Rustbelt Rock Review

By: Z.M. Delgado

Rustbeltrockreview.com

Volume #137: Voices of the Damned, Nightmare Empire, Emerald Rage and Tundra

May 10th, 2024

Maple Grove Tavern 14832 Pease Rd, Maple Heights, OH 44137

Hello my friends and welcome back into the strange world of the Rustbelt Rock Review. I have returned to you after yet another expedition into the world of the Cleveland Underground Metal Scene. This week I ventured to the Maple Grove Tavern to see a mightily stacked bill. Voices of the Damned was our headliner with Nightmare Empire, Emerald Rage and Tundra providing support. I arrived at the Grove about a half hour after doors opened. Once inside I was surprised to see how many people were already there. I briefly surveyed the Scene and checked out the merch tables and drifted around the room saying hello to friends and cohorts. Eventually I decided to pass the remaining time outside. I sat by my car and enjoyed the weather, puffing away at my vape pen all the while. Soon enough 8pm drew near and I made my way back inside to prepare for the music.

First to the stage was Tundra. This is a band that I have followed closely since they first arrived on the scene back in RbRR #120. It on that very stage where I first witnessed Tundra’s power and since then I have caught more than a few of their gigs. For those of you who missed those installments here are Tundra’s stats. They are a four piece band built from Vocals, Bass, Drums and one exceptional Guitarist. They play a Traditional Heavy Metal sound which is Rockin’ and at times, quite intricate. Upon taking the stage I noticed a few new additions to the stage setup. One, Tundra has a new backdrop, bearing their logo. Secondly I noticed their drummer wearing a mail coif aka a chain mail hood. They broke into the set with fire. Opening with their new single, “Grim Reaper” Tundra kicked in the door on our evening. I noted the band had a tight sound and seemed to be in top form. Backing vocals came in from the Guitarist who delivered a ripping solo to tantalize our ears. I also made a scribble about the cool Drum work that popped up during the breakdown. Next came “King of the Barbarians” with it’s hard hitting vocal pattern which plays off of the Drums expertly. This song also has some excellent “Whoa’s!” delivered by the Guitarist and some big notes from the frontman. “The Voices Are Calling” opened with some fast Bass action and rumbling drums. The chorus on this one has a really cool riff and there are a pair of solo’s tucked away in here that are not to be missed. “Napalm Bomb” came next; the bands heaviest and fastest song. Taking off at break neck speed, this track is Heavy Metal with the energy of Punk Rock. “Sword and Shield” followed with it’s hard charging sound. After that was “Tried and True” which has some very noteworthy Drum work and a sing along chorus. The crowd joined in and chanted the lyrics along with the band, which was cool to see. With slick opening riffs the band then broke into “Hell’s Heroes.” My notes read that this is “a kick ass track, plain and simple.” The Bass absolutely hummed on this one, the Drum work was exceptionally tight and the solo scorched. At this point the singer and guitarist paused to put on Viking helmets. The band then closed out with their cover of Thor’s “Thunder on the Tundra.” This is a song I have grown accustom to seeing Tundra perform and I have to say they do a damn good job. This cover is pretty bitchin’ and it brought the set to a finish nicely. The crowd erupted in cheers as Tundra once again brought he house down, adding to their ever growing string of excellent shows.

