MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 12/30/22

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 12/30/22

HOUR 1 - NICK's TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2022

10. MOTOR SISTER - "can't get high enough" // get off
9. MESHUGGAH - "i am that thirst" // immutible
8. COHEED AND CAMBRIA – “shoulders" // vaxis II: a window of the waking mind
7. CLUTCH – “red alert (boss metal zone)" // sunrise on slaughter beach
6. LAMB OF GOD – “omens" // omens
5. KORN – “lost in the granduer" // requiem
4. EVA UNDER FIRE – “death of me" // love, drugs and misery

3. HALESTORM – “the steeple" // back from the dead
2. THE WARNING – “amour" // error
1. RED HANDED DENIAL – “fix me" // i'd rather be asleep
1. RED HANDED DENIAL – “spiral" // i'd rather be asleep
COLD KINGDOM - "broken world" // life//love
JOHNNYROOK - "happy birthday" // the more things change
FIT FOR A KING - "end" // the hell we create

HOUR 2 - COVERS HOUR
CASANATRA - "rusty cage" // black days: a midwest movement tribute to Soundgarden (Soundgarden)
THE PRETTY RECKLESS - "loud love" // other worlds (Soundgarden)
INDEX CASE - "Jesus Christ pose" // black days: a midwest movement tribute to Soundgarden (Soundgarden)
DIVIDE THE FALL - "right now" // right now - single (Fire From the Gods)
MOTIONLESS IN WHITE - "somebody told me" // somebody told me - single (The Killers)
EVA UNDER FIRE - "separate ways" // blow ep (Journey)

NEKROGOBLIKON - "bodom beach terror" // bodom beach terror - single (Children of Bodom)
CHILDREN OF BODOM - "rebel yell" // skeletons in the closet (Billy Idol)
TRIVIUM - "I don't wanna be me" // I don't wanna be me - single (Type O Negative)
TYPE O NEGATIVE - "summer breeze" // bloody kisses (Seals and Croft)
NOPATHY - "foresaker" // projections (Katatonia)
DESTROPHY - "paint it, black" // the way of your world (The Rolling Stones)
TWO MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT - "ace of spades" // songs from the internet (Motorhead)
ZAKK SABBATH - "bassically" // vertigo (Black Sabbath)

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 12/23/22 - 2022 LOCAL YEAR IN REVIEW

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 12/23/22
2022 LOCAL YEAR IN REVIEW

HOUR 1
THE FAILSAFE - "burn it to the ground" // burn it to the ground - single
THROW THE FIGHT - "snake mountain" // snake mountain - single
ANGRY WATERS - "first blood" // the ghosts we chase
WEEKEND PICNIC feat ELISSA-MARIE OGGARD - "remmeber october" (acoustic) // time and tide
FLIPP - "you can make it happen" // too dumb to quit
AMERICAN SCARECROWS - "broken bones and mountains" // drawing little pictures
WIDOW7 - "low life" // low life - single
NOPATHY - "alter the path" // projections

DIVIDE THE FALL - "without you" // without you - single
DREAMS ASIDE - "reflections" // lotus
PLAGUE OF STARS - "corporatocracy" // corporatocracy - single
EXACTLYNO - "there's no answer" // there's no answer - single
ALIGN - "oscilloscope" // oscilloscope - single
THE ISSUE - "fallin'" // wasted life
GABRIEL AND THE APOCALYPSE - "blunt force drama" // blunt force drama - single

HOUR 2
3 PILL MORNING - "all before" // all before - single
PORCUPINE - "the way down" // the way down - single
THE BURN VAULT - "even rock stars die too" // demo
DEARLY DEPARTED - "quiet echoes" // heartless ep
DESTROPHY - "army of me" // army of me - single
ALIGN - "neo-noir" // neo-noir - single
VIA - "the reckoning" // the day of purification

WALLY JOSEPH - "left of faithful" // to the dogs
VENDED - "overall" // overall - single
SAUL - "jack and jill" // jack and jill - single
COLD KINGDOM - "agony" // life//love
JOHNNYROOK - "feel it all again" // the more things change
IN SEARCH OF SOLACE - "no turning back" // the endless ache
LOST ISLAND SOCIETY - "villain" // villain - single
CONQUER DIVIDE - "Santa tell me" // Santa tell me - single

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 12/16/22

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 12/16/22
BEST OF 2022 SEMI FINALS ROYAL RUMBLE SPECTACULAR

HOUR 1
UNDEROATH - "hallelujah" // voyuerist
SETYOURSAILS feat RUDI SCHWARZER - "ghost" // nightfall
KORN - "worst is on it's way" // requiem
SLASH feat MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS - "whatever gets you by" // 4
BAD OMENS - "like a villian" // the death of peace of mind
GHOST - "spillways" // impera
MESHUGGAH - "light the shortening fuse" // immutible

RAMMSTEIN - "giftig" // zeit
HALESTORM - "back from the dead" // back from the dead
MOTOR SISTER - "can't get high enough" // get off
MOON TOOTH - "nymphaeaceae" // phototroph
CROBOT - "set you free" // feel this
RED HANDED DENIAL - "cloud 9" // i'd rather be asleep
MOTIONLESS IN WHITE - "cyberhex" // scoring the end of the world
COHEED AND CAMBRIA - "comatose" // vaxis II: a window of the waking mind

HOUR 2
THE WARNING - "money" // error
GREG PUCIATO feat REBA MEYERS - "lowered" // mirrorcell
SHINEDOWN - "planet zero" // planet zero
YOURS TRULY feat YOU ME AT SIX - "hallucinate" // is this what I look like?
AMON AMARTH - "find a way or make one" // the great heathen army
ARCH ENEMY - "the watcher" // decievers

CLUTCH - "we strive for excellence" // sunrise on slaughter beach
EVA UNDER FIRE feat FROM ASHES TO NEW - "coming for blood" // love, drugs and misery
SLIPKNOT - "hive mind" // the end. so far.
LAMB OF GOD - "omens" // omens
ALTER BRIDGE - "silver tongue" // pawns and kings
ARCHITECTS - "when we were young" // the classic symptoms of a broken spirit
THE PRETTY RECKLESS - "loud love" // other worlds

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 12/09/22

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 12/09/22

HOUR 1
AUGUST BURNS RED – “last Christmas“ // winter wilderness
CASANATRA – “rusty cage” // black days: a Midwest movement tribute to Soundgarden
WEEKEND PICNIC – “plastic entourage" // weekend picnic
SAUL – “jack and jill" // jack and jill - single
COLD - "suffocate" // year of the spider
DIVIDE THE FALL - "without you" // without you - single
THE SIERRA DAY - "closed out" // shanaska
VIA - "the reincarnate" // the day of purification

WALLY JOSEPH - "left of faithful" // to the dogs
ARROWS AT DAWN - "dead in the water" // no place to hide
BUSH – “more than machines" // the art of survival
CROSSES – “procession" // permenant.radiant.
JOHNNYROOK - "happy birthday" // the more things change
CROBOT – “dizzy" // feel this
TURNSTILE - "dance off" // glow on

HOUR 2
TIMES OF GRACE - "where the spirit leads me" // the hymn of a broken man
FIT FOR A KING feat JONATHAN VIGIL – “times like this" // the hell we create
NOPATHY - "alter the path" // projections
AVATAR - "valley of disease" // dance devil dance
IN SEARCH OF SOLACE – “no turning back" // the endless ache
AFTER THE BURIAL - "the great repeat" // evergreen
MESHUGGAH - "i am that thirst" // immutable

