New England Metal And Hardcore Festival (NEMF)
Palladium (Worcester, Mass.)
April 28-29

Let me get this straight: we get 2 days (equaling 26 hours) containing every conceivable genre of hard music, in 1 building? Well, sign me up.

After too many hours in a car and far too many rest stops we, along with hundreds of other fans, descend upon the Palladium in Worcester, Mass ready for just about anything.

The Good: Time wise, the show ran pretty much as posted. The line up was great, if a little uneven.

The Bad: Scheduling was a constant issue. A few bands dropped off or were added with no explanation. The venue sounded great, but was set up so poorly I can’t begin to explain it too you.

Here’s a quick run down of which bands we wanted to see or just ended up watching due to the schedule.

Day 1: Side Stage

Beneath The Massacre - This Montréal based band literally exploded on the stage. Technical to the nth degree and as brutal as any other band on the bill, BTM really made an impression to all in attendance.

Ligeia - I’ve got to admit that I still don’t get the hype about these guys. I know that everyone went wild for them, but I just hear more metalcore.

Day 1: Main stage

Daath - Coming off more In Flames than Cradle Of Filth, these guys raised some serious eyebrows. Death/Thrash/Black metal all rolled into one interesting package, these guys are a band to check out.

Nachtmystium - This band was a pleasant surprise. Not knowing anything about them going in, I was really impressed. Channeling old-school black metal (i.e. early Mayhem) this U.S. born, Scandinavian tinged outfit really comes across well live.

Nora – It’s been far too long since Melodic hardcore soldiers Nora played live. Sounding like they’ve never left, Nora displayed the energy and intensity of a band half their age. Impressive to say the least, the new tracks they showcased promise some pretty interesting things to come.

Bury Your Dead - Touting a new singer, but unfortunately the same old songs, BYD looked to be going through the motions here. Newly minted (and gone soon after) singer Michael Crafter (ex I Killed The Prom Queen) ripped it out, but the band seemed tired. Almost carachiture like at times.

3 Inches Of Blood - Great, more ironic metal. These guys play like maniacs, but singing about Orcs and reeking of Iron Maiden just doesn’t do it for me.

Kataklysm - These Canadian purveyors of death metal combine melody and power to a genre of music that is usually, and unfortunately, more than a bit bland live. Musically adept, their style of death/thrash almost instantly won over this crowd, converting many first time listeners into newfound fans.

Skinless - This NY band plays no holds barred, technical grindcore. Add in some discreet melodies and a few varied rhythms, and you’ve got Skinless. More a force of nature than a live band, they sure are impressive in a live setting. If you get a chance to see them, don’t miss it for anything.

Walls Of Jericho - The minute this band hit the stage, a mosh pit broke out. That pretty much sums up the explosive crowd reaction to WOJ. As furious as they always are, WOJ clearly came to tear shit up. Their brand of metal-tinged hardcore was just what everyone needed, and they let the band know it in spades.

Devildriver - Whether you love ‘em or hate ‘em, Devildriver really are great live. When they show up to play, there isn’t any messing around, and they’re quick to point that out. Playing stripped down, straight up metal; Devildriver’s set even included a few new tracks from their upcoming CD Last Kind Words. Good stuff indeed.

Behemoth - These guys hate Christianity and clearly want the whole world to know it. Heavily primal, yet technically flawless, these Polish death-merchants tore out one of the best sets of the day. High energy, perfect sound, and tons of banter back and forth with the crowd, I can hazard a guess that no one left the venue unhappy after seeing this band.

Dimmu Borgir - After taking what seemed like way to long to set up, Dimmu Borgir’s set almost felt like an afterthought. This symphonic black metal super group, blazed through their 90 minute set with almost no interaction with the crowd. Despite a few technical problems, they still sounded flawless. Their sound was overwhelming, almost like a solid wall of noise. Some of the fans loved it, others just went home early, I guess it just depended on your mood.

Day 2: Side Stage

Gaza - Wow, who knew Utah could sound like this. I’m actually afraid to go there now. Veering wildly from thrashy tech to sludgy/doom-laden dirges, Gaza actually play the soundtrack to our nightmares. Easily one of the best bands to play all weekend.

Psyopus - After being encouraged to check these guys out, I’m left more than a little disappointed. After being promised Dillinger Escape Plan melded with the outlandishness of Mr. Bungle, I got in a nutshell, The Locust, but without the scathing humor and costumes.

