During his band’s co-headlining performance Monday at the Aztec Theatre, Behemoth frontman Adam “Nergal” Darski instructed the locals not to take their freedom for granted while dedicating “Conquer All” to the people of Ukraine. Then as the group wound down “Chant For Ezkaton,” Nergal stated it was an honor to play for the crowd, urging fans to stay safe.
Those couldn’t possibly be the actions of a musician who had been banned from playing his native Poland once upon a time after tearing up a Bible on stage, could it?
Then the face-painted vocalist/guitarist bellowed two words that took the energy to a whole nother level (Alamo True Metal footage below) and indicated that this show with nightly alternating co-headliners Arch Enemy plus Napalm Death and Unto Others was unlike 99.9 percent of the concerts that come to the Aztec:
“Hail Satan!”
As the jam-packed lower level and half-filled balcony roared their approval, memories harkened back to why Nergal has often been regarded as one of metal’s most controversial figures.
But along with his emphatic religious statements, Nergal has persevered through personal adversity after having been diagnosed with leukemia and undergoing a bone marrow transplant. Those long-ago life-changing moments made the second night of this tour possible in the first place for Behemoth and its San Antonio fans.
Additional tracks such as “Bartzabel,” “Slaves Shall Serve” (ATM footage of both below), “Evoe” and the heartwarming “Christians to the Lions” (ATM Facebook Live clip here) cemented why it was good to see and hear Behemoth back on the scene post-pandemic and back in the States. And the group’s punishing and darkened hour-long showing set the stage for Arch Enemy to top with its own hour-long set.
Between all four bands, it was refreshing to see a concert devoid of exaggerated echoed vocals or longer-than-necessary “delay throws” meant for effect that instead served as a distraction by giving the impression backing tracks were used to assist actual singing efforts. Rather, this night was filled with pure molten metal singing and instrumentation that not only encouraged patrons to chant along but to keep up with the pros who led the way on stage.
Then it was Arch Enemy’s turn. Commence sore throats.
After kicking off two nights earlier in Tempe, Arizona, Arch Enemy unleashed its own brand of metal behind the sinister vocals of Alissa White-Gluz, dual shredding riffs of founder/songwriter Michael Amott and former Nevermore and Sanctuary guitarist Jeff Loomis, thumping bass of Sharlee D’Angelo and pounding drums of Daniel Erlandsson.
Whereas Behemoth’s anti-Christian dominated songs call for dark imagery throughout the stage show, Arch Enemy is a photographer’s delight by employing some of the best lighting in the business, as exemplified in the 145-photo slideshow below. The lavish scenery often belies the brutality of the band’s music, but it’s far better than the abhorred red and blue light most bands relegate themselves to.
You mean the audience can actually see the band play? What a concept!
Set to unleash new album Deceivers on July 29 via Century Media Records, Arch Enemy devoted one-fourth of its 12-song performance to the three singles that have been released: “House of Mirrors” (ATM Facebook Live clip here along with “My Apocalypse,”), “Handshake With Hell” (ATM footage below) and “Deceiver Deceiver.” Of course, the quintet didn’t forget their older tunes originally sung by Angela Gossow, who continues to be the group’s manager, such as “Dead Bury Their Dead” and “Nemesis” (ATM footage below; full setlist in slideshow). To tide fans over till then, Arch Enemy is releasing a fourth single, “Sunset Over the Empire,” on May 20 via 7-inch vinyl.
“I am thrilled that we are releasing our next single 'Sunset over the Empire' not only digitally everywhere as usual, but also as a physical 7-inch vinyl record,” Amott said in a press release. “I'm a big fan of the vinyl format myself, and I think this killer looking 7-inch will be a nice collector's item as it's a limited run. The B-side is an instrumental we've never released before on a record, and the A-side is one of my fave tracks off our new upcoming album Deceivers.”
As with any band that has replaced singers along the way, Arch Enemy was taking a big risk eight years ago when White-Gluz took over for Gossow. Unlike many that have failed doing so, however, Arch Enemy has continued to flourish if not expand on its horizons, in large part to the leadership of Amott and D’Angelo. One of those favorite personal moments in the band’s latter-era history came aboard the 70000 Tons of Metal cruise in 2017 when the group held a press conference to select media in world premiering the “As the Stages Burn” live at Wacken Open Air DVD. Watch ATM’s footage of that entire news gathering here and here.
Deceivers will mark the third album with White-Gluz on vocals, and with the band’s overall star continuing to rise and shine, it’s only a matter of time before Arch Enemy graduates from mid-level theaters and branches out into larger American venues. If any melodic death metal band is going to lead the way into such a scenario, it figures to be this metallic melting pot comprised of Swedes, Canadians and Americans.
Yet another part of the world was represented at the Aztec in the form of England’s Napalm Death. Visiting the Alamo City for the first time since supporting Slayer on their final tour in 2018 at the Freeman Coliseum (coverage here), the veteran outfit full of self-described “noise” unleashed a carnage of distortion and rage espousing socialism, pro-choice and other topics not for the faint of heart.
With longtime vocalist Mark “Barney” Greenway declaring his band’s hometown a “luxurious shithole,” Napalm Death provided the 30-second “The Kill” and backdrop of a Texas woman being arrested for attempted murder by virtue of an abortion on “Suffer the Children” (ATM footage of both below) as a small taste of its history. Minus the suit and tie, Greenway is reminiscent of Angus Young in his relentlessly bounding energy as he runs a marathon back and forth across the stage, a testament to his lanky English frame. Napalm Death performed tracks as far back as 1987, but you can also watch them via 2020 and 2021 offerings “Invigorating Clutch” and “Narcissus,” respectively, here.
The night began with the debut Alamo City showing of Portland, Oregon, natives Unto Others. Formerly known as Idle Hands, the group released Strength last September, its initial effort via Roadrunner Records, featuring video and Monday’s opening track “Heroin.”
On the one hand, vocalist/guitarist Gabriel Franco pulls you in with his eerily calm yet haunting vocals that made one wonder who the familiar sound resembled, only to revisit an earlier received press release that referred to The Cure’s Robert Smith, resulting in a “a-ha!” moment. And the next, Franco sucks you in with “Heroin’s” most telling line, the chilling “I swear to Godddd!”
Along with bassist Brandon Hill, guitarist Sebastian Silva and drummer Colin Vranizan — none of whom had any room whatsoever to maneuver around the stage amidst the gear and props of the forthcoming bands — Unto Others’ 30-minute set was built around the premise of turning fans onto its newest material. Watch them in action via ATM Facebook Live footage of “Nightfall” and below on closer “When Will God’s Work Be Done.” Unto Others is definitely a band that will hook listeners in the first time and, more importantly, keep them hooked and looking forward to future music and visits.
Arch Enemy, Behemoth, Napalm Death and Unto Others didn’t just kick the two-year Covid-19 layoff in the ass at long last. All four bands provided a much-needed respite from hell on earth due to the pandemic and daily grind we all go through, giving ticket-holders plenty of reason to cheer, sing and thrust their horns skyward.
The way metal was meant to be. Whether Satan was lurking or not.
