the heavier styles, there is just something about thrash that I adore and Wrath did not disappoint. John, the singer, was having his first show with the band. His vocals were a bit more gravely than those of the original singer, but still fit the bill well. The new songs played were "What You Live For" and "Running Out." Older songs (and damn I remembered two) were "Insane Society" and "Panic Control," among others. The show relied on older tunes with newer mixed in. They closed with a cover (John practice) of Motorhead's "Ace of Spades." Good thing the old skoolers in the crowd remembered the words. :)
Brian and I went home hyper and chatty. We had a great time at this show. Lots of old skool stuff that got us on to a whole "I remember when" talk. We got to talking about our old fave local stuff and fave concerts. Listening to Disturbed all the way home.
All of these bands have shows coming up. If you are local to south-eastern Wisconsin (Milwaukee and Chicago folks, it's only a short drive), give all three of these bands a shot. They deserve it. They are METAL!
Wrath Shows
October 28th 9:00 PM BACK BAR w/S.O.B. Janesville , WI
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October 21 9:00 PM 2-West w/ Wrath at Cackle Jacks Racine, WI
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11/11/2006 07:00 PM - STUMBLE INN in Rochelle IL. 406 Cherry Ave, Rochelle IL, IL -
Supporting acts TBA
2-West Shows
October 21 9:00 PM 2-West w/ Wrath at Cackle Jacks Racine, WI
Lazarus Shows
10/12/2006 09:30 PM - Memories 4358 N Cicero Ave, Chicago, IL 60641 - $6
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10/21/2006 12:00 PM - MADPOWER 2006 @ The Warehouse Stage 7302 Highway 14 , Middleton, WI 53562 - TBA
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10/27/2006 07:30 PM - UW Parkside Student Union 900 Wood Road, Kenosha, WI 53141 - $8, $12
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11/04/2006 07:30 PM - Club Breakaway 8017 Sherdian Rd, Kenosha, WI 53140 - $5
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11/17/2006 06:00 PM - The Fellowship 6758 14th Avenue, Kenosha, WI 53144 - $5
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11/25/2006 08:00 PM - The Klinic 520 S. Park St, Madison, WI 53715 -