Home Cooking

High On Fire / Black Cobra / Embers
The Uptown, Oakland, California
August 27, 2011

Home cooking is the best and this show was the volume equivalent of that with 3 of the Bay Area's best hometown bands on the bill. After going to Will Call to make sure I was on the guest list, Photo Ray and I walked over to Luka's for pre-show grub and libations. We then returned to The Uptown just as Matt Pike arrived in the passenger seat of a Honda. You know you're seeing a show in Oakland when Matt Pike gets out of a Honda and picks up a No Parking cone and throws it across the sidewalk into a building so his friend can park the car.

We arrived as Embers were already well into their set and while they sounded great I opted to go back to the bar to get a pint. It was going to be that kind of show. Black Cobra detonated onstage at 10:00pm and, as at the recent Eyehategod show, I was once again glad to experience one of my favorite bands in front of an enthusiastic alcohol-fueled East Bay crowd. I don't think I've ever seen a legitimate pit going during a Black Cobra show, but tonight featured a lively drunken one. The action included beer cups being thrown at the stage and bodies hitting the floor during practically every song...

Those crazy kidz... Truth be told, I've been a bad friend and the last time I'd seen Jason and Rafa onstage was 9 months ago (!). Sorry, guys... Despite having recently completed a new album (Invernal... out on Southern Lord this Fall..), no new songs were played and Black Cobra kept the set to an excellent cross section from all of their current releases... and for 40 minutes the boys whipped up a long haired thrash fest that made my 9 month absence from their shows melt away.

Photo courtesy of Photo Ray

More so than at other Black Cobra shows that I've seen, the crowd was in mayhem mode from the very first note of 'Negative Reversal'. This was the band's first Oakland show in awhile, and the best part about seeing shows in the East Bay is that the hipster element is outnumbered by the drunken crusty element... and that means more fun for your volume and more bodies flying around the room as the band works it onstage. My favorite salvos of the night were the groove monsters 'Frozen Night' and 'Chronomega'... but the entire set was absolutely ferocious on every level. As Rafa hit the final beat to close 'Swords For Teeth' and held his sticks aloft like the severed head of a defeated foe, I felt the performance, combined with the crowd action, was probably the best Black Cobra set I've seen since I started following them in 2006. For what it's worth Black Cobra's symphony of destruction went like this:

• Negative Reversal
• Machine
• Red Tide
• Storm Shadow
• Five Daggers
• Frozen Night
• Omniscient
• The Cry Of Melora
• The Sapphire Falcon
• Chronosphere
• Swords For Teeth

By the end of Black Cobra's set the room was crowded, hot, and sweaty so we retired to the bar until we heard the thunder of High On Fire starting up. Alas, the hallway to get back into the main area was jammed with humans and I was not in the mood to fight my way back to the stage. After listening to the opening salvo of 'Frost Hammer' into 'Blood From Zion' into 'Waste Of Tiamat' I was done with not being able to see the stage and being oppressed by the heat and sweat of the space... So, since this was already my 5th High On Fire show since the release of Snakes Of Divine last year, we cut our loses and beat an early retreat back across The Bay Bridge.

Yeah, it wasn't really a complete night of Rock but it was sufficient for Umlaut. Black Cobra were my priority because it had been awhile since I'd seen Jason and Rafa in full roar and that was worth the trip to the 510 alone. Also, hearing High On Fire thunder while looking at the backs of people standing on chairs who are trying to see the stage is still better than being down front for most other bands... but since I'm an Old Fart I wasn't in the mood to experience an entire show that way.

Anyway, I didn't do a merch audit. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags. There was a nerd wearing his 1999 Metallica fan club t-shirt but I'm sure he was down front for High On Fire and I wasn't... so who's the poser?

Click HERE to see Photo Ray's combat shots from the night!

The 13th of December

It's been almost a year in the making but, to paraphrase Baloff, on December 13th Metal will take its price:


Appropriately, my co-author Harald and his band D.R.I. will be playing Slim's in San Francisco 3 days after the book's release on December 16th. The ghost of the original Bay Area Metal Scene will be in the room that night... Click HERE to visit the Bazillion Points MITFR website.

