Metal Allegiance / Wednesday 13 / Superfix / Edge Of Paradise – House of Blues Anaheim – 1/25/18
(KNAC’s DJ Will Introducing Metal Allegiance)
Metal Allegiance:
Led by the “Core 4” of Mark Menghi, Dave Ellefson (Megadeth), Mike Portnoy (Winery Dogs) and Alex Skolnick (Testament), Metal Allegiance, stirred up a pit of fury at the new House of Blues in Anaheim. Armed with a plethora of Thrash and Rock Legends, The Allegiance rocked the House with some classics, some deeper cuts and a few tunes of their own.
The musicians revolved, but the intensity remained. The guest list tonight consisted of a who’s-who of the Metal Brother (and Sister) Hood (Just had a “Life Of Brian” Flashback). Tonight saw performances by Chuck Billy (Testament), Andreas Kisser (Sepultura), Gary Holt (Exodus, Slayer), Mark Osegueda (Death Angel), Bobby Blitz (Overkill), John Bush (Armored Saint), Nita Strauss (Alice Cooper) and Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil).
The set list didn’t allow for a moment of respite… kicking it all of with Metallica’s “Hit The Lights” into MA’s own “Can’t Kill The Devil” and then “Mandatory Suicide” by Slayer… It was only a matter of time before the Pits started appearing….
The intro of “Ein Heller und ein Batzen” signaled the Accept classic, “Fast as a Shark” and so began the center swirl that continued through the evening to songs like “Elimination” (Overkill), “Into The Pit” (Testament), “Bonded By Blood” (Exodus) and “Metal Militia” (Metallica).
Some of the Highlights of the evening included a kick-ass version of U.F.O.’s, “Lights Out” (complete with cameo by Eddie Trunk) which saw the vocal duties shared by Chuck Billy and John Bush; The amazingly harmonized duet on the Metal Allegiance song, “Scars” by Mark Osegueda and Cristina Scabbia; John Bush jumping back 15 years in time to tackle one of his Anthrax tunes, “Room For One More“, and any damn thing that Mike Portnoy did, does or will do! Ever!
Nita Strauss showed up later in the evening to offer up her six string skills on a few tunes that included a few that were probably very familiar to her from her Iron Maidens days, “Prowler” and set closer and full band Jam, “Number Of The Beast“.
The future of Metal Allegiance (And metal in general) seems safe and sound (As noted by the band bringing up a young metalhead who was throwing horns all night on his dad’s shoulders).
A new album will be dropping soon from the group and from the sounds of new song, “Mother Of Sin” which had Bobby Blitz taking on lead vocal duties, there will be some epic heaviness upon us soon.
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Wednesday 13:
Punk. Metal. Horror. Wednesday 13. Catchy as fuck and sinister to boot. Can’t say I’ve followed the career of Wednesday 13 outside of some Murderdolls and a few more recent songs, but I think it’s time to jump on the train. Killer hooks; great band; a visual feast… What’s not to like?!
Watching Wednesday 13 is like raising a tiger… at first you’re enamored with the playfulness and how adorable it can be, and then it gains 300lbs and wants to rip your head off. Wednesday came out posing front & center, waving his cane, enlisting the crowd, and then boom…picking his nose, giving the world a big middle finger and telling us that “I Love To Say Fuck”.
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Superfix:
Kalen Chase (Vocals), Eli Rubin (Guitar), Shannon Bizzy (Bass & BVs),
Greg Collister (Drums)
Didn’t know a thing about Superfix before the show. I’ve seen bassist Shannon Bizzy, perform at a few local jams and always enjoyed catching her. Here’s what I’ve learned. The band is a hard rock act with a ton of energy, songs I wouldn’t mind hearing again and a blonder than blonde singer who is funny as fuck. Be like me and check them out!
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Edge Of Paradise:
Margarita Monet (Vocals), Dave Bates (Guitars), Nick Ericson (Bass), John Chominsky (Drums)
Edge Of Paradise kicked off the evening with the intensity and sound of a band much more mature than their years.
The band, fronted by the statuesque Monet laid it all out on the stage in a Six song showcase that highlighted their style of industrial-tinged, goth metal?! I only question because this band is diverse and every time I hear them play I discover a new side that leads me to believe that maybe defining them isn’t the right thing to do. What they are for sure, is making a name for themselves.
Tonight their setlist included: Dust To Dust, Face Of Fear, Alive, Humanoid, Mystery and Shade Of Crazy.
Last year’s EP “Alive” received critical acclaim and has made a lot of people take notice. Here’s hoping that 2018 brings the appreciation this band deserves.
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