Day 2: Main Stage

Architect - Politically heavy and loud as all hell, these guys put new meaning to the term intense. For a band stuck with the opening slot on the second day, they still went full tilt for their allotted time, seemingly bent on reaching everyone they could. Impressive to say the least, their set was memorable not only for the music, but also for singer Keith Allen finishing off their last song with blood pouring from his scalp after and apparent accident involving a drum stool.

Despised Icon - Yet another impressive showing by a Canadian band. This could be a sign of a takeover. (Watch out Sweden!) Like a well-oiled machine, DI hammered through their set, leaving only destruction in their wake. Judging by all the wide eyes in the venue, I wasn’t the only one disappointed by the short amount of time they were given to play.

Goatwhore - American bred black metal sure is something of an anomaly these days. Louisiana based Goatwhore aim to change that. Putting their own spin by adding a bit of death and sludge to the mix, Goatwhore stand heads above most of the current crop of Black Metal bands.

Lizzy Borden - I don’t even know where to begin with this one. Reunited for the first time in many years, LB brought a new level of spectacle to this festival. I can honestly say I’ve never seen so many confused faces in one place. Ever. Not to say they were all bad, generally they sounded like a glammy 80’s version of Alice Cooper’s older work, with some Maiden thrown in for good measure. Most likely great in their own right, here I think all they accomplished was giving some fans more time to browse the merch area.

Job For A Cowboy - I must say, more than a little disappointing. Their sound was muddy and ill mixed, not to mention their complete lack of stage presence. I can honestly say these newly appointed grind kings didn’t live up to the hype that precedes them. Definitely not the same band we saw a few months previous.
The Red Chord - Much like a buzz saw gone wildly out of control, RC came on stage and kept everyone guessing the entire time. Technically precise, these Boston natives are downright frightening to see live. Even though singer Guy Kozowyk always seems to be smiling, their frantic, almost spastic time changes make watching them akin to being attacked by a maniac with a sledgehammer. Showcasing numerous new songs in their set, RC gave us a glimpse of things to come, leaving us all wanting more in the process.

Black Dahlia Murder - This really is a band I can’t figure out. To me, they suffer from the same syndrome that Bury Your Dead tend to: lack of originality. Sure, they’re heavy as hell and all pretty great players live, they carry with them a very pronounced feeling of been there, done that. BDM’s particular brand of death metal just doesn’t bring much new to the table, and its super obvious when they’re in a live setting.

Cannibal Corpse - Without a doubt, these guys got the best reaction of any band to play on Saturday. One of the originators of death metal, CC still manage to slay every band they play with, even after all these years. A classic set by all accounts, CC brought out old favorites “Hammer Smashed Face,” “Covered In Sores” and “Fucked With A Knife” which meshed nicely with new songs like “Make Them Suffer” and “Five Nails Through The Neck.” Their gore-drenched lyrics and monstrous vocals blended seamlessly with the pounding drums and shredding guitars, bringing smiles to all who witnessed them.

Unearth - When these Boston veterans, and second year festival alumni, where chosen to close the show, I was confused. After seeing them actually do it, I can understand why. It wasn’t because they’re great live; (their new disc is uninspired to say the least and their on-stage antics seem a little more than hacky), it was more likely because they draw a hell of a crowd. And they did just that. Showcasing almost entirely material from their last 2 albums, Unearth seem much more interested in letting everyone know how metal they are, as opposed to actually writing memorable songs. Now, I can’t say they were all bad however, they just seem to lack a certain fire that they once had a seemingly unending amount of. I know I’m going to take some heat for these observations, but this band completely felt like a shadow of what they once were.

The whole festival was closed out on Saturday night with Metal Blade’s “All Star Jam,” consisting of various band members who played during the fest. In hindsight, this idea was better on paper than it came off. It only lasted about 6 songs, and they were all “classic” metal covers, with nothing really new done to them.

With no actual “jam” going on, it felt more anticlimactic than anything else. Those who toughed it out to watch, more than likely left with little more than a feeling of bewilderment.

A festival like this will always have its ups and downs, usually to the point of being overwhelming. This one was no exception. For better or for worse, the NEMH festival is one of, if not the best thing around.
I totally can’t wait until next year….

- Spencer Lavigne 

Photos by Michael Kopko

For photos from the entire festival go here...







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