(Live Review) BLADES OF STEEL FESTIVAL - Night One (Wisconsin - 8/29/24)

By

The Beard & Little Johnny 

Greetings friends, fans, and followers, it is your favorite reviewing duo, (The Beard & Little Johnny), and this weekend we have returned to the festival that first brought us together. Back in 2022, The Beard attended promoter Randy Kastner’s annual Wisconsin metal festival Blades of Steel. This festival, (which had risen from the ashes of Kastner’s earlier “Spring Bash” events), now takes place during the waning days of summer in Madison, Wisconsin. It was at this festival, only two years ago, that the Beard first met the shy tousle haired lad who was to become my partner and sidekick. Back then Little Johnny was fresh out of the orphanage, on his own for the first time, not too sure about anything and looking for his place in the world. By the end of the three days and nights of Kastner booked metal bands, Little Johnny knew what he wanted to do.

Since that fateful weekend, we have traveled together for just over two years, attended almost two hundred concerts, and reviewed over five hundred bands for The Mighty Decibel. This weekend though, was like going home. Tonight, will be show #51 and bands #170-175 of this year. It is the shortest evening of the festival, and we have only six bands to see including Night Demon, Nervosa, Lich King, Hatriot, Maniacal Force and Tundra.

The Crucible, in Madison, was a small club with only one stage and a second room that functioned as its bar. There was also an outdoor area for smoking and between bands chatter and conversations. As we expected, there would be a pretty large crowd for this event, we got there early so the Beard could scope out the best corner to hide in and the lad could peruse the venues IPA offerings. An immense thanks to promoter Randy “No fun” Kastner who pointed out a place in the old sound booth where the Beard could both sit in and take pictures from, while Little Johnny, of course, took his customary spot at the front of the stage. Randy’s crew are excellent at keeping the trains on time, (i.e., schedule keeping), and at precisely 5:30pm, it was showtime starting with traditional metal from Cleveland’s ...

TUNDRA   

Tundra started off with a cool introduction tape full of various cuts ... like a guy tuning a radio to his favorite station. Remember that kids, radio stations? Tuning? Bueller? Bueller?, before bursting into some traditional 80’s style heavy metal. This band looked like young guys who probably heard their first metal in the early 80’s and decided they could deliver that same sound. Vocalist “Nick” could screech out some notes, and Tundra had their own “Grim Reaper” “Eddie” type characters stalking the stage during an early number.

One issue I had was their appearance. They presented as “five guys who left their garage, drove here and got on stage.” Not really any projected personality or definitive style with their look. Their fourth number “Napalm Bomb” attempted to generate the fests first pit, but the crowd wasn’t quite ready yet and the request fell flat. To be fair though they played early on a Thursday and the room was still filling up steadily, so it likely would not be long before “circling” began. Given it was both a young band and the festival openers, I will give Tundra a 76 on music and a 72 on appearance for an overall grade of 74/100.

Johnny, what were your thoughts? “It was an okay start Beard. Fairly sure it is going to get heavier.”

Next up was death thrash from Saint Paul, Minnesota in the personage of ...

MANIACAL FORCE

This band had a thrash sound with death vocals (guttural and mostly indecipherable.) Their look was a bit better than Tundra, but just a bit. The music was definitely more intense, but I have never been a fan of the cookie monster vocals. This wasn’t quite that harsh, but it seemed just shy of it. Maniacal Force was a more technically skilled band than Tundra, but that does not mean I enjoyed them more (song/genre wise), just that they were more musically skilled, so I am giving a slightly higher grade of 77/100.

Little Johnny, what did you think? “They were more intense Beard. I don’t know why the crowd didn’t Pit. They should have. I liked em.”

HATRIOT     

Third to the stage was Hatriot, the west coast thrash act hailing from Oakland.

These guys played at the Milwaukee Metalfest but, due to scheduling conflicts, Little Johnny and I both missed them there. Hatriot played fast thrash and were highly energetic. These guys tried hard to put on a show. Vocally though I found them a bit screechy. This was okay material, but not particularly memorable. Vocalist Cody Souza, (yes son of legendary Exodus singer Steve “Zeto” Souza) did use the “F” word like he was the adopted son of an unholy union between Tommy Lee and Ozzy Osbourne. The Beard is certainly no prude, but in 35 minutes, Souza used the word “fuck” as a noun, verb, adjective and adverb. Zeto’s other son Nick Souza handled the drums, so Hatriot was most definitely a family act, but one rated R for excessive language. (Ed: I hope you covered Little Johnny's innocent ears.)

The last few songs picked up intensity and we finally got a slight Pit for a while. Hatriot is an act that seems intent on continued growth, but tonight I could only give them 79/100.

How about you Johnny? “Beard, it was technically good, but you know I was just not feeling it all the way. Good but not great.”

LICH KING

Fourth tonight was Massachusetts band Lich King.

Lich King were vastly different from anything so far tonight. Thrash, but higher pitched vocally. The guitar leads were really good and Slayer-style fast. Kudos Nick Timey who has moved from bass to rhythm to lead guitar as this band has progressed along. Musically they were catchy, but vocally less so. Little Johnny, however, was jumping in time with their stuff up near the front of the stage, so he was into them. Singer Zach Smith clearly was not going to allow the stage to contain him, and he sang anywhere in the room he felt like. This was a nice touch as it brought a “live” anything-can-happen feel to the set and with-it Lich King “got” the crowd. For the first time tonight, the room really rocked.

