Report

Another Wave of Decimation of the Nation Hits NOLA With Full Force

The Decimation of the Nation 2 Tour is packed with big names and even bigger music. Veteran bands Hatebreed and Cannibal Corpse alongside Unearth, Hate Eternal and Born of Osiris makes for an unforgettable evening that no metalhead has an excuse to miss. For the New Orleans show, Crowbar made a last minute decision to join in the fun making it even more awesome for the crowd in attendance. Luckily, I was able to film their set so those who didn’t have the privilege of being there.

Hate Eternal opened the evening; and I have a new favorite guitarist. The very talented guitarist and vocalist Erik Rutan ran both hands up and down the neck of his axe, every finger madly plucking a tune. His work was extremely technical and just amazing. The solo in “Tombeau” was not a fast, technical piece, but a slow and soulful wail that can break even the most metal of hearts. Later, I found out that the song was written for his friend Jared Anderson, bassist for Hate Eternal, that has passed away. Without that knowledge, though, everyone in the room could feel the pain from that guitar. The set did not last long and should have been much longer.

The next band was the young Born of Osiris. Heavy touring and promotion have pushed these boys to the forefront of popularity; now appearing alongside veteran bands like Cannibal Corpse and Hatebreed among others on former tours. Many songs for their set came from their latest album “A Higher Place.“ Singer Ronnie Canizaro involved himself with the crowd by getting right in their faces to growl at the maximum volume he can produce. And those people could not get enough of him, especially when the band began to play “Now Arise.”

Special guest Crowbar took the stage next. The opening song “The Lasting Dose” made the attendees crowd the pit so much there was barely room for the moshers who had to be content with headbanging most of the time. A testament to the packed crowd is the shakiness of the film I shot; having to hold the camera over the crowd for half an hour while a constant parade of people squeezing between me and the others forced me against a couch made filming tricky. Everyone just wanted to see guitarist and vocalist Kirk Windstein in action up close. The incredible and Black Sabbath-praising riff of “Self Inflicted” was a definite crowd-pleaser.

After Crowbar’s crushing set, the wild men of Unearth began to play; play meaning making music while performing antics. The songs were hectic, fast and technical including songs from new album “The March.” The antics consisted of guitarist (and craziest) Ken Susi drinking from a beer bong then spraying the last bit into the crowd, horn blowing and the usual running in circles. “My Will Be Done” created a heavy, violent mosh with its heavy riffs and hectic vocals. Many of the loyal fans in attendance sang along.

The first headliner of the night, and the band that many came out to see, was Cannibal Corpse. They opened the show with the title track from their new album “Evisceration Plague” which saw the beginning of the headbanging from the crowd and the massive-necked frontman George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher. He out-banged us all, though. I guess his ability to headbang extremely fast in a windmill-style all comes from the neck. The band destroyed the crowd by driving them insane with fan favorites “Fucked with a Knife” (dedicated to the sluts) and “Hammer Smashed Face.”

Hatebreed was the final band. They tour constantly and release album after album, but never fail to disappoint or bore. The setlist included ongs from the new self-titled album as well as ones from their whole career. Singer Jamey Jasta paced menacingly across the stage, angry as an animal. At his behest, a large mosh broke out during “Merciless Tide.” But, I got to give it up to drummer Matt Byrne for pounding an awesome rhythm throughout.

Crowbar at the Hangar 1 from Emily Hingle on Vimeo.

Crowbar at the Hangar 2 from Emily Hingle on Vimeo.

Untitled from Emily Hingle on Vimeo.

Crowbar at the Hangar 4 from Emily Hingle on Vimeo.