Rustbelt Rock Review

By: Z.M. Delgado

Rustbeltrockreview.com

Volume #142: Olathia, Storms Within, Nightmare Empire & Sabon

June 15th, 2024

Beachland Tavern 15711 Waterloo Rd, Cleveland, OH 44110

Hello, my friends and welcome back to the Rustbelt Rock Review; your one stop shop for all things Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. This week I have taken yet another journey into the Cleveland underground and I have returned with tales to tell. I was off the Beachland Tavern for an opportunity to check out one of Northeast Ohio’s most impressive artists: Olathia. With them they brought out support from Erie, PA’s Storms Within along with Cleveland’s own Nightmare Empire and young bloods Sabon. With all the pieces in place I was sure it was going to be a memorable evening. I arrived shortly after doors opened. I appeared in the line and was immediately joined by the one and only David “Rolling Thunder” McJunkins Bass player of both Assault and Atomic Witch. We caught up as the line moved and soon enough we found ourselves safely within the confines of the Beachland’s walls. We wandered and mingled taking time and passing words with many of the prominent musicians and members of the Scene. I was taken back by the size of the crowd. Still with the better part of an hour to go before the music started, already we had a nice collection of concert goers in attendance. The minutes flew by and before too long the appointed hour was upon us. The first set of musicians took to the stage, the crowd nestled in close and the show began.

First to the stage was Sabon. They are a four piece, female fronted band that performs in a 90’s style Punk sound. They are built from Vocals/Saxophone, Drums, Guitar and Bass, with backing Vox coming in from the Guitarist. I suppose a thing you need to know about Sabon is that they are a tad on the young side… as in High School at best. The word around the club was that their ages ranged from 12-16 years and that this was their first “real show” at an actual Cleveland venue. But as I have said many times in the past, age is just a number, especially when it comes to Rock N’ Roll. So on the same night that the desiccated bodies of The Rolling Stones were performing downtown, I was on the Eastside, checking out the next generation of talent. With the stage set and the crowd in place Sabon plugged in and officially began their tenure in the Cleveland Underground. They opened up fast and energetic, with perhaps a touch of the jitters. Jitters that quickly dissolved as the music took hold. You could actually see their confidence begin to grow with each passing moment. This was especially apparent in their vocalist, who began to move almost immediately and became ever more animated as the set progressed.

The crowd was drawn in from the get go and applause was applied liberally as the opening number came to a close. Things got more interesting on their second track, when their singer broke out her Saxophone and the band jumped into some sweet Ska action. It was pretty awesome. This was not the only appearance the Sax would make. No, it would pop up again in later compositions as well, adding to the tapestry of Sabon’s sound. Meanwhile, the crowd was losing it’s mind with the completion of each subsequent song. They danced, headbanged and screamed their lungs out in pure Punk rock elation. If my count was correct they played a total of 9 songs. The set climaxed with the closing number, “Chicken Boy.” This drew out the very best of the crowd. It started with one woman skanking and quickly grew into a sizable moshpit. The bodies collided and swirled around as Sabon brought the house down. The crowd absolutely exploded with cheers as their time concluded. I for one was really impressed. My takeaways are all positive on this one. My notebook is packed full of things like “Soaring lead Vox,” “Singer a jumping madwoman,” “Drummer pretty damn good,” “Hammering Bass action” and “Sick Guitar solo,” Sabon was fun, fast and had an abundance of energy. That is probably what my notes harp on more than anything else: the energy... It was intense. Once they got rolling, Sabon played with heart and soul and the unquenchable fire of Rock N’ Roll. It will be interesting to watch them develop and to see where their Rock N’ Roll journey leads them. For fans of Rancid, Operation Ivy and obviously o.g. No Doubt I highly recommend Sabon.

With the first band down, I rendezvoused with my home boy Jimmy “The Dook” Fedor of Roxxxstarradio. We stepped outside to enjoy the weather and hit the pen. Soon enough it was back inside and we planted ourselves firmly before the stage for the nights second act, Nightmare Empire. They are a five man outfit consisting of Vocals, two Guitars, Bass and Drums. The first thing I have to tell you about Nightmare Empire this particular evening was that their drummer arrived with his arm in a sling. Apparently the night prior he had sustained an injury at another gig. Now he was stuck in a painful situation, but he assured me he could still play. I was amazed to see he was 100% correct. As Nightmare Empire broke into their set and it seemed their percussionist hadn’t lost a step. In fact just the opposite was the case as the band opened up hard and heavy and with an increased level of intensity. Now I have seen Nightmare Empire a few times recently and I have to say that this past Saturday they sounded great. Their vocals range from clean to snarling and are powerful as they project dark and twisted fantasy lyrics.

