Heavy Metal Show @Yucca Tap Room

Like a creeper in dark corners of the Yucca Tap Room, I lurked last Friday night to get my fill...my fill of brutal, blood-curdling metal. I was partially hoping to stay under the radar, to myself, and partially open to having conversations with some interesting people. My hunger for loud, soul moving music had gnawed obnoxiously at my insides, until I obliged and left my house.

A feast I couldn't possibly have prepared for ensued. First, native Phoenix band Grail, looking like like long haired Ken dolls, took the stage. Retro riffs came out of the Gibson Les Paul, Rickenbacker base, and the understated, simple drum set, the three guys wielded. Vocals screamed unexpectedly, reminiscent of Pantera, over the top of the bluesy, heavy riffs. Fury infused the whole set in a steady onslaught of musical gunfire. "You're gonna die tonight!", he screamed. Their sound was an interesting, at times incongruent, concoction of late 60s, 70s rock and grooves, with brutal thrash/deathmetal elements present simultaneously. At one point, for a moment, I thought I heard the progressive essence of Yes coming through. There was an interesting softer musical break in the third song. Their second to last song had a very mellow introduction which took everyone by surprise, but it culminated in a big heavy peak at the end. Grail absolutely rocks with an unforgettable fury, but it seems that they are still undecided on who they are. They put on a killer show, but I found myself wistful to hear their true voice.

The second band, Mean Mistreater, a speed metal brigade from Austin Texas with a powerhouse female vocalist, put on a great show. They were solid from beginning to end.

WarHead was up last. They had the speed, volume, and high energy the audience was craving. I found them to be solid, technically excellent, and like wizards executing seemless

tricks, but generic. This was a band that decimates, that accomplishes great musical feats every night, and yet nothing in particular captured me to stay. Perhaps I was tired and ready to retreat to my solitude. After all, I have been in a weird headspace lately.

I was grateful for this feast of undeniable magnitude. The metal scene in Phoenix, AZ is alive and well.