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Pit Stories: The Most Fear-Inspiring Mosh Pit Ever

posted Feb 8, 2011 at 8:50 PM by deathbringer.  (16 Comments)

Photo of Psychotic Waltz

Band Photo: Psychotic Waltz (?)

We've been talking to bands and fans everywhere to get their favorite mosh pit stories. This week, Devon Graves of Psychotic Waltz, The Shadow Theory, and Deadsoul Tribe tells a story of the most fearsome pit he's ever witnessed:

Since I personally do not relate to the moshing part of metal, here is the only story I can offer. It was somewhere around 1990. Slayer was performing at the massive Los Angeles Forum. Every seat in the house was sold out. The entire floor section which is the size of a basketball court was one huge mosh pit! I have friends who like to mosh, but seeing this sight, they were scared to death. This was a truly frightening sight to behold. In retrospect, I must say I long for the days that a metal band could sell out an entire sports arena. But the moshing is just too violent and negative for me and is something I can live without.

All I can say is: at least it was a Slayer pit. They are always insane, and that one sounds like it was epic.

The Shadow Theory just released their first studio album, "Behind the Black Veil," in North America this past January. The album tells a horror story of a man who wakes from one nightmare into another, until he can no longer tell where the dream ends and reality begins, or if he was ever dreaming at all. "The Sound of Flies" from the new album can be heard at the band's MySpace page.

Pyschotic Waltz will be embarking on the "Power of Metal" tour this month alongside Thaurorod, Symphony X, Nevermore, and Mercenary.

Check back every Tuesday for more pit stories.

deathbringer's avatar

A self-described "metal geek," Doug Gibson has been listening to heavy metal for more than twenty five years and designed and coded Metal Underground.com from scratch over ten years ago.

What's Next?

16 Comments on "Pit Stories: The Most Fear-Inspiring Pit Ever"

TheFishWasDelish's avatar

Member

1. TheFishWasDelish writes:

That, was probably the worst Pit Stories article ever.

# Feb 8, 2011 @ 9:17 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Cynic's avatar

Former Contributor

2. Cynic writes:

Was still interesting in a different way - it's not like I got to experience any Slayer concerts in the 90s, I love hearing about the way things used to be in metal.

# Feb 8, 2011 @ 9:52 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
NW_MetalHead's avatar

Member

3. NW_MetalHead writes:

Sooooooooooooooo that story was just, "I went to a Slayer show and it had a mosh pit, end of story."

Not the best one I've read here

# Feb 9, 2011 @ 3:00 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
n0thinghead's avatar

Podcaster/Writer

4. n0thinghead writes:

that was one of those "u shouldda been there" stories.

# Feb 9, 2011 @ 8:24 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
KORNDOGG's avatar

Member

5. KORNDOGG writes:

OMG, I went to a concert and the mosh pit was scary! The End

# Feb 9, 2011 @ 8:48 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
brandedcfh420's avatar

Member

6. brandedcfh420 writes:

if they looked at a pit and got scared, then they were at the wrong f***ing show!! FKN PU$$IES!!!!

# Feb 9, 2011 @ 8:54 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
IrishMetal's avatar

Member

7. IrishMetal writes:

Cynic, I think it was bad because of the final line

"But the moshing is just too violent and negative for me and is something I can live without."

Basically, I cry at violence, and I wish metal was nicer.

Pretty gay if you ask me.

# Feb 9, 2011 @ 9:40 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
brandedcfh420's avatar

Member

8. brandedcfh420 writes:

DEVON GRAVES IS AN EMO B!TCH!!!

# Feb 9, 2011 @ 10:42 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
btbamfav20's avatar

Member

9. btbamfav20 writes:

WTF? Cry me a f***in river, if it wasnt suppost to be big at a Slayer, then it just wouldn't happen. But this is SLAYER u p***y, if "moshing is just too violent and negative for me" is what you say then SHAME on you for even taking up the ticket space and taking someone the fun from someone else...

NP: Oceanus Procellarum - Astarte

# Feb 9, 2011 @ 11:32 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
btbamfav20's avatar

Member

10. btbamfav20 writes:

and taking the fun from someone else...*

# Feb 9, 2011 @ 11:33 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
EsotericSurgery's avatar

Member

11. EsotericSurgery writes:

I know what he's talking about...I've seen plenty of retards jump into the pits just to hurt someone else. Pits are about releasing emotions in a way that's respectable to your metal brothers around you...not blatantly looking to injure people. Personally, if I see people throwing punches at people who aren't throwing back or anything retarded I'm the first one to alert security and have the sh** weasels ousted. p***y you might say? Hardly. Not everyone who's in a pit wants to have some barbarian clobber them...some people actually want to see the show. So in a way he's right...pits CAN be negative.

Prime example of a great pit was the last headlining tour Gojira put on. Everyone in the pit moshed their faces off during the breakdowns and every interlude or clean vocal break every single person stopped as if being conducted to do so. It was quite an amazing sight to see actually. You could tell that Gojira wasn't a radio metal band and that the few hundred people that had heard of Gojira were true metal fans (who know the rules of mosh pits). Whereas the LOG and Slayer pits I've been in seem to attract people who don't know too much about metal and think it's just a place to get violent without being arrested.

# Feb 9, 2011 @ 12:03 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
BrunoHockalugie's avatar

Member

12. BrunoHockalugie writes:

^^^^Some people know a sh** load about metal, but are just sadistic a$$holes who like to hurt people and more than likely have done time in the slammer. I don't condone what they do, I just am aware of where they are in the pit and do my own thing.

The Fabulous Forum (home of the Lakers) is a great place to see bands, but I think this guy may have been talking about the show in 90 or 91 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena (home of the Cliippers). I believe Testament opened that show.

SLAYER! /m\

# Feb 9, 2011 @ 1:00 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
TheIronMan's avatar

Member

13. TheIronMan writes:

If he has little experience with moshing and doesn't like pits...

Then why feature him in a column titled "PIT Stories"?

# Feb 9, 2011 @ 6:25 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
btbamfav20's avatar

Member

14. btbamfav20 writes:

^my point exactly

# Feb 10, 2011 @ 2:11 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Triforce's avatar

Member

15. Triforce writes:

Last Sunday I went to a Death Angel/Eluveitie show in Toronto and one of these aforementioned sadistic f***s banged my face in during the last 10 seconds of the final Death Angel song... broke my nose and I don't know what the song was.

Is it just me or was that more interesting than, "I went to a Slayer show."

lol

# Feb 14, 2011 @ 7:48 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
n0thinghead's avatar

Podcaster/Writer

16. n0thinghead writes:

^^^ this. lmao

# Feb 15, 2011 @ 10:04 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address

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