Like most bands that endure through personal strife, lineup changes and even years of inactivity before reforming, Flaw is not without its, well, flaws. The ups and downs, however, arguably have made this particular quartet from Louisville, Kentucky, stronger. Which can lead to reaping its own rewards. Last Friday at the Rock Box signified one of those ups the band doesn’t figure to forget anytime soon.
Flaw’s headlining tour ventured to the Alamo City on the night it dropped Vol. 4: Because of the Brave. The group’s follow-up to 2016’s Divided We Fall is actually only its second effort since 2004’s Endangered Species, which came after 2001 non-independent debut Through The Eyes.
Vocalist Christopher Volz remains the backbone of an ever-changing band. And though he was touting the group’s newest piece of work, Volz didn’t exactly forget what San Antonians wanted to hear.
Bands tend to love CD release shows more than their fans because it culminates their latest recording efforts into its first live setting. However, the intelligent artists also know release shows mean fans have zero time to learn new material. Which means old-school is the way to cater to their longtime faithful. So Volz and his mates only unveiled one new track, the closest-they-may-get-to-a-ballad “Conquer This Climb” after the rest of the members jammed out when Tommy Gibbons set aside his bass and did a guitar battle with Rob Buttorff (watch ATM’s Facebook Live footage here). You can also watch ATM footage of debut single “Payback” below, which was planned on being the finale, only to have Volz throw the crowd a curveball by adding “Medicate” to the printed setlist as a special treat (see 60-photo slideshow below).
Sons Of Texas provided direct support and came out with guns blazing for their Lone Star family. Vocalist Mark Morales miraculously didn’t have a coronary given as much energy, headbanging and passionate vocals he exhibited in just the first two songs. Eventually, Morales got up close and personal with the crowd, saw his bandmates break out a “Master of Puppets” riff and segued a segment of ZZ Top’s “Sharp Dressed Man” into another blistering track, debut album opener “Never Bury the Hatchet” (ATM Facebook Live footage here).
It shouldn’t be long before Sons Of Texas provides some new material if it’s going to continue its two-year pattern of releases following 2015 debut Baptized in the Rio Grande and 2017’s Forged By Fortitude, for which the band is still touring.
Guitarist Jes De Hoyos, who spoke with yours truly in 2016 (listen here), and his crew had the distinction of being the first band to ever set foot on stage at the annual River City Rockfest, opening the inaugural festival in 2013 outside the AT&T Center seemingly so long ago, the band was only called Texas then. Two albums and one brand of hot sauce (that admittedly is not so hot) later, Sons Of Texas easily made its mark as the heaviest artist playing on the Rock Box stage while a slew of Texas bands were also playing in the venue’s new Vibes Underground basement.
September Mourning began the national-act trifecta behind the striking white-and-gray hair and wardrobe of vocalist Emily “September” Lazar. Though it’s been a couple of years since the quartet released Volume II, it dropped new single “Unholy” this past Thursday. Lazar shared with ATM during the 2016 Houston Open Air — which eventually canceled the group’s performance due to the threat of bad weather — the impetus behind her transmedia group that tells the story of September, a “human/reaper hybrid with no memory of her past empowered with supernatural gifts (who) is driven to protect humanity from Fate and his Reapers” (watch here).
“Children of Fate,” “Skin and Bones” and “20 Below” (ATM footage below) were some of the Volume II tracks performed. Volume I is an EP influenced by September’s brand of comic books that tell the story of her on-stage character and those of her bandmate “reapers” known as Riven, Wraith and drummer Stitch. Footage of the comic book coming to life accompanied the band on stage with other tracks such as “Glass Animals” (ATM Facebook Live clip here).
Local band Relent was a late announcement to the bill. Catch them in action on “Addicted” here.