Murder in the front row
Crowd begins to bang
And there's blood upon the stage
Bang your head against the stage
And metal takes its price
Bonded by blood

Mean Street

Umlaut returned to the neighborhood in the 408 where he grew up this weekend and took a walk around the old block. During the walk I noticed this vintage piece of sidewalk graffiti that I had NEVER noticed before:

"Van Halen Rules"

This ancient etching is only a block from the house where I grew up and it must date from the 80's because what kid after that time would feel so passionately about Van Halen to scrawl it in wet cement?? I wish I could take credit for this but I cannot... It's so bizarre that I've never seen this before.. actually it's eerie. In the time before I discovered Iron Maiden, Umlaut worshiped Van Halen and I saw them twice in 1980 and 1981...

'Unchained' filmed at Oakland Coliseum Arena - June 1981

TEN DOLLARS
(From the Umlaut Archives)

Anyway, Van Halen hasn't been one of my favorite bands since the Fair Warning (1981) album. Meanwhile, back in the 21st Century... "This is home... This is Mean Street..."

Helpless

Diamond Head / Evildead / Slough Feg
Elbo Room, San Francisco
August 17, 2011

This ranks as one of the most surreal shows ever for Umlaut. Thirty years ago Diamond Head were one of those hallowed underground European Metal bands that ushered in a whole new world for me. Plus, all of the Old Metalheads know that Metallica copped pretty much all of their early sound from Diamond Head. Fast forward to the 21st Century and Diamond Head are touring the U.S. for the first time ever... 17 cities although with only 1 original member (guitarist Brian Tatler). I hate cover bands and, despite the sense that I would be seeing a Diamond Head cover band (especially since Sean Harris would not be singing the band's iconic songs), my Inner Teenage Metalhead still told me to go if only to honor the ancient Metal Days of my youth.

The line to get into the Elbo Room was like a high school reunion with so many people who I've known since we were teenagers hanging out. This pre-show scene was the highlight of the night for me, which included Ron Quintana and I meeting Brian Tatler on the streets of San Francisco. Although we later found out that Tatler did not have his white Flying-V with him (For the newbies: Tatler was always shown playing a white Flying-V back in The Day..), for some reason he was carrying a white power strip when we met him (?). Anyway, Ron and I meeting him was 30 years of Diamond Head fandom coming around full circle; kind of an epic moment.

Ron -> Tatler -> Umlaut

Slough Feg has been touted as the 2nd coming of Old Metal for years... but they've never clicked with me. Tonight was no different. Sorry... honesty is my only excuse. Evildead is led by the guitarist from the 80's L.A. Metal band Abattoir, who I saw back in The Day supporting Megadeth and Slayer... but it was hot 'n stuffy in the space so we went outside to get some air during their set. Sorry... honesty is my only excuse.

It took 30 years, but Diamond Head finally made it to San Francisco, the American city where they unquestionably had the biggest following back in The Day. Unlike most, The Bay Area Metal kidz knew about Diamond Head before they were made famous by Metallica. The very first time Metallica played in San Francisco in September 1982 they covered 'The Prince' and 'Am I Evil'; my friends and I flipped out because we couldn't believe there were others who even knew who Diamond Head were... Kids these days with their Internet probably can't comprehend how isolated it could be in ancient times when you had to hunt for information and the music of bands you liked... but that effort made me value the music and bands that much more. Hence I was standing in the crowded and sweaty Elbo Room at midnight on a Tuesday night to see 1/4 of the original band.

This was a very weird show for me and I have to say it came 30 years too late in many respects. In a perfect world Diamond Head would have played the Lightning To The Nations album all the way through and not broken the classic songs up with their later material. As it happened, they played all of the songs off that album except 'Sweet & Innocent' during the set... but I couldn't get past the overwhelming cover band vibe. It's an age old debate: If you use a band's name even though most of the current members weren't in the original band are they still *that* band? Of course, in a few cases it might work... but in most cases it doesn't. If a band is special it’s because the individuals involved create a creative chemistry that’s unique.. you might be able to replace one or maybe two members.. but the results might be dubious. In this case, simply calling the band "Diamond Head" doesn't make them the iconic band from my youth. Sorry... honesty is my only excuse.

