Rustbelt Rock Review

By: Z.M. Delgado

Rustbeltrockreview.com

Volume #135: Lower 13 “Reach An End” 10th Anniversary Party feat. Soleo and Tundra

April 19th 2024

The Foundry, 11729 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, OH 44107

Hello Rustbelt Rockers and welcome back to the Review. This week I took in a really excellent show over at The Foundry. Joha picked me up around 6:30, I think. Together, with our associate Face (Guitar/Vandalizard), we headed west toward Lakewood. Arriving at the Foundry we parked the car and downed some edibles for good measure. Then off to the club we went where we paid our cover and made our way inside. There was a light early crowd when we first arrived, but people were steadily making their way in. I was immediately greeted by the boys of Tundra who were pleased to see I had made it to their 3rd consecutive gig. Face bought a beer, and as Joha and I puffed dutifully upon our vapes, we settled in and prepared for the onset of the music.

Tundra was first on the evenings agenda and I was stoked to see them perform. As I said earlier, this was my third time seeing Tundra recently. That is significant because as of now Tundra has only played three gigs. By sheer luck of the draw and by the way my concert calendar has played out, I have been at every date the band has performed. For those of you who missed those prior editions, here’s Tundra’s breakdown. They are a four piece Traditional Heavy Metal band forged from Vocals, Drums, Bass and Guitar. They opened with their new single, “Grim Reaper” and immediately set the bar high with this songs Rockin’ vibe. Even on this first song their Guitarist began to stand out. With strong backing vocals and a shredding solo he carved our his space in the spotlight. They followed with “King of the Barbarians” a song their singer described as being about “a bad ass mother fucker who fights demons.” This song had a sort of creepy melodic intro that lead to a break with some big Vocals. The Foundry’s light show was on point, really accentuating the music that Tundra was pumping out. My edible was kicking in around this time and I was enthralled by the band and it’s power. The third song I missed the title of and the setlist named it only “Voices.” This one had a cool Bass intro, some nice harmonies on the chorus and more of that spectacular Guitar work. I also noted that the Drums were particularly driving and that they “punched and rolled.” Up next was “Napalm Bomb.” This was the fastest song of the set exhibiting a ripping cadence and aggressive Vox. I noted here that both the Guitarist and Vocalist were showing some good stage presence; headbanging and Rocking out to the Heavy Metal rhythm. “Sword and Shield” had some sick and intricate Guitar licks and some echoing “Whoas!” that I loved. “Tried and True” opened with some very nice riffs. Here the Bass player showed off his skills with the Wah-Wah pedal, while the Guitarist got simply nasty in the solo. “Hell’s Heroes” had the people down on the floor headbanging as the band was really feeling it up on the stage. Moving to the music, Tundra provided a pounding cadence as the drummer drove the point home. “Hammer of Horror,” a brand new song, was next and it was a powerful addition to the setlist. By this point the crowd had grown to a much more respectable size and, based on what I was seeing, they were feeling Tundra. Closing out the set the band once again chose to unleash their rendition of Thor’s “Thunder on the Tundra.” I banged my head as they blasted out the cover with expert precision. As Tundra finished up, the crowd gave up a mighty cheer. Tundra had undoubtedly rocked The Foundry. I was blown away, and the band received the seal of approval from both Joha and Face. The band tore down their gear as we headed outside for some fresh air. Joha produced a doobie and together the two of us indulged in the spirit of the holiday weekend.

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

Heading back inside we settled in for the second band, Soleo. This band, as described on their Facebook page, is Middle Eastern Prog Rock. Based on that description I was excited to check them out. I quickly ascertained that Soleo was a three piece made up from Guitar/Vocal, Bass and Drums/Vocal. They approached the mics, and without introduction or preamble they began their set with a Rockin’ instrumental. Immediately I noted that the band, particularly the Guitarist, had excellent stage presence. The music was outstanding, hard edged Rock N’ Roll with an unmistakable Middle Eastern influence. In time clean vocals entered the mix and with them they brought some big “Whoas!” The Bass crashed like a wave even as the Guitarist served up a plethora of cool riffs. I noted a sort of Indi vibe to the music and was really lost in the sound as the song played on and on. I soon suspected that in true Prog fashion, Soleo was going to have no clear beginnings or endings to their songs. Each track flowed forward into the next so it became nearly impossible to discern where boundaries of the songs were. This path of the music was pretty cool as the songs changed seamlessly. There was no pointless filler, but rather well constructed transitions from one portion of the composition to the next. There were a lot of interesting riffs, some drifting, airy and dreamlike, other ripping and rocking, setting heads banging all around the room. Still others popped up that had that clear Middle Eastern vibe and added a unique quality to the sound. I noticed intricate Bass work that showcased some real talent from the low end. Without clear breaks between songs, the drumming was constant. Shifting between patterns and tempos he kept the rhythm lively as the songs rolled on, ever evolving. From atmospheric and melodic to neck snapping heaviness Soleo wove a complex tapestry of sound that I really enjoyed. And I was not alone. Soleo received a very positive crowd response with cheers being raised and horns hoisted high. Face and Joha dug them as well as we all found them to be an interesting and uncommon sound; my notes calling them Middle Eastern Surf Metal. With Soleo’s set now complete we returned to the front of the club for another round of joints and some conversation. Face said farewell and headed down to the Five O’clock Lounge with some flyers to promote the upcoming Vandalizard show (April 26th/Maple Grove Tavern), leaving Joha and I behind. We headed back inside and made ready for the beginning of Lower 13’s set.

