appearing: Carcass, The Black Dahlia Murder, Gorguts, Noisem Newport Music Hall, Columbus, Ohio – April 6, 2014
“Are you ready to rock?” deadpanned Carcass front man Jeff Walker, addressing the audience almost accusatorily with his bass guitar suspended from his neck and dangling like a fallen mountain climber wriggling at the end of his tether. The first live note had yet to be struck and the Newport Music Hall was still awash in the strains of “1985”, the majestic instrumental opening to Carcass’ magnificent 2013 comeback album Surgical Steel. Here was a band, so influential and loved in its time, that had with startling force and command improbably returned to form well over fifteen years after disbanding, and were now headlining one of North America’s premier metal tours, soaking in the audience’s adulation and anticipation. It didn’t quite play like the triumphant moment it should have. Continue reading “Concert review: The Decibel Magazine Tour 2014”