JESUS PIECE - "an offering to the night" // an offering to the night - single
KNOCKED LOOSE feat KEITH BUCKLEY - "forget your name" // a different shade of blue
CODE ORANGE - "real" // forever
VEIN.FM – “the killing womb" // this world is going to ruin you
EVERY TIME I DIE - "I didn't want to join your stupid cult anyways" // low teens
BUTCHER BABIES - "magnolia blvd" // goliath
REAPING ASMODEIA – “dreamcaster" // darkened infinity
JINJER – “on the top” // macro

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 12/02/22 - JOHNNYROOK

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 12/02/22
GUESTS :: JOHNNYROOK

HOUR 1
AUGUST BURNS RED – “all I want for Christmas is you“ // all I want for Christmas is you - single
COHEED AND CAMBRIA – “shoulders” // vaxis II: a window of the waking mind
EXACTLYNO - "red line city" // red line city
ANGRY WATERS - "first blood" // the ghosts we chase
ALIGN - "neo-noir" // neo-noir - single
JOHNNYROOK – “disneyland pencil erasers" // the more things change

JOHNNYROOK – “happy birthday” // the more things change
JOHNNYROOK – “set it up” // the more things change
JOHNNYROOK – “feel it all again” // the more things change

HOUR 2
METALLICA – “lux aeterna" // 72 seasons
PANTERA – “I'm broken" // far beyond driven
ICE NINE KILLS – “rainy day" // the silver scream 2: welcome to horrorwood
DREAMS ASIDE - "heavy" // reflections
AMON AMARTH – “find a way or make one” // the great heathen army
MOTOR SISTER - "lion's den" // get off
ENEMY X - "high" // endless circle

SOULFLY – “totem" // totem
GHOST - "watcher in the sky" // impera
THE BURN VAULT - "even rock stars die too" // demo
DYING WISH - "until mourning comes" // fragments of a bitter memory
CAGE FIGHT feat TREVOR STRNAD - "eating me alive" // cage fight
MARTYR AD - "bring out your dead" // on earth as it is in hell
JINJER – “sit stay roll over (live)” // alive in melbourne 2020

**SPECIAL THANKS to ZAC from JOHNNYROOK for calling in to the Midwest Beatdown this week to talk about their fantastic new album "The More Things Change" out now!!

Midwest Beatdown · Johnnyrook 2022 interview

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 11/25/22

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 11/25/22

HOUR 1
TURNSTILE - "real thing" // time and space
TURNSTILE - "big smile" // time and space
COLD KINGDOM - "broken world" // life//love
DIVIDE THE FALL - "fake love" // dead memories
WEEKEND PICNIC - "before your time" // weekend picnic
SAUL - "jack and jill" // jack and jill - single
JOHNNYROOK - "set it up" // the more things change
EAON - "lesson no 1" // lesson no 1
FOUR LETTER LIE - "nothing but a ghost" // what a terrible thing to say

STAND ATLANTIC - "van gogh" // f.e.a.r.
EVA UNDER FIRE - "heroin(e)" // love, drugs and misery
FALSE FLOOR - "equals" // equals - single
NEW MEDICINE - "life like this" // life like this - single
CHEVELLE - "mars simula" // nirtias
CROBOT - "electrified" // feel this
PLUSH - "champion" // plush

HOUR 2
MINISTRY - "burning inside" // the mind is a terrible thing to taste
MOTIONLESS IN WHITE - "cyberhex" // scoring the end of the world
GABRIEL AND THE APOCALYPSE - "blunt force drama" // blunt force drama - single
PLAGUE OF STARS - "corporatocracy" // corporatocracy - single
NINE INCH NAILS - "getting smaller" // with teeth
ARCHITECTS - "be very afraid" // the classic symptoms of a broken spirit
IN SEARCH OF SOLACE - "no turning back" // the endless ache
BY THE THOUSANDS - "visions of inner depth" // visions of inner depth

IN FLAMES - "state of slow decay" // foregone
JOHNNY BOOTH - "storyteller" // storyteller ep
CODE ORANGE - "swallowing the rabbit whole" // underneath
PYRALIS - "dagger" // everything is emptiness
DISEMBODIED - "anvil chandelier" // diablerie
KNOCKED LOOSE - "mistakes like fractures" // a different shade of blue
HARVEST - "epicure" // transitions
JINJER - "ape" // micro

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 11/18/22 - COLD KINGDOM

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 11/18/22
GUESTS :: COLD KINGDOM

HOUR 1
JOHNNYROOK - "set it up" // set it up - single
ALIGN - "neo-noir" // neo-noir - single
THE PRETTY RECKLESS - "loud love" // other worlds
THROW THE FIGHT - "snake mountain" // snake mountain - single
BAD OMENS - "the death of peace of mind" // the death of peace of mind
AS EVERYTHING UNFOLDS - "felt like home" // felt like home - single
TURNSTILE - "big smile" // time and space
SAUL - "jack and jill" // jack and jill - single

COLD KINGDOM feat DANNY CASE - "criminal" // life//love
COLD KINGDOM - "agony" // life//love
DIVIDE THE FALL - "without you" // without you - single
COLD KINGDOM - "broken world" // life//love
WEEKEND PICNIC feat ELISSA-MARIE OGGARD - "remember october" // time and tide

HOUR 2
COLD KINGDOM - "what will it take" // life//love
ANTISTAR feat ELISSA-MARIE OGGARD - "vixen" // antistar
TORCHE - "kicking" // harmonicraft
AFTER THE BURIAL - "behold the crown" // evergreen
SPIRITBOX - "rotoscope" // rotoscope ep

GREG PUCIATO - "reality spiral" // mirrorcell
JOHNNY BOOTH - "storyteller" // storyteller ep
AMON AMARTH - "the great heathen army" // the great heathen army
GOJIRA - "our time is now" // our time is now - single
DESTROPHY - "army of me" // army of me - single
ENTHEOS - "absolute zero" // absolute zero - single
JINJER - "as I boil ice" // wallflowers

**SPECIAL THANKS to ELISSA and EVAN from COLD KINGDOM for zooming in to the Midwest Beatdown tonight to talk about their new album "Life//Love" and their CD release party Nov 25 at Route 47 in Fridley with DIVIDE THE FALL, WEEKEND PICNIC and DJ ALVIN STONE!

