Premonitions of War started things off with their chaotic blend of Metalcore. Nate Johnson, who is of the recently defunct Deadwater Drowning from New Hampshire, was singing for them and sounded pretty good. These dudes are from Ohio and it's interesting to see them leading a new wave of Metalcore emerging from the Mid-West. I thought Metalcore only came from the North East, I was wrong, so very wrong. I kind of like these guys because they grind quite well. If there is one thing the genre lacks, it's the ability to grind. No one really grinds effectively, half the time it appears to be just noise, good grind attempts to hold some structure and Premontions pulls it off. No one really dares to do so and that adds to the ongoing conception that Metalcore is completely generic. However, Premonitions of War display the ability to take Metalcore into a darker place, one where a doomish mentality is present, giving it a more aggressive fashion within the approach as they lean towards some Death Metal fundamentals. They don't thrive off the constant "chug chug bend bend" approach which has been worn out and now is completely sensuous with the genre. I like their percussion too, good use of toms, which add to some real catchy hooks. I'm not positive if I'm a fan of them but I do know that I will at least give them a shot on cd or wouldn't mind seeing them at another show. They definitely deserve a tour with bands that play their style, I'd expect big things from this band.

Satyricon emerged for their first appearance in over 4 years on American soil, delivering an excellent set, which many fans felt was way too short. Surprisingly, they dropped off the tour a few weeks before it started, because drummer Frost is currently serving a five month sentence for a bar fight in Norway. Luckily, the legendary Trym of Emperor and Zylkon stepped behind the kit on short notice and pulled off an excellent performance. Satyricon played mostly newer material from their work within the past five years. They have had an interesting career and prove that the scene in Norway has not yet faded away. In fact, they are one of the most powerful Black Metal entourages in existence.

Lead singer Satyr greeted the crowd and received one of the warmest receptions of the night. They opened up with "Possessed" from their latest opus Volcano. They then tore into "Filthgrinder" a personal favorite of mine and it was also a big hit on their Rebel Extravaganza album. After that they followed up with two more tracks from Volcano, "With Ravenous Hunger" and the single "Fuel for Hatred". Fans were screaming out several old favorites from Dark Medieval Times and the Shadowthrone.

Satyricon has been around for about a decade and just about everyone wished they had more time to play. A great effort nonetheless proved worthwhile when they finished off strong with Mother North from the titanic album Nemisis Divinia. I hope that we will see them back again soon.

I was wicked pumped to see Suffocation. This was my first time seeing them because I missed their first tour last year after their long hiatus. I was fired up when they opened with "Infecting the Crypts" from their debut album, Human Waste, which was actually the first Suffocation cd I bought and still to this day I cherish it. Their mix was awesome and Suffocation sounded pristine. Derek Boyer of Decrepit Birth was on bass, he had some nasty tones holding everything together pretty damn well next to long time Suffocation drummer Mike Smith. The guitars sounded mint as well; they defined a lot of clarity for their trademark riffing, which has helped establish the New York Death Metal scene as one of most respected throughout the world. Every riff is a no holds barred fight that puts itself through hell until it beats you into the ground, only to come back with another riff that eventually succumbs to an overwhelming breakdown creating infectious rhythms that fester upon any time structure each song encounters.

Frank Mullen was killer on the mic, belting out some of the most distinguished vocals ever, a true original of Death Metal. Frank reminds me of a pit bull jumping around barking out some nasty growls but remains gentle and kind between each song. I guess it's because the music isn't provoking him and the admiration of respect from the audience allows him to become tame. Frank is an excellent front man who displays tons of energy and usually receives the same from the crowd.

