Eyehategod w/ Brutal Truth, Nachtmystium, Black Anvil and Tombs @ Europa - 6/12/10

This past Saturday I got to witness NOLA sludge metal band EYEHATEGOD for the first time playing to a cramped and packed house of rabid, slobbering metalheads. The always haggard-looking Jimmy "Sour" Bower, known as the drummer for other NOLA metal band Down, played guitar this time and actually played quite as well as he does on drums, is backed by his other bandmates consisting of the deeply-closeted Mike Williams (vocals), (former?) heroin junkie Brian Patton (guitar), the freakishly-looking Gary Mader (bass) and Joey LaCaze (drums), who reminds me of an angry Porky Pig, play a violent mixture of distorted, bluesy sludge and amped-up doom, all while spouting words of unrest, dissent, and revolution, especially from the portly LaCaze, who ironically refers to the cops as "pigs" from a microphone near his drum set.


At times, the comedic moments arise when Williams, who looks like a sloppier version of Slayer's Dave Lombardo, banters on about raping and pillaging the bar, and encouraging everyone to "get gay in the bathroom with your buddy. It's all good - it's hedonism!" Funny, but classless. And while such encouragement may bring up laughs and amusement, the overpriced admission to get in is nothing to laugh about, considering some lackluster performances. EHG do well enough as musicians, but they should leave the comedy and revolutionary talk to the pros. Set Grade: B-




BRUTAL TRUTH still can't pick up any slack and despite having a new album released last year - 2009's Evolution Through Revolution - one can't help but tune out from the out-of-sync rhythm and unconscionable chaos that one is force to endure when they take the stage. Frontman Kevin Sharp tries to be clever and witty, but comes off like the big dumb redneck from Atlanta that he is. The Scarecrow, aka Dan Lilker, still looks as gaunt and emaciated as ever. A rather dull set indeed. Set Grade: C




NACHTMYSTIUM once again build slight momentum and quickly lose it before their set is done. Sadly, judging by Revolver's girly-looking head-of-photography Jimmy Hubbard and his creepy, douchey drooling over frontman Blake Judd, we may see more of this Chicago band in the pages of that shitrag Revolver magazine again! Set Grade: C


And what of BLACK ANVIL and TOMBS? Didn't see them and I didn't care to see them, so there's nothing to write about. Let's just say they were the lucky ones!

Show Grade: C+