Overkill

Holy Thrash Metal Batman! New Jersey Thrash Metal Gods, Overkill, finally returned to Utah (that was a lot of capitalized words)!

Diamond Plate are a Neo-Thrash Metal band from Chicago, and started out the show. No need to even look into their music, I only mention them because they are on the advertisement I've posted.

Suidakra

Up next were German band Suidakra. I had heard of the band, but was not familiar with their music. They started in the early 90's as a Folk Metal band, but as the new millennium came they changed their style to Folk influenced Melodic Death Metal that had become popular around that time. This time sandwiching a Folk Death Metal band between a Thrash band and a Metalcore band didn't seem to go over too well with the crowd. They seemed to not understand what they were watching on stage as Suidakra played. No one moshed, the applause between songs wasn't very enthusiastic, and band kept saying, "Are you awake out there?!" So when the band left the stage they said they'd be at the merch booth. I wander out there and only about 5 other people were there to meet the band. I talked to the band for a little bit. I told them how Utah wasn't really big on the Folk Metal scene, and apologized for the lackluster response (being the self appointed Metal Ambassador of Utah that I am). I was looking at their CD they had on the table, I said I'd buy it. The guitarist took out a different CD from under the table and said, "This is the European version with bonus tracks not in US, we brought just for this tour. Only $5 more?" I really did enjoy their set, and feeling bad for the reception they received I agreed to the European version. The guitarist then says,, "Another $10, and you can have a shirt too." A ten buck, shirt? Hellz yeah. I hand over my money and get my CD and shirt, then as I'm walking away I realize, "I've just been guilt tripped into buying merch from a Folk Metal band... WTF?" I laughed about it and I don't regret the purchase because the album really is great. And now I'm guaranteed the only 23 year old in Utah with a shirt from German Folk Death Metal band Suidakra. Suidakra - Dowth 2059

God Forbid

I had last seen God Forbid in 2009 on the Mayhem Fest Tour in Denver. When I had seen them in 2009 I wasn't impressed at all. So I was not expecting much from seeing them again. But I was pleasantly surprised. Quick side story: Thanks to my bouncer friend I again got my 21+ wristband before the doors to the venue opened and was able to get a great spot as everyone else was waiting to get their wristbands. When I get to my spot the singer of God Forbid walked near me and I gave me a Devil Horn salute out of respect, (because even though I didn't enjoy his music I still respected what he was about). He did it back and then went on his merry way. But God Forbid played quite a few songs from their newest album and I really enjoyed them. The old songs they played I still disliked, but the style they had adopted for the newest album was really impressive. God Forbid - My Rebirth

While waiting for Overkill, a dude came up to me and just randomly asked what my favorite Punk band was. I said I hated Punk music, to which he replied, "How can you like Thrash Metal and not enjoy Punk? Thrash Metal evolved from Punk, you can hear it in a lot of Overkill's music.Overkill - Old School I think its stupid that people don't know their music's roots." I then asked him, "Do you like the Blues?" He informed me that he did not enjoy Blues music. I then asked him, "How can you like Heavy Metal (or Rock & Roll at all) and not enjoy the Blues, because all of today's popular music can be traced back to the Blues." He told me that was a different situation altogether. I (as kindly as I could muster) told him he was ridiculous and hypocritical and with that our conversation ended as he flipped me off and walked away. Making friends is hard... While yes it is true that Thrash Metal took the speed and attitude from Punk music, the style of music was derived from NWOBHM bands like Venom and Motorhead, and has evolved so much that very rarely can I see a resemblance to Punk. Just my personal opinion.

Overkill

The year is 2007. One of my best friend's father has scored us 5 tickets in his company's private box to see Gigantour with Megadeth, Overkill, Lamb Of God, Opeth and tons of other bands. So myself, my friend, his brother and brother's girlfriend, and another friend of ours all are stoked to go. My two friends and myself were huge Megadeth fans, and were so excited to see them live. I was just as excited to see Overkill on that tour as well. Then High School drama intervened, I had started hanging out with a girl whom my friend had a crush on. The bickering over this girl went on and on until one day he says to me, "You can't go to Megadeth anymore." I was floored, I could not believe that I was being benched from the game. Who did he think he was? He wouldn't even know Megadeth without me! Oh wait, that's right, he's the one with the tickets. So having no funds and no desire to see the concert alone, I moped around for weeks not speaking to my friend (but I got the girl, so there is that). The day before the concert there is a knock on my front door, I open it to find my friend there. He hands me an envelope with my Gigantour ticket inside. We apologize to each other, and it is agreed that my two friends will come pick me up and off we will go to see the concert. I told him we had to leave by a certain time so I could see Overkill (whom neither of my friends were fans of). But they agreed. So the next day I am waiting for my ride to come, they don't show up the designated time. Neither is answering their cellular device. I had no vehicle that night to drive myself. An hour goes by with no word, but finally they show up. I didn't ask why they were late or why they didn't answer their phones, because I still needed to get to the concert. There would be time to do that later. We arrive finally and I book it inside, leaving them behind. I ask someone, "Has Overkill played yet?" They respond, "Yeah, they're just got off the stage." My heart broke. My friend had struck me back in the way he knew would hurt me the most, my music.Overkill - Soulitude I was so distraught over it, I wandered around the "E" Center not wanting to watch some terrible new band. Then I see Bobby "Blitz" of Overkill sitting at a table. They're doing autographs! And still having the envelope my friend gave me my ticket in, I met the entire band and got their autographs. At least I had met one of my favorite bands, they had promised to come back. It only took 5 years for them to...

Overkill

Fast forward to the present year. Overkill have taken the stage, unleashing an onslaught of their best songs. I could not stop smiling. I was finally seeing one of my favorite bands. After the sixth song Bobby Blitz, the singer, says "Goodnight!" WTF?! That's it?! But then the lights come back on and he laughs, "Wouldn't that suck if we just left after six songs? Don't worry, we won't do that to you like we had to on Gigantour!" So it turned out that Overkill (and probably the other second stage bands of Gigantour) were only given time for them to do six songs. It really made me feel better about missing them in 2007.Overkill - Damned Granted I would pay to see them play just one song, but finally the mystery of what I had missed was revealed and now I was getting to see them play for an hour and a half. The band were even better live than I had expected, D.D. (next to Steve Harris) is the best bass player around. Very rarely to you hear a bass player with their own distinct sound and style . Bobby sings exactly as he does on the albums, hitting notes even higher than he does on the albums. I wished they would have played for another hour and a half. But alas it was time for them to leave, but they promised to be back and said it wouldn't take 5 years this time. I really hope so.  Overkill - Forked Tongue Kiss

Overkill