Midwest Beatdown · Cold Kingdom Life//Love interview

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 11/11/22 - EVA UNDER FIRE

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 11/11/22
GUESTS :: EVA UNDER FIRE

HOUR 1
THE FAILSAFE – “ghost of you" // ghost of you - single
LARKIN POE – “bad spell” // blood harmony
COLD KINGDOM – “agony" // life//love
DIVIDE THE FALL – “without you" // without you - single
THROW THE FIGHT – “paper wings" // settle your sins
ALTER BRIDGE – “this is war" // pawns and kings
THE SIERRA DAY - "fight" // unbalance
EVA UNDER FIRE feat SPENCER CHARNAS - "blow" // love, drugs and misery

EVA UNDER FIRE - "death of me" // love, drugs and misery
EVA UNDER FIRE - "unstoppable" // love, drugs and misery
EVA UNDER FIRE - "heroin(e)" // love, drugs and misery

HOUR 2
EVA UNDER FIRE feat JONATHAN DORR - "comatose" // love, drugs and misery
ICE NINE KILLS – “rainy day” // the silver scream 2 : welcome to horrorwood
MOTIONLESS IN WHITE feat BRYAN GARRIS – “slaughterhouse” // scoring the end of the world
VENDED – “afterall” // afterall - single
KATATONIA – “atrium” // sky void of stars
LOATHE – “two way mirror" // I let it in and it took everything
WALLY JOSEPH – “petty little lies" // to the dogs
B! – “hole" // demo

IN FLAMES - "end the transmission" // foregone
AUGUST BURNS RED feat JESSE LEACH – “ancestry” // death below
LACUNA COIL - "swamped XX" // comalies XX
IN SEARCH OF SOLACE – “no turning back” // the endless ache
FIT FOR A KING - "the hell we create" // the hell we create
HATEBREED - "empty promises" // satisfaction is the death of desire
JINJER – “mediator” // wallflowers

**SPECIAL THANKS to EVA from EVA UNDER FIRE for calling in to the Midwest Beatdown this week! EVA UNDER FIRE's excellent new album "Love, Drugs and Misery" is out now via Better Noise! Definately in my top 10 for the year! EVA UNDER FIRE will be huge, hear them now!

Midwest Beatdown · Eva Under Fire interview

The Lyric meets GWAR! Did the venue survive?

PHOTO GALLERY :: GWAR, NEKROGOBLIKON and CROBOT
The Lyric at Skyway Theater in Minneapolis, MN
Oct 25, 2022
Photos by Brett Zisler

GWAR returned to Minneapolis to destroy the Skyway Theater's newest venue The Lyric. Mayhem ensued and no one left without a little bit of GWAR goodness.

NEKROGOBLIKON proved to be the perfect act to play right before GWAR.

CROBOT started off the party with tracks from their awesome new album "Feel This"!

SEE MORE OF BRETT'S PICTURES FROM GWAR, NEKROGOBLIKON and CROBOT HERE!

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 11/04/22 - DEVIN TOWNSEND

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 11/04/22
GUESTS :: DEVIN TOWNSEND

HOUR 1
THE PRETTY RECKLESS – “loud love” // other worlds
WALLY JOSEPH – “left of faithful" // to the dogs
B! – “dead" // degenerator
WEEKEND PICNIC - "savages" // weekend picnic
SAUL - "the toll" // rise as equals
FIT FOR A KING - "the hell we create" // the hell we create
KILLING STARES - "for the record" // for the record - single
AUGUST BURNS RED feat JESSE LEACH - "ancestry" // death below

JOHNNY BOOTH - "storyteller" // storyteller
DEVIN TOWNSEND - "equinox" // lightwork
DEVIN TOWNSEND - "call of the void" // lightwork

HOUR 2
DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT - "offer your light" // transcendence
DEVIN TOWNSEND - "dimensions" // lightwork
DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT - "grace" // epicloud
MOTIONLESS IN WHITE feat MICK GORDON – “scoring the end of the world" // scoring the end of the world
ICE NINE KILLS – “the shower scene” // the silver scream 2 : welcome to horrorwood

IN SEARCH OF SOLACE – “no turning back" // the endless ache
BY THE THOUSANDS - "cold spots" // dead matter
ARCHITECTS – “be very afraid” // the classic symptoms of a broken spirit
VENDED – “overall" // overall - single
P.O.D. – “rock the party" // greatest hits: the atlantic years
SPACE OF VARIATION – “DNA molecule in a million of dimensions" // imago
JINJER – “copycat” // wallflowers

**SPECIAL THANKS to DEVIN TOWNSEND for zooming in to the Midwest Beatdown tonight to talk about his new album "Lightwork" that is out now via InsideOut/Heavy Devy Records! Also check out "The Puzzle" and "Snuggles" also released this year for more Devin Townsend!

Midwest Beatdown · Devin Townsend interview

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 10/28/22 - DREAMS ASIDE

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 10/28/22
GUESTS :: DREAMS ASIDE

HOUR 1
VIA – “the reincarnate" // the day of purification
WALLY JOSEPH – “the sun will shine" // to the dogs
ALIGN – “neo-noir” // neo-noir - single
CROSSES - "vivien" // permanent.radiant
DEFTONES - "be quiet and drive (far away)" // around the fur
SUPERLUNG - "time is of the essence" // demo
OLD TOWNE GHOSTS - "knight boat" // the old ones are and forever shall be

DREAMS ASIDE - "defending silence" // lotus
DREAMS ASIDE - "heavy" // lotus
DREAMS ASIDE - "lost paradise" // lotus

HOUR 2
DEMON HUNTER – “revolutions" // exile
AVATAR - "valley of disease" // valley of disease - single
GHOST – “if you have ghost" // if you have ghosts
DESTROPHY – “army of me” // army of me - single
NOPATHY - "forsaker" // projections
KATATONIA – “atrium" // sky void of stars
JUDAS PRIEST – “lightning strike" // firepower

ETHENOS - "absolute zero" // absolute zero - single
VEIN.FM - "the killing womb" // this world is going to ruin you
REAPING ASMODEIA – “false awakening" // darkened infinity
ORBIT CULTURE - "vultures of north" // descent
VENDED - "bloodline" // what is it/kill it
SPACE OF VARIATIONS - "DNA molecules in a million dimensions" // imago
JINJER – “sit stay roll over (live)" // alive in melbourne 2020

**SPECIAL THANKS to BRADY from DREAMS ASIDE for zooming in to the Midwest Beatdown this week before their show at the What's Up Lounge in Mankato! Check out DREAMS ASIDE's excellent new album "Lotus" out now!

Midwest Beatdown · Dreams Aside interview

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 10/21/22

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 10/21/22
KMSU FALL PLEDGE DRIVE

HOUR 1
ALIGN - "neo-noir" // neo-noir - single
THROW THE FIGHT - "snake mountain" // snake mountain - single
3 PILL MORNING - "all before" // transmissions
COMMON CHOIR - "deformed//devoid" // deformed//devoid - single
RED LIGHT DRIVE - "give it all we got" // red light drive ep
EVA UNDER FIRE - "another shot thru the heart" // love, drugs and misery
LOATHE x TEENAGE WRIST - "is it really you" // is it really you - single

BRING THE SUN - "death pigeon" // ghost
SPIRITBOX - "hysteria" // rotoscope ep
ANGRY WATERS - "dead flowers" // the tequila incidents
TYPE O NEGATIVE - "summer breeze" // bloody kisses

HOUR 2
DESTROPHY - "army of me" // army of me - single
WIDOW7 - "low life" // low life - single
CROTBOT - "electrified" // feel this
TURNSTILE - "turnstile love connection" // glow on
AS EVERYTHING UNFOLDS - "felt like home" // felt like home - single
AVADO - "the leech" // viscera
THE WARNING - "evolve" // error
RED HANDED DENIAL - "spiral" // I'd rather be asleep

ARCHITECTS - "be very afraid" // the classic symptoms of a broken spirit
MOTIONLESS IN WHITE feat CALEB SHAMO - "red, white, boom" // scoring the end of the world
ICE NINE KILLS - "rainy day" // the silver scream 2: welcome to horrorwood
THE BURN VAULT - "even rock stars die too" // demo
GOJIRA - "our time is now" // our time is now - single
JINJER - "ape" // micro

**SPECIAL THANKS to all our RADIO HEROES listening for pushing us OVER the HALF WAY MARK in the first 3 days of the fall pledge drive! There's still time to help us reach our fall pledge drive goal by donating safely and securely here at http://www.kmsu.org! We have some stretch goals we are also hoping for updating our streaming service and finishing up our forthcoming app with extra channels including an ALL MINNESOTA MUSIC CHANNEL! Thank you in advance for keeping great local independent radio alive and commercial free!

