Well, I honestly don't know how I'm able to sit here and write this garbage about last night's show with Exodus, Goatwhore and two other upstart bands - Arsis and Warbringer. I'm writing this on pure mental strength, which is very low, and some left over adrenaline.
For those of you who've never seen Exodus live before, like myself, and are curious about the type of show you'd get, my answer is: Yes, it was everything that was to be expected at an Exodus and more. By far the best show I've seen at BB King, and probably will ever see again. Why is this different you may ask? Because the guys in Exodus, all five swinging dicks, are the coolest fuckin' cats on the planet. All talent and no ego. I GOT TO MEET EXODUS! I got pics with them, which you can check them out in my "Me and My Friends" profile in my Pics page (Note: I took a pic with Tom Hunting, but evidently it got erased... SHIT! ), and I shook hands and chatted with them like they were my bros.
Despite being outside in the cold night at 1AM, Gary, Rob, Jack, Lee (who gave me a hug), and Tom (who offered me a smoke) were kind enough to chat with us (myself and two other dudes who kept fuckin' blocking my every word!) and tell me some interesting things, things I am not obliged to tell you and that I should keep to myself. Oh, fuck it, I'll tell you. Tom told me when I asked why he walked away, simply: "I couldn't do it anymore. I had to get away." Even though that's probably not much to some, it speaks volumes to me. A dude who had been doing this shit for years suddenly realizes that he can't do it - his bread and butter and he can't fuckin' do it! He assured me that this time he is staying for good and I told him that he definitely deserves a lot more credit than he's given in these so-called "metal" magazine like Revolver, Metal Hammer, Metal Maniacs, Kerrang, and Metal Edge, or specialty magazines like Drum Magazine and Modern Drummer who like to lick the balls of every other metal drummer but him. Watching Tom Hunting play the way he did was a revelation and his openness and frankness definitely shot him up on my list of Greatest Drummers and everyone needs to know this.
I asked Gary Holt why he decided to step away after "Force of Habit" and why he decided to come back after 12 years (not counting 1997's "Another Lesson in Violence") to do "Tempo of the Damned." His answer, with a rascally grin: "I don't know how to do anything else!" Again, a telling comment that's truthful and honest to the core, but makes wonder what the fuck did he do during those 12 years away from the studio. Carpentry, perhaps? In all honesty, this guy was the one I HAD to meet. The original member, besides Tom, who remained with the band since the beginning and weathered many storms including lineup changes, deaths, and asshole record labels and managers. Here's a guy who has a right to be bitter about the course Exodus had to take and the many mistakes and consequences the band suffered as a result. They could have been part of the "Big Four of Thrash" had they been taken more seriously. Instead, he was friendly and upbeat and seemed grateful that myself and the two other douchebags waited in the cold for an hour to rap with him.
I mention this part before the actual show because I wanted anyone and everyone who reads this to know why Exodus are so goddamn good. Also the talented ones are the coolest and the featherweights are such losers, like that dickhead guitarist Ryan Knight, who, when I complimented him on the show, gave me a limp handshake and dull: "Yeah, thanks."
FUCK YOU, RYAN KNIGHT COCKSUCKER!
But I can't take away from Arsis and Warbringer, who started it off right out of the track and brought the crowd in immediately, and usually it takes the third band to come out before anyone shows interest. I know absolutely nothing about Arsis or Warbringer other than what I saw. Both bands had capable drummers who simply kicked ass, and singers who pretty much sound like everybody else in the New Age of Metal. Still, I enjoyed myself and the crowd seemed to like them.
Goatwhore! Fuckin' Goatwhore were maniacs. I'd like to know how much steel it took to make their spikes. I'm not kidding when I say that these dudes were prepared for war - medieval style, especially bassist Nathan Bergeron.
Best Line of the Evening - by miniature Sammy Duet, when checking the mic for sound and appearing very glassy-eyed: "Check 1, 2.... (then after much prodding from the sound tech) "...Dude, I can't count any higher, I'm fuckin' wasted!" How can you not love that? Great guy, too, that Sammy Duet. I happened to meet him in between his groping his girl outside the club and he was very friendly and personable, even going so far as to explain to me Goatwhore's style of music: "We like to think of ourselves as a punk band that happens to incorporate every that we hear. And that just happens to be black metal, death metal, thrash...." After that, we took a pic and shook hands and left to get some equipment out of the venue. Onstage, though, they really commanded a lot of respect.
Need I say more about how great Exodus were? I guess all that's left to mention is the setlist, which was A LOT, so I'm going by what I heard: lots from the newer albums - "Children of a Worthless God," "Funeral Hymn," "Bedlam 1-2-3," show-opener "Riot Act," "Deathamphetamine," "Shovel Headed Kill Machine," and "War Is My Shepherd" and the classics like "Bonded by Blood," "Fabulous Disaster," and show-closer "Toxic Waltz." I also think they did a familiar cover from the Beatles, but I was busy thrashing around and headbanging that I didn't even notice.
All in all, it was a great evening. A 20 on a scale of 1-to-10! Also, I've been told by Gary and Tom that they may return in some time this summer, since these Californian boys can't handle the cold - their words, not mine.
If they're near you, GO SEE THEM NOW! :)
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