After their second song they developed some wicked feedback that took a few minutes to rectify. Once it was fixed the band fired back up with their own personal ode to Heavy Metal, the hard charging sing along,“This is Your God.” They then broke into their power ballad, “Raven” which held all present captivated. “Virus” came next with it’s punchy gang vocals. Following that was “Sands of Time” which is a song about ancient aliens. This one has a chugging rhythm, good riffs and really shows off the bands veteran presence. Playing a total of 7 tracks they closed with their flagship cut: “Nightmare Empire.” This one has a killer riff and a hook that had the crowd singing along and even doing a bit of call and response. The crowd let out a mighty cheer with the songs completion and they sent Nightmare Empire off with their heads held high. It had been a monumental set. Nightmare Empire rocked and they rocked HARD. With command and authority they blew through their time with a vengeance, leaving all in attendance in awe. For fans of Iron Maiden, Dio and Helloween I would say check out Nightmare Empire asap.

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

With the second band done, The Dook and I repeated out ritual of slipping outside to get stoned. We then headed over to the side patio to chit chat with the musicians as they meandered about. I ran into Rolling Thunder again, and with him was Chris Maggot of Mutilation Barbecue. When I eventually moved my ass back inside I bumped into Shaggy of Bessemer Saints. In fact by this point, the room was filled with familiar faces. It seemed that most of the Scene had turned out for this show. And with good reason. The music thus far had been stellar and that fact showed little chance of changing as up next we had Erie, PA’s Storms Within. This is a five piece female fronted, Traditional Heavy Metal band constructed from Vocals, two Guitars, Bass and Drums. A fun fact about Storms Within: This was their second gig of the day. That’s right. Just hours prior, the band had been in Erie performing. They completed that set, then like true road warriors, loaded up the van and drove all the way to Cleveland to play again. It was a true exhibition of Rock N’ Roll dedication and overall awesomeness. With that being said, after their long travels, they had arrived and they did have a set to play. When the time came, Storms Within burst onto the stage with a “big opening number,” as my notes read. I also jotted down that they had great stage presence and that the crowd was digging them right off the bat.

They absolutely ripped through their first three songs like animals. They then treated us to a brand new track, which I believe was entitled “Let’s go to War.” I really like this one. It’s riffs were simply nasty, with a heavy stomping cadence. Over the course of their 8 song set Storms Within managed to savagely assault our ears with their precise Heavy Metal attack. On songs like “Rage,” “The Sacrifice,” and “Loyalty Lies” they wowed us with both their technical skill as well as their unbridled force. They brought energy and authority to the stage and they Rocked… plain and simple. They delivered cutting riffs, ripping solos and I have to note that their Bass man really jammed. The Drum work was on point as the whole band came together behind their mighty leading lady. Her voice was a thing of monstrous beauty and unquestionable power as she produced enormous notes and vile screams. They closed out with a little number called “End Game” and it had the whole room headbanging to be sure. The crowd gave it up big time for Storms Within as they took their final bows and said goodnight. I was floored. This is a band I’ve seen before and I swear each time they get better. For fans of Halestorm, Pan Benatar, and of course our own Olathia, give Storms Within a listen… I promise you won’t be disappointed.

So it was back outside to hit the vape and then back inside to mix with the crowd as we anxiously awaited our headliner, the unstoppable force that is Olathia. For those of you who are regular readers of the RbRR, this is a band that surely needs no introduction. However we do gain new recruits into our ranks with every passing week, and so for those of you who are just tuning in, let me break things down for you. Olathia is a four member, female fronted band from right here in Cleveland, Ohio. Their style is a mixture of Power, Traditional, Melodic and Thrash Metal all blended together into a unique slurry of Heavy Metal magnificence. (They are also what I would consider a super group, forged from members of Assault/Mutilation Barbecue, Bessemer Saints, First Snow and Nunslaughter.) They are currently performing in support of their newest release “The Forest Witch” which I selected as one of my top albums of 2023. (For a full review of the album check out RbRR #108.) With all that info out of the way, lets get down to the set. Olathia took to the stage and I could immediately feel the anticipation growing among the crowd. The fans howled as the intro music began and erupted further as the first notes of “Snake Charmer” emerged. Smoke jets exploded from around the stage, filling the club with fog. The entire front of the stage was packed tight with fans, all of them headbanging with vigor. They had great reason to do so, as I can attest that Olathia sounded amazing. Bass man, Terry, climbed the monitors and, with his fist pumping in the air, he led the crowd in a resounding chorus of “Ay! Ay! Ay! Ay!” “Insatiable” was next and my notes describe it as “A hammering monstrosity with a crushing breakdown.” Front woman, Chris, was on point without a doubt. Her vocals crooned, soared and, with a sinister edge, growled as she produced notes over an impressive range. The title track from the new album was next. The smoke jets triggered again and my notes read, “Hard charging and nasty A.F.” as this beast of a song played out.