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 10/14/22 - LACUNA COIL

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 10/14/22
GUESTS :: LACUNA COIL

HOUR 1
GOJIRA - "our time is now" // our time is now - single
TURNSTILE - "blackout" // glow on
GOODNIGHT RITUAL - "across the fields" // galore
PORCUPINE - "the way down" // the way down - single
CLUTCH - "skeletons on mars" // sunrise on slaughter beach
HELMET - "milquetoast" // betty
QUICKSAND - "missile command" // distant populations

EXACTLYNO - "there's no answer" // there's no answer - single
BOUNDARIES - "realize and rebuild" // burying brightness
DREAMS ASIDE - "heavy" // lotus
LACUNA COIL - "swamped xx" // comalies xx
LACUNA COIL - "tight rope xx" // comalies xx

HOUR 2
LACUNA COIL - "self deception xx" // comalies xx
LACUNA COIL - "heaven's a lie xx" // comalies xx
PLAGUE OF STARS - "a divisive essence" // daedalus
GABRIEL AND THE APOCALYPSE - "blunt force drama" // blunt force drama - single
ALTER BRIDGE - "this is war" // pawns and kings
MAMMOTH WVH - "the big picture" // mammoth wvh
RED - "feed the machine" // until we have faces

DEMON HUNTER feat MAX CAVALERA - "defense mechanism" // exile
ROADRUNNER UNITED - "the dagger" // roadrunner united
EX-REGIME - "sink or swim" // the path I walk
DEARLY DEPARTED - "quiet echoes" // heartless ep
CAGE FIGHT feat TREVOR STRNAD - "eating me alive" // cage fight
JINJER - "pisces" (live session) // pisces - single

**SPECIAL THANKS to ANDREA from LACUNA COIL for zooming in to the Midwest Beatdown to talk about the new, reimagined version of "Comalies XX" out now on Century Media!

Midwest Beatdown · Lacuna Coil 2022 interview

MESHUGGAH lights the shortening fuse at the Myth

CONCERT REVIEW :: MESHUGGAH, CONVERGE, TORCHE
Myth in Maplewood, MN
Sept 30, 2022
Photos by Brett Zisler
Review by Nick

In what felt like forever to wait for a show when in actuality it was probably less than 9 months, MESHUGGAH, CONVERGE and TORCHE finally came to the Myth in Maplewood! I had been looking forward to this lineup since it was announced. MESHUGGAH finally coming back to the area with an impressive new album in tow. CONVERGE hasn’t been here in what seems like forever and this was the final tour for TORCHE.

One thing that can always be said about MESHUGGAH is their light show is just as intense as the music itself. MESHUGGAH came out with all the members standing towards light boxes with the Immutible guy on each box. “Broken Cog” started the set with a blinding light show perfectly timed to the slow, brooding opening of not only the album but now also the tour. Displaying a different kind of intensity to start the show versus the in your face heaviness that CONVERGE and TORCHE offered to kick off the show. The band then commanded the front of the stage for the rest of the night with the beginning of “Light the Shortening Fuse” whipping the pit in to a nice frenzy which continued for the stand out “Rational Gaze” one of only two tracks from Nothing to show up in tonight’s set (and this tour’s set lists so far).

It’s hard not to stand there in awe of the intricate intensity of musical perfection that is being displayed when you watch MESHUGGAH live. It’s a master class in musicianship. I literally got lost trying to watch guitarists Fredrik Theordendal and Marten Hagstrom play their instruments. I was bummed because I couldn’t see Tomas Haake real well as I could just stand and watch him play the set but with the stage being dark and then super bright, it would’ve been hard to see Tomas either way.

Vocalist Jens Kidman still sounds as great and intense as he does on Choasphere (surprising that no track from that album made tonight’s cut) or Destroy Erase Improve. “Ligature Marks” sounded perfectly placed right in between “The Hurt That Finds You First” and “Born in Dissonance”. While there was no “Bleed”, “Stengah”, “Do Not Look Down” or even “I Am That Thirst” from Immutible, when you have a catalog as deep and celebrated as Meshuggah it’s hard to get everything everyone would want to hear in a 75 minute set … or even in a 2 hour set.

MESHUGGAH’s set closed with a demolishing “Future Breed Machine” that sent everyone in attendance off extremely happy with the set that just unfolded in front of them. Now let’s just hope it’s not another 6 years before MESHUGGAH returns to level another stage in Minnesota.

This was my first time finally seeing CONVERGE and while that’s a little embarrassing to admit, I can’t tell you the last time they actually played Minnesota. I got exactly what I hoped for with CONVERGE’s set. Feedback drenched relentlessly aggressive 50 minute set that did not slow down once started. The set was heavy on tracks from the fantastic “All We Love We Leave Behind” and “Axe to Fall” as well as dished out the best of “The Dusk In Us” but surprisingly only one song from the landmark “Jane Doe”.

Vocalist Jacob Bannon paced the stage with extreme intensity. Kurt Ballou masterfully held down stage left with his massive guitar tone. Nate Newton held his ground on stage right dominating the low end. Anytime you get to watch Ben Koller pound the drums in to oblivion is well worth the price of admission. The intensity alone of “I Can Tell You About Pain” was inspiring and led Jacob to joke that Ben doesn’t like playing “Tresspasses” because it makes his feet tired but the brutality was delivered flawlessly. That being said, I was extremely happy with what the band did play as it was a treat to hear all these songs live. CONVERGE made my wannabe hardcore kid heart happy.

TORCHE opened the show with a fast paced, sludge filled 40 minute set. While I completely understand that sentence doesn’t make sense, when you see TORCHE live you’ll get it. As this was my first time seeing TORCHE live, it would also be my last as the band announced this would be their final tour so it just made seeing this touring lineup that much more special. The 14 song set took a little from each album in the band’s catalog with “From Here” being a fantastic opener and quite possibly a perfect introduction for most of the crowd to TORCHE.

This was the first show in a wihle that you could tell the volume was cranked up just as loud for the opener as it was for the headliner. TORCHE was LOUD. That’s exactly the way they should be. Vocalist and guitarist Steve Brooks sounded fantastic behind the mic trading off riffs with guitarist Jonathan Nunez. It would be hard to find a drummer that was more in the groove than Rick Smith is, who would periodically kick his left leg out to punctuate the intensity in his drumming. Filling out the wall of sound was bassist Eric Hernandez with a dominating bass tone.

That could be said about this entire tour lineup. Every band had a dominating wall of sound each in their own way that stood out from each other. TORCHE bringing the rock, CONVERGE throwing down and MESHUGGAH bending minds. This had to have been a pretty close to sold out show that I’m glad I took the time to appreciate from start to finish. We’ll probably never see these 3 bands together on stage again and it was much more of a perfect lineup than one could imagine.