(Photo courtesy of Sensory Abuse)

On paper the setlist was pretty solid and I tried to get past the fact that only 1/5 of the band onstage mattered to me… but it was difficult. They opened with the oldie 'Play It Loud'... and 'The Prince' and 'It's Electric' were fun to hear.. and when they played 'Helpless' I did toast the dead friends who never got to see the band (Sam, Rich, Cliff). It was funny how I recognized the songs off the Borrowed Time and Canterbury albums (which I literally have not listened to since 1983) but the newer latter 20th Century songs sounded so dated. However, it was pretty fucking cool to finally see Brian Tatler play 'Am I Evil' in San Francisco (with a shout out to Metallica of course..) after all these years. "I'll split you to the bone... Help set you free.."

When it was all said and done, this was a "damned if I do, damned if I don't" show for me. If I'd passed on it I would have regretted it... but attending didn't set my world on fire either; I'm such a jaded Old Fart. Meanwhile, back in the 21st Century...

If you bought one of every Diamond Head merch item you would have paid around $60; Healy bought one of the band’s USB drives in a tin box that was supposed to have their entire discography on it plus bonus music... and it was EMPTY! On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags. If you bought one of every Diamond Head merch item in 1981 you would have paid around 17 quid:

An ad from Kerrang! #2 - August 1981
(From the Umlaut Archives)

Exit Light, Enter Night

Eyehategod / Impaled / Brainoil / Laudanum
Oakland Metro, Oakland, California
August 12, 2011

The day before the show the singer for the awful 80's Hair Metal band Warrant was found dead. Yes, any early death is sad... but Warrant were everything I hated about 80's Metal; bullshit pose over substance. Anyway, rest in peace Mr. Cherry Pie... but going into this show I was pretty sure none of the bands would be doing a Warrant tribute. Back in 1993 this is where I was at while Warrant were blaming Grunge for ruining their career:

San Francisco - 1993
(From the Umlaut Archives)

I had not seen Eyehategod in a long time since I missed their last visit to The Bay Area a couple of years ago. You know I'm an Old Fart because I had to make some coffee before heading across The Bay Bridge to West Oakland. The Metro is an old warehouse space located a couple of blocks from the Port of Oakland... Some will call it a shit hole but I like it because it reminds me of the old dives and warehouse spaces where I used to see bands back in the 80's and early 90's.

Even after all these years, underground shows in Oakland still have a better vibe than most gigs in San Francisco. More grit.. More grime.. More edge. Parking karma was in effect as I found a space a half block from The Metro and the thumping from the band that was already onstage echoed down 3rd Street as I made my way inside.

Rather then only using the main stage tonight, the organizers used a rotating stage schedule that had the support bands playing alternately on the main stage and on a smaller stage next door in the art space. As I walked into the art space I was greeted by a wall of volume from a support band whose name I never confirmed.. but who were quite good. Note to bands: It really does work to your benefit to have your band name somewhere onstage while you're playing. Advertising 101. After watching most of the set I wandered down the hall and through the portal into the main room.

It was in the big space that Laudanum soon lowered their insanely dense curtain of darkness. The band were even more unrelenting with their message of Drone / Doom than I remembered... Laudanum is crushing; listening to them feels like having your soul obliterated... which probably isn't something most people want to experience... but I was cool with it because it was Friday night and I had a beer in my hand.

After the darkness of Laudanum I had to go outside to get some fresh air... and forgot about the rotating stage schedule until the start of Brainoil's set dragged me back into the humid and volume filled smaller room. Next to the headliner, the main reason I ventured to West Oakland was to see Brainoil again. The last time I saw them was over a year ago when they supported Shrinebuilder and in that time I've been consistently told by friends how the band have stepped up their game even more. The band has just released their first new album in 8 years (!) and as soon as I was back in the small room I was sucked into the Brainoil volume vortex.

