Arena Rock!

Wilkes-Barre PA will never be the same after last night's performance at the Mohegan Sun Arena!

I had the pleasure of working as a Pop-Deflator once again.  Starky and I attended the show last night and had an interview with the opening band, Rains.  Be sure to watch the Facebook page for the interview post.

Rains

As far as the actual show goes, the entire show was actually really good.  I can't say that I was disappointed with any of the performances that were given.  Rains started out the night showcasing their blend of rock with a little country influence.  During the interview they shared with us that they did not want to make that "cookie-cutter" sound. Amen to that, good sirs!

Hatebreed

Hatebreed followed and really got the crowd warmed up and active in the show.  They put on a great heavy metal show, but the most interesting thing to me about their set was the almost patriotic nature of the banter between songs.  There was a lot of "God Bless America" statements and a respect for the soldiers that I admired from such an aggressive group.

All That Remains Bassist

The third act was All That Remains.  I have heard them on the radio and on discs before, but to see them live is something entirely different.  The shocking revelation that the bass player is not only female, but also the growler of the group had my jaw on the floor.  I made sure to give her some horns from the pit where I was busy snapping the photos from the show that are being used in this blog!  Yep, you heard right...these concert photos are all me baby!

Five Finger Death Punch

Finally, on to the headliner...Five Finger Death Punch.  If you are unfamiliar with their sound, they have a pretty cool blend of a 12 Stones sound with the crunch of a good metal band... so rest assured metal-heads, there is plenty of screaming and growling for you too.  The coolest part of their set was when they brought a group on really young kids on the stage.  These kids were crowd surfed up to the stage and then introduced as the "Future of heavy-metal music" by the lead singer.  That had to be the greatest moment of their young lives!

Thursday

Enough about the show...how bout some news? Get ready for the eye-liner (or guy-liner if you prefer) to run on the faces of the emo-crowd once again.  Thursday has announced that they are on an indefinite hiatus following their U.S. and Australian Tour.  The band released No Devolucion recently, and I could tell that, while the content was still good, they seemed as though they were getting tired.  The mix on that album, in particular, seemed lazy and not properly balanced at all.  Before I incite an angry mob, let me just say that I am a fan of Thursday, but of all of their efforts, No Devolucion fell short for me.  I much prefer the quality and energy behind A City By The Light Divided.

Album Cover for Hats Off To The Bull

Chevelle is set to release a new album next week (December 6th) entitled Hats Off To The Bull.  This is the group's sixth studio effort, and from what I can tell of their single on the radio, it proves to be a harder sound for Chevelle, but not a big departure from the signature sound we have come to know.

Last but not least, Angels and Airwaves (AVA); Love: Part 2 released on November 8th this year.  I took a listen to the album and I was not disappointed in my expectations.  AVA is known for their anthem style music, and obscenely long intros to songs.  Love: Part 2 is no exception to this rule.  The band has released a dual disc package featuring Love: Part 1 and Love: Part 2 that is available in any retail store.  You can also find it on iTunes and Amazon

Album Cover for Love: Part 1&2