SEE MORE OF BRETT's PHOTOS FROM MESHUGGAH, CONVERGE and TORCHE HERE!

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 10/07/22

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 10/07/22

HOUR 1
LARKIN POE - "bad spell" // blood harmony
COLD KINGDOM - "agony" // life//love
DIVIDE THE FALL - "without you" // without you - single
WEEKEND PICNIC feat ELISSA-MARIE OGGARD - "remember October" // time and tide
AMERICAN SCARECROWS - "broken bones and mountains" // drawing little pictures
THE ISSUE - "you" // you - single
MOON TOOTH - "nymphaeaceae" // phototroph
EVA UNDER FIRE feat FROM ASHES TO NEW - "coming for blood" // love, drugs and misery

HOUSTON - "buddy" // head like a road map
RAD OWL - "grape mister misty" // madison beast
THE GRANDE MACHINE - "better still" // another round
THE CHALLENGER DISASTER CONSPIRACY - "something's wrong with dougie" // the challenger disaster conspiracy ep
DREAMS ASIDE - "fracture" // lotus
ENEMY X - "endless circle" // endless circle
OLD TOWNE GHOSTS - "knight boat" // the old ones are and forever shall be
LAMB OF GOD - "vanishing" // omens

HOUR 2
LAMB OF GOD - "ill designs" // omens
BEYOND THE BLACK - "winter is coming" // beyond the black
AMARANTHE - "find life" // find life - single
AMARANTHE & BEYOND THE BLACK - "make it better" // make it better - single
TRIVIUM - "like a sword over damocles" // in the court of the dragon
KNOCKED LOOSE - "belleville" // a different shade of blue
SLIPKNOT - "hive mind" // the end, so far

JUDAS PRIEST - "firepower" // firepower
QUEENSRYCHE - "in extremis" // digital noise alliance
SABATON - "race to the sea" // the war to end all wars
P.O.D. - "southtown" // the southtown ep
VENDED - "bloodline" // what is it/kill it ep
SPACE OF VARIATIONS - "DNA molecule in a million dimensions" // imago
JINJER - "disclosure" // wallflowers

LAMB OF GOD brings "Omens" to The Armory

CONCERT REVIEW :: LAMB OF GOD, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, BARONESS, SUICIDE SILENCE
Sept 28, 2022
The Armory in Minneapolis, MN
Photos by Brett Zisler
Review by Nick

LAMB OF GOD returns to THE ARMORY fresh from last year's co-headlining slot on The Metal Tour of the Year with Megadeth to headline their own Omens Tour! The show was a fantastic feast for the ears as well as the eyes. Any leg of this fall tour brought with LOG and KSE excellent openers and Minneapolis was lucky enough to get BARONESS and SUICIDE SILENCE. LAMB OF GOD using the intro to "Momento Mori" to get the crowd amp'd up before the curtain dropped and things got heavy! Bringing the fire (as seen in the picture above) to warm up The Armory for "Walk With Me in Hell" and not slowing down as they tore in to "Now You Got Something to Die For" before giving the crowd a moment to catch their breath.

The band taking full advantage of having the entire stage to themselves had ramps and places to run all over while keeping the stage set up minimial for maximum fire potential. A treat early on in the set in the form of the new track "Nevermore" lit up the room continuing the circle pit turning on the main floor. Older catalog tracks "Ruin" and "11th Hour" show up early in the set and then the crowd yelled along the intro to "Omerta" with Randy before the band tore thru the heavy track that is always a set favorite.

Then came the vicious "Omens" from the new album of the same name coming out this Friday. The crowd eating up the new track along with all the related t-shirts at the merch table that night. While I would've loved to hear the other new track "Greyscale" also in the set, there's only so much time in their set and Lamb of God has way too many songs they have to play every night. I hope to hear that in a future tour. It's weird to say that "512" is the track that gives the crowd a moment to breathe before they tear thru the last 4 absolute bangers for the night. It's probably good there was no one following Lamb of God as they closed the night with "Ghost Walking," "Vigil", "Laid to Rest" and the always neck breaking crusher "Redneck".

I have never once seen LAMB OF GOD fail to deliver and tonight was no different. The whole entire band was in fine form, cranking out the bangers in a victorious headline tour that pleased everyone from old fans to newbies.

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE is another band that never disappoints and always delivers live. KSE got a full hour to do what they do best, bring the metal and ensure everyone has a good time. The crowd laughing along with their intro song that one day needs to be released as it was way too funny and I'm not going to spoil it for anyone. Tearing straight in to "Strength of the Mind" the lights alone during this 60 min set could light up the entire city of Minneapolis for at least a day. Hopefully fans in the front had sunglasses with them as it was bright!

KILLSWITCH's entire set was a crowd sing-a-long. No other way to put it. This set was a fine tuned victory lap in support of their latest record Atonement. "Rose of Sharyn", "Hate by Design", "My Curse", "A Bid Farewell", "The End of Heartache", "The Signal Fire" and of course their cover of "Holy Diver" were all present and accounted for. The only nitpicking thing I can come up with is that they didn't play "My Last Serenade" which should always be played at every KSE show until the end of time. If anyone has ever said that they haven't had fun at a KSE show needs a lie detector test done.

BARONESS gave the crowd a finely tuned 30 minute history lesson of epic Baroness jams. Starting off with "The Sweetest Curse" and running right in to "Isak", this is an incredibly tight band showing off what they do best. Get up on stage and rock with no bells and whistles, just 4 phenominal musicians making sweet, sweet noise with their instruments. This was a set directed towards their heavier material that not only pleased long time fans but gained some new fans from LOG and KSE.

I seriously can't say anything I haven't said before about this awesome band. If you need a Baroness starter kit, this set delivers extremely well. "A Horse Name Golgotha" into "March to the Sea" into "Shock Me" with just enough time to close it out with "War, Wisdom & Rhyme". I wish Baroness could've played an extra 10 mins as they didn't need the full 30 min set change time on either side of their set. If anyone in the crowd didn't know who Baroness was, they sure do now.

Overall, this is a tour that delievered the most for your dollar. Four bands that excel at their craft to make one incredible tour that left everyone smiling as they went out the door. If you missed out, you messed up.

SEE MORE OF BRETT's PHOTOS FROM LAMB OF GOD, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and BARONESS here!

LAMB OF GOD's new album "Omens" comes out this Friday!!

IN FLAMES come back victorious at the Skyway!

CONCERT REVIEW :: IN FLAMES
SKYWAY THEATER in Minneapolis, MN
Sept 17, 2022
with FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, ORBIT CULTURE and VENDED

Photos by Brett Zisler
Review by Nick

The Skyway Theater in Minneapolis was bustling with metal heads filing in for IN FLAMES' post covid return to Minneapolis. In Flames brought with them a stellar supoprt package of FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY and upcoming bands ORBIT CULTURE and VENDED.

100% honesty here .. this is the best I've seen IN FLAMES live in YEARS. The band has a new fire underneath them with Chris Broadrick joining the band on guitars. Opening with the fantastic new single "The Great Deciever", you could see the smiles on everyone's faces in the band to the fans who were clearly enjoying the new tune. The band continued on with "Fear is the Weakness" and a massive crowd sing-a-long for "Cloud Connected".