Brainoil
(Photo courtesy of Sensory Abuse)

Brainoil's special brew of Hardcore and Sludge bleeds Oakland and the East Bay with every note... and watching them explode with an audience in a crowded and confined space is my quintessential type of live band experience. Sludgey riffs washing in and out of heavy grooves.. Their great new album (Death Of This Dry Season) compels me to be the messenger and say Brainoil are the best Bay Area Metal band going right now... There.. I said it. They were simply awesome.

With my head still ringing I stumbled back down the hall and through the portal into the main room where Impaled had unleashed their theatrically-tinged Metal on the night (tonight they wore matching blood-soaked smocks). As with Laudanum and Brainoil, it had been awhile since the last time I had seen Impaled. To be honest, after Brainoil's set my head wasn't really in the mood for Impaled. My head was still reeling from the sludgy pounding it had received in the smaller room and I felt a bit detached watching Impaled entertain the crowd; I kept thinking about Megadeth watching them tonight for some reason... Impaled were great as always, but my head was still swimming in Brainoil.

Impaled
(Photo courtesy of Sensory Abuse)

As the main stage was prepared for the headliners, ZZ Top played over the PA and I wandered around the space checking out the merch tables... and chatted with Dave Ed of Neurosis about the band's new album plans (!). How do you know you're seeing a show in West Oakland? Because you cut in front of Matt Pike outside of the Men's Room to take a piss because he's moving too slow.

Eyehategod are one of those real deal survivor bands... and it's cool that they've risen from the ashes again with 4/5 of the "classic" lineup intact. The feedback wail of 'Blank' announced the start of the set and watching the floor erupt into classic East Bay mayhem reminded me how shows in San Francisco never match the crowd action of an underground show in the 510.

Eyehategod
(Photo courtesy of Sensory Abuse)

Best quote: "You make San Francisco look stupid." - Mike of Eyehategod

A new song with the heavy handed title 'New Orleans Is The New Vietnam' channeled the still burning rage that obviously fuels Eyehategod here in the 21st Century. After over an hour onstage, the band came back out and pummeled Oakland for almost another half hour... and when it was all said and done 90 minutes of Louisiana Sludge had buried Oaktown.

Number of Slayer hoodies = 1 (mine). If you bought one of every Eyehategod merch item you would have paid around $60. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags. All in all, not a bad night on the right side of The Bay seeing some of the darkest bands from my record collection; I need to make more of an effort to see shows in the 510 moving forward. On another note, The Black Album came out 20 years ago on this date (August 12th)...

Umlaut backstage with The Cowardly Lion - Black Album Tour - 1992
(Photo by Mike Meals)

Time flies when you're getting old... Exit light.. Enter night.

Slaycation

Slayer / Rob Zombie / Exodus
WaMu Theater, Seattle, Washington
August 6, 2011


Because of my decision to travel to Seattle for this weekend of Metal, I missed not one but two Yob / Dark Castle shows and also the return to San Francisco of my kindred Metal friends Landmine Marathon, but my plans had been made in advance of those shows being announced. Metal guilt was eating me up inside as I arrived at SFO for the flight North and although part of me was really bummed about what I was missing at home, the Metal F-U-N in Seattle proved to be worth the sacrifice. Ironically a mob of Bay Area people also made the trip North of Heaven for the Portland and Seattle shows since they were the only West Coast dates on this 12-city tour (a shout out to Paschke, Cable Car, and Lisa P..).

Upon landing I picked up the rental car and the first song that came on the radio was Soundgarden as I drove out of the airport; I'm not kidding. For the rest of my stay, Seattle Rock radio KISW displayed a blatant narcissistic trait of playing Seattle bands way too often (Soundgarden, Heart, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains.. etc.). Okay, I get it, those bands are from here. Prior to the show we did a Yelp search of the area looking for food and the very first place that came up was called… Araya’s Place! I shit you not. The Metal Godz work in mysterious ways… but we didn’t eat there.

