I don’t know about you, but as I grow into an older beardo vest-wearing metal duder, convenience plays a big part in my value system when making any plans. To roll out of my apartment and attend a concert at any one of the concert venues within blocks of my house, a short walk, or a quick ride’s distance makes all the difference sometimes if I want to attend. DNA Lounge is so close I can stumble out of my home, or my favorite bar The Willows, and land on line before a show. DNA is a cool place, and I will always remember it fondly for being the first venue I got back to see a show at after 511 days of no concerts or festivals during the worst of the pandemic. First world problems, yes I know.
Three bands is the perfect amount of bands for any post-pandemic era show. Anymore tends to be tedious. First up tonight was Grindcore act Unidad Trauma, from Tijuana, Mexico. I went in cold, having never heard or seen the mask clad band of “Doctors” of Grind (the latter is my designation, not theirs). They were a total revelation as they unleashed a brutal torrent of riffs and screams on the swelling crowd. Even when they mixed in some OSDM grooves, these guys were on point, inspiring a lot of new fans. The set was all bangers and I am a proud new fan! Their latest album Arte Médica Siniestra is only a little over a year old, but I have been playing it non-stop since the show. Much like the headliners tonight Brujeria, I can see these guys becoming an institution and playing to sold out crowd with tons of fans wearing their masks in tribute in the future.
What can I say about Goatwhore that hasn’t been said before; they slay, they give no fucks, and they hail Satan all night long. Hitting the stage with a vengeance, they tore through a tight set, bringing their Blackened Death Thrash to the fans. Rev. Louis Ben Falgoust II (Acid Bath) just roams the stage to and fro and seems to connect with every member in the audience.Many a frontman could learn a thing or two from this gentleman. The purely evil guttural vocals, crazy screams and lyrical genius of Ben coupled with the razor sharp riffs of Sammy Duet just work so well together. Sammy also kills on his lead guitar work, possibly my favorite soloist this side of Gary Holt. Track after track is just killer, and each one better is than the next. Shoutout to Zack Attack and Robert on the drums and bass respectively for holding it down for the headbangers as well. Closing with “Fucked By Satan” – the song is not just a threat, it doubles as a promise as well! It’s hard to believe Vengeful Ascension (Metal Blade) is almost five years old, but I believe we will get new Goatwhore music soon.
Finally, it was time for the headliners. Hitting the stage like a small army, Brujeria does their own pomp and circumstance style entrance, taking advantage of the club’s layout to make a dramatic entrance. One part-death metal masters, and one-part satirical madmen, and one part-weed fanatics, Brujeria is as hard as they come. They never forgot their roots. The multiple frontmen approach means they can bring a variety of vocal styles, and great gang vocals to the extra long setlist, and keeping the action moving and the sound of the band diverse. Juan Brujo and Lord Hongo just slayed it, while Pinche Peach was their brutal crowd hype man, crazy jokester, and occasional lead vocalist. Sometimes a Brujeria show is just a mess of sweaty bodies, screaming fans, and non-stop moshing. However, the band is far from typical in their delivery or lyrics. There is a wit and political brilliance as sharp as Juan Brujo’s machete edge! All the same, the crowd went apeshit non-stop for an hour and a half. While the identity of some of the players is a mystery, longtime grindcore fans might recognize two infamous members of Lock-Up on guitar and drums respectively. The only thing that stopped the momentum of the band was when someone tossed a Walter White level bag of meth on stage that surprised even the band members, following the epic sing-a-long – “Marijuana.”
By the end of the night we were all a sweaty, drunk, heaving, mess. The band hungout with fans, posed with photos, and signed autographs, clothing and even some boobs for good measure.
There are just not enough bills this strong and this fun these days.
WORDS BY KEEFY