Rustbelt Rock Review

By: Z.M. Delgado

Rustbeltrockreview.com

Volume #165: American Werewolves, Beast Killer & Cheap Easies

November 30, 2024

No Class 11213 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, OH 44102

Good evening, my fellow connoisseur of all things that Rock and Roll. It is I, Z.M. Delgado, your guide into the strange and fantastical world of the Cleveland Underground. I have once again returned from it’s depths with twisted and tantalizing tales to tell. This week I ventured to an old haunt with a new cast of allies by my side. It was Saturday night so started things off by munching down two gummies as I stared at the clock. It was a cold and snowy eve as I anxiously waited for my extraction. It finally went down around 8pm, when my friend and official tattoo artist Eric, arrived to pick me up. With him was his entourage, Mikey, Amanda and Natalie, aka the unrivaled artistic team of Iron Clad Tattoos. The five of us packed into an SUV and I handed out some of my gummies as Eric steered the behemoth toward the freeway. Our destination was No Class on Cleveland’s west side. They were hosting an exceptional event: American Werewolves were performing a Samhain tribute set. Filling out the bill was Beast Killer with special guests Cheap Easies. This was a special event to some extent. You see Eric has been telling me about American Werewolves for sometime now. Similarly, I’ve been trying to turn him on to Beast Killer since I first discovered them. This bill satisfied us both and set the stage for what looked to be an excellent night of music. So we drove, and soon found ourselves coasting up and down the darkened streets of Cleveland in search of a parking space. It was a long cold hike from the car to the club, but we warmed our bones with a roasting joint. We entered the No Class from the rear, paid the cover and just like that... we had arrived. We were running a bit behind schedule, so the first act was already hard at work as I approached the stage.

Up first was Cheap Easies, a three piece Punk band made up of Guitar/Vocals, Bass/Backing Vocals and Drums/Backing Vocals. As I said they were already ripping along when we pulled up. I didn’t know how much I missed, so I got my ass to work without delay. Here’s what I came up with. Their music was what I would describe as Melodic Punk. They had clean vocals and an upbeat sing-songy style. Hallmarks of their sound were a fast and energetic drum work, solid grooving Bass lines and all around nice riffs. Their songs were short and sweet, and on one after another, my notes hammered on the melodies. The songs had a sort of nostalgic quality to them as well. At times the music reminded me of long lost summers, skate sessions and guerrilla beach parties. While they had there own sound, I picked up influences from bands like The Bouncing Souls, Lagwagon, The Ataris and Rancid. While I regret I only got to hear six songs, I enjoyed what I saw, as did the fans that surrounded me. Strong applause followed every song and from where I was standing I could tell the room was feeling it. Cheap Easies finished up and got a solid cheer from the crowd for their effort. Then sensing a tremor in The Force, Eric and I decided to head outside to burn a joint as the bands switched over.

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

Once the doob was exhausted we headed back inside and I reiterated to the crew that they should pay close attention because Beast Killer was up next. This is a band I have covered many times, but for those of you who are new to the RbRR, I’ll break it down for you. Beast Killer is a two piece Punk group made up of Guitar/Vocals and Drums. They play a style that is fast, hard and gritty. With two full length albums under their belts and a new EP due early next year, they are quickly emerging as one of the top tier acts in our thriving Punk scene. Opening up with the savage number that bears their name, “Beast Killer,” they tore the roof off of No Class from their first notes. “Ripping,” “Driving,” and “Hammering” are three words that I use to describe the first song and Beast Killer was just getting warmed up. “Violent Creatures” was next and it was wild. Both members of the band showed off a lot of stage presence, Rocking out and headbanging as they performed with pure passion. “Broken Glass” was intense and at it’s climax the vocals were monstrous. “Pixels” was, as my notes so eloquently put it, “fucking devastating.” It’s sounds cut through the air like a buzz saw blazing. After that they played one of my absolute favs, their end times anthem: “Comet.” Rockin’ and soulful, the apocalypse never sounded so amazing to my ears. This they followed with “Bitter” which, I’ve decided, has some truly sick Drum work on it. But that is not surprising as Beast Killer’s Kris is known as one of the sickest percussion machines you’ll ever come across. Next they broke out their Punkified interpretation of Jimi Hendrix’s Manic Depression, which always kills. Speaking of killing, “Synapse” is an absolute murderer live. This song is one Beast Killer’s strongest pieces and I truly love it. It had my blood pumping and my head banging as Chris wailed “We’re not the same kids anymore!” As if that wasn’t enough, they broke out “Neurotic Ep1 Se3,” which is yet another of my favorite songs by the band. Rattling the foundations of the club, Beast Killer did not disappoint. Yet they weren’t finished. No, they had one final surprise in store for their rabid fans: a brand new song! Our first glimpse at the new EP, was a little number called “Sparks.” With a galloping rhythm, a bitchin’ riff and a cool vocal pattern this song felt like another home run from the boys. (I’ll tell you, I cannot wait to get my hands on that EP! Release party scheduled for February 21, 2025!) The fans screamed as Beast Killer brought their set to a close. It had been a phenomenal performance, and the crowd reaction undoubtedly reflected that. More importantly, my companions all had positive things to say, which stoked the fires in my heart. You see, turning people on to new music is one to the great pleasures in life for me. It is a large part of the reasons behind why I do what I do with the RbRR. So when I get to pass on a band as great as Beast Killer, well, that’s just a good day at the office. With the second band of the night now finished it was back to the patio for another round of reefer, then back inside for the main event.

