by Samantha Marble
This was a hard list to make, considering I got to see so many amazing sets this year. I got to see YOB twice in one day, as well as Kvelertak, but that was in Austin. I shot Agalloch’s first performance in NYC and that was one of my favorite albums of 2010. I also had the opportunity to see Rwake and Hull unleash their new, brilliant material. I had the distinct pleasure of witnessing Urfaust in the US for the first time. I also didn’t get to make it out to a lot of shows I wanted to, but such is life. I feel extremely fortunate though nonetheless. Like the saying goes, opinions are like assholes and everyone’s got one.
#6 Disma & Coffinworm at Saint Vitus
Unfortunately, I didn’t have a camera on me at this show but it lives in my mind as one of the best of the year. I hadn’t listened to Disma yet but knew Coffinworm’s blackend sludge would sound great in a place like Saint Vitus. And drown that room in their syrupy death they did. Disma was the ultimate surprise in terms of it’s sound matching the packed, almost all black room making it seem like you were sliding down into the more toxic parts of hell. It was a hell of a ride leaving me looking forward to what was going to be next for this band.
#5 Trap Them, Black Anvil, All Pigs Must Die & Psychic Limb at Cake Shop
There’s a broad range of reasons this show was extraordinary. Each band on the line-up was tight in performing their distinct brand of intense, make people happily let their ears bleed, sound. In my opinion, this was the show that put Psychic Limb and All Pigs Must Die on the map of must-see bands. Also, it was an all-ages show in a basement. The perfect setting to witness Trap Them play tracks from Darker Handcraft live for the first time.
Psychic Limb wasted time with no introductions, going right into their chaotic 20 minute set spewing out blisteringly tight, raw aggression. Even if you were there to just see the headlining band you got sucked into their performance like watching a car wreck and then being spit back out feeling like you just survived one. All Pigs Must Die were so impressive by how well they could blend in aspects of doom, grind and hints of black metal into mostly hardcore songs seamlessly. A ballsy move dispelling any thoughts that this may just be some super-group side-project that that was going to disappear into oblivion. Black Anvil was the storm cloud before a hurricane making the air heavier and more menacing. Trap Them, on the last show of a month long winter tour, tore everyone a new asshole with their newest material with no apologies. The crowd’s response was so strong that at times you couldn’t see where the division between the band and the crowd even was. That kind of energy combined made it all for an unforgettable show.
#4 Religious to Damn & Chelsea Wolfe at Club Europa
A combination of a rainy, cold day and the warm setting of a club I had always revered as a battleground for shooting metal bands that made for the perfect storm this show. Earlier that day, I stood staring in despair at my half-dead camera and a zero balance ATM receipt. CMJ had just begun and I felt jaded sorting though all of the schedules and hype to find bands worth seeing. I had recently begun listening to Chelsea Wolfe’s records after countless friend’s telling me that I would appreciate her sound. Still, I was skeptical about what it would be like to see them live. To me, there was still a chance that I would get there and see that this was all a soulless fabrication and disguised in fashion industry hype. I decided that the best thing I could do to pull me out my jaded, mental funeral was to go see them play and hopefully be inspired.
Both sets shared strong, unpretentious musicianship and beautiful, expansive, powerful vocals. I was captivated by both sets for different reasons. Religious to Damn’s sound embraces shadows and dances with them whereas Chelsea Wolfe illuminates from the darkness in varying gradations showing playing on their energy and need for both. RoD’s, Zohra Atash knows her vision, and has great taste when choosing musicians like Josh Strawn of Black List and Vaura to collaborate with. Chelsea Wolfe and her band hypnotized me from the moment they started to perform. The lapping, powerful sound that seemed to fill every square inch of the large room taking me out of the club and to somewhere sacred. The intimacy of the crowd, due to the weather and the fact that it was far removed from the CMJ hype going on in the city made it feel like I was witnessing something truly honest, special and, not for long, secret.
#3 Wolves in the Throne Room, Thou & Krallice at The Bellhouse
This club is polished, big and a pain in the ass to get to. Not some of my favorite criteria, but to hear how expansive each of these bands sounded there was incredible. Especially for a band like Thou, who is known to solely play DIY spaces. They are so talented and to hear them devastate the room through a professional PA for me, stole the show. The dense precision that Krallice plays with is always captivating live. Wolves in the Throne Room were made to play in this room though. Giving their ethereal wall of doom some room to breathe and pull you in.
#2 Tombs Record Release Show at Webster Studio
When Tombs started playing some of their new material in early 2010 I knew the release of The Path of Totality was going to be monolithic. I’ve watched them play countless times since the release of Winter Hours. Each show delivering nothing less than a powerful and precise set. These guys do not fuck around, ever. I can’t begin to describe how incredible this record is, how underrated Mike Hill’s contributions to underground music are or the intense craftsmanship that Carson James and Andrew Hernandez play with any better than it already been described by professional writers. What made this show stand out was it was the official record release where they would play their new set list for everyone and just as I thought they couldn’t get any better they delivered the heaviest set I’d ever witnessed. The sound through the studio PA was paralyzing – in a good way. Also, the weather was awful out that evening. I remember it being cold for June, rainy with hurricane like wind. It kept many people home so the crowd that was there really wanted to be there. Making it feel more like a celebration with close friends instead of a big impersonal shit show. Mike’s deep dark range, Andrew’s pulverizing but not overly domineering drumming and Carson’s tasteful, high-powered bass all blended together perfectly through the studio PA to create the weighted world that Tombs embodies.
#1 Sleep and Winter at Terminal 5
To have the opportunity to see pioneers like Winter open for stoner-doom gods Sleep was incredible. I don’t think I need to say much more than that. If you don’t get why this was so great, I don’t have the time to explain.
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