Lich King knew how to make it fun for the crowd as well. Before one song, when bassist Mike Dreher wasn’t quite ready to start, Zack Smith led the crowd in a “Fuck you Mike” chant. Again, this was funny stuff as it was clearly done tongue in cheek and not in a Glen Danzig “you’re fired after the show,” kind of way. Lich King got the crowd to enjoy the set and mosh to it. The Beard awards points for both a good set, and good crowd manipulation 85/100.

Johnny, you looked like you loved that. What did you think? “Phew… I got to mosh Beard. That was a cool set. Hey Beard? What is a Lich?” “It’s an undead creature from D&D.” “Oh, okay. Hey, Beard... what’s D&D?” “Go back to stage front Johnny. You are making me feel old.” (Ed: Stop looking in the mirror then, Beard.)

NERVOSA

Fifth tonight was the band Little Johnny was most excited about, (and the Beard could not blame him), originally from South America, (and now boasting members from multiple countries including Greece and Italy), was guitarist Prika Amaral’s most recent incarnation of Nervosa.

Now, the Beard first saw Nervosa back in 2016 touring in support of Agony, their second full length album. Back then Prika was flanked by Fernanda Lira & Pitchu Ferraz, and I immediately thought their “supermodels play death thrash” was amazing. I got an opportunity on that tour to get a picture backstage with Prika and she seemed a great lady, even if I am quite sure she had no idea who I was or why she was posing in a picture with me. 

By 2020 though Lira and (then Nervosa drummer) Luana Dametto had left to form the excellent death metal band Crypta, leaving Prika to rebuild from scratch. The Beard's third time seeing Nervosa included band members Diva Satanica (formerly of Blood Hunter), bassist Mia Wallace (of Abbath), and drummer Eleni Nota. That new four-piece Nervosa had a different sound, but their album (Perpetual Chaos) had done well, and the ladies had gotten a world tour out of it.

Additionally, at their 2022 Chicago show (opening for Destruction), there was that never entirely explained incident where Little Johnny vanished for a period after their set and later returned with only one sock, (but both shoes), an autographed poster, and one of Mia Wallace’s bass picks. Now, two years later we will see Nervosa version 3.0 in which Pria Amaral has taken on lead vocals, as well as guitar duties while now employing a second guitarist. This go around she will be backed by Helena Kotina (guitars), and Gabriela Abud (drums), as the ladies support their fifth full length release Jailbreak.

Pria, who had long hair back in 2016, is sporting some Rapunzel locks this tour. That was some of the longest hair I have seen on anyone not named Crystal Gale. Once she started headbanging it was like the band was fronted by cousin It from the Adams Family. The rest of this band was new to me, and it was the very first show of their 2024 tour. The newest Nervosa incarnation seemed less full death than 2016’s Agony era band. It was still fast and Prika can growl death lyrics, so her move to singer does not impair the band at all, but Nervosa did seem to present with more melody and less brutality this time around.

It can be freaky when Prika goes from speaking regularly in a very normal girls voice, (while thanking promoter Randy Kastner or promoting the other bands), and then goes into becoming a South American Linda Blair, (if Linda Blair were a blonde amazon holding a guitar.)

Overall, I do think this was the weakest Nervosa incarnation of the three I have seen, (less dirty on the old stuff and more melodic on the new stuff despite the vocals), but then again it was the first date of their first tour together. By lucky chance I also have tickets to their final show of this tour, (in Chicago 10/13), so I will see what some on the road toughening does for their set. Today though, I am going 88/100.

What did you think Johnny? Johnny??? Uh oh…has anybody seen Johnny? Somebody check backstage AND anywhere around Nervosa’s tour bus. That kid, I swear. (Ed: Check the lost and found for that MIA sock!)

NIGHT DEMON

Finally, headliner Night Demon took the stage.

Over the years, the Beard has seen Night Demon a handful of times on small stages, and just recently on the big stage at Milwaukee Metalfest where technical and schedule issues caused them to have a very substandard and shortened set.

Here was another opportunity to revisit this latest incarnation of Night Demon as original bassist/vocalist Jarvis Leatherby, and eight-year member guitarist Armand Anthony, were joined by Brian Wilson (No! Not THAT one), on the drums in support of their newest release 2023’s Outsider.

Night Demon sounded far better than they had in Milwaukee and although I was not fond of their mostly backlit lighting choices, (which made pictures difficult), this time Night Demon sounded like the band I remembered. Leatherby sings clear and understandable lyrics, and the music is more NWOBHM than anything else. Night Demon were heavy and melodic. This was a good set, and I always enjoy hearing, “The Chalice” and “Night Demon”. I am going 86/100.

No report from Johnny as he is still MIA.

This concluded night one of three here at Blades of Steel. Six bands down and eighteen yet to come. Be sure to follow our reviews each Wednesday right here at The Mighty Decibel. Check out all the videos on our TikTok site at thebeard0728 and friend or follow Mark McQueen on Facebook for my weekly non-metal column.

Until next time this is The Beard & Little Johnny saying ... Live Life, Stay Heavy & Horns Up.