Photo by Garyn Klasek
Most people don’t think of metal as being all that complicated as a genre. As long as you shred the hell out of a guitar, smash the shit out of a drum set, tune the bass hella low and scream your head off, those are the basic qualifications for metal. Yet, South Carolina Egyptian-influenced technical death metal band Nile goes above and beyond to prove just how complex their craft can be. They certainly aren’t the oldest metal band but, for their intents and purposes, it’s surprising how long they’ve existed, over twenty years, without succumbing to complete exhaustion. However, with all the possible twists and turns a band like this can make, it’s not all that shocking that Nile has risen up in popularity over the decades.
Photo by Garyn Klasek
Opening the show was Mesa extreme stoner death metal band Avarice. After seeing a video earlier of them as a three piece, it was a fantastic revelation to see them as a four piece. While they were slightly sludgier than many of the other acts, their ferocity made it hardly noticeable. Between the guitarists and vocalist Wade Taylor’s alternating growls and screeches, they made sure of that.
Photo by Garyn Klasek
Up next was Phoenix progressive death metal band Excystation. Their progressive side wasn’t as present compared to their overwhelming lunatic death metal style. It seems that they have enough of a technical metal side, though, that might overshadow Excystation’s progressiveness which works really well. Their guitarists are accented amazingly by drummer Nathan Bigelow with Cameron Macklin’s fluctuating vocals slicing through like a file in a cake.
Photo by Garyn Klasek
Phoenix slam/death metal band Atoll not only took the stage afterwards but the entire venue as well. Straight out of the gate, they gripped the audience with the aggressive power. Next to the guitarists, drummer Andy Luffey stole the show with his brutal performance. If all this wasn’t enough, this was the second time Taylor ravaged the crowd with his vicious voice. It’s hard to say what stood out more: him screeching or squealing like a pig in a slaughterhouse. Regardless, if you haven’t seen or heard them yet, Atoll is one local malicious metal band to look out for.
Photo by Garyn Klasek
Levelling the venue for Nile was Tohono O’odham blackened death metal band Six Million Dead. Not even their name offers but an inkling of what to expect from these local metal veterans. If you haven’t been lucky enough to hear them, you’ve at least likely heard of this 10 plus year old band. Reminiscent of the dire misanthropy of the likes of Dystopia and ex-locals Sea of Deprivation, Six Million Dead rings true with their dark, twisted and grinding presence that leaves audiences in awe. If the merciless onslaught from their guitarists and drummer Ninno Thompson weren’t enough to feel their primal detestation, vocalist Rob Reyes led the crowd to our own repulsive reality.
Photo by Garyn Klasek
Nile brought the show to its inevitable demise the best way a band of their stature could: by demolishing it. Before they even took the stage, it was hard to ignore the stacked amps besieging their drum kit. The insanity of their set laid in their overwhelming precision. Drummer George Kollias is euphoric to see all on his own. Whether he’s just playing the speediest death metal possible or slowing down while maintaining his double-pedal bass attack, his change-ups are nothing short of prodigious and seem to be accomplished with jaw-dropping ease. What’s really shocking is their brilliant guitar playing. Vocalist and guitarist Dallas Toler-Wade along with guitarist Karl Sanders intermix between aternating guitar parts and fusing them together into a mesmerizing symphony. Toler-Wade’s voice conquered the crowd like how you’d expect the gods would. And if Nile’s skillfulness as a whole isn’t enough to enchant audiences, the virtuosity of Sanders’ guitar solos leave venues astonished the world over. Nile is certainly one of the most extraordinary metal bands to grace this planet’s presence.
~ Garyn Klasek
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