Metal Madness: Heavy Music Coming to Your Town

Welcome to Metal Madness my fellow Metalheads, covering all things metal, metalcore, deathcore and hardcore in the Providence area. I just want to take a moment to thank everyone who was at the Kingsmen show on October 8 (motifri.com/kingsmen). As someone who has been playing music for a long time, I wanted to speak to the growing argument that heavy music is dead. For a show on a Sunday with no major label band headlining, the turnout was great. The credit goes directly to the bands that played that night; Absence of Despair, Your Chance to Die and Kingsmen.

Everyone who was there were there for the music, and all of it was heavy music. You could see the camaraderie between the bands and fans, and how welcoming they were to the one out-of-town band, Your Chance to Die. Absent were the attitudes “I’m going to see my friend’s band and leave.” There were no crossed arms and ugly faces, but a respect for all the musicians who were there (and if you ever get the chance to see two Norwegian women front a deathcore band, do not pass it up!). The music wasn’t dead or dying; if anything, it’s thriving. The more Providence bands do well, the better it is for our scene, the bands and heavy music. Now that I’m off my soapbox, on to what’s happening.

Night of the Dead, Oct 21, 8pm, Fete Music Hall

If you want to take a quick trip back to the early 2000s, Dope, Hed p.e. and IL Nino will be playing Night of the Dead at Fete on Oct 21. If you’ve never seen Latin music elements infused with late ’90s nu-metal, IL Nino is definitely worth checking out. The New York/New Jersey band are the “founding fathers of Latin metal.”

Cristian Machado’s vocals blend perfectly with the band’s metal overtones and Oscar Santiago’s percussion arrangements. The band is out in support of their latest release, Til Death La Familia. The show will have two stages for a festival-type feel and is all ages.

Periphery, Nov 10, 7pm, Strand Ballroom

If you’re into progressive metal like I am, then Periphery is a must-see show. The Grammy-nominated band has been touring extensively since 2008. Beginning as the brainchild of producer, solo artist and guitar maestro Misha Mansoor, the Washington DC-based band has grown into a musical juggernaut. Mansoor is joined by fellow axemen Jake Bowen and Mark Holcomb, viciously proficient bass-man Adam “Nolly” Getgood, master drummer Matt Halpern and Spencer Sotelo who combine to perform intricate, complicated works of art. The band is touring in support of their latest, Periphery III: Select Difficulty. Also at the show will be Animals as Leaders, Car Bomb and Astronoid.

Whitechapel, Nov 19, 8pm, Fete Music Hall

This is sure to be a great one! The Knoxville, Tennessee, sextet Whitechapel arrives at Fete Music hall, bringing a refreshing update to their original deathcore roots, which is something to note. I believe that a lot of deathcore and metalcore acts are infusing more melodic elements into their music while preserving elements of their original sound. This new sound is propelling Whitechapel into new territory and garnering them a wider fanbase and critical acclaim. In support of Mark of the Blade, their sixth album, Whitchapel bring with them Carniflex. If you haven’t seen this band’s unique live show, I recommend checking them out. Also on the bill are Providence’s own Kingsmen. They put on a killer show and are on their way up, so catch them now before they land that record deal. This is also a festival type show and is all ages.

Keep me posted on anything metal @ eriknivison@gmail.com