At the conclusion of Tundra’s I headed down to the parking lot to smoke a bowl with my buddy Jaime. We ran into Anthony from Pagan Impaler and discussed their upcoming album release party (July 26th/No Class). Then it was back inside to settle in for out second act of the night, Emerald Rage. This is a four piece Power/Traditional Metal band from Akron, OH. They are constructed from Guitar/Vocal, Guitar, Bass and Drums with backing vox coming in from the Guitar and Bass. With the song “High King” they opened up Heavy and Rockin’. Their music was very heavy, with melodic vocals. The chorus had some nice call and response between the lead and backing vox. Second was “Phantom Queen.” Great heavy energy and a galloping cadence carried this song forward, with blazing solos coming from both guitarists. Third Emerald Rage broke into some new material with their Tolkien inspired “Ring Wraiths.” Here I made a note about the bands great stage presence, with all members moving to the music. The crowd really seemed to be digging it as the song took us on a fast paced journey through a land of ripping guitar solo’s. Next came a scorching cover of Thin Lizzy’s “Massacre.” Emerald Rage blasted through this magnificently, showing off even more excellent Guitar work. With an magnificient opening riff they broke into their song “Valkyrie.” The crowd was really feeling what Emerald Rage was doing here. It was obvious to me why, with sweet pick scrapes, tandem Guitar work and stellar drums all drifting through the mix. Closing out the set they laid out a brand new song. Based on a Stephen King novel of the same name, “Eyes of The Dragon” is a 7 ½ minute monster. Heavy to it’s core with burning riffs, melodic breaks, epic speed and well placed slow downs this song is fantastic. By the time it reached it’s epic conclusion, Emerald Rage held the crowd in the palms of their hands. Upon completion the fans let loose a mighty cheer, honoring Emerald Rage and their truly excellent music. I have to say I was in the majority opinion that Emerald Rage was incredible. They threw down with power and passion and really drew me into their set and sound. They are a band I would definitely check out again.

With Emerald Rage finished up, it was back out to the lot for another round of pipes and conversation. The time passed quickly and before long I found myself back before the stage ready to check out Nightmare Empire. This five piece Heavy Metal band is constructed from Vocals, two Guitars, Bass and Drums with backing Vox coming in from the Guitarists. They opened up heavy and aggressive with “Death is not Serene.” Their style that was largely Traditional with a dose of Thrash for good measure. Next came “Dead Roads” where I noted that both the Bass player as well as the Drummer really seemed to be feeling it. The Guitar work was nice and a ripping solo popped up. The vocals were on point; the singer having a great big vocal presence. Next came “Something Wicked” which had a nice touch of Power Metal, and an upbeat rocking cadence. Also containing a wicked breakdown, the song built up to a huge moment when everything broke loose. By this point the crowd was really into it and the applause was coming freely. That energy carried forward into “This is Your God” an anthem dedicated to the love of Heavy Metal. This one gave me a real Testament vibe, had a ripping solo and some absolutely killer Drumwork. Here we got the dark ballad “Raven.” It crept along melodically with a haunting cadence until hitting with sheer power upon reaching the chorus. In the middle it took off at high speed delivering yet another blistering Guitar solo. Next they broke into the fast and driving “Expiration Date.” On this one I most enjoyed the lightening quick groove laid out by the Bass Player. “Sands of Time,” a song about ancient aliens had a great riff and righteous breakdown. The lead guitarist really showed off his chops on this one and I noted that he was simply “amazing.” When this one finished up the crowd gave up some big applause, but Nightmare Empire wasn’t finished quite yet. They had one more song to bring to the table before they were done. They closed out with their flagship song, “Nightmare Empire.” This one is great. It has a devil of a chorus, the drums absolutely pound and the Bass holds it down with a serious groove. The guitars are impressive and the singer is passionate. In short this song is the total package and deserving of it’s spot as the closing number. The crowd erupted upon it’s completion, sending Nightmare Empire off to some well deserved fan fair.

