On principle I had to miss the Berzerker.  Later, Ian Heran, the producer of the magazine "Read between the Lies," told me that the Berzerker weren't using a drum machine for their tour, and instead had an actual living being. They did wear the masks, though. 

I had wanted to see Skinless, but I didn't time my arrival quite right. Thus, my evening began with Gorguts.  This was the second time I'd seen them play live, the last time being in 98, when they toured with Cryptopsy and Vader. The burly bass player with the nappy dreads that had been on that tour was no longer with the band. Gorguts are reputed to be one of the most interestingly technical bands in death metal, but once again, they showed that their material doesn't translate so well to the live setting. Gorguts' material has the quality of just sitting there, kind of in a somber, reflective state.  The music repeatedly threatens to open up and cut loose, but never does.  Instead, Gorguts' songs are a collection of starts, but those starts never continue. The result can be a little frustrating, and in the end, it gets kind of boring, especially if you haven't heard the material before.

I spent a good deal of the set watching "Stone Cold" featuring Brian Bosworth, to give you an idea. The drum sound, while very clear, sounded too machine like. I think the triggers used weren't a good choice. Despite my opinions, the crowd was very appreciative of Gorguts' set, so I guess Gorguts are just one of those bands I can't hear.

Really, this was all fun and games until Dying Fetus came on. The band, which was now a five piece, having exchanged their regular bass player for another and also a second vocalist, put on a show to behold. Sure, the old bass player was missed, but the new guy could handle the material with no problem. Just watching the technical and creative playing of the guitarists and bassist was a show in of itself.

Especially on their awesome latest album, Destroy the Opposition, Dying Fetus have the knack for writing technical material that also manages to catch your ear.  On top of this, Dying Fetus has got one of the best drummers in all of metal in Kevin Talley.  What a show he put on. Dying Fetus' material is very blast beat intensive.  Not only does Talley have his own distinctive beat, there is never, ever any hint of slowdown. 

The band had prepared their live sound well.  All the instruments came through as clearly and non-artificially as they do on their latest album, which was the most represented of their discography on this night. The band played "Praise the Lord (Opium of the Masses)," "Destroy the Opposition," "Born in Sodom," and "Pissing in the Mainstream" from the new album.  "Procreate the Malformed" and "Kill Your Mother/Rape Your Dog" from Killing on Adrenaline, and some older material from the band's first album were also played.  To the adulation of the fans, Dying Fetus treated the crowd with two encores.  A thoroughly enjoyable set from one of the top five death metal bands in the world. 

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