IN FLAMES then went thru their entire catalog playing one song from every album starting with "Stand Ablaze" from Subterraian and "Beyond Space" from The Lunar Strain. These songs sounded absolutely phenominal with Chris Broadrick joining Bjorn Gelotte on guitars, Bryce Paul on bass and Tanner Wayne on drums. This is an extremely tight and focused band that pulls off the older, perhaps more technical and faster material with absolute ease. Anders Friden still can scream just as great as he does on the old records. Anders was just as happy to see the crowd as the crowd was to see them, chatting it up with the crowd in between songs with some great banter.

Who honestly can argue with "Episode 666" or "Only for the Weak" live? Those songs sounded just as phenominal live as the new songs "Foregone pt 1" and "State of Slow Decay" did that followed. If this is any indication of what we're in store for with the new album Foregone, we may be headed for IN FLAMES' best record in years!

Ending their set with some of their strongest most recent material "Deliver Us", "The Mirror's Truth" and "I Am Above" before the song that it seemed like everyone in the crowd wanted to hear "Take This Life" got a huge pop from the audience. The band had a great stage set up with a great light show that didn't blind you. After seeing a condensed 40 minute version of this set at Louder Than Life a few days later, IN FLAMES is back and on fire. The next time they come thru town which will probably be next year after the new album comes out in Feb, don't sleep on catching IN FLAMES live.

Quick shout out to ORBIT CULTURE from Sweeden who had a monster of a 30 minute set playing tracks from all their releases. Blending the extremely heavy with the melodic got the crowd moving and definately made new fans. "Strangler", "Vultures of North" and "Saw" sounded massive live with vocalist Niklas Karlsson effortlessly going between monsterous growling and extremely melodic vocals. If you are a fan of Gojira and haven't checked out ORBIT CULTURE yet, what are you waiting for? This is going to be a band that fans in 3-5 years will be saying ... "Remember that time we saw them at the Skyway Theater on their first U.S. tour?"

As did VENDED, who's frontman Griffin Taylor celebrated his birthday in Minneapolis with family and friends in attendance. VENDED have the stage presence down and drummer Simon Crahan crushes the drums with incredible precesion. Not to mention, guitarist Cole Espeland looks like a rock star already. I'm very excited to see what the future holds for VENDED as they are putting in the work on the road going from touring with Code Orange to In Flames and this winter with Jinjer (Nov 5th at The Fillmore in Minneapolis, MN). Grinding it out on the road will only make this band stronger.

SEE MORE OF BRETT'S PHOTOS FROM IN FLAMES AT THE SKYWAY THEATER HERE!

IN FLAMES' new album "Foregone" can be pre-ordered/pre-saved here! Album out Feb 10.

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 09/30/22

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 09/30/22

HOUR 1
EVA UNDER FIRE - "death of me" // love, drugs and misery
THE WARNING - "evolve" // error
THE FAILSAFE - "head under water" // erasing color
DIVIDE THE FALL - "without you" // without you - single
DEARLY DEPARTED - "quiet echoes" // heartless
SPIRITBOX - "rotoscope" // rotoscope ep
WALLY JOSEPH - "the little things" // quarantunes
VIA - "the reincarnate" // day of purification

WIDOW 7 - "fire" // fire - single
GOODNIGHT RITUAL - "all my arms" // galore
HOUSTON - "cover" // overhead
RAD OWL - "Aladdin's castle" // madison beast
FLOGGING MOLLY - "these times have got me drinking/tripping up the stairs" // anthem
THE DAMNED THINGS - "invincible" // high crimes
MOTOR SISTER - "lion's den" // get off
THE PRETTY RECKLESS feat TOM MORELLO - "and so it went" // death by rock and roll

HOUR 2
MOTORHEAD - "iron fist" (remastered) // iron fist 40th anniversary edition
SOUFLY - "totem" // totem
SEPULTURA - "territory" // choas a.d.
WITHIN TEMPTATION feat ANNISOKAY - "shed my skin" // shed my skin - single
PLAGUE OF STARS - "corporatocracy" // corporatocracy - single
BLOODYWOOD - "jee veerey" // rakshak

DESTRAGE feat DEVIN TOWNSEND - "private party" // so much. too much.
BOUNDARIES - "realize and rebuild" // burying brightness
CROOKED ROYALS - "glass hands" // quarter life day dream
PERIPHERY - "sentient glow" // periphery IV: hail stan
RED HANDED DENIAL - "spiral" // I'd rather be asleep
THE CALLOUS DAOBOYS - "a brief article reguarding time loops" // celebrity therapist
SLIPKNOT - "the chapeltown rag" // the end, so far
JINJER - "ape" // micro

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 09/23/22

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 09/23/22

HOUR 1
WIDOW7 - "fire" // fire - single
NONPOINT - "paper tigers" // paper tigers - single
SEVENDUST - "dying to live" // blood and stone
FIRE FIGHT - "better" // identity
EAON - "happy" // lesson no 1
WEEKEND PICNIC - "before your time" // weekend picnic
PLUSH - "I don't care" // plush
THE WARNING - "z" // error

COLD KINGDOM - "agony" // life//love
CITY OF THE WEAK - "drag us under" // pulling teeth
THE SIERRA DAY - "closed out" // shanaska
ALICE IN CHAINS - "would?" // singles soundtrack
PEARL JAM - "state of love and trust" // singles soundtrack
PAUL WESTERBERG - "waiting for somebody" // singles soundtrack
SOUNDGARDEN - "birth ritual" // singles soundtrack

HOUR 2
CASANATRA - "rusty cage" // black days: a midwest movement tribute to soundgarden
IN THIS MOMENT - "adrenalize" // blood
GABRIEL AND THE APOCALYPSE - "blunt force drama" // blunt force drama - single
ODDS OF AN AFTERTHOUGHT - "show me a sign" // through eyes of change
LAMB OF GOD - "omens" // omens
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE - "the signal fire" // atonement
BARONESS - "take my bones away" // yellow and green

MESHUGGAH - "phantoms" // immutable
CONVERGE - "I won't let you go" // cyberpunk 2077 soundtrack
TORCHE - "kicking" // harmonicraft
AMON AMARTH - "find a way or make one" // the great heathen army
REAPING ASMODEIA - "false awakening" // darkened infinity
BY THE THOUSANDS - "visions of inner depth" // visions of inner depth
JINJER - "copycat" // wallflower

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 09/16/22

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 09/16/22

HOUR 1
CLUTCH - "slaughter beach" // sunrise on slaughter beach
ANGRY WATERS - "invasive species" // hold the high ground
THE SIERRA DAY - "fight" // unbalance
FLOGGING MOLLY - "life begins and ends (but never fails)" // anthem
MOTOR SISTER - "lion's den" // get off
ARROWS AT DAWN - "let live" // pieces
TURNSTILE - "don't play" // glow on
NONPOINT - "paper tigers" // paper tigers - single

LACUNA COIL - "swamped XX" // comalies XX
THROW THE FIGHT - "snake mountain" // snake mountain - single
3 PILL MORNING - "all before" // transmission
ALIGN - "the quest for townies" // blue book value
COMMON CHOIR - "lower roads home" // lower roads home - single
LYBICA - "manifest" // lybica
CRASH CUDDLE - "owning the bull" // klaxon

