Death Metal took over Skyway Theatre Sunday night with 4 bands headlined by Morbid Angel. Show goers found an escape from the cold that felt like the 9th ring of hell. There was a sea of spikes, patch jackets and boots as I walked into a deeply red lit room. Blood Incantation was on stage and started the night out with slow grimy trance like guitar noises before they began their set.
The 4 piece metal band didn’t waste much time picking up the pace. Blood Incantation is based out of Denver. They represent a very classic Death Metal style. Their set was filled with slow melodic chugging that would explode into fast paced rhythms, blast beats and full-on head banging. I looked out into the crowd from the pit and the crowd seemed pretty into it as they warmed the room up.
Necrot transitioned onto the stage pretty quick. The Oakland based band was a three piece but offered just as much explosion as the first band. These guys were a pleasant discovery for me. The vocalist and bassist Luca Indrio had such a kickass stage vibe. He really brought the metal camaraderie out in everyone.
Once Morbid Angel took the stage the energy at Skyway shifted, the circle pit got bigger and the music started playing. The band won brownie points with the crowd for making jokes about how cold it was in Minnesota and the crowd loved it. Everyone in the room was just stoked to see a classic band that shaped the scene so much take the stage.
The level of musicianship, technique and command was incredibly impressive. Morbid Angel had a great mix of older and newer songs. There was no lack of brutal growling vocals and heavy fast paced rhythms. But my favorite part? Without a doubt the interesting experimental undertones that gave Morbid Angel’s performance a spin on the classic death metal sound.
And just when the show couldn’t get any better the night was topped off with another classic act, Cannibal Corpse. As I waited for the band to take the stage I heard numerous people yelling “Corpse Grinder”, who is the vocalist for Cannibal Corpse.
This was my first time seeing Cannibal Corpse live and I was not disappointed. Corpse Grinder’s vocals demanded respect. The other band members didn’t lack either. I was so impressed with the musicianship from these guys just like every other band that took the stage that night. Without a doubt a successful night of music and a little distraction from the cold weather outside.