Now I have said it before, that I am a crummy journalist. So let this moment be a testament to my inadequacies. It seems that in my intoxication, I failed to write down what song Olathia played fourth. I did however spend that period of time writing about the bands incredible stage presence. With Terry again climbing the monitor and headbanging like an animal, he steals a lot of the spotlight. However opposite him on the stage is Dylan on Guitar and his stage antics are not to be over looked. He headbangs and flails about continuously all while delivering the most savage face melting solos in the Scene. Behind them is the unsung hero of the act, the incredible Joe. If you watch closely you will see him rocking out, singing along and performing tricks with his sticks between precise percussive strikes. And of course, center stage is Chris, who throws down with equal energy to her band mates. With her horns hoisted high, and voice even higher, she breaks her neck with wild headbanging for each and every song. Fifth in the bands onslaught was the fan favorite, Heavy Metal party anthem, “Shotgun.” This song never fails to gain a cheer and set the entire room dancing and singing along. A pit erupted for the classic track “Seven Deadly Sins” and the entire crowd lifted their arms in unison as Chris sang the lyrics “show me your hands!” “Who’s the Devil?” followed and with it, it’s murderous breakdown. “Black Widow” set the crowd on fire as Dylan cranked out another phenomenal solo. Then came “RoToG” which had the fans dancing stomping headbanging and throwing horns. “Fight” was next and I have to say it was fantastic. The subdued opening of this song is simply gorgeous and then when is breaks open it is crushing to say the least. “Last Breath” followed and, as my notes read, it was “epic Metal perfection.” This song is expansive as it takes you on a journey through an ancient Egyptian landscape. The music over all is amazing; it’s most impressive moments being the long and hypnotic guitar solo it contains. This thing blows my mind every time I see it performed and it never loses it’s edge. Next they went back to the first song on the first album, the undeniable killer: Hellhound. This song is a ripper without a doubt. It is pure power and just about the finest in Olathia’s arsenal. Again the crowd chanted “Ay! Ay! Ay! Ay!” in time with the rhythm, as the song moved towards it’s eventual cataclysmic climax. Closing out the set Olathia elected to go with their fiery cover of Nightwish’s “I Wish I Had an Angel.” This one is a lot of fun, and Terry’s backing Vox on the chorus are always great to hear. The song wound down and the crowd roared in approval. Olathia took a final photo and said goodnight. It had been incredible. Olathia came and did exactly what they are known to do: Tear the roof of the club. They kicked in the door. They conquered the stage and they left the crowd totally satiated… yet still screaming for more. In short they Rocked; plain and simple.

With Olathia now finished, it was time to say goodnight. I made a few quick farewells then dipped out into the street. I headed to my car and turned east with all haste. I was anxious to hit to sack as I had an early morning appointment with Fathers Day festivities. On the trip home however I was still in full Metal mode and I reflected on the evenings events. Sabon had really kicked things off right. They brought a pure unbridled energy and enthusiasm to the stage and earned a lot of fans and street credit along the way. Nightmare Empire put forth a dark performance with a veteran presence. They managed to kick out one hell of a set, even with a wounded drummer, which is commendable. Storms Within was fire! They drove all the way from Erie to bring their brand of Metal to us and I am glad they did. I wish them safe travels and hope they make it back to Cleveland soon. Finally Olathia was outstanding. As my notes put it, Olathia is “The cream of the Scene.” They are among the very best of us. They have it all: passion, musicianship, stage presence, chemistry with the crowd and with each other. They are the total package. So that was my Saturday. Four bands with exceptional talent playing with heart. That, my friends, is what it is all about. On that note I will bring this edition to a close. As always, hoist your horns, bang your heads and wear your earplugs.

Until next time, Rock on, Rustbelt,

-Z.M. Delgado

Rustbelt Rock Review

Rustbeltrockreview.com

6/16-6/17/2024

Links:

Olathia

https://olathia.bandcamp.com/music

https://www.facebook.com/olathiametal/

Storms Within

https://stormswithinofficial.com/

https://www.facebook.com/StormsWithin/