25 Mar 13

"...[they] come out at night ...that's when the vampires roam..."

Hey, blogspot readers, who's ready to rock out on a Monday night?! SouthSide was! After marching through downtown supporting marriage equality, it was time to rock with a few friends at Cobra Lounge. There, she joined others dressed in their finest industrial, post-industrial to "whatever suited them best" wear in seeing God Module featuring Ludovico Technique performing on stage along with Mordacious, Frontal Boundary and JILT opening the show. Besides the hardcore intense music, there were some lovely yet electrifying beauties from Fahrenheit 666 brightly sparking the stage on fire with their seductive burlesque in between band acts as well as house music provided by DJ Nemesis, Eternal and Peter Propaganda (of JILT). All this fun and action was brought to Chicago by way of Doc Colony, Event Coordinator/Recording Artist from Detroit, MI, as part of his APOC Concert Series in which he features up and coming hardcore rock bands in the Midwest ...and he's also known for "..pushing and twisting the Electronic, Industrial, Gothic, EBM, Trance and Synth Pop sound to new limits..." For more information about Doc Colony and where another APOC Concert Series will be rockin' a stage near you in the Midwest, visit https://www.facebook.com/threaldoccolony#!/threaldoccolony.

Though sounding a little rusty (since their second performance as a band), SouthSide still recommends rockin' out to the hardcore industrial/rock sounds with Peter, Will and Scarecrow - the members of local band JILT. Intense wouldn't be the proper word, blogspot readers, since this opening was dripping with adamant rants and rage. There were moments when Peter anidst the grittiness of the raw guitar riffs and metal rhythms vocally blasted the ears with such venomous fervor thus pumping excitement to the crowded venue. This reviewer did note a couple of things about this performance but the main one was he could have used a little more microphone power during certain songs when the band around him wasn't as loud. Still, JILT rocked hard and evcn harder throughout that brought on lots of energized intensity to fuel some to headbang and/or show off their best dance moves. "...don't get mad at us ...we didn't make this world..." shouts Peter before taking the energy down a notch for the song Sector 3 and then adding some bone-chilling tingles when his voice took on more of a macabre tone especially while saying "...you'll be undone..." *shivers* You had to be there, blogspot readers, to see (as well as feel) the menacing look on his face during this particular song. Hope to see more of JILT in the coming months yet in the meantime, visit this band at http://www.reverbnation.com/jilt.

Frontal Boundary - what an intense duo that rocked the stage, blogspot readers. These two (from New York) provided a lot of noise, music and intense energy for a five piece band. To say the entire set was fast paced would be a gross understatement and not the proper word in describing what was felt and seen. Frontal Boundary was more like an energizer bunny hyped on bad drugs from start to finish because not one inch of that stage was left untouched by either member. Whew ...SouthSide got more than a workout with this highly energized duo that at times she had to stop writing and just watch them feverishly work the crowd into a spiraling music frenzy. And believe it or not, that was just the first three songs! This reviewer enjoyed how the band's energy was seeping with dramatic expressiveness that you sometimes had to closely oberve the way both moved in sync under intense rhythmic floetry. It was amazing. They definitely had this crowd ensnared within the palms of their electrifying electronica/industrial sound in which there were moments this reviewer thought it was pulsating in time with her heart. Yeah, it was that intense even while taking it down a notch or two, there was still enough sonic vibe pulsing through Frontal's sound. SouthSide enjoyed during another particular song the symphonic aria that opened it before righteously assualted by the harsh electronica that seemed to dazzle and amaze under the space cadet lighting glow. Want to experience and feel what SouthSide felt by Frontal Bounday? Then attend their next show or visit the band at https://www.facebook.com/FrontalBoundaryOfficial.

