Rustbelt Rock Review

By: Z.M. Delgado

Rustbeltrockreview.com

Volume #154: Mutilation Barbecue, Ovenhead, Decedent & Casket Splinter

September 15th, 2024

No Class 11213 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, OH 44102

Greetings my most esteemed Rock N’ Roll enthusiasts. Welcome back to the Rustbelt Rock Review in all it’s glory. This week I journeyed west into Cleveland to the hallowed halls of No Class. It was a beautiful afternoon in Northeast Ohio as I drove. The weather was fine, the Browns had pulled off a win and traffic was light. I arrived on the scene shortly after doors, right around 5pm. I entered the club and ran into Chris Maggot from Mutilation Barbecue. I paid my respects and moved on, drifting around and scoping out the club. I made my way to the back patio, where I found the remaining members of Mutilation Barbecue in the throes of a band meeting, discussing their upcoming tour. I played the fly on the wall, listening in and getting a glimpse of what it takes to put this show on the road. Days on and off, money coming in, driving times and distances verses the cost of flying. All the while coordinating with clubs and other bands from across the country. Suffice to say, my head was spinning. I honestly don’t know how these dudes do it. None the less it gets done and I find the whole thing very impressive. It was during this time when I got a text message. It was notifying me that my friend and accomplice Jimmy “The Dook” Fedor of Roxxxstarradio had arrived on the scene. I went inside to meet The Dook and together we passed the time vaporizing and chatting with fellow concertgoers.

Soon enough 6 o’clock rolled up and it was time for the show to begin. First to grace the stage was Casket Splinter. This was my first time checking these dudes out and they are an interesting one. I ran into Grady (Drums) and Larry (Bass) before the set and they gave me the run down. Casket Splinter is a five man act that one could classify as Improvisational Jazz Metal. (Yes, you read that correctly.) They are made up of Bass/Vocals, Two Guitars, Drums and Slide Guitar/Drums. As we gathered around the stage, I noticed just how large the crowd was becoming. I was impressed by the early turnout, considering it was a Sunday. Up on the stage Casket Splinter was just beginning. The set began loud, chaotic and noisy as the five members began. They created a cacophony which filled the air with clashing sounds like the din across an ancient battlefield. Then gradually from the chaos, a jam began to take shape. The five members found a groove and collectively fell into it. A slow melodic tapestry formed. This then transformed, gradually building toward an epic explosion. This birthed an excellent jam that took off and rocked hard. The set continued like this, with ever evolving soundscapes going from melodic to heavy and back again. It was a strange experimental journey and I found myself lost in the music. Being that I was incredibly stoned probably helped, but I began to understand the jams more, the longer that I listened. I imagined that the music was telling a tale, and the Bass line was the protagonist. It seemed if I followed the Bass, it would lead me through the storm of instrumentation that surrounded it. Once I realized that the Bass line was the main character in the story, everything else fell into place. Amazing jams unfolded before me as Casket Splinter produced music that surely fell somewhere between sheer genius and certifiable madness. I was impressed with the talent of the band at every position; with each member contributing significantly to the jams. (I have to make note of the two man drum solo, which was intense!) All in all I feel like Casket Splinter killed it, and the crowd reaction reflected that fact. Strong applause greeted the band as they finished their time with a monstrous finale. The lights came up and the crowd dispersed. The Dook and I drifted out to the back patio to enjoy the evening, get stoned and mingle with the crowd...but not for long.

Soon enough it was time to head back inside and get ready for the second act of the evening. On our way to the stage I ran into my homeboy Colin Richardson, lead singer of Ignominious. I was excited to see him. Since Ignominious has been so busy touring, he and I have not had many opportunities to catch up in a while. We did just that, though only briefly as it was high time for the second band to start. In from Michigan, Decedent is a three man outfit made up of Guitar/Vocals, Bass/Backing Vocals and Drums. They played a primarily Death Metal sound, that often brought in Sludgy or Hardcore elements. Their Vocalist delivered a steady stream of deep guttural growls. They had solid stage presence right off the bat, as they headbanged and rocked out behind their instruments. On their second song the first mosh pit of the evening formed, but it was far from the last. The action continued and as their third track played out, with it’s stomping cadence, the pit exploded. Knuckles and fists swirled as fans began windmilling. The floor erupted again for the fourth song, led by Chris Maggot and Colin. Instantly the room was alive with kids doing the two step as Decedent’s drummer laid down a vicious rhythm. He set a grueling pace and delivered a stomping cadence. On their sixth song The Dook told me he thought they had a great Guitar tone, while I was marveling at the power of their Bass. The motion on the floor continued more or less nonstop for the remainder of the set. I believe they played a total of eight songs, keeping the intensity up and the pedal down until the end. The crowd exploded in applause when the music finally stopped and I have to say I was impressed. Decedent laid out a consistently heavy set that ripped, tore and pounded in all the right ways. With their time now at an end, The Dook and I slipped back to the patio.

