Swedish metal band In Flames performed a handful of headlining shows recently, with Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas one of their stops on tour, along with Texas metal band Fire From The Gods, and LA based metal band Thrown Into Exile. While it was a Monday night in Vegas it felt more like Friday, with an incredible trio of metal bands melting our faces off with Fire and Flames! Have I ever mentioned how much I love living in Vegas?
Thrown Into Exile is an American metal band from Los Angeles and consists of Mario Rubio (guitar), Ray Sanchez (guitar), Dave Corsile (bass), Scott Shelko (drums), and Joey Dalo (vocals). Formed in 2011 they have one self titled EP, and one full-length studio album (Safe Inside, 2016). TIE was a great band to open up this show, they came out strong and ripped up the stage. With both guitarists rocking Flying-V style guitars I was prepared for some serious Pantera-like shredding from them, and I was not disappointed. You can certainly hear a Dimebag influence in some of their riffs ("Declination" is a perfect example). Unfortunately, with such a short set list, their show ended all too quickly! Five songs was not nearly enough for such a talented group. If heavy shredding, hard-hitting super-fast bass kicks, and screaming/growling vocals are your thing you will definitely like these guys.
They are as pure metal as metal gets. I highly recommend their album, Safe Inside. There are some amazing songs on it, and start to finish, it is a solid listen. As far as live performances go these guys are for real!
TIE Set List:
Untitled
The Wronged
Deaths Reprise
Declination
Idol of one
Thrown Into Exile photos from Randy Udell / R U Rockin' Photos
Fire From The Gods is an American metal band from Austin and consists of AJ Channer (Vocals), Jameson Teat (Guitar), Drew Walker (Guitar), Bonner Baker (Bass), and Richard Wicander (Drums). They have released one studio album to date with their current lineup, and a few EPs and singles under a prior iteration. On certain songs they have a heavy rap/metal sound to them and (to me) sound very much like a cross between Sevendust and Skindred, but then they'll change it up and go to a screaming/melodic metalcore sound, and before you know it they've changed it up again and sound like a hardcore punk band. I love their flexibility and the variety in their sound, no two songs sound the same. Their lyrics tend to address socio-political issues, and are heavily influenced by vocalist AJ Channer's childhood and upbringing. They have now become one of my favorite bands and their album, Narrative Retold (2017) has just moved to the top of my current playlist!
FFTG Set List:
The Voiceless
Composition
Diversion
Evolve
Into The Blue
In Spite of Doubt
Pretenders
End Transmission
Excuse Me
Fire From the Gods photos from Randy Udell / R U Rockin' Photo
In Flames is a metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden, founded in 1990 and the current lineup consists of Anders Fridén (Vocals), Bjórn Gelotte (Lead Guitar), Niclas Engelin (Rhythm Guitar), and touring members Bryce Paul (Bass), and Tanner Wayne (Drums). They have an extensive discography with 12 studio albums to date, and with more than 20 years of performing under their belt, the front-line trio of Fridén, Gelotte, and Engelin are a polished group of professionals who perform with vigor and enthusiasm. They are as metal as it gets yet truly seem to enjoy what they are doing on stage. If there is a photo of Engelin anywhere to be found where he is not smiling it is a rare moment captured. Bouncing around on stage in his sweet-looking Spiderman print Vans Slip-ons, joking with other band members side-stage, and clowning around for photographers and fans, Niclas stays on-point with his rhythm, showing that playing guitar is just second nature for him and he's having a blast doing it. On the other side of the stage, Bjórn is the polar opposite, with his stern looks and intense shredding he provides a balance, yet if you watch him closely you will catch him making faces beneath that epic beard that are obviously intended to show that he too is having a lot of fun doing his thing! Touring bassist, Bryce Paul, seems to be fitting in well with his cohorts. He too showed he could handle the low end while flexing for the camera, causing him to break out in laughter afterward. Anders' vocals have evolved significantly over the years. While he started out his In Flames career mainly screaming, he has now developed more melodic vocals. This has really influenced a chang in the sound of the band as a whole, which has caused a lot of the old school In Flames fans to take pause. Personally,
I like it all. They still play a lot of their older music live, and Anders still does a lot of heavy screaming ("Pinball Map" for example), but then they break into a more melodic tune like "Here Until Forever", where it's not just the chorus that is melodic but the entire song. Regardless of which type of song they are doing they sound fantastic and are such great performers, their energy and sound draws you in. In Flames has finished up their brief headlining tour, but they will begin touring in support of Breaking Benjamin and Five Finger Death Punch at the end of November. Check their website for dates and be sure not to miss it!
In Flames Set List:
My Sweet Shadow
Pinball Map
Delight and Angers
Everything's Gone
Cloud Connected
Fear Is the Weakness
Here Until Forever
The Mirror's Truth
Only for the Weak
Where the Dead Ships Dwell
The Truth
Alias
Paralyzed
Colony
Take This Life
Deliver Us
The End
In Flames photos from Randy Udell / R U Rockin' Photos