After parking the rental car a block from the venue, the echos of people shouting "SLAAAYEER!" could already be heard in the streets and alleys. I can't think of another band that causes such primal behavior so randomly... and it makes me laugh out loud every time. On another note, it's always nice when a show is this easy:

The inside of this venue had the weird hybrid vibe of a nightclub, a sports bar, and a warehouse; a soulless multipurpose space if there ever was one. However, I didn't have to suffer the details of the space for very long since the houselights went down and Exodus arrived onstage to give Seattle a proper Bay Area-style ass kicking. We quickly made our way past the security barrier and watched the mayhem from stage right. With only 30 minutes and 6 songs to work with the Bay Area heroes wasted no time in getting things going with 3 newer songs... 'The Ballad Of Leonard & Charles' into 'War Is My Shepard' into 'Blacklist'. For the kill shot, Exodus finished off with 3 old songs... 'Bonded By Blood' into 'Toxic Waltz' and then an amazing set-closing 'Strike Of The Beast' that featured a guest appearance by Kerry Fucking King!!

Photo courtesy of Cable Car

While 'Strike' was the obvious highlight of the set, my Inner Teenage Metalhead couldn't stop smiling as I watched a kid against the barrier singing along to 'Bonded By Blood'. That kid is gonna be alright! There's only one other band who I have as more history with than Exodus... and it was pretty fucking cool that Slayer put them on this tour as pay back for "borrowing" Gary during Hanneman's recovery over the past 10 months. That kind of Old School loyalty doesn't happen very often these days.

During the changeover before Rob Zombie we walked back out amongst the civilians to check out the merch table in the lobby. At one point during our trek through the drunk Saturday night masses I heard someone behind me cough followed by the unmistakable sound of vomit hitting a concrete floor. I didn't turn around and just kept walking.

As we found a spot at the soundboard to watch Zombie's set I was prepared to be as underwhelmed by him as I've been in the past. While I love his aesthetic and I like John 5 on guitar, Zombie's dance music disguised as Metal (with its electro beat under everything) has never really done it for me. Tonight was the last show of Zombie's Hellbilly Deluxe 2 Tour and I have to admit tonight's final show was... really great! The show I saw early in the tour in San Jose quickly became a distant bad memory as Zombie ripped through a tight 70-minute set filled with his usual theatrics of horror video, pyro, and no less than 7 mechanical beasts that wheeled or marched onto the stage at various times. Maybe it was because it was the last night of the long tour, but the band seemed to be in overdrive as they worked the stage effectively and Zombie seemed to be way more engaged than the last time I saw him.

An odd end of the tour moment came when Zombie introduced Rob of Exodus onstage to help him with a pretty lame crowd participation segment followed by Rob contributing back up vocals to 'Sick Bubblegum'. It was odd. Anyway, the final song of the set and the tour was a spirited version of 'Dragula' that featured fire and confetti cannons... and then Rob Zombie slipped into the night to return to making horror movies featuring his wife.

Photo courtesy of Cable Car

During the 40 minute changeover break between Zombie and Slayer we wandered backstage to find the usual distractions that civilians expect backstage (use your imaginations...). We also got a glimpse behind the scenes of Zombie's cabaret act as his stage props were brought offstage:

Photo courtesy of Cable Car

Having a bill of Slayer and Rob Zombie gave the audience two different versions of Hell: Zombie's is a comic book version of Hell filled with hot chicks, hot rods, and monsters. Slayer's version of Hell is a bleak blood-soaked reality. Whereas Zombie relied heavily on theatrics to communicate his version of Satan's playground, Slayer only needed a wall of Marshall cabinets, a pair of huge metal Slayer Eagles above the stage, and their unrelenting and brutal music. During the opening song 'World Painted Blood' there was something going on in the crowd down front but because of the lighting I couldn't figure out what it was... Then it hit me: It was a guy in a fucking WHEELCHAIR crowd surfing:

Photo by Umlaut's iPhone

Fucking insane!! According to the Umlaut Archives, tonight was around my 23rd time seeing Slayer and I've NEVER seen anything like that! I know it sucked for those underneath him, but kudos to that guy and to his buddies for lifting him up. You do not see someone enjoying life that hardcore and to the fullest very often! That guy was the definition of handi-capable! HAIL!

