Originally published in ‘zine issue #5, 1992
Entombed, Exhorder, Ripping Corpse, and Deceased
The Bayou, Washington, D.C.
by Jim Hunter
The show began around 7:30 p.m. with Relapse Records’ Deceased taking the stage in front of a small but enthusiastic crowd. Once again, the band blew an audience away with its intense style of death metal. Deceased played a few of the classics (“Feasting On Skulls,” “Fading Survival,” “Shrieks From the Hearse,” “Decrepit Coma”) and [several new songs including] its soon-to-be classic, the epic “Into the Bizarre.” This song is so full of killer riffs it’s unbelievable! If there was any justice in the world, this band should have played right before Entombed, instead of opening the show.
Ripping Corpse from New Jersey was next. The band’s style of “hey, let’s play a new riff every second” did not particularly excite me. Some people may dig this kind of stuff, but I don’t.
RC Records’ Exhorder came on next and proceeded to try to look as cool as possible. The bandmembers all had mean looks on their faces, and the singer could teach John Travolta a thing or two about getting down with his disco stage style. Exhorder received a positive crowd response, but I think the drunk people in front thought they were watching Pantera. This band also sold sheet music for its new album The Law as merchandise, which I thought was a pretty cheesy idea.
Next up was the Swedish god of death metal, Relativity/Earache Records’ Entombed. The crowd was in a frenzy from the moment the band unleashed its first song, “Living Dead.” Entombed played some Left Hand Path classics (“Drowned,” “Supposed to Rot,” “But Life Goes On,” “Left Hand Path”) and a few from the new album, Clandestine (“Stranger Aeons,” “Evilyn,” “Sinners Bleed”). The band was so incredibly heavy and crushing, it boggles the mind! My only complaint was that Entombed didn’t play “Chaos Breed.”
So basically, Entombed and Deceased ruled, and Exhorder and Ripping Corpse pretty much blew. I just hope Entombed comes back to D.C. soon. ■
Obituary, Agnostic Front, Cannibal Corpse, and Malevolent Creation
Wilmer’s Park, Brandywine, MD
by Editor
My temporal lobes were overloaded by the incredible music to which I exposed them this night, at the Complete Control Tour. A couple of lobotomy patients posing as extreme music fans from southern Maryland’s “Underground” radio station hosted the show, and they tossed “Underground” bumper stickers into the crowd.
Unfortunately I missed RC Records’ Malevolent Creation, the Florida-based band that considers itself a New York band (its original home). I do know that the death metal group played songs off of its new album, the nine-song Retribution, as well as from its first album, The Ten Commandments.
Cannibal Corpse was in top form as usual. This New York band always sounds the same every time I see it, which is to say crunchy and tight. The band churned out tracks from its first two albums on Death Records, opening with “Covered with Sores” from the second one, Butchered at Birth. The one new song the band played was “Addicted to Vaginal Skin” from the latest album, Tomb of the Mutilated, which sounded good. Of course the band went over quite well with the gore hounds in attendance.
Agnostic Front took the stage with its forceful New York hardcore. Vocalist Roger Miret was recovering from an operation, so his little brother filled in and did a great job. AF belted out tunes from the new one, Relativity Records’ One Voice, such as the title track, and of course pummeled the ecstatic crowd with old stuff such as the opener, “Victim in Pain,” and “Crucified.” There were multiples of people on stage for the godly Agnostic Front, which played a rather short set.
Before I get to the headliner, I promised Dawn Crosby of Fear Of God fame that I’d mention that I saw her at the show. Yes, she relocated to Maryland, her original home, from the L.A. scene. She has a new band lineup with thrash roots, and the new Fear Of God album, Dawn revealed, will most likely be out on Warner Bros. Records. And it will be a cross between the harder old Détente stuff and the more melodic Fear Of God. Watch for it!
Obituary came out next and flooded the crowd with its Floridian death metal riffs. The band attacked the audience by throwing songs at it from the new RC Records album, The End Complete, including the title song and “I’m in Pain,” which had a brief drum solo in the middle. Obituary mercifully slashed the attendants with plenty of Cause of Death stuff, such as “Turned Inside Out,” and a few Slowly We Rot tunes like “Intoxicated.” The band’s live sound was close to the studio mix. A super performance.
So, to wrap up, the three latter bands were ruling the place, and the crowd ate it up. Hopefully the tour will be a success. These package things are great when there is a good mix of music and the openers don’t play too long. ■
Testament, White Zombie, and Latem
The Bayou, Washington, D.C.
by R. Mason
When I arrived, Latem was preparing to start its set. The band played a fairly long set of good technical thrash. It wasn’t bad, considering the group had an entire five feet of stage to run around on, but the singer wasn’t all that great.
Next up was Geffen Records’ White Zombie. The band mostly played songs from the new Sexorcisto album, and they were incredible. The group had strobe lights and sirens going and some other really neat shit going on. Sean, the bass player, had most of the guys in the club’s (including mine) testosterone levels at a dangerous level as she ran around with her bass. White Zombie is truly god and must be seen to be believed.
Finally, Atlantic Records’ Testament hit the stage, opening up with its new single, “Electric Crown.” The band played a lot of songs off the new album, The Ritual, and a few from Souls of Black and Practice What You Preach. Fortunately, the group played a few The New Order songs to redeem itself of its most dreadful plunge into the land of sellout thrash bands. The pit was going insane and people seemed be into it. However, I was not impressed.
Face it: Testament is just another cheese metal band now. Thank God for White Zombie, or this night would have been a total waste. ■
Photo: Entombed performing that night (D.U.)
