15 Mar 12

Continuing with tonight's metal/rock theme at Double Door, blogspot readers, SouthSide's friend inside the middle of the opening lineup was Denial Machine as the band started the set with a subtle crescendoo rise before popping the eardrums with a raw blast of primal screaming during Silver Tongue Devil. This local band rocked the stage with more of a melodic sound tangled within the electic riffs and thunderous drum percussion even though there were moments when the intense music overshadowed the non-screamo vocals. It was no fault of the band, blogspot readers - this reviewer noticed there was a couple of minor difficulties with the mic throughout this set. Despite that hampering SouthSide's enjoyment of feeling the animalistic screamo or the tortured soul (during The Burden [Tortured]) a little, still this band performed on stage electrifying the audience within its riffs while wrapping the ears to the vocal angst and frustration (by front man Skube). The emotions in his voice was literally dripping all over the microphone during songs like Idee Fixe and Promises. SouthSide highly recommends getting your metal on when listening to Denial's theme song - The Denial Machine in which you'll hear as well as feel the hardcore guitar riffs being pumped into your ears and then tackle your hand at God Particle where the band takes the energy down for a bit yet keeping that intense momentum going amidst the emotional angst off the lyrics. Watch out for those the chord changes, blogspot readers, at the bridge to get you back into the head-banging spirit. SouthSide highly recommends checking out her friend Denial Machine at their next live show but in the meantime, visit the band on its Myspace and Facebook sites.

After her brief chat with Jodi of Losing Scarlet, SouthSide returned to her perch in time to rock out her night at Double Door to some wild hair slinging metal rock by Skinwalker. This band combined the best of the metal world - the hair (on a couple of members), raw screamo power and twitterpating guitar rock especially heard during the instrumental bridge when two out of three tore of the stage. Skinwalker prided itself in allowing each audience member to not only hear but feel the electric riffs off its guitar rock intensity which excited the crowd around the stage throughout each song. And to keep that momentum going, Skinwalker didn't slow down to catch its breath ...they flowed rather easily straight through their set list that sometimes SouthSide had to stop writing to keep in pace with their fast-paced stage tempo. While covering Dio's The Last In Line, Taran (front man) upped the vocal intensity by pouring out the emotions off the lyrics as the band backed him with hardcore electric riffs ...and the finish - whoa ...that's all SouthSide can say. You had to be there, blogspot readers, to hear it. Then it was back to band's well known head-banging metal rock in which filled the venue with more gritty riffs and vocal powress especially when rockin' the stage during Universal Lie (off Skinwalker's first album. This reviewer also highly recommends sinking your metal teeth in the band's other songs like Slave, Swine and Now That The World Is Ending (sort of fitting if the Mayans are right Dec. 21). Don't believe the hype if someone tells you that metal is dead - HA ...not with bands like Skinwalker, Denial Machine and Losing Scarlet keeping it alive and well in Chicago's music scene. For more information about Skinwalker, visit http://www.myspace.com/skinwalkerchicago.


Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide