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GODS OF FIRE
This would be my first time at The Knitting Factory. Upon arrival, I was not too impressed with the venue; the bar was small, and there wasn’t a lot of room to move around. The crowd was dominated by Hardcore and Punk fans, so I began to wonder if this place had the same vibe as CBGB. This would all change soon.
Before their performance, I had the opportunity to interview each member of Gods Of Fire. Because they needed time to set up, we concluded the interview after their show. This is where my opinion of the venue changed.
The “Main Stage” was the room Gods played in, which was secluded from the bar area and the other stage around the bend. It was nicely air conditioned, and it had it’s own bar with a huge variety of beers and sprites. The stage was of decent size, being slightly larger than the one at The Continental. Overall, it was of decent size, and a nice room to play. Now, onto the performance…….
After waiting for Gods to take the stage, the time had finally arrived. The empty, dark stage has a glimpse of light illuminating it. Bombastic, atmospheric music played in the foreground……..something you would hear from a Lord Of The Rings movie. The smoke machine started going off, and that’s when each member of the band came onto the stage and equipped himself with their respective instrument. Then, Saucy Jack immediately blasted into the opening riffs of “Hyperion”. DJ Blood Sacrifice was thrashing and head banging a lot, and Evil Thunder played with a constant grin on his face. He was clearly enjoying himself. Prometheus took the stage with passion and power. He executed a display of stage presence, which blew me away. Helios, the new drummer of the band, is a very talented left-handed drummer. He was right on time and added an essential element to the already strong backbone of the band. Clearly, both Helios and Evil Thunder maintain a strong structure for the band.
The breaks and leads were switched off more this time between DJ Blood Sacrifice and Saucy Jack. Seeing those solos performed live was unforgettable……..they both kick ass, and had fun doing it. “Welcome To Hell” was the second song in their set list, and it was AWESOME. I couldn’t believe how crowded the room was; Gods Of Fire really packed this place, and that put a long lasting smile on my face!!! Other songs performed that night included a KILLER version of “The Long Walk”, which featured terrific stage presence from all members of the band, and some theatrical performance from Prometheus too. “The Phoenix” was a fucking AWESOME song, and some lighting effects were used throughout the song; Prometheus had these “flashes” come from his hand…..it was really cool. Once more, DJ Blood and Saucy were setting aflame their fret boards, playing with speed and head banging the whole time. “Doom’s Dark Hour” showcased an array of this band’s musical talent, complete with an interesting stage show of Prometheus wearing a Barbarian Helmet and casting various poses and gestures with a Battle Axe. “Digital Neon” was great, and the crowd was really clinging onto every note the band played. The set was closed with “Nectar Of The Gods”, which encouraged the audience to sing along with the chorus “Drink……from the nectar of the Gods………METAL!!…….We’ll Rule the world again!!!!”. All were head banging and singing along; it was evident that Gods Of Fire had this crowd in the palm of their hand!!!
My only complaint is that I wanted MORE!!!!! Shit, I could watch this band all day and night…….they’re THAT good and THAT entertaining! See for yourself………..I’ll see you at the next show.
SET LIST
Hyperion
After the show, Shannon and I walked around NYC with our friend George. We wound up at a dinner called “The Soup & Burger”. It was a nice night out in New York. We returned home to Jersey around 5am. ………GREAT band, GREAT friends, GREAT times!!!! Cheers!!
Review by: Anthony DeLuca
ZANDELLE, MAELSTROM, VICTIM OF PAIN, PHOENIX REIGN,
Across the pond we go……from Jersey to NYC! Every time Chris, Shannon, and I make the trip to New York, it’s for a GREAT show. We were anxious to see this show; every show we attend in New York kicks ass and is well worth the trip. Tonight’s show originally featured Magus Beast, but unfortunately they had to cancel due to a death in the family. I would like to extend my condolences to Magus Beast for their loss. Their replacement was Victim of Pain, a New York Thrash Metal band from the 80’s. Tonight was going to be a great show!
Upon entering the club, we immediately ran into Joe and George from Zandelle. It’s funny how things come full circle; the last and FIRST time I had seen Zandelle was at The Continental in 1999, when they played along side Gothic Knights and Anvil. Zandelle was a four-piece band at that time; it’s amazing how they’ve progressed and come so far. We hit the bar and had a few drinks. Up first was Circus From Hell.
Circus From Hell can be described as a melodic Hard Rock band. They’ve got some really good licks and grooves, compliments of their energetic guitarists. Vocally, they have that rough edge with power and aggression. I have to admit: at first I didn’t like this band. After giving them a chance and really listening to them, I grew to like them and appreciate their sound, which is a breath of fresh air. They put on a damn good show, and even urged the audience on to participate with chants and yells of “Hey!….Hey!….Hey!”. Regrettably, I did not take any pictures of this band, but I will be looking for them next time around, and I look forward to their heartfelt performance. Cheers Circus From Hell!!!
