Heavy Temple opened up the night at St. Vitus with a bang- the deep, resonating sort of bang that kicks you back a step or two while shaking you to your core.
The psych-doom trio shreds hard and quickly had their crowd mesmerized by heavy riffs and rich, soaring vocals.
Already well known by psych-rock and doom metal enthusiasts for their frequent performances in Philly and their Psycho Las Vegas 2017 set, they seemed to have a loving little following for this tour. That’s no surprise, seeing as how effortlessly the band fuses a classic 70’s fuzz with a style that is all their own and sets them apart from other bands in the doom genre. The set songs (and the entirety of their newest album, Chassit) displayed a versatility in composition that left the crowd loudly begging for an encore…also brought on by what seemed like endless and electrifying energy from all members.
Backwoods Payback provided that great blend of southern rock/heavy metal that is immediately invigorating in the nostalgia for wide, open spaces and small town jukeboxes. True to their name in both style, sound and lyric, the three piece has songs that would likely sound just as beautiful if played acoustic, and others that are the perfect choice for a venue full of die hard metal heads looking for a heavy sound with a twist. Perfect for a large bonfire either way.
Royal Thunder has long been lauded for front woman Mlny’s decadently raspy voice that seems to carry the band’s almost grunge style to hard rock. Although the members are from different areas, the group is based out of Atlanta, Georgia and it’s reflected with a hint at a southern edge.
The set was well received by those fans that knew every word and diligently sang along with melodious chords. Noticeable singles from older albums like “Whispering World”, “Time Machine”, “April Showers” (from newest album Wick) and an encore of “Parsonz Curse” peppered through the night kept an otherwise mildly repetitive sounding set afloat.
Text: Julliet Bats
Pics: Julliet Bats & Mart Kawaii
