Six Feet Under
Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
June 11th, 2012

Ever heard the phrase, “Hold onto your hat?” Well, if you were at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Monday night you were most likely holding your face onto your head for fear of it melting off.  Legends of death metal, Six Feet Under took the popular Williamsburg venue hostage for an all out sonic assault leaving those in attendance blown away by their ability to play death metal that transcends the genre. The night was made even more special as it was one of the early dates of Six Feet Under’s “18 Nights of Blood Tour.” The LocalBozo crew was in the front row to bring you all the headbanging carnage!

The night was kicked off by a high energy set from New York City’s own, Gunfire – N – Sodomy. This self labeled “Acoustic Snuff-Core” band has come into their own over the past year, playing big shows city-wide proving to metal fans that you don’t need to be electric to “rape the world of it’s innocence.” And if you dig lyrics like that, then ‘GNS’ are your guys. Trust us, it’s a show not to be missed. The two other support acts included the technically mind blowing, Revocation and death pioneers, Dying Fetus. Both bands drew big crowds, and even bigger pits as one of the best bills both on paper and in reality.

In true rock fashion this show started late and ended even later.  At right around the witching hour, Six Feet Under took the stage to a sea of horns raised high in the air. Lead singer Chris Barnes took to the mic with a ton of energy and after a brief welcome, he led the band into “No Warning Shot.” The crowd took the cue and instantly formed a pit that took over half of the venue’s floor. Many bands need to tell their fans it’s time to start a pit, but when it comes to Six Feet Under, the impetus just comes natural. Barnes’ unique growl coupled with his huge dreads make him one of the most captivating frontmen of the genre.

Six Feet Under’s sound is true death metal but there’s so much more behind it. Stand anywhere at a show and you’ll be covered with a groove that breaks the typical ‘death’ conventions. The capacity crowd was treated to growls and speed, but also paired with a technical performance like none other. Guitarists Steve Swanson and Ola Englund did not waste a minute on basic fillers as both axe men ripped through tracks “Human Target” and “Seed of Filth” while transitioning to songs from their killer new album “Undead,” available now!

Just when you thought a band would call it a night, play an encore or two and get off the stage, Six Feet Under kept chugging along. On Monday night fans literally got it all. With each blast of speed, the clock ticked further into the early hours of the morning. Not a soul dared to walk away from the stage however, for fear or missing a moment. It’s also worth noting that if you strayed from the front of the stage there was a good chance someone in the pit would elbow you square in the face. The “18 Nights of Blood” tour rages on. So if you’re in the sound of my blogging voice be sure to get your asses out there for a truly outstanding metal line-up.

- Jay Rubin