In recent years it's become cathartic and even a spiritual thing for me to witness Slayer onstage. Seriously. Their brutality through volume serves as a mantra straight to those dark places where normal people won't go... Their dark and violent Metal vision gives me perspective to balance out the lighter Classic Rock side of life. At different times during the set I knew I wasn't the only one who felt that way as I saw fans raise their hands to the sky, palms open, as if they were testifying to an unseen "something". God had nothing to do with it. Nothing.

The most profound difference in Slayer's approach to Metal compared to Zombie's came during 'South Of Heaven'. While Zombie put on a pop culture and effects fueled extravaganza to get the crowd going, Slayer's approach was so minimalist it was brilliant. As 'South Of Heaven' slowly built up from its intro to its full speed fury, the plain black backdrop fell to reveal a massive SLAYER logo. The effect of this happening half way through the song, and well into the set, was awesome and the crowd went apeshit. Brilliant... AND cost effective.

SLAAAYEER!!!
[Photo courtesy of Cable Car]

This was the final indoor show of Slayer's World Painted Blood Tour which started in 2009 and was plagued by events that would have derailed a lesser band. First there was Araya needing neck surgery and then Hanneman being stricken by the very Metal disease Necrotizing fasciitis (the most Metal disease ever..), the latter requiring the band to enlist the help of Gary Holt to complete the tour. This was the 2nd time I'd seen the band with Gary and, while it will be the best day when Hanneman is back onstage, I have to say it's been a revelation watching Slayer be energized by Gary's presence. Given the uncertain future of the original lineup the band has looked hungry and filled with bloodlust in their recent performances, especially Kerry.

Gary 'n Kerry
[Photo courtesy of Cable Car]

The night's final assault of 'Raining Blood' into 'Black Magic'(!) into 'Angel Of Death' was completely obliterating as Slayer finished this final indoor show of the tour. I also liked how Lombardo's playing during the final minute of 'Angel Of Death' alone blew away the drumming during Zombie's entire 70 minute set... and I couldn't help but smile when I noticed the kid in the middle of the pit holding up the national flag of Chile for Tom towards the end of the set. For the White Power Slayer fans: Tom is Chilean (aka a brown person) and his last name is Araya and not "Aryan"... Oh and Lombardo is Cuban (aka also a brown person).

White Power tees = 1. If you bought one of every Slayer merch item you would have paid over $400. On the way back to the hotel, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag.

The next day I had all day to kill before my flight home so I checked out the Nirvana exhibition at the Experience Music Project. It was interesting... but to be honest it's completely weird when I see something that I was into when it was happening be presented in such a portentous way years later.

The exhibit featured such Nirvana artifacts as old cassette demos, show flyers, articles of Cobain's clothes, Cobain's guitars, and candid photos from Nirvana's pre-fame DIY tours. Unlike most "Metal fans", Umlaut is of the opinion that it was not Grunge that killed 80's Metal. It was the bullshit Hair Metal bands that destroyed it! Once those bullshit bands became legitimized then anything associated with "Metal" became tainted by their cancer of mediocrity. Seriously. I think it's funny that you've never heard Slayer complain about Grunge but you STILL hear a bullshit "Metal" band like Ratt complaining how Grunge ruined their career. That being said, while the Nirvana exhibition was interesting in a surreal way I completely geeked out when I stumbled upon the Battlestar Galactica exhibition that was upstairs!! HOLY FRAK!

The exhibit had such show artifacts as full-size Vipers and Cylon fighters (!), Number Six's iconic red dress (!), as well as other costumes, models, and props. Sorry Grunge... BSG at its best was better than your flannel. I also had time to visit the sculpture that inspired the Soundgarden song 'Black Hole Sun':

I like the song more now knowing it was inspired by a piece of public art; Grunge lives in our (he)arts. Anyway, a few hours after all of this my Slaycation was over as I sat on a jet airliner heading back to Casa de Umlaut.

Slaycation all I ever wanna do... Slaycation had to get away.