Serpent Sermon Tour 2012 feat Marduk – REVIEW

We had the opportunity to review the Serpent Sermon Tour featuring Marduk, 1349, Withered and Weapon when it stopped at Reggie’s Rock Club in Chicago! Check out our review after the break.

It may have been a nice sunny day to kick off the summer in June, but inside Reggie’s rock club felt as if we were in the grip of winter by the trail of black metal that would leave Reggie’s in a wasteland.

Canada’s Weapon banged right away with their dose of blackened death that gave people arriving to the venue a wakeup call that even the atom bomb couldn’t set off. Relying heavily on tunes from their not so known full length’s, these men knew they had a tough audience to prove they were no “Johnny come lately”. The band had signed to Relapse Records just last year and will have a full length out later this year and looks to have more distribution and marketing to hopefully unveil their massive waves to a wider audience. The pre-buzz has started for the 4 piece atomic crew known as Weapon. Take notice!

Withered was the sophomore act of the night but no sophomore slump was had here. Guitars, bass, drums, and vocals that echo the roar of a tortured individual were the sound of peace and calm to the audience such as in songs like “…The Fated Breath”. These Atlanta bred individuals were here to seek the shrouded, as they did in the song of that name. Their presence in between songs gave off the vibe of mime’s, but let that be a lesson to all showing you can get away with letting your music do the talking and still balancing out for a great show. Withered didn’t have to demand for chaos, the music unleashed the bell’s of hell.

The crowd was jammed and primed for direct support, 1349. Hot off their critically acclaimed album, 2010’s Demonoir, 1349 was ready to bring the black plague to the masses for one more round in the States. Filling in on the drums for Frost was Jon Rice from the death metal outfit, Job For A Cowboy. Had you have been blind, you would’ve never noticed as Rice executed so well you would’ve thought either Frost was playing or Rice had always been a permanent member. Together between the band and the crowd, they were unified riders of the apocalypse for their 45 minute, raw and ambient form of black metal. It wasn’t until their closer, “Atomic Chapel” that the crowd let off a toxic waltz that would have made thrash metaller’s Exodus proud! It’ll be a bit when the Norwegians visit the stateside, but ill gladly be waiting!

The headliners, Sweden’s own Marduk were ready to close the night with their form of hell, fire, and brimstone. The dim lights, a constant chill that moved up and down your spine was the feeling felt the VERY second the Swedes took the stage. Black metaller’s ALWAYS mean business when in live performance; this was no exception to the rule. Opener “On Darkened Wings” showed exactly who the crowd was there to see to bowing at the altars of madness that is Marduk. The first band of the night to break from the pattern of not saying a word between songs, vocalist Mortuus was lively. His endless appreciation for Chicago was shown over and over as the more the crowd delivered, he made it priority he and his men brought the goods right back to their legions in attendance. Even new songs from their just released THIS WEEK new album, Serpent Sermon had gotten great responses that rivaled that of the old songs. Finisher “With Satan And Victorious Weapons” sparked a trigger that rivaled the sound of a shotgun to get people wild up for one last outing at making their impact between the band and the audience felt. Not one to come around these woods often, let alone the USA, the crowd has already begged for the quartet to make their return and the band has made it apparent they will be back for more soon!

Information about the review…
Tour: Serpent Sermon Tour 2012 feat Marduk
Bands: Marduk, 1349, Withered, and Weapon
Reviewer: Nicholas Wier
Date: June 8, 2012
Venue: Reggie’s Rock Club in Chicago, IL