HOUR 2
IN FLAMES - "foregone pt 1" // foregone
ORBIT CULTURE - "the shadowing" // nija
VENDED - "bloodline" // what is it//kill it
EX-REGIME feat JT CAVEY - "keeping out the wolves" // keeping out the wolves - single
LAMB OF GOD - "greyscale" // omens
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE - "know your enemy" // atonement
BARONESS - "throw me an anchor" // gold and grey

THE CALLOUS DAOBOYS - "a brief article reguarding time loops" // celebrity therapist
THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN - "hero of the soviet union" // one of us is the killer
TRIVIUM - "in the court of the dragon" // in the court of the dragon
IRON MAIDEN - "stratego" // senjutsu
WITHIN TEMPATION feat ANNISOKAY - "shed my skin" // shed my skin - single
SPACE OF VARIATIONS - "DNA molecule in a million of dimensions" // imago
JINJER - "sit stay roll over" (live) // alive in Melbourne 2020

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 09/09/22

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 09/09/22

HOUR 1
FLOGGING MOLLY – “a song of liberty” // anthem
ALIGN – “oscilloscope" // oscilloscope - single
HOUSTON – “cover" // overhead
RAD OWL – “grape mister misty" // madison beast
CLUTCH – “we strive for excellence” // sunrise on slaughter beach
EXACTLYNO - "there's no answer" // there's no answer - single
FOO FIGHTERS - "my hero" // the colour and the shape

COLD KINGDOM – “finally” // life//love
DIVIDE THE FALL – “fake love" // dead memories
THE FAILSAFE – “burn it to the ground" // burn it to the ground - single
LOATHE x TEENAGE WRIST – “is it really you?” // is it really you? - single
LACUNA COIL – “tight rope XX” // comalies XX
KING BROWN - "sweet action" // sweet action
PARKWAY DRIVE – “ground zero" // darker still

HOUR 2
LAMB OF GOD – “greyscale” // omens
GABRIEL AND THE APOCALYPSE – “blunt force trauma” // blunt force trauma - single
BLACK FLOOD DIESEL – “last tomorrow" // new asylum
PLAGUE OF STARS – “a divisive essence" // daedalus
IN FLAMES – “state of slow decay” // state of slow decay - single
ORBIT CULTURE – “vultures of north" // descent
OZZY OSBOURNE feat ZAKK WYLDE - "evil shuffle" // patient number 9

MESHUGGAH - "I am that thirst" // immutable
CONVERGE - "tongues playing dead" // bloodmoon I
TORCHE - "slide" // admission
CODE ORANGE - "swallowing the rabbit hole" // underneath
KNOCKED LOOSE - "and still I wander south" // a different shade of blue
DISEMBODIED - "anvil chandelier" // diablerie
HARVEST - "epicure" // transitions
JINJER - "disclosure" // wallflowers
VEIN.FM - "lights out" // this world is going to ruin you

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 09/02/22

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 09/02/22

HOUR 1
ARCHITECTS - "when we were young" // the classic symptoms of a broken spirit
ALIGN - "complaint" // down river (2022 remaster)
ANGRY WATERS - "first blood" // the ghosts we chase
SPICY TUNA MELT - "lost in the ether" // cod is my co-pilot
MOTHICA - "sensitive" // nocturnal
COHEED AND CAMBRIA - "the liar's club" // vaxis II: a window of the waking mind
DISEL - "back home" // the failsafe
TURNSTILE - "holiday" // glow on

EAON - "happy" // lesson no 1
FLIPP - "unreal" // too dumb to quit
MOTOR SISTER - "can't get high enough" // get off
LAMB OF GOD - "omens" // omens
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE feat HOWARD JONES - "the signal fire" // atonement
BARONESS - "isak" // red album
TORCHE - "kicking" // harmonicraft

HOUR 2
AMON AMARTH - "find a way or make one" // the great heathen army
GABRIEL AND THE APOCALYPSE - "blunt force drama" // blunt force drama - single
BLACK FLOOD DIESEL - "chasing the atrophy" // new asylum
PLAGUE OF STARS - "corporatocracy" // corporatocracy - single
MEGADETH - "we'll be back" // the sick, the dying and the dead
SLIPKNOT - "yen" // the end, so far
ARCH ENEMY - "the watcher" // decievers

DEMON HUNTER feat MAX CAVALERA – “defense mechanism" // exile
KATATONIA - "the parting" // dead end kings
NOPATHY - "forsaker" // projection
AFTER THE BURIAL - "lost in the static" // dig deep
REAPING ASMODEIA - "dreamcaster" // darkened infinity
SPACE OF VARIATIONS - "DNA molecule in a million of dimensions" // imago
JINJER – “as I boil ice” // wallflowers

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 08/26/22 - ICE NINE KILLS

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 08/26/22
GUESTS :: ICE NINE KILLS

HOUR 1
RED HANDED DENIAL - "fix me" // I'd rather be asleep
DIRTY HONEY – “when I'm gone" // dirty honey ep
THE SIERRA DAY - "fight" // unbalance
3 PILL MORNING – “all before” // transmission (diwd4) ep
ALTER BRIDGE – “silver tongue" // pawns and kings
MAMMOTH WVH – “don't back down" // mammoth wvh
RED – “death of me" // innocence and instinct

THE CHALLENGE DISASTER CONSPIRACY – “something's wrong with dougie" // something's wrong with dougie - single
GOODNIGHT RITUAL – “international" // galore
THEM THAT DARE – “tiny army" // endings
SUPERLUNG - "time is of the essence" // demo
COLD KINGDOM - "agony" // agony - single
BAD OMENS - "the death of peace of mind" // the death of peace of mind
GABRIEL AND THE APOCALYPSE – “blunt force drama" // blunt force drama - single

HOUR 2
ICE NINE KILLS - "rainy day" // the silver scream 2: welcome to horrorwood
ICE NINE KILLS - "the shower scene" // the silver scream 2: welcome to horrorwood
MOTIONLESS IN WHITE - "cyberhex" // scoring the end of the world
ICE NINE KILLS - "f.l.y." // the silver scream 2: welcome to horrorwood
L.S. DUNES - "permanent rebellion" // past lives

IN FLAMES - "the great deciever" // the great deciever - single
ORBIT CULTURE - "vultures of north" // descent
VENDED - "bloodline" // what is it/kill it ep
RAMMSTEIN – “radio” // rammstein
MACHINE HEAD – “rotten" // of kingdom and crown
JINJER – “mediator” // wallflowers

**SPECIAL THANKS to SPENCER from ICE NINE KILLS for zooming in to the Midwest Beatdown this week! Their excellent album "The Silver Scream 2: Welcome to Horrorwood" is out now via Fearless Records! ICE NINE KILLS will be at The Armory in Mpls with MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, BLACK VEIL BRIDES and ATREYU on Nov 12! Get your tickets now ... this will sell out!

