The Chaos & Carnage Tour 2022 or as I’m referring to it, “Deathcore Christmas”, came to Big Night Live and left nothing in its wake. First-timers, party starters, with new and old school legends came to play.
First up on this destruction tour of sound was Distant, coming all the way over from Europe… well, most of them anyway. Sadly, Nouri and Vlad were not able to get visas in time for the tour. So we have an unintentional 3-piece deathcore band on their first tour in the States, and let me tell you something, I could’ve closed my eyes and thought there were 7 people on stage. Distant’s sound is the definition of balls-to-the-wall. It is cutting, it is thick, it is abrasive, and it is explosive. It really is something you have to see live to fully understand.
After Distant went all out for their set, we have Signs Of The Swarm. Unfortunately, Angelmaker (who is also on this tour) couldn’t make it to the Boston date due to tour van issues. But in light of that, Signs Of The Swarm was mental. It was frighteningly precise, well orchestrated chaos… fitting for the tour that they’re on. Emerging out of Pittsburg, PA, Signs Of The Swarm brings bass drops and “BREEEE”s to the forefront while also remaining light hearted and fun to the casual listener, or at least as casual as you can be with deathcore. Springing up on stage during their set was a local metal icon in the form of David Benites, formerly of Pathogenic, currently with Renesans, and the founder and head of the Extreme Vocal Institute. Signs Of The Swarm is just up there having fun and you can for sure sense it, go check them out. They are homies!
Next up was a band that I rediscovered my love for that night. Barreling in from San Antonio, TX, ladies and gentlemen… Upon A Burning Body! Have you ever wanted to know what it would be like if DMX, Ja Rule, and the state of Texas had a baby? Upon A Burning Body is the answer. With the energy of a hip-hop show and the chest crushing heaviness of a deathcore show all wrapped up into one delightfully aggressive package. Vocalist Danny Leal sporting a “Be Kind” shirt is just the kind of chaotic good the show and the world needs right now. Despite the attitude and audio perception of the show, every band that performed tonight was all about taken care of each other. Hearing the opening of “Extermination” was a cathartic and brutal undertaking and “Texas Blood Money” brought me right back to college. All in all, a great time.
And now onto what was a huge attraction for this tour, Lorna Shore. Coming from the parking garage beneath the venue itself, there was a huge crowd of people who were the most excited to see Will Ramos and company. Riding high off of the insane success of their latest EP “…And I Return To Nothingness”, Lorna Shorre was here to prove the world that they are not ones to fuck with. Running through a blistering and precise setlist covering all of their old catalog and all of their latest EP, including another appearance by David Benites while the band performed “Of The Abyss”, Lorna Shore showed everyone why they are in the place they are at the moment. And of course they closed out their set with “To the Hellfire” and just as expected, Will Ramos proves to everyone what I had already assumed when they heard THAT part of the song, that he is not a human, but actually an alien created in a lab to be a vocalist. If by some miracle you haven’t heard this band yet, do yourself a favor and go listen to it.
On to the co-headliner, Carnifex, this was my first time seeing them since New England Metal & Hardcore Fest back in 2014. Coming onto the stage like the gatekeepers of hell that they are, they proceeded to borderline level the venue. When you have a catalog that spans 20+ years as a band you have a wall of room to cherry pick the best songs for a Setlist of this caliber. In the middle of a sad vocalist Scott Lewis made a very touching tribute to sorely missed and beloved vocalist of The Black Dahlia Murder, Trevor Strnad… not a dry eye in the house, myself included. Picking back up the intensity for a flurry of more songs, vocalist Scott Lewis then pausing the show and simply yells out “This one’s for Joey and Paul!!” and we all knew what was coming. Carnifex performing a cover of the Slipknot classic “The Heretic Anthem” in a way that only they could pull off.
Time for Suicide Silence! Opening with a recording on “Bohemian Rhapsody” that of course everything joined in on, including myself, Eddie Hermida and the boys ripped into the stage with a fan favorite setlist of their newest song “Thinking in Tounges” among the classics. Punishing riffs, thunderous drumming, and a vocalist who sounds like the heat of hell is escaping his throat. Tons of crowd interaction and anthemic choruses, as is par for the course with the Suicide Silence boys. Even tossing shots at Gojira and Deftones who were recently in Boston on their own tour, claiming “If you wanna live as fuck show, you come here. If you a boring ass show you go see Gojira and fucking Deftones.” All meant in good fun as Eddie known to be.
All in all, a solid night of bass drops, circle pits, and BREEEE.
Until next time folks, this is Smallz… signing off. Peace and chicken grease y’all!
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY CHRIS SMALL