LIVE PHOTOS: Lamb of God, Kublai Khan TX, Fit for an Autopsy, Sanguisugabogg
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Review and photos by Greg Maki
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It’s amusing to think that while patrons happily hit the slots and played table games at MGM National Harbor Hotel & Casino, a complete metal massacre took place inside the venue’s concert hall. Lamb of God officially kicked off its Into Oblivion Tour here, just four days after the release of its new album of the same name, and the veteran Virginia band brought along a vicious package of modern metal bands.
First up, the act with the best/worst name in the genre today, Sanguisugabogg, pummeled the audience with its punishing death metal. Introducing one number, frontman Devin Swank said: “This song is about getting your face ripped the fuck off. It’s called ‘Face Ripped Off.’” That should tell you almost all you need to know about this Columbus, Ohio, band. No room for subtlety here, just one relentless attack after another. Surely, it plays a bit better in a smaller hall that’s as grimy as the music, but seeing something this extreme in a 3,000-seat theater warmed my headbanging heart.
The band underwent a lineup change for this tour, with longtime guitarist Cedrik Davis departing and founding member Cody Davidson stepping out from behind the drums to take on one of the six-string roles. (Eric Morotti is the new drummer.) It was hardly noticeable, though, as the ‘Bogg was tight, heavy and an unforgiving destructive force throughout its set.
Fit for an Autopsy brought its New Jersey deathcore to the stage next. Actually, that feels like too narrow a label for this band, which dates to 2008. Guitarists Pat Sheridan and Tim Howley seemed to inject a bit more technicality than the subgenre typically offers, and were those hints of melody sometimes sneaking in from vocalist Joe Badolato? The set list included the new single “The Wretch,” released earlier that same day.
Kublai Khan TX served as direct support and, judging from crowd reaction, appears to be on the verge of a major breakthrough. A metalcore act that leans heavily in the hardcore direction, the band hails from—you guessed it!—Texas and brought boatloads of energy to the stage. The pits were rolling throughout the set, giving that energy right back to the four performers. It’s easy for this kind of music to come off as a lot of tough-guy posturing, but frontman Matt Honeycutt seemed gracious and genuine in his repeated thank-yous for the audience’s support.
Lamb of God, of course, was the main event, and with National Harbor just across the Potomac River from Virginia, the show basically was on the band’s home turf—close enough for frontman Randy Blythe to dedicate songs to people in his life that surely virtually no one in the audience knew.
With a career spanning more than three decades going back to the Burn the Priest days, putting a set list together must be a nightmare at this point, especially when you’re supporting a new album as solid as “Into Oblivion.” No “Black Label,” no “Now You’re Got Something to Die For,” nothing from 2022’s “Omens” album—and still it was a superb show from start to finish. Three songs from “Into Oblivion” slotted in nicely alongside classics such as “Desolation,” “512,” “Walk with Me in Hell” and “Redneck,” and a pair of absolute bangers from 2020’s self-titled album (“Resurrection Man” and “Memento Mori”).
No longer the new guy—he’s been in the band officially since 2019—drummer Art Cruz laid down a thunderous foundation (and even played a short solo), while guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler supplied the razor-sharp riffs with Morton also showing off his underrated lead chops. The sound would never be as thick and heavy as it is without bassist John Campbell’s contributions, and Blythe is as fine a ringmaster as there is in the genre today.
Lamb of God has been one of the most consistent metal bands of the 21st century, on record and onstage. Opening night of the tour seemed to go off without a hitch, and things should only get tighter from here. Throw in a subtly diverse set of support acts, and this just might be the metal tour of the spring. Don’t miss it.
LAMB OF GOD SET LIST: “Ruin,” “Laid to Rest,” “Blood Junkie,” “Into Oblivion,” “Resurrection Man,” “Grace,” “Desolation,” “512,” “Walk with Me in Hell,” “Parasocial Christ,” “11th Hour,” (encore) “Memento Mori,” “Sepsis,” “Redneck”
LINKS:
www.lamb-of-god.com
www.kublaikhantx.com
www.fitforanautopsy.co
www.sanguisugabogg.com
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