REVIEW: A Proper Metal Show at Son of Egg
08/01 @ Son of Egg, Rensselaer
“If you can’t play at The Egg in Albany, play at Son Of Egg in Rensselaer."
By chance this weekend, I ran into an old friend and bandmate at Indian Ladder Farms, where he mentioned a show he was playing that night — a five band bill, DIY metal show at Son Of Egg in Rensselaer. At that point, there was no question of where my Saturday night would take me.
Albany’s heavy music scene has been robust for some time now, particularly in the hardcore variety. Another variety of that scene that goes under the radar a bit is the metal scene. Saturday’s five band bill proved that, featuring acts from around the Capital Region & Western Massachusetts. It was curated in a way that itched every kind of scratch imaginable, from thrash, to breakdowns, to sludgy riffs, blistering solos, singing, screaming, and most importantly, a warm and welcoming room for even those outside of the scene.
Opening the show was Modern World, a grungey four-piece that kicked things off with a rousing set. They were not what I was expecting for a metal show, but it was a great way to warm up the ears and mind for the heavier stuff to come. With a focus on atmosphere and melodies, the band took some of the grunge sounds of the ‘90s and anthematic elements of early 2000’s pop-punk, making something fresh, yet familiar.
I was joined by a couple friends for the show, and seeing my buddy Leland’s face light up when he realized Ice Queen was on the bill had me eagerly waiting for their performance. I quickly understood his excitement, as the scene veterans ripped through a tremendous set that weaved in and out of genres, from thrash to an almost atmospheric doom sound. Their set held me captive with every note, blast beat, and high note. Even if by one person’s glowing reaction to their presence, their reputation rightfully preceded itself.
Then it was time for my aforementioned friend’s band, The Antarctician. I’ve seen him play before — in fact, he was the first person I’d ever seen sweep pick in person (circa ‘07), even before it had become in vogue around that time — but I didn’t really know what to expect from this project. From their first notes, their sound was unapologetic and unwavering. It was their unique take on prog metal, but easier to digest than some other bands in the genre. By the end of their set I was ready to mount a dragon and fly into a fiery battlefield, just the way they probably intended, if we are being honest.
Then it was Skull Mason’s turn. A thrash metal project led by longtime guitarist and songwriter, Aaron Holland. Thrash was the name of the game, and they came to play. Leaving blood (the bass player’s gushing finger by the end) and sweat in their wake, the band ripped through a highly energetic set that had a surprising amount of dynamics and nuance. While in hindsight, the band playing songs off their latest EP for the first time live should’ve been an indication of their limited time playing live together, their chemistry felt like a band that’d been together much longer, something I had a chance to chat with Holland after their set about that.
“After I quit my last band, I said ‘I'm never playing live again.’ This was originally intended as a solo recording project, but then I linked up with these dudes and it morphed into a live band,” he told me. “We released an EP in June and played a release show, but this was actually only our fifth or sixth show together.”
The finale was Western Massachusetts-based, Goblet. They were maybe one of the most unassuming bands I’ve ever seen, but they cracked Son Of Egg wide open. Led by singer and frontman Jesse Pause, between his humor and dramatic flair, he had the stage presence of a Bill Moseley-played character and it added a welcomed dimension to the killer music they were playing. Something they call ‘bastard thrash’, they were rough and heavy in all of the right ways, while still being polished and highly entertaining. I got to chatting with bass player Eric Racicot after their set and, besides having a nice chat about the band’s unassuming look, backed by their eclectic tastes in music, he gave one of the best lines I've heard in regards to performing at a venue: “If you can’t play at The Egg in Albany, play at the Son of Egg in Rensselaer."
“We will definitely do more shows here, because the sound was surprisingly amazing for a DIY space,” Holland added. “I’m big on vibes, and the vibe in that room is amazing.”
Be sure to follow the bands @theantarcticianband @goblet_band @icequeenthrash @modernday_ny @skullmasonoffical to keep up with them, and Son of Egg @soe_rensselaer_events for more DIY shows coming up there.
