Saturday, August 15, 2015

BIOHAZARD + WALLS OF JERICHO + NO OMEGA at Radio Onda D'Urto Fest, Aug. 13th 2015

Biohazard
words and pics by marcs77

Last evening I drove out with my car to Brescia to attend the annual fest of local long time independent radio called Onda D'Urto. I'm glad I've managed to make it there since I got to see a great concert and without the possibility to make advance planning and arrangements I, by chance, hooked up with Walls Of Jericho's Candace Kucsulain, she was out of backstage wandering around through the stalls selling colourful-hippish dresses, who kindly offered a bit of her time to reply a few questions for an interview will be featuring shortly -this despite her confiding to me that she really had to save her road's worn out voice for tonite show.

Okay, let's start reporting what went on up on the huge festival-like stage the radio set up for the live music events they'll be hosting until 29th August (today is just the second day).
No Omega
The band that has had the usually awkward task to open up the gig, a few minutes past 9.00 pm, is Stockholm, Sweden's NO OMEGA.
The young four-piece is really pretty new to me, though they've been around since 2011, and so it seems like for the small bunch of people standing before the stage -considering we're in Italy going up “so early” sure didn't help gathering more people who probably were still on their way to the show, parking their cars or just having some food in the numerous stands.
The guys, who have four recordings out, the latest released last April and titled “Occupants”, play a blend of tense post-hardcore-screamo that would make a really different impact into a small room than over these big stages. I could bet the Swedes would have kicked more asses in that kind of setting.
Candace Walls Of Jericho
I think No Omega played around half an hour to leave the stage to Detroit, MI's WALLS OF JERICHO, who embarked themselves on short European jaunt that they will wrap up with an appearance at Ieper Fest tomorrow August 15th.
The foursome fronted by Candace is a real tight mean metallic hardcore machine that won't never disappoint those of love their hardcore to be muscular and mosh inducing.
Despite of what I mentioned earlier on the red-headed singer delivers brutal screa
ms from the gutter without sparing an inch of her vitriolic throat and catalyzes the attention of the now bigger crowd with her honest hardcore persona.
Walls Of Jericho
She's the first tonite to call for a circle pit and have the kids sing along even if they don't really know the lyrics, and at some point remembers to herself and the crowd that Walls Of Jericho started out back in 1998 when she was still in High School th
anking the fans for making her band going so a long way.
Before they unleashed “The American Dream” off their latest s/t album Candace gets the attendee sticking their middle finger up and scream to of their voice “Fuck the American Dream”. The finale sees the band and the whole crowd singing along to Pennywise's Bro Hymn like gang chorus -I have no idea whether it's something coming from any of their recordings, a tribute to the Californians or just a proven trick to get everybody goes ape. Really an a good gig.
Biohazard's crowd
That everybody was here for catching Brooklyn, NYC's own rap-metal-hardcore heavy-weight BIOHAZARD is just kind of an understatement. The Americans are top of the bill and this is their second Italian show on this lengthy Summer European tour that kicked off on June 16th and is due to end with the show at Ieper Fest.
The more recent line-up, that sees Scott Roberts, who around 2012 took over the bass-vocals duties off Biohazard founder member Evan Seinfeld, is really tight and the “new member” doesn't really leave much room for thoughts like “Evan ruled more” -okay, on the one hand it's incontestable that it will never be the same thing without Even but on the other hand especially music-performance-wise it could really be that you find yourself not noticing the change. And if differently from last night Scott use to wearing a bandana on his shaved head you're very likely to mistake him for Evan minus the tattoos.
Biohazard
Billy Graziadei (guitar-vocals) and wha-wha fanatic lead guitar Bobby Hambel beat on the stage like the legend they are, and barefooted drummer Danny Shuler doesn't miss a beat and bashes the hell of its drumkit.
Without much blabbing the New Yorkers take the stage and go out hand down with their staples off “Urban Discipline” and “State Of The World Address” -the song “Shades Of Grey” goes out as second on the list and tracks like “Down For Life” “How It Is” are delivered in sequence. Could any of the die-hard fans ask for more? I really doubt it!
There's also early shit like the more punky Agnostic Front-esque “Howard Beach”, “Victory” or “Wrong Side of The Tracks” off the s/t debut dated 1990.
Billy Graziadei Biohazard
At some point Billly starts asking the crowd whether they're tired, even on a half-backed Italian, and then they actually fake to walk out the stage just to be right back to deliver the anthemic rap-hardcore-metal opening track of 1999's album “New World Disorder” with full force and angst.
Causing havoc among the security dudes Billy walks down the stage (it's not actually the first time the vocalist/guitarist reaches out this way to try and build up connection with the onlookers) and get over the barriers right in the middle of the pit to get the kids involved with the rendering of Bad Religion's “We're only Gonna Die (for our own arrogance)” -the cover was originally included in the record “Urban Discipline”; have you ever wondered why the guys did chose this great song over others from local NYHC peers? I did back then but who cares?
Biohazard
The sampler off the 1989's film “The Punisher” blares from the PA to introduce the song Biohazard did play to wrap up this awesome belligerent sweat-soaked gig. The song is “Punishment”. The heavy bleary riff opening it up made history and the track has always been one of my very favourites.
All in all, I'm really glad I made it to see this great show that saw the pit packed with varied crowd of punks, hardcorers, metalheads and normal looking people -and like Candace also pointed there was lot of hippie-ish types too.

Thanks go to Radio Onda D'Urto as well for organizing these events.

P.S.: the nite went on with the show of Italian Selvə at Tenda Blu but I missed it since I really didn't know that was gonna happen.

Check: www.facebook.com/BiohazardDFL www.facebook.com/WallsofJericho www.facebook.com/noomega

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