Suffocation was so tight it was amazing; I cannot imagine what it must have been like to see these dudes 10 years ago. They plowed through some great songs like "Thrones of Blood", "Suspended in Tribulation", and the title track to their new album "Souls to Deny". I thought they're best song was “Liege of Inveracity” off of my favorite Suffocation album, Effigy of the Forgotten. There are tons of diehard Suffocation fans out there. Everyone has an opinion on which album is the best and the current state of the band, so it's useless for me to rehash upon what everyone thinks. However, anyone who thinks that this band’s best days have passed is gravely mistaken; to me this is nearly just the beginning for them. The heart of music is played live and Suffocation have many more shows that they hopefully be playing, because tons people from all over the area as well as the history of time came out to see these dudes. Many people fail to realize that this band stands as pioneers amongst a nation of Death Metal bands that thrive off the brutal groove orientation of the style. Still to this day they manage to not only execute and exceed within this genre, but maintain a in your face attack that breaks new ground, desecrating all limitations that several generic bands have maintained in their cursed existence. I'm really looking forward to “Souls to Deny”!

Morbid Angel was the headliner on this powerhouse tour. This was my 4th time seeing them, I really like their latest album, “Heretic”, I think it's their most devastating work as a whole with bassist/singer Steve Tucker. ”Heretic” might be my favorite Morbid Angel album next to “Covenant”.

They opened up with the classic "Day of Suffering" from their second album ”Blessed are the Sick”. Most of the material in the beginning of the set was off of “Heretic”. Tucker and his dominating voice commanded the audience in full glory, delivering the timeless "Pain Divine" from 1993's Covenant in all of its ripping rectitude. "Within Thy Enemy", "Beneath the Hollow", and "Curse the Flesh" were brought to life, displaying Morbid Angel’s latest work, which tells me that they have clearly advanced on several audible themes captured on their last two records “Formulas Fatal to the Flesh” and ”Gateways to Annihilation”.

My favorite part of the set came when they brilliantly mixed my favorite song off Heretic, "Stricken Arise" into "Where the Slime Live". Lead guitarist Trey Azagthoth is a virtuoso who truly becomes every solo he attacks, commanding his fret board with a certain elegance as it rivals a puppet master toying with his strings, creating a virulently aesthetic finesse that is unlike anything I have ever witnessed. Trey is amazing, not only does he utilize sliding chords effectively but he also pulls off some remarkable tapping techniques, which propels the music into an unfathomable comprehension that is quite an unearthly attack of tonality. On top of that, he bends notes and executes his whammy bar often, unleashing a surreal havoc that paints dreamscapes of blitzing terror with a monumental proclamation of uncompromising individualism. Perhaps this man has lava flowing in his veins, his fingertips produce sounds that boil over and scorch irrepressibly but still behold a tranquil serenity through their aggregate destruction.

Morbid Angel divulged into more material from there previous works. Songs like Bil Ur Sag, World of Shit, Rapture, as well as Lord of All Fevers and Plagues have become staples within their live sets. It's always fun to sing along with Rapture, which is definitely an anthem for Extreme Metal. I always get carried away, banging my chest and head while raising my middle finger to the sky. Fans were chanting "Morbid! Morbid! Morbid!" in succession with clapping and fist pumping, hungry for more metal from these legendary figures who were worn from their exhilarating performances of merciless endurance.

The lights were dimmed as the chanting continued, suddenly they broke into God of Emptiness, which was the one of the first Death Metal songs I remember hearing. They trudged through the haunting classic and before the last note faded away, Enshrined by Grace blasted into gear. This is their current single from the Heretic album(the video is on Head Bangers Ball). They finished strongly in front of maniacal fans who pleaded for one more song. After a brief break they reemerged and played one of their oldest songs Chapels of Ghouls, a pit broke out and all hell was breaking loose. The song was winding down when everyone on stage stopped and the spotlight was focused on Trey as he ripped into an amazing solo that appeared to be comprised on the spot.

It was an astounding event. You need to experience it yourself to understand the power of Morbid Angel's mysticism. If you're a fan of any sort of metal, do yourself a favor and go see this tour, it's a goddamn bargain.