Eric Stevenson: The Official Tattoo Artist of the Rustbelt Rock Review

However soon it was time to return to the club as our third act of the day was ready to rock. Gracing the stage next was Ovenhead. You may recall I have seen a few times before, back when they were an instrumental group. Since then they have added vocalist and come up with a whole new setlist. They are now four man Death Metal act built from Guitars, Drums, Bass and that singer I just mentioned. They opened up heavy, and I mean really heavy. Their frontman delivered deep, savage guttural growls along with the occasional high end scream for accent. Early in the set I was impressed with the drumwork, as the music showcased a lot of changes. The band continued to deliver song after bone crushing song. In my notes I describe their sound as “heavy, chaotic and crashing.” Also saying it “rumbles like an avalanche rolling down a mountainside.” The crowd was definitely feeling it and moshing continued. Everything was going well until about the sixth song, when the drummer inexplicably whipped his drumstick into the crowd. It hit me in the head, deflected off the bill of my hat and into the guy next to me. That guy picked it up, screamed “Fuck You!” and threw it back, missing the drummers head by about two inches. What the fuck?! That shit hurt and I was pissed about it. That dude had no business throwing a stick at fans like that. I’m not gonna go on a big rant about it, but seriously: Dick move, bro. Somebody could have been injured. Anyway, as for the people who didn’t get hit with a drumstick in the head, they seemed to be having a good time. The moshing and two-stepping continued for the rest of the set and when they finished up, the crowd went nuts. It was obvious that Ovenhead had earned the approval of the faithful. The lights came up and The Dook and I returned to the patio.

After another round of conversation and a THC infusion we found ourselves back before the stage as the mighty Mutilation Barbecue took to the stage. This was the first night of a long tour that the band has planned, which by the sound of it, will take them all across the country. This night also showcased the return of long absent guitarist Nick. With him back in the lineup Mutilation Barbecue was back to full strength. As a five man wrecking crew they consist of Vocals, two Guitars, Bass and Drums. Opening with the title track of their new album, “Amalgamations of Gore,” they tore the roof off of No Class from note one. Immediately Metalheads began windmilling and the fists flew. Meanwhile the band put on a fearsome display of stage energy. The whole group was rocking, most notably their frontman Chris Maggot, who was moving like a man possessed. As they belted out their second song the two step broke out on the floor as fans fully sank themselves into the music. An impressive Guitar solo followed as windmilling fans went wild. On “Auto Anthropophagy” a circle pit erupted. The pit ran wild and the fans went out of control, completely lost in what Mutilation Barbecue was doing. As “Abortion Ambulance” emerged I proclaimed a state of generalized madness on the floor of No Class. Next was “Lady Next Door” followed by “Carcass Compost” which kept the intensity up. This intensity exploded on “Spontaneous Human Combustion” when Maggot demanded, and received, a Wall of Death. The club split, the kids lined up and then a monumental collision occurred. Bodies flew in all direction as total brutality consumed the floor. This level of mad passionate violence continued through to the end of the set. Closing out with a cover of Sepultura’s “Nomad” Mutilation Barbecue attempted to rock No Class one last time. However technical difficulties won out the night as they lost one Guitar midway through the song and thus it devolved into a hilarious snafu. With a laugh Mutilation Barbecue said goodnight. The lights came up and the crowd dispersed.

The Dook and I said our farewells and it was off into night. Fortunately it was still quite early. As the show began at 6 and only had 4 bands, I was home by ten o’clock, which is not so bad for a Sunday. It is a rare treat that I get to see four great bands and get home at a decent hour. Casket Splinter really kicked things off right and properly blew my mind along the way. I’ve never seen a Metal/Jazz fusion band before and I have to say I was impressed. Decedent brought in a solid sound from Michigan and I will tell you that the kids here in Cleveland loved every minute of it. Ovenhead hit me in the head with a drumstick, and I’m still mad about it. That being said, they played a great set and I enjoyed their music. Finally, Mutilation Barbecue absolutely killed it. They threw down so damn hard that it is difficult to convey in words. Suffice to say they are without a doubt one of the best Death Metal bands in our Scene and a must see act for all DM aficionado's. I wish them much success and safe travels on the tour. On that note I will bring this edition to a close. As always, thank you for reading. Here’s to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Heaviness!

Until next time, Rock on, Rustbelt,

-Z.M. Delgado

Rustbelt Rock Review

Rustbeltrockreview.com

9/16/2024

Links:

Mutilation Barbecue

https://www.facebook.com/MutilationBarbecue/

Ovenhead

https://ovenhead.bandcamp.com/album/ovenhead

Decedent

https://decedentmi.bandcamp.com/album/decedent