Rustbelt Rock Review

By: Z.M. Delgado

Rustbeltrockreview.com

Volume #138: Beast Killer: “Dystopian Now, Dystopian Me” Album Release Party featuring Whatever and The A-10’s

May 18th, 2024

Grog Shop 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd, Cleveland Heights, OH 44106

Good evening my friends and welcome back to the rambling drivel I produce better known as the Rustbelt Rock Review. This week I had the pleasure of attending my favorite part of the Rock N’ Roll ritual: The Album Release Party. The time honored tradition where upon musicians bestow upon the masses the gift of new music. For this go around it was a party I have been anxiously awaiting. This was the celebration in honor of the release of Beast Killer’s crushing new album “Dystopian Now, Dystopian Me.” It looked to be a show well worth attending with supporting acts Whatever and The A-10’s also gracing the bill. I connected with Joha and Face (Guitar/Vandalizard) around 8pm and we headed west toward the Grog Shop with all speed. We arrived at the club, paid the cover and headed in. Face grabbed a tall can while Joha and I puffed away at our vapes, waiting for the show to begin. I drifted over to the merch tables where I found the boys from Beast Killer. We talked for a while, but before too long the opening act was setting up and it was time to redirect my attention.

First to grace the stage was The A-10’s. This is a five man Punk Rock act formed from Vocals, two Guitars, Bass and Drums. Their vocalist, who wore what appeared to be a blood soaked vest, had a coarse raspy voice. Meanwhile solid backing Vox came in from the Bass. They opened up hard, fast and energetic. The singer violently knocked over the mic stand early into the first song. He then fell to his knees while continuing to sing. On their second song I commented on how energetic the performance was and noted that this was some “slick and sick Punk Rock.” On their third track the Bass thundered and the backing Vocals raged. The singer wrapped the mic chord around his neck, strangling himself while performing. He threw the mic stand; casting it down to the ground. This display caused the sound man to come scurrying out of his corner and seize the mic stand rather than have it become a dangerous projectile. Forceful, angry and powerful The A-10’s continued without mercy. Their fourth track had some fast paced riffs and a rowdy, raucous sound. Song five opened with a very cool Bass line. The singer collapsed, draping his limp body over the monitor. With the chord still wrapped around his throat, he managed to unplug his own mic. The sound man and he worked in tandem to try to remove enough slack from his neck to plug the mic back in, eventually succeeding.

On their sixth song the frontman opened a wooden box and produced a life size plastic skull. He then proceeded to fill it with blood and dump it all over himself. Now the blood stained vest made sense, as the red liquid coated his body. Ranting and raving and covered in ooze he fell to his knees again and writhed about the stage. Seven songs into the set the singer began spitting beer in all directions. He baptized himself in PBR, before finishing the can and hurling it into the crowd. Their eighth song was a new one. It had a nice drum intro and some pounding Bass. Here I also noted their singer had a voice like “a wood chipper.” I went on to say that the riff was rippin’, the chorus was ultra aggressive and that, all in all, the song kicked ass. With lightning fast Guitars they ushered in their ninth track. At this point the singer was completely consumed by his own performance. He was all over the stage and floor, spewing beer and screaming into this mic. He threw something into the crowd that whizzed right passed me. I don’t know what it was, but I’m glad it missed me. Without a pause they jumped directly into their tenth song. Heavy and fast, with a great Bass line this song had excellent energy. Finally, we reached their 11th and final track of the night. The band continued to rock as the singer persisted in his defiling of himself and his surroundings. He poured a tall can over his head then dropped down to slither through the puddle. Rolling about on the floor he completed the song and with it the set. The crowd erupted in applause. The A-10’s had killed it. It was obvious that all in attendance had been floored by the performance. They had absolutely attacked their set, their time flooded with fire and fury. With an unquestionable edge, like a rusty knife, The A-10’s hacked through and left the crowd speechless.

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

With The A-10’s finished up, we adjourned to the street to take in some night air and smoke a joint. With our minds twisted and our mood elevated we were ready for the next act of the evening. We headed back in and situated ourselves before the stage just as Whatever was getting ready to start. Whatever is a four man Punk act built from Guitar/Vocals, Guitar, Bass and Drums. With a Bass driven intro and some nice solo action they burst into their set. The Vocals were clean and the tempo was fast as Whatever kicked things into high gear. Song number two had a nice big Guitar riff and some good harmony between the lead and backing Vox. The play was very tight with some jackhammer start and stop action. Their the third track had very nice opening rhythms and a bitchin’ riff. The chorus was catchy and had more of that harmony I mentioned earlier. Here Whatever announced they will begin work on a new album next month, which made many in attendance cheer with joy. The fourth song was bad ass and had a killer energy about it. It summoned another excellent chorus loaded with vocal harmonies. The crowd was really engaged by this point and the applause was contagious.

Five songs into the set the band kept things upbeat and energetic. This continued into song six which was quick precise and aggressive. The seventh song was one that, according to my notes, I seem to have really enjoyed. “Dope Bass,” “Fuck Yeah,” “This song is bad ass,” “Amazing chorus,” and Top notch songwriting” are just a few of the things I had to say about this composition. I was really stoked with the Drum work on song eight. The Bass line impressed me on their ninth and I said it was “very dance-able but also mosh-able.” Whatever’s tenth song had high speed energy, a grooving bass line and a nice solo. I also enjoyed its use of tandem guitar melody. Closing out the set they hit us with an ultra fast, and ultra intricate piece of Punk Rock. Short, sweet and to the point, it hammered it’s way home and then was gone. The set ended in a sudden fashion and the crowd burst with applause when it did. Whatever had been amazing. Their music was pure energy and had an ear worm, sort of catchy, quality that really made it fun to watch. I enjoyed their speed their melodic riffs and their vocal harmonies. Without a doubt Whatever kicked absolute ass.

