Rustbelt Rock Review

By: Z.M. Delgado

Rustbeltrockreview.com

Volume #169: Druparia Album Release for “The River Above” feat. Blood Coven, The Jotunn & Storm Reaver

December 27th, 2024

The Foundry Concert Club 11729 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, OH 44107

Good afternoon my fellow lover of the heaviest of the heavy. Glory to you and to your house! I find myself once again at the keyboard with another fantastic show to recall. It all went down this past Friday night at the Foundry Concert Club. There Druparia was celebrating the release of their first full length album: “The River Above.” If you read my review of the album (RbRR #166) you can probably guess that I was excited for this event to go down. My evening began with a bowl of the Super Boof, while I waited for Chen Killingsworth. Upon his arrival we saddled up and hit the road, headed west with all speed. We arrived at the Foundry some time after doors and quickly made our way inside. We waited and mingled, making conversation with friends as they drifted past. Most notable of these interactions was my conversation with one of my favorite people: Shaggy of Bessemer Saints/The Rick Ray Band. In due time I saw musicians mounting the stage and thus Chen and I made our way to the rear of the room.

Kicking off the evening was Storm Reaver. This is a four man Death Thrash outfit made from Guitar/Vocals, Guitar/Backing Vocals, Bass and Drums. They opened up very heavy. Their vocalist unleashed and wicked mix of guttural growls and shrieking snarls. The music was all encompassing wall of sound interlaced with some bitchin’ solos. They had some nice build ups and breakdowns. They played hard and they played fast; delivering jack hammer riffs and calamitous drums. Everything was going well enough, until we hit their fourth song, and the set was brought to a halt due to technical difficulties. Something went wrong with the Bass and it took quite a long time to get it rectified. By the time they got it all squared away, much of the sets momentum had been lost, but Storm Reaver didn’t let that stop them. Hell no! They fired back with their best song yet. Hard, fast and aggressive it was a real ripper. They closed out with a song entitled “Fall of Man,” which was also pretty solid and it did pack in another one of those amazing Guitar solos. The set ended and Storm Reaver called it a night. The crowd gave up some loud applause sending the band off with something to be proud of. For fans of Death and old school Sepultura I would definitely recommend Storm Reaver.

Next up was The Jotunn. This is a Melodic Deathcore band that I believe normally has five members. However, due to illness, The Jotunn was running at about half strength. Just three gentlemen took to the stage: Vocals, Guitar and Bass, accompanied by a laptop. Proclaiming that they “don’t cancel shows” they battled on despite obvious obstacles. With Drums and Lead Guitar piped in via the house speakers, the band launched into their set without delay. They opened without mercy and they gave no quarter. All three members exhibited solid stage presence, particularly their frontman, who moved about continuously while delivering deep guttural Vocals. Sampled strings, keys and sound effects were woven into the mix adding dark layers to each song. The set was comprised of their new EP “Summoner” and a mix of their older material from the “Graveworshipper” album. The highlights for me were the devastating “Isolation Piece,” “Ulceration” and my personal favorite, “Infinite Stalker.” Even as they battled back from illness, and with missing members, The Jotunn performed a brutal and entertaining set. Cranking out seven total songs, they held the crowds undivided attention for the entirety of their time. With a mighty cheer the fans sent The Jotunn off with their heads held high.

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

Third to perform this evening was Death Metal veterans Blood Coven. This is a four man band constructed from Guitar/Vocals, Guitar, Bass and Drums. They opened up and immediately threw down. Snarling, growling chaos came forth from the vocalists lips, as the band laid out a monstrous track. With a galloping tempo the set launched and Blood Coven never looked back. With fantastic stage presence the front man addressed the crowd. Headbanging and rocking out continuously, he led the charge. The Guitarist delivered wave after wave of crushing riffs. All the while the Drumwork was on point as was play of the Bassist. Blood Coven served up a serious dose of Death Metal, hammering their point home on track after merciless track. They earned strong applause, especially on “Godless and Wicked” and “An Angel’s Rage.” I believe they played a total of 6 songs before calling it a night. Closing out with a little ditty known as “12 Gauge Anal Rape” they blew the roof of the Foundry one last time. The crowd gave up a big cheer and sent Blood Coven off in style. If you’re a fan of old school Death Metal, then I would suggest you check out Blood Coven right away. Just like that we had three bands down, with just one left on the docket. It was zero hour. Time for our headliner...The main event... The unstoppable Druparia was coming to the stage.

Yes, the moment we’d all been wait for had finally arrived. Druparia had set up, plugged in and were ready to Rock. For those of you who are unaware, Druparia is