It was like 1988 at the Valarium last night, with retro thrashers Skeletonwitch throwing down on a small but enthusiastic crowd with a 45-minute set that confirmed just why the Akron, Ohio, five-piece was headlining the show. The band came on stage in a cloud of smoke and blast of galloping guitar riffs and never let up, except for a few brief segments of stage banter from singer Chance Garnett. (Highlights: "Knoxville, this one's about Satan!" "This one is about dying--'Strangled by Unseen Hands!'" "This one's about kicking ass! We find the farther South we get, the more you guys know about kicking ass!")
None of the three opening bands--Howl, Iron Age, and Black Tusk--challenged Skeletonwitch; all three played some variation on sludge rock; Iron Age's mix of hardcore punk and thrash came closest to igniting, but they were nowhere near the headliners in speed or intensity.
None of the three opening bands--Howl, Iron Age, and Black Tusk--challenged Skeletonwitch; all three played some variation on sludge rock; Iron Age's mix of hardcore punk and thrash came closest to igniting, but they were nowhere near the headliners in speed or intensity.
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