Back out to the parking lot, we repeated our cycle of intoxication and made it back to the stage just in time to see Voices of the Damned begin their set. Voices of the Damned is a five man band built from Vocals, two Guitars, Bass and Drums. Their style is what I would describe as Death Metal with a lot of Groove. In addition to their gear, Voices of the Damned brought three crates that they placed between the monitors. They took to the stage wearing matching black Battlevests, and stood in darkness as creepy samples played out over the PA. Then the lights came up, and they exploded into “Forever Immortal.” “Heavy ass shit,” is what my notes say, and I have to tell you that is an understatement. They had incredible stage presence. Every member of the band was rocking out, most notably their energetic frontman. Next came “Salem” which was fast and driving with a killer solo. Here those crates at the front of the stage suddenly burst with clouds of smoke, sending plumes up and around the room. Third in the play list was “Lady Bathory” and it was an undeniably pounding experience. The riff was simple, but nasty and when combined with the vocal pattern the whole thing absolutely slammed. They crowd seemed to eat it up as Voices of the Damned jumped into a new one called “The Curse.” My describe this song as “a bulldozer of punishment.” And I also made a note about the exceptional stage presence of the frontman. He paced the stage like a caged tiger relentless and intense. “Rising Again” had a wicked riff, jackhammer drums and vocals that were nothing short of demonic. At some point in here, we got a swap out behind the kit. The drummer of Voices of the Damned left the stage and the drummer from Nightmare Empire jumped into his place. They produced a real bad ass throw down with devastating Drumwork and a shredding solo. Next came “Alone” which is a song used to raise awareness about the horrors of human trafficking. Beyond it’s social conscious it is built from great riffs and killer solos and in general in one hell of a piece of Heavy Metal. At this point the drummers swapped again and Voices of the Damned drummer returned to the kit. They they broke out another new one, “Mouth of Madness.” This one chewed like a buzz saw and showcased solos from both Guitarists. Creepy sound effects began to play as an intro to “Behind my Eyes.” The smoke boxes fired again as the heavy onslaught continued. This song had some clean vocals from the Guitarist that were truly excellent, making it a stand out moment in the set. Closing out the set they dropped yet another new song: “Age of Suffering.” The smoke boxes fired again as they summoned the title track from their forthcoming album. I can tell you this song is a monster. I noted it had exceptional drum work and that it was one hell of a way to close a set. Voices of the Damned got a ferocious cheer from the crowd as they finished up. After a set of such power and intensity it was well deserved.

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

With the show now at an end, the crowd dispersed. I said goodnight to all concerned parties and made my way to the parking lot. Driving home I listened to the new Paradox Rift album “Ensnared” and reflected on the evening events. Tundra continues to impress. They gain momentum as they gain experience. As they grow their repertoire of songs, so do they grow their brand and their fan base. I expect we shall see more from them in the future. Emerald Rage was great. It was my first time checking them out and I have to say it was a pleasure. I really enjoyed their sound and would recommend them. Nightmare Empire was intense, dark and deadly. They brought outstanding musicianship and a huge vocal presence to the show. Finally Voices of the Damned brought the house down. With over the top presence and an incredible stage show they bring a visual aspect to the music that is impressive. Combine that with their skill and passion and you have yourself a firestorm of a band. And there you have it, Rustbelt. All of that and for only ten bucks. That’s the glory of the Underground Scene. You get to see great shows, hear awesome music and meet talented musicians all for a few dollars. You get the same experiences that you get at big shows but for a fraction of the cost and with a much more personal experience. I for on prefer a small show, for these reasons. I find underground shows to be more visceral… more real than the big shows. There is an authenticity to the Scene that you simply can’t get in the big productions. Because they are just that: productions. They are repeated sets with tight cues and the same highlights night after night. In the underground you get spontaneity and chaos and the beauty of the moments rather than the highlights of the production. Don’t get me wrong, I love the splendor of the big shows. I love Rock N’ Roll from the ground up, all the way to it’s vaulted heights. I just prefer the underground and I always will. I suppose on that note I’ll call this edition to a close. It has been a pleasure talking with you again. As always, bang your heads, hoist your horns and wear your damned earplugs… and thanks for reading.

Until next time, Rock on, Rustbelt,

-Z.M. Delgado

Rustbelt Rock Review

Rustbeltrockreview.com

5/13/2024

Links:

Voices of the Damned

https://voicesofthedamned.net/

Nightmare Empire

https://www.facebook.com/NightmareEmpireBand/

Emerald Rage

https://emeraldrage.bandcamp.com/music