This is a band that the Review has checked out many times now, and rightly so. Without a doubt one of the most respected acts in the Cleveland Scene, Lower 13 is a most noteworthy group. For those of you who have never checked them out, let me break it down. Lower 13 is a three piece Metal band made up of Guitar/Vocals, Bass/Vocals and Drums. Their style is a complex blend of Prog, Thrash, Traditional, Death and about every other conceivable style of Metal music. Suffice to say, if there is a Heavy Metal discipline that exists, Lower 13 has processed it and seamless integrated it into their fantastically unique sound. Their sound is melodic at some times and at others incredibly heavy. They are known for their soaring vocal harmonies and their snarling growls; their hammering heaviness as well as their complex melodic instrumentation. Now, on the night in question Lower 13 also happened to be celebrating the 10 year anniversary of their second album, “Reach an End.” This was exciting from a fan perspective as it more than likely meant the band would be hitting the album hard as far as the set list was concerned. As it turns out I was right in that guess as the band opened up with “Under the Grim Sky.” This song began soft and soothing with a beautiful melody and smooth vocals. Soon enough it exploded with the drummer windmilling his head wildly as he hammered without mercy. The Vox from the Bass player roared as cleans came from the Guitarist. Back and forth they sang, alternating with ferocious effect. “I Will Remain” came next. Like an explosion the song went off, furious in it’s speed and intensity. Next they jumped over to the “Deception” EP, and offered up “Holding on to Misery.” With jackhammer drum work and flawless harmonies, this song was fast and aggressive. When it peaked the vocals grew exceptional in their power. As one vocal soared, the other snarled in a wall of sound that was oppressive in it’s force. Following that Lower 13 returned to the “Reach an End” album and rattled of three more tracks from it’s lineup. First was “Lost Within” which opened with some trippy Bass action. Here my notes read simply “Fucking Excellent,” as the chorus took flight. I also noted that the Bass work was of exceptional complexity, my actual words being “Insane Bass work.” This song peaks with some very intense vocals followed by a nice Guitar solo that is both long and energized. Now was the moment I had been hoping for: “Reach an End” the title track of the album of the night, was Lower 13’s next offering. I found this moment to be even greater than expected. Calling the performance “Amazing,” my notes go on to use words like “Gorgeous,” “Powerful,” “Meaningful” and “Heartfelt.” This was without a doubt the high water mark for the evening for me. Following that they dropped into “Take me Now” with a machine gun tempo and pounding double Bass drums. This song is a real roller coaster, with amazing highs and lows. Taking you from Melodic to Death in an instant. Delving back into the “Deception” EP, they broke out another of my personal fav’s: “You Just Left Her.” This is a powerful song that, while recorded well, must be experienced live. There is something about the way it translates to the stage that is so raw and visceral that I just don’t have the words to describe it. After that came “The Kingdom,” with it’s ripping speed and flawless harmonies. Supplying both excellent Bass work and another dagger of a Guitar solo, “The Kingdom” is one of the “Reach an End” album’s strongest offerings. Speaking of which, another of the albums heavy hitters was up next: “Parasite.” With it’s monster opening riff hard edged lyrics and stomping cadence, this song is one of Lower 13’s best. Back to “Deception” the next number was “The One to Blame.” My first note on this song reads only: “Bad ass.” Next I say that the drums on this song are “insanely intense.” This is another emotional roller coaster of a track with bestial roars and soaring harmonies. The chorus here really shows off what Lower 13 is capable of, and from a songwriting perspective this song is a powerhouse. In the end I observed a pure pleading and desperate quality to the lyricism that is uncommon in it’s effectiveness. The song closes out on a scorching solo that really takes the listener away. Upon it’s completion the crowd absolutely roared with passion; clearly completely hypnotized by all that Lower 13 was doing. Yet they weren’t done… not yet at least. With one more track loaded up and ready to Rock they unleashed their version of System of a Down’s “Cigaro.” This is a fun cover and the crowd enjoyed Lower 13’s rendition of it, to be sure. With that the set was at a close. The crowd let loose one final echoing cheer and sent Lower 13 off with their full blessing. Wow! What a set! Lower 13 had once again boggled my mind and touched my heart with their deeply emotional and technically mind blowing musicianship. With the show now at a close, Joha and I said our good byes and made our way down to the Five to collect Face. Once that was over, we headed home and I got some much needed rest.

Like I said though, “Wow!” What an awesome show. First of all I had good company and nice crowd to share the event with. As I said earlier, the Foundry light show was on point, adding a nice effect tot he evenings performances. Tundra had once again impressed. They are growing their setlist and increasing their experience level. With each subsequent performance, I have seen improvements. It is clear that there are big things in Tundra’s future. Soleo had been an interesting and entrancing experience. Their style was really cool and utterly unique. They played what seemed like one long song, but it was a damn good song. I enjoyed their set and would definitely check them out again. Finally Lower 13 was outstanding. Once again they have returned to the Rustbelt Rock Review, and once again they receive well deserved praise. Without a doubt one of the most interesting bands in our scene, they prove time and again that they Rock like no other. Ultimately, I have to say I believe “Reach an End” to be an extremely important release in our Scene’s history and it deserved a party to celebrate it. I’m certainly glad the show went down, as I had one hell of a time. That being said, I will bring this installment of the Review to a close. Keep your heads banging and your horns pointed to the sky… and wear your earplugs.

Until next time, Rock on, Rustbelt,

-Z.M. Delgado

Rustbelt Rock Review

Rustbeltrockreview.com

4/22/2024

Links:

Lower 13

www.lower13official.com

Soleo

https://soleo.bandcamp.com/album/soleo

Tundra

https://www.facebook.com/tundrabandcle/