With Whatever’s set now safely behind us, we again ventured outside where we blazed another doobie and prepared for what was coming. Because up next was undoubtedly one of the most intense pair of artists on the underground Scene. Beast Killer was taking the stage. Celebrating the release of their new album, “Dystopian Now, Dystopian Me,” Beast Killer is a two piece Rock N’ Roll act. Forged from Guitar/Vocals and Drums, this two man operation has been kicking ass ever since they first arrived on the Scene. Now with a second album under their belts they were back and ready to rock. The boys and I settled in right in front of the stage and I have to admit I was excited. I am a big fan of Beast Killer’s music and I always relish the opportunity to see them live. Opening up with a booming shot, they fired up their title track: “Beast Killer.” You’d be hard pressed to find a better song to kick off a set off with. It did it’s job and from it’s first riff the energy in the room skyrocketed. Keeping the momentum up, they jumped right into “Violent Creatures” which punched things up nicely. Here I made my first of many notes about Beast Killer’s phenom of a drummer, Kris. His play is flawless, his energy is contagious and his antics behind the kit are not to be missed. Here also I commented on Beast Killer’s overall sound, saying it has “No fat, no frills. Just Rock N’ Roll.” Third in line was “Broken Glass.” Here I noted that frontman, Chris, was powerful and passionate on the mic. He was all over the stage Rocking out at any point when he was not singing. From here they jumped into the new album starting with the fabulously heavy “Pixels.” This song was pure wrath; an onslaught of aggression. Following that Beast Killer brought forth some apocalyptic vibes with “Comet.” This song had people on the floor singing, dancing and in general Rocking out and it earned some big applause when it concluded.

“Bitter” was next and my notes point out how this song really takes flight when performed live. It’s climax was nothing short of rage as the song finished up hard. Seven songs into the set Beast Killer busted out their cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Manic Depression.” This punkified version of the classic song is a jam to be sure and it really shows off the skills of Kris behind the kit. On the next song things got a little dark and disturbing with “Fairy Tale.” This song is an intense condemnation which earned the band huge applause. On “Some Days” I was again impressed by the drumwork, as well as the cool skull and crossbones drum kit Kris was using. I was once again floored by the stage energy of Chris as he moved across the stage like a man possessed. “The Curse” followed and it ripped. The riff on this one is sweet and the energy behind the song cannot be denied. On “Synapse” I couldn’t help but bang my head and hoist my horns. This is one of my favorite cuts if the new album, so it was cool to see it live. Next we got another cover, this one borrowed from the legendary Iron Maiden. “Sanctuary” was a bad ass choice and a Rockin’ good time to see performed. Finally, closing out the set, Beast Killer unleashed another of my favorites: “Neurotic.” This song is pure fire and I screamed myself hoarse as the song climaxed with the repeated call of “Beast Killer! Beast Killer!” Kris was throwing his drumsticks and catching them, while never missing a beat. Meanwhile, Chris wailed on the mic like a banshee and paced the stage like tiger. It was a phenomenal ending to an equally impressive set. The crowd burst with applause and cheers rose and fell again and the house music came up. Kris stepped away from his drum kit and laid down in the middle of the stage, panting. The set was over and the fans began to disperse. Some headed to the door, while many others like myself migrated over to the merch table, eager to get our hands on the new vinyl pressing of “Dystopian Now, Dystopian Me.” In time Chris made his way over and I offered him my congratulations on a set well played. He thanked me, then made my night by gifting me a copy of the record. He also told me to keep a close eye on the liner notes, as there is a little something in there about yours truly as well. Wow! Receiving a free vinyl is outstanding any time, but to find my name on the inside, well that is an honor plain and simple. It humbles me to be included by Beast Killer in this way and it really made my night. (Thank you for that boys!) With my record tucked under my arm, we headed out to Joha’s ride and headed east.

Due to some poorly placed road closures, the ride home turned into a debacle. As we wound our way through the back roads of East Cleveland, I had plenty of time to reflect on the nights events. The A-10’s had been intense. They kicked the show of right, and then they kicked it again and again. Their set was rowdy and raw and I loved every minute of it. Whatever was equally enjoyable. Their brand of Punk rock was exciting and energetic and I really dug their sound, particularly their Guitar work and Vocal harmonies. Finally Beast Killer was untouchable. They killed it. I mean they absolutely slaughtered. Their set was a powerful display, showcasing some of the very best works from both of their albums. Their play was lively, tight and passionate. They came to Rock N’ Roll and they succeeded without question. Once again they have proved themselves to be a truly fantastic act who I will never hesitate to see again and again. I also have to say I fully endorse “Dystopian Now, Dystopian Me” and highly suggest you pick it up right away (Check out RbRR #133 for full review of the album.) On that note I will bring this edition to a close. Bang your heads. Hoist your horns. Always wear your earplugs and thank you for reading.

Until next time, Rock on, Rustbelt,

-Z.M. Delgado

Rustbelt Rock Review

Rustbeltrockreview.com

5/19/2024

Links:

Beast Killer

https://beastkillerband.bandcamp.com/

https://rustbeltrockreview.com/album-reviews/vol-133-beast-killer-dystopian-now-dystopian-me

Whatever

https://whatevercleveland.bandcamp.com/

The A-10’s