Black Dahlia Murder @ Ram's Head Live - 4/17/2012

Milla and I went to see The Black Dahlia Murder (and met John and Kate) at Ram's Head Live. The crowd was pretty good, but not so many people as to have the balcony opened, apparently.  John and Kate said the opening band was pretty good. I didn't look into them.

We left late and got there right as Skeletonwitch was starting. We missed a couple songs. They sounded a bit clearer this time, I thought, as I was actually able to make out what the vocalist was saying (well in between songs anyways). They were still a little muddy, but overall better than last time. I thought it was funny that the vocalist had a spike bracer on one arm, and one of the guitarists had a spike bracer on his *other* arm. Like they could not afford another set of bracers :3

Nile, whom I was rather interested in hearing/seeing, but curious as to how the extremely heavy sound they have (and somewhat slower pace as well) would translate from album to live. They were VERY heavy (good), and the guitar work was pretty sweet. However, during a couple songs, the slower paced ones, it made me feel sluggish or sleepy :/  I think I'd see them again. Would need to prepare myself for a longer, headlining set. The vocals were a bit muffled, but the drums that sounded like thunder and guitar were rather clear and damngood. Their more Egyptian sounding songs were the highlights of their sets. You really don't hear stuff like that. The crowd was more into Nile than Skeletonwitch.

Finally, The Black Dahlia Murder came on and people were rather responsive to their brand of madman metal. (metalcore? extreme black metal w/ something else? I dunno what one calls it) Their vocals were a mess sometimes and I thought their guitars needed to be turned up a bit more (so we could hear the dual leads), but the double bass blasts were perfect. Overall, thy were very tight and def seemed worthy of being the headliner. Could have used a bit more theatrics maybe.

The crowd was way rowdy by the time BDM came on, so that was a bit of a hassle- a few people were a bit lousy with their pit etiquette and having some sort of grudes/vendettas going on. I do NOT need that drama... One guy kept on trying to knock down this one rather strong fellow. He fell down/got knocked down about 12 or so times. A bigger guy in a Steelers Jersey was very annoying too, because with a guy that big there is nothing I can do but go along with the flow. He got taken down more than a few times. I saw him with ice at one point. He seemed to be an instigator.

 Got a bit bumped around, as we were on the edge of the pit (like always it seems). An elbow to the stomach, almost fell over twice (but I grabbed onto the perpetrator and righted myself).  I enjoyed their songs, but I think I was expecting a bit cleaner sound from them for some reason.

Merch was mostly meh. BDM had a shirt with an ape on it, but it was a bit too sporty for me. Skeletonwitch had a simple shirt w/ logo...that was 10 bucks. SO I was first in line at the merch booth and snagged that shirt and a couple photos with the vocalist. Sweet. Saw that guy Scott at this show too. Didn't talk with him.  


(I assume setlist of BDM is accurate, cause I only recalled a few songs by name)

Setlists

Skeletonwitch

Erased and Forgotten
Submit to the Suffering  (we got in as this one was playing)
Reduced to the Failure of Prayer
The Horrifying Force (The Desire to Kill)
Beyond the Permafrost
Of Ash and Torment
Crushed Beyond Dust
Shredding Sacred Flesh
Within My Blood

Nile

Kafir!
Sacrifice Unto Sebek
Hittite Dung Incantation
Ithyphallic
Sarcophagus
Permitting the Noble Dead to Descend to the Underworld
Lashed to the Slave Stick
Black Seeds of Vengeance

The Black Dahlia Murder

A Shrine to Madness
Moonlight Equilibrium
What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse
A Vulgar Picture
Malenchantments of the Necrosphere
Conspiring With the Damned
Necropolis
Den of the Picquerist
Carbonized in Cruciform
Everything Went Black
Miasma
On Stirring Seas of Salted Blood
I Will Return
Blood in the Ink
Deathmask Divine
Funeral Thirst