Mordacious, a duo continued with the central theme of the night, blogspot readers, by giving their audience and fans more intense drama as well as hardcore industrial/rock under a series of gritty rhythmic beats. From California, this band did more than just pulsating the entire venue with their performance but also ensnaring them underneath Mortem's commanding stage presence throughout. This reviewer can easily admit she was mesmerized by the intensity he projected via his mere menacing stance and raw vocals that she couldn't help but dance along with the others around her. By now the show had turned into an underground industrial dance party with pockets of dancers here and there flowing and withering to the electronic beat especially when the lights dipped to blue-electric glow, blogspot readers, thus bringing out the dramatic tone of Mordacious' music. The drama, though not solely contained to the music, did at certain moments emphasized and/or heightened the experience while listening to the rawness of Mortem's vocals. He had a way being intimidating as well as ultra sexy (in a goth way) at the same time that makes for an exciting performance. SouthSide highly recommends checking out Mordacious when and wherever they rock the stage next, blogspot readers. In the meantime, visit this duo at http://www.mordacious.com.

Hailing from Florida, Ludovico Technique wins SouthSide's award of the night for the most unusual and dramatic entrance, blogspot readers! This band upon opening their set under a cover of darkness soon popped the venue instantly to life with heavy fog cover and sequenced lighting to which was also a bad thing because you could see Ben (front man on vocals) and his elaborate makeup. *frowns* Throughout the set, SouthSide tried to get a good glimpse of him whenever he would step out of the shadows to face his adoring fans however he would quickly dart back into safe comforts of the blackness to hide. Still, this trio dazzled and amazed as well as intensely rocked out the stage within a fierce eletronica vibe and live drum percussion, blogspot readers. Many crowded the stage to part of the electric space cadet glow that the Cobra Lounge lighting provided ...to amidst the awe and spectacle that was Ludovico Technique. And don't think this reviewer is saying it was a bad thing. On the contrary. Never had SouthSide seen such a band powerfully command an instant reaction from the crowd ...and they were only into their first song! This band skillfully combined the all the elements of making a great rock show - sight, sound and drama to their advantage. Also not saying the other bands didn't have that as well. They did but Ludovico Technique stepped it up a notch to where they used the lighting to create and set an atmosphere ...the music to create an intense electronic mood and tone and drama to combined the two together that fueled constant theatric momentum just right for dancing and headbanging. Even while it was less energized, this band still had everyone feeling some sort of intensity, drama, sound or any combination at the same time. This is one show you need to experience live than listening to Ludovico Technique's music. To find out when and where they're rockin' the stage again, visit http://www.ludotechnique.com.

Headlining tonight's APOC Concert Series was the band who won for the most creepiest electronica show ever seen or perhaps reviewed by SouthSide - God Module! This duo, blogspot readers, not only heightened the intense experience felt throughout the night but also elevated the three things into making a good rock performance to the next level. Oh, Jasyn aka God Module have more than just a commanding presence while on stage. His looming stature made sure you were bathed in every essence that was God Module while roughly belting out raw lyrics over the microphone. It was creepy yet exciting at the same time to which feverishly delighted the audience sending them back into a dancing frenzy like Ludovico Technique did earlier. This front man had a way of fusing the dark theatrics to his advantage while his counterpart provided the necessary haunting hardcore industrial/electronica music to encompass the dark one throughout their performance. SouthSide loved being emersed within the dark atmosphere even though this particular set wasn't as intense like the other performances but still it contained that intense pulsating energy until the end. She noticed the band as well as Jasyn had a way of entrapping you mind, body and spirit within the music, blogspot readers, without really making an effort. Some sort of black magic spell casted over us? Who knows but this reviewer wasn't complaining since God's seductive body movements and raspy vocals did get her hooked especially when he leers over the audience "blessing" his followers. The misty glow of the lighting behind them and music did put spine-tingling shivers down this reviewer's back ...thus leaving her wanting more. She highly recommends checking out God Module when and wherever this duo rocks the stage next. In the meantime, visit http://www.godmodule.org for more information and music.


Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide