Review Category : Images

Images: Reel Big Fish, Streetlight Manifesto, Lionize December 23, 2011 at the House of Blues

I seem to mention this in every ska review that I write, but I have a huge soft spot for the oft-, and unfairly, maligned subgenre of third-wave ska punk that dominated MTV and radio airwaves when I was young. One of the bands that was on constant rotation for me and thousands of other 13 year olds during this time was Reel Big Fish, the poster children of the sillier, sunnier southern California style of ska. ...

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Images: As I Lay Dying, Of Mice & Men, Winds Of Plague, Motionless In White Decmber 17, 2011 at the House of Blues

Visiting from Great Britain, Sylosis made the most of their 25 minutes of stage time, with back-to-back intense, harmony-driven thrash. Making sure that everyone's hearing was adjusted, the locally popular Motionless In White brought a positive message through melodic, aggressive pieces and a taste of synchronized dancebanging (new word, use it!). Additionally, I must point out that, it was during Motionless's set that I realized that you have to be pretty badass to look like you’re having an all-out amazing time playing keyboard in a metal band. Later in the evening I had about a minute to say hello to singer Chris Motionless who, like most "metal guys", is way nicer than the growling and thrashing may lead us to believe. ...

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Images: Between the Buried and Me, Animals as Leaders, Tesseract November 23, 2011 at the House of Blues

The decision to have Animals as Leaders open for Between the Buried and Me deserves honorable mention itself. Enjoying this pairing requires only that you A) enjoy heavy music and B) can be inspired by precision. With a hint of theatrics, Animals as Leaders greeted the House of Blues Las Vegas stage by means of “An Infinite Regression,” the introductory track from the recent album Weightless. ...

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