Up next was Devils Island. Tonight was a special show for Devils Island because they were debuting their new drummer, ******. I remember the first time I saw this band…….it was at The Hook in Brooklyn a year or two ago. Since that time, this band have grown and fine-tuned their talent magnificently. Complete with a KILLER stage show, Devils had the audience cheering and applauding loudly. As usual, Dima was head-banging furiously while playing his guitar. Serge was right along side him doing just the same while playing his bass. Alex played both melodically and with ease. George performed with his usual power and aggression, complete with some movements and choreographed poses (I think). The “new guy”, ***** seemed to fit right in with the band, however there was one occasion where his timing was a little off. None the less, he played well. I can see how Devils Island has come a long way, as this band seems to get better and better every time I see them. The new songs they played were both heavy and melodic. Basically, they KILLED!!! Mike from Invidia went up on the stage and performed a duet with the band (as expected). This is always cool to see, or sometimes silly because he gets SO drunk. Either way, it rocks!"Firecase" and "Scars" ruled, as always! . A good cover of “Aria’s…..I mean Iron Maiden’s” “The Evil That Men Do” was performed perfectly, with the added “Devils Island” touch…..it ruled!!!! I like how George stuck with the original lyrics "Don't you cry for me....beyond is where I learn", as opposed to the way Maiden has changed it over the years. Fucking awesome!
The Set-List
Scars
Phoenix Reign was the next band to play. After missing their previous performances, tonight was finally the night I was able to catch them live. I’m sure they played a majority of newer songs, as I really didn’t recognize a lot of their set-list. “Another Night Alone” was among the songs they performed with passion and power. A great version of "The Trooper" was also among the sever al songs played that night. Vocalist Theresa graced the stage as if it belonged to her. She clearly has her act down to a science. Guitarists Billy Chrissochos and Kostas Psarros played melodically and in good time with each other. During some sound problems, Kostas handled the guitar parts nicely, and bassist Chris Pollatos added some backing vocals nicely. Drummer Wayne proved just how talented he is, never missing a beat, AND playing with a grin on his face. Clearly, he was enjoying himself. I have to admit, this band sounds a lot better live than they do on their demos. I was a little skeptical about their live show, as I feel their recordings lack a certain “Umph” or power. Their live show contradicted my opinions of their demo material, and further shows me just how much potential this band has. I am curious to hear this band’s older material, from when they were called Phoenix, and I anticipate future shows from this ever-growing band.
The Set-List
Transcendent
The forth band of the night was Victim of Pain, who replaced Magus Beast (as mentioned earlier). I was excited to hear this band, as I was informed that they were an Old-School Thrash Metal band. Victim executed a display of raw power and aggression, complimented with melodic and fast guitars. Their take-no-prisoners approach goes straight for the jugular and does not let go. Vocalist Phil Reed prowled the stage like an angry panther. His stage presence could NOT be ignored. Guitarists Ivan Figueroa and Angelo Rivera played both heavy and melodically. The bass and drum were fast and tight, compliments of Andy Prezioso and Chris Ramsay respectively. My first time seeing this band will not be my last, as I look forward to catching this band again. Feel their power…..Victim of Pain!!!!
The Set-List
Open Your Eyes
Maelstrom were next, and boy did they suck!!! I gave them the chance to grow on me by sticking around for some of their set, but it wasn’t happening. They sucked. Their vocalist sounded like he had a hair-ball stuck down his throat. They sucked, and did NOT belong on this bill. Gods of Fire, Invidia, or Exit To Eternity would have been a MUCH better choice band……NOT MAELSTROM!!! God damn it, you suck Maelstrom!!!!!
The Set-List
Not Worth Mentioning. It all sounded like one really long, boring, drawn out, shitty song.
Zandelle was the final band of the night. As I have mentioned in a previous review, this is THE BEST line-up of Zandelle I have yet to see. Hands down, this is it!!!! Among the several songs they performed, I was disappointed to see that they only played ONE SONG off of Shadows Of Reality, that being “Bringer of Doom”. Still, Zandelle put on a GREAT show, and never disappoint. Drummer Jofu was VERY energetic, even singing into his dangling microphone while pounding the shit out of his drums. At times, it looked REALLY funny…..Jofu makes these crazy facial expressions while he plays his drums, and a lot of the time, it looked like he was going to bite the microphone. Hmmm…..is he related to George “The Animal” Steel??? LOL…..still, a KILLER drummer!!! Joe gets better and better as a bassist. I cannot BELIEVE how talented this guy is. To top it off, he has a TON of stage presence, and is fascinating to watch. I am very glad to see that he never really left the band; he is an important part of Zandelle and an important part of their history. His absence from the band would be a deathblow! Anthony continues his killer guitar playing excellence, and Paul has learned all the newer material with ease and performs it well. He just needs to learn all the OLDER material…..I want to see “Warrior”, “Flight of the Dragon” and “Creature of the Dark” live again!!!!!!
