KNOTFEST FESTIVAL STAGES – 11/5/17
From the start of the Festival Stages to the End…A Non-Stop pound fest that offered a mixed bag of balls-out METAL! Sunday did NOT disappoint. Another solid helping of all the Metal that a person could handle.
Day 2 brought some early rain and cooler temperatures, but that did nothing to cool off the intensity of the Sunday Lineup. Led by DED, the day progressed through STITCHED UP HEART, ONI, CODE ORANGE, DEATH ANGEL, GOATWHORE, UPON A BURNING BODY, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, LIFE OF AGONY and the festival stages were concluded by the mighty TESTAMENT!
DAY 2
DED
Ded are: Joe Cotela (lead vocals), David Ludlow (guitar), Matt Reinhard (drums), Kyle Koelsch (bass)
From Tempe, AZ, Ded sound like a supercharged Linkin Park if they’d have kept getting heavier. This Nu Metal band ignored the actual cold and brought their own chill to the blood with their white contacts. A big hit; their fans were already there early and ready to raise a fist and rage!
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STITCHED UP HEART
Stitched Up Heart are: Alecia ‘Mixi’ Demner (lead vocals), Merritt Goodwin (lead guitar), Randy Mathias (bass), James Decker (drums) and Nick Bedrosian (rhythm guitar)
Stitched Up Heart were one of the revelations of the festival for me. Balls out Rock, Killer Melodies, and the right ratio of heavy to really heavy.
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ONI
Oni are: Jake Oni (Vocals), Brandon White (Guitar), Chase Bryant (Bass), Martin Andres (Guitar), John DeAngelis (Xylosynth) and Joe Greulich (Drums)
After making a noise at the Nuclear Blast stage last year (with an appearance by Lamb Of God frontman, Randy Blythe), Oni very worthily, moved to the festival stages and brought a larger following with them. Still the only Metal Band (or band in general?!) that I know that uses a Xylosynth!
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CODE ORANGE
Code Orange are: Eric Balderose (guitar, vocals, synthesizer), Reba Meyers (guitar, vocals), Jami Morgan (drums, vocals), Joe Goldman (bass) and Dominic Landolina (guitar, synthesizer)
Hailing from Pittsburgh, PA, By far the ANGRIEST Band of the Festival… And This was a METAL FESTIVAL!!! So you know that this band just goes through every break up letter they ever received before going on stage. A photographer’s delight. This band is HardCore and doesn’t let an ounce of the stage go untouched. My second time catching them and watching a bass player beat himself up isn’t something I take seeing for granted… I can’t wait for the next time!
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DEATH ANGEL
Death Angel are: Rob Cavestany (lead guitar), Mark Osegueda (lead vocals), Ted Aguilar (rhythm guitar), Will Carroll (drums) and Damien Sisson (bass)
I remember the first time I heard Death Angel. Who were these young whipper-snappers?! The interesting thing at the time was that their debut album, “The Ultra-Violence”, was recorded while all the members were under 20 years old. It inspired me at the time to spend a little more time with my guitar, thinking I could also be recording an album at such a young age. I never said I was the smartest… Anyway.. They were good then, and they’ve matured into even more of a great, veteran Thrash band. Definitely a highlight of the day!
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GOATWHORE
GoatWhore are a Death Metal band from New Orleans, LA: Sammy Duet (guitars), Ben Falgoust (lead vocals), Zack Simmons (drums) and James Harvey (bass)
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UPON A BURNING BODY
Upon A Burning Body are: Danny Leal (lead vocals), Ruben Alvarez (guitars), Tito Felix (drums) and Joe Antonellis (bass)
Upon A Burning Body are Metal band from San Antonio, TX and they are proud of it. Another band that had the crowd whipped into frenzy. They also had the pleasure of having Sirius/XM METAL DJ, Jose Mangin join them on their song, “‘Til The Break of Dawn“.
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THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER
The Black Dahlia Murder from Waterford Michigan are: Brian Eschbach (rhythm guitar), Trevor Strnad (lead vocals), Max Lavelle (bass), Alan Cassidy (drums) and Brandon Ellis (lead guitar)
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LIFE OF AGONY
Life Of Agony are: Mina Caputo (lead vocals), Alan Robert (bass), Joey Z. (guitars) and Sal Abruscato (drums)
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TESTAMENT
Testament are: Chuck Billy (lead vocals), Alex Skolnick (guitars), Eric Peterson (guitars), Gene Hoglan (drums), Steve Di Giorgio (bass)
When I first saw the lineups announced, I wondered why Testament weren’t going to play the Main Stage, but seeing them thrash it out as Sunday Festival Stage Headliners, it was clear to me. Testament are a down and dirt fucking Thrash band!
In my opinion one of the Big FIVE of the best. Testament were a Metal treasure to see up & close. My only complaint as a photog. was that the organizers clearly didn’t plan for Daylight Savings Time as the band started their set in the dwindling light and pretty much finished in the dark, with just the light of a single bulb creating an eerie, singular glow on one of the genre’s BEST!
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