Arranging ourselves at center stage, stoned to the bone, we were ready to Rock. American Werewolves was up next and I was excited to be seeing them for two reasons. One, they are one of the premier Punk outfits in our scene and I believe that the RbRR has been long overdue in paying them a visit. And two, American Werewolves were performing a Samhain tribute set, which I thought was a fantastic idea. So as the lights dropped, I was ecstatic to see what was to come. (I believe it is worth noting at this point that Kris from Beast Killer was filling in on drums for American Werewolves.) Opening with the ranting “Initium” the band began, then rolled right into “Samhain” without pause. Following that they ripped their way into “Black Dream.” My notes call this one “Killer” and state that the band “sounds great.” But the good times were just getting rolling! Next American Werewolves broke into “All Murder, All Guts, All Fun,” which was a definite crowd pleaser. Everywhere I looked people were dancing and Rocking out all around the room. Things got even better as they pulled out “Horror Biz” and a sing along ensued. “He Who Can Not Be Named” brought a guest Vocalist to the stage, a man known to us only as “Pants.” That they followed with “The Shift” which my notes describe as having “drums that murder.” Next they made my night and played my all time favorite Samhain song “The Howl.” It was a bad ass rendition where their singer hit some very big Danzig style notes that I found very impressive. On “Mother of Mercy” we got another excellent sing along as the fans joined American Werewolves in wailing out “We all want our time in hell!” Then they delivered some eerie vibes when they summoned “To Walk The Night.” The drums pounded and the riffs chugged as they flawlessly delivered this monster track. Then it was time to pick up the tempo with the scorching “Let The Day Begin.” The final Samhain song of the night was “Archangel” which had the room singing at the tops of our lungs. But American Werewolves weren’t finished yet. No, they would go on to pummel us with five more original songs from their own catalog. This is when the show got really exciting. The crowd had certainly been lively for the Samhain portion of the set, but now that we had reached American Werewolves territory things were set to get wild. Immediately people began singing and dancing. Huge “Whoas!” filled the air as the fans lifted their souls in raucous joy. The energy went through the roof as banger after banger drove the crowd into a frenzy. The final song saw the dancing give way to moshing. A whiplashing pit erupted as the fans allowed their passions to boil over. The closer ended and American Werewolves said goodnight. The crowd roared! The applause was as long, as it was loud, as it was well deserved. What a set! American Werewolves had done an amazing job of bringing Samhain’s music to life for us. They did so with respect, power and precision. The truth is that most of us never had the opportunity to see the original band play live, so this was undoubtedly a special treat. Following it up with a few of their home grown bangers was a nice bonus... just the icing on an already filling cake.

With the music now at a close we hung around the club for a while, chatting with friends and smoking joints. Eventually we turned from the warmth and safety of No Class and headed out into the frigid wilds of Western Cleveland. Then it was a long ride and good conversation as Eric dropped off each of our companions in turn. The trip was ultimately uneventful and I was last to be deposited. When finally inside I found myself to be quite exhausted and made my way to bed with all speed. Then it was off to dreamland with the faint song of tinnitus clinging to my ears. Seriously though, what a night! I was fortunate enough to hang with some awesome people, smoke a lot of dope and check out some bad ass music. Cheap Easies was a lot of fun and I enjoyed their smooth bass and solid riffs. Beast Killer was savage. Their two piece assault packed an unquestionable punch. Finally American Werewolves absolutely killed it! They pulled off a Samhain tribute set and they did a damn good job of it too. I’m a huge fan of all things Danzig, and that of course includes Samhain. So when I say they did a damn good job, then you can believe it. For what it’s worth, I really liked their original songs too! Based on the quality of play, the strength of the performance and the solid songwriting, I have no doubt I will be paying American Werewolves a visit some time in the future. On that note I will bring this edition to a close. Bang your head, hoist your horns and wear your earplugs!

Until next time, Rock on, Rustbelt,

-Z.M. Delgado

Rustbelt Rock Review

Rustbeltrockreview.com

12/1/24

Links:

American Werewolves

https://www.facebook.com/americanwerewolvesband/

https://americanwerewolves.bandcamp.com/music

Beast Killer

https://www.facebook.com/BeastKillerBand/

https://beastkillerband.bandcamp.com/