The Set-List
Lord of Thunder
As always, NYC delivered an amazing show of metal talent. We arrived home around 5am, and it was worth it!!!! I hope everyone who received a NIHILIST CD and Attacker flier will check them out....they rock. I look foward to the next show!
Review by: Anthony DeLuca
OVERKILL, PRONG, MAGUS BEAST, & DIRT CHURCH
Whenever I see Overkill, I enjoy myself. Simply stated: this band has NEVER disappointed me with their live performances. Tonight was a special night, not only because Overkill was playing, but because New York’s Magus Beast was performing too. The Beast had a GREAT spot: right before Prong, so I knew there would be a decent crowd to see them. I’ll get to that later.
First, I hit the bar……beer in a plastic cup. That just blows!!!! I started looking around for people I knew, and before I knew it, I ran into the guys from Devils Island!!! George, Dima, and Serge were in attendance that night, in support of their fellow NY metal brothers. This is further proof of the strong essence of unity the NY metal scene has!!!!! Many bands can learn from this!
Dirt Church were on, and they didn’t impress me at all. Their drummer, however, looked like a miniature version of John Cena (WWE Wrestler); this guy was ripped like you wouldn’t believe!!! Aside from that aspect, this band left no lasting impression on me.
The time had come for the mighty Magus Beast to perform. Of the MANY times I have seen this band, I must say that they fucking KILLED!!!! They were right on with EVERY note, and full of total energy and enthusiasm. Complete with two HUGE banners of their logo on each end of the stage, Magus Beast’s stage show was entertaining and powerful; they were clearly a winner. The crowd was going absolutely ballistic for them; when some CDs were tossed into the crowd, people were fighting for them. Clearly, everyone was into this band. The songs kept coming, one leading right into the other, as to maintain their stage time and squeeze in as many songs as possible. I particularly enjoyed the song “Magus Beast”. Every time a high note was hit, the crowd exploded! The Beast’s set was closed with “Kill With Power” by Manowar and a new song called "Rise of the Beast". A lot of head-banging and cheering was heard…….it was a triumphant moment and a well deserved one!!!
Lost
After the display of sheer power Magus Beast displayed, there was not much hope for Prong. Aside from the fact that I think they (Prong) suck, going on after The Beast was a difficult task. Most of the crowd was still hyped on Magus Beast, and Prong seemed to struggle to gain everyone’s attention at first. They never had mine…….I couldn’t wait for their set to be over.
Finally, Overkill graced the stage. It was cool attending this show with my brother Joe; he LOVES Overkill, and he and I never attend shows together. He enjoyed himself in the pit as my fiancée Shannon and I enjoyed the company of Devils Island and the sights and sounds of Overkill. Opening with “Deny The Croos”, Overkill displayed their usual raw energy and power. I have come to expect nothing less from them. They breezed through their set list like a whirlwind. Each song was introduced with a little rhyme, thanks to Bobby Blitz, which was a cool little touch. “Overkill I” was played, which was really cool, along with the usual “Wrecking Crew” and “Necroshine”. Some jerk trampled Shannon’s bad foot, so I threw people out of my way to get her off the floor and out of harm’s way (I pissed off a ton of people while doing this too…….sorry, but her well-being is more important to me than anything in the world).
I ended the night passing out Nihilist CDs to people exiting the venue; I hope people will check this band out……they fucking rule! Shannon and I wound up at the dinner with the Devils Island guys ‘till about 4 in the morning. A great time was had by all!!
Review by: Anthony DeLuca
Friday, April 14, 2006 @ The Knitting Factory – New York, NY
Welcome To Hell
The Phoenix
Digital Neon
The Long Walk
Doom's Dark Hour
Nectar Of The Gods
DEVILS ISLAND, & CIRCUS FROM HELL
Friday, March 24,2006 @ The Continental
New York, NY
Coma Dreams
Redline
Evil That Men Do
Firecase
Return To The Sea
Another Night Alone
Nightmare
The Trooper
Run Now
Constantinople
Black-N-Blue Collar
Resist
Pleasure In Pain
Tormented By Death
Hell On Earth
Rebirth
Queen Anne's Revenge
Bringer of Doom
Awakening / Vengeance Rising
Immortal Realms
Blood Red Shores
Saturday, March 4,2006 @ The Starland Ballroom
Sayreville, NJ
The set list:
Magus Beast
Into the Night
I Live
Should I
Kill with Power
Rise of the Beast