Midwest Beatdown · Ice Nine Kills interview

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 08/19/22 - MOTIONLESS IN WHITE

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 08/19/22
GUESTS :: MOTIONLESS IN WHITE

HOUR 1
ALICE IN CHAINS – “rainer fog" // rainer fog
VIA – “the reincarnate" // the reincarnate - single
3 PILL MORNING – “all before” // transmission ep
DIRTY HONEY – “california dreamin'" // dirty honey
ALIGN - "oscilloscope" // oscilloscope - single
GFM - "honest abe" // framing my perception
CLUTCH - "slaughter beach" // sunrise on slaughter beach

WIDOW 7 - "low life" // low life - single
MOTIONLESS IN WHITE - "cyberhex" // scoring the end of the world
MOTIONLESS IN WHITE - "meltdown" // scoring the end of the world
MOTIONLESS IN WHITE - "scoring the end of the world" // scoring the end of the world
MOTIONLESS IN WHITE feat CALEB SHAMO - "red, white and boom" // scoring the end of the world

HOUR 2
ICE NINE KILLS - "rainy day" // the silver scream 2: welcome to horrorwood
MOTIONLESS IN WHITE feat BRYAN GARRIS - "slaughterhouse" // scoring the end of the world
KNOCKED LOOSE feat KEITH BUCKLEY - "forget your name" // a different shade of blue
EX-REGIME - "sink or swim" // the path I walk
SLIPKNOT - "yen" // the end, so far
SOILWORK - "valleys of gloam" // overgivenheten

SPIRIT ADRIFT - "sorcerer's fate" // 20 centuries gone
PLAGUE OF STARS - "corporatocracy" // corporatocracy - single
GABRIEL AND THE APOCALYPSE - "march of the dolls" // the ghost parade
ARCH ENEMY - "in the eye of the storm" // decievers
SOULFLY – “totem” // totem
RAMMSTEIN – “giftig” // zeit
JINJER – “ape” // micro

**SPECIAL THANKS to CHRIS MOTIONLESS from MOTIONLESS IN WHITE for zooming in to the Midwest Beatdown this week! MOTIONLESS IN WHITE's fantastic new album "Scoring the End of the World" is out now on Roadrunner Records.

MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, ICE NINE KILLS and BLACK VEIL BRIDES bring their Trinity of Terror Tour to The Armory in Minneapolis on Nov 12 with special guests ATREYU! Get your tickets now as it will sell out!

Midwest Beatdown · Motionless in White 2022 interview

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 08/12/22

MIDWEST BEATDOWN PLAYLIST :: 08/12/22

HOUR 1
SPIRITBOX – “sew me up” // rotoscope ep
COLD KINGDOM – “apologies” // apologies - single
MOTHICA – “sensitive" // nocturnal
3 PILL MORNING – “dichotomy (tear me in two)" // trasmission ep
PAPA ROACH – “kill the noise" // ego trip
DIRTY HONEY – “the wire" // dirty honey
ANGRY WATERS - "first blood" // the ghosts we chase
ALTER BRIDGE – “silver tongue” // pawns and kings

THE INTERRUPTERS – “the hard way" // in the wild
THE SIERRA DAY - "who you are" // unbalance
THE WARNING - "money" // error
LEDGER feat JOHN COOPER - "warrior" // ledger
TURNSTILE - "mystery" // glow on
TURNSTILE - "T.L.C. (turnstile love connection)" // glow on
EAON - "happy" // lesson no 1
FALSE FLOOR - "equals" // equals - single

HOUR 2
ARCH ENEMY - "the watcher" // decievers
MOTIONLESS IN WHITE – “scoring the end of the world" // scoring the end of the world
ICE NINE KILLS – “the shower scene" // the silver scream 2: welcome to horrorwood
IN SEARCH OF SOLACE - "survive" // enslaved to tragedy
AUGUST BURNS RED – “icarus" // guardians sessions
ARCHITECTS – “tear gas” // the classic symptoms of a broken spirit
DREAMS ASIDE - "fracture" // lotus

NORMA JEAN – “spearmint revolt" // deathrattle sing for me
GWAR - "if you want blood (you got it)" // the blood of gods
LIGHT THE TORCH - "let me fall apart" // you will be the death of me
CROBOT - "electrified" // feel this
AMON AMARTH – “find a way or make one” // the great heathen army
NOPATHY - "alter the path" // projections ep
JINJER - "micro" // micro

CONCERT REVIEW :: ANTHRAX CELEBRATES 40 YEARS WITH A SOLD OUT FILLMORE SHOW

CONCERT REVIEW :: ANTHRAX, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, HATEBREED
THE FILLMORE - Minneapolis, MN
Aug 6, 2022
Photos by Brett Zisler
Review by Nick

ANTRHAX brought their 40th Anniversary Celebration to The Fillmore in Minneapolis for a SOLD OUT amazing show with co-headliners BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and openers HATEBREED in tow. First off, let’s be clear .. this was a very special show to begin with as a lineup like this should not have been in a venue as small as The Fillmore. This should have been down the road at The Armory. But that made it even more special for every one in attendance. A big show in a smaller venue to never be repeated again.

HATEBREED brought things to frenzied start with the 1-2 punch of “Proven” and “Destroy Everything”. If that’s not a way to start off a legendary night like this, I don’t know what is. The pits were going nice and early the whole way thru for Hatebreed who threw in a special cover of Exodus’ “Bonded By Blood” for the occasion, which they should also record.

What can I say that I haven’t already said about Hatebreed? This is a band that it doesn’t matter where they play … and there’s probably not many stages in the Twin Cities that they haven’t crushed yet … it doesn’t matter what they play, they are always going to dominate. Going thru a career retrospective set for all the fans that have been there since 1997 to those in the crowd seeing them for the first time, it definitely was 40 minutes that went by WAY too fast. A band that always looks like their having fun on stage, it’s always exciting to see them live and I look forward to their next trip to town again.

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY came out and the crowd erupted when the BLS curtain dropped and ZAKK WYLDE was whipping his hair around and shredding the guitar like the big Viking Guitar God he is. Like Hatebreed before and Anthrax after .. Black Label Society is on top of their game. “Destroy and Conquer” from the new album Doom Crew Inc was hands down the stand out of the set.

BLS shreds like no other band out there, it’s all guitar fireworks from start to finish. The guitar duel between Zakk and Dario during “Fire It Up” was absolutely crazy and the ability of JD and Jeff to keep the rhythm flowing freely while the two guitarists face off is amazing in itself. The victory lap of “Stillborn” showed the band with smiles on their faces enjoying every minute of being on stage with everyone.

ANTHRAX came out swinging with “Among the Living” right in to “Caught in a Mosh” ensure the entire house was going crazy right out the gate. ANTHRAX themselves sounding stronger than ever. JOEY BELLADONNA still has his amazing pipes and sounds in top form tonight. FRANK BELLO making use of every inch of that stage running all over banging his head with the masses. CHARLIE BENANTE looking fantastic behind his massive drum hit with the coolest bass drum heads with his Funko Pop in them! SCOTT IAN and JON DONAIS crushing the stage with their massive guitar tones. This is a band that crushes it 40 years in to their career just as hard as they did when they first started. Every band should want to have the ability of dominating stages still like Anthrax does.

One could argue that the set list was too short at 12 songs. But they clearly show the power of Anthrax’s entire catalog including a massive version of the John Bush era “Only” which I can only hope they re-release with Joey on vocals. It sounded absolutely amazing. The b-side could be the next song in the set “Bring the Noise” with Scott Ian handling Chuck D’s verses! Those two songs right there were worth the price of admission alone making tonight a very special set for everyone in attendance.

If you missed out on this tour, what were you thinking? This is a tour to make any metal head extremely happy. To Anthrax, Black Label Society and Hatebreed – thank you for making this an extra special touring event of the summer. Jam packed show like this don't come often enough.

See more of Brett's pictures of ANTHRAX, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and HATEBREED here!