Deathcore icons Whitechapel, left bloodbath at one of the most incredible shows of the The Valley Tour at the House of Blues in Chicago.
Chaney Crabb of Ethenos
The opening band Ethenos had a great light show that didn't simply consist of the static red lights! Instead, the lights were flashing and moving for a change, which was a fun surprise for the photographers and crowd members of an opening band. While the lights were a fine addition, the real stars of the show were the band members themselves. Navene Koperweis, who has been one the most profound drummers recently, absolutely annihilated the drums, showing off his wildly technical skills with each thunderous stroke. Meanwhile, Chaney Crabb, the band's frontwoman, was astonishingly impactful. Her guttural screams and savage growls were some of the most brutal vocals I have ever heard. It was truly a sight to see such a talented female vocalist dominate the stage like that. The crowd began the madness by starting mosh pits and crowd surfing near the end of the band's set, preparing the audience for a night of chaos they would not forget.
Signs of the Swarm
Signs of the Swarm took the stage next with such ferocity that the photographers were literally forced out of the photo pit by the second song. There was a cascade of crowdsurfing bodies crashing over the railing into the arms of the security guards that forced everyone to evacuate. It was complete and utter chaos, just the way we like it! The vocalist David J. Simonich III screamed out for the crowd to show them “fucking chaos" and oh man, did they deliver! The energy in the room was absolutely insane, with the crowd going wild for every bone-crushing breakdown and blast beat. As soon as they walked on stage, it was clear they were serious musicians from their 7-string ESP Evertune guitars and Dingwall 5-string basses. The band played with such precision and skill, it was almost impossible to keep up with their lightning-fast riffs and mind-blowing breakdowns. About half way through Signs of the Swarm’s dynamic set, I realized I was getting older as I watched the guitarists head-banging. I empathized for their necks and backs as I watched them contort themselves at ungodly angles to the delight of the crowd.
Jared Smith and Tobi Morelli of Archspire
Archspire played next and delivered a performance that was equal parts brutal, technical, and mind-blowing. The vocalist Oli Peters brought the crowd to a climax when he separated them for a "wall of death.” Two brave souls even played a game of Twister in the gaping hole the crowd left, before they were battered by the two opposing walls of death. Hopefully everyone was alright after all of that mayhem, but has there ever been a more intense “wall of death?” Armed with 8-string Keisel and Strandberg guitars, and a 6-string Dingwall bass, the music was a technical masterpiece. The lightning fast speed and precision was beyond anything I have ever seen. But that was just the beginning of the madness. The guitarist's sweeping and the bass player's tapping were ferocious, leaving the crowd in awe of their technical prowess. For the grand finale, "Drone Corpse Aviator" was played last, sending the crowd into a frenzy with its relentless assault of blast beats, guttural vocals, and punishing energy. In short, Archspire was crazy fast, extremely well-equipped, and fully stocked with excellent musicians that thrilled the crowd.
Phil Bozeman of Whitechapel
Alex Wade of Whitechapel
At last, Whitechapel played The Valley in its entirety to truly encapsulate the evenings brutality. Brutal can be defined as “lacking to disguise any unpleasantness.” Vocalist Phil Bozeman left his facade at the edge of the stage as he came out and told the crowd he had a fever, chills, and had been curled up in the fetal position all day. Did that stop him from delivering one of the most intense performances we've ever seen? Absolutely not! He pushed through the pain and gave it his all, screaming and singing his way through the songs as the crowd moshed, head-banged, and crowd-surfed through the evening. That level of honesty and commitment only amplified the crowd’s intensity! Is there anything more epic than being violently ill and choosing to thoroughly entertaining a crowd? The answer is an obvious NO! The mosh pits swarmed with bodies slamming into each other with bone-crushing force. People were crowd-surfing left and right and throwing up devil horns as the crowd swarmed the mosh pit just to get a taste of this extreme moment. They played with such precision and skill that it was impossible not to be blown away. Even though guitarist Ben Savage and his beautiful white 7-string PRS Floyd Rose guitar were not present at the show, it was still a magnificent time. As the night came to a close, fans rushed into the mosh pit, trying to get a taste of what if felt like to be in such a ruthless environment. Phil never gave up on the crowd or his performance, sitting down only a few times. At some of the more heightened moments of the show, he shed his black jacket and stood tall on the center stage riser to perform like normal. The crowd faulted him for nothing and his efforts only invigorated the audience through the relentless night of merciless deathcore. Whitechapel’s The Valley Tour was filled with the heaviest, fastest, most brutal performances I have possibly ever witnessed. If you weren't there to see it for yourself, you missed out on one of the most unforgettable concerts in recent memory. I can't wait to see what all of the bands have in store for us next time they hit the stage.
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Entheos Photo Gallery:
Signs of the Swarm Photo Gallery:
Archspire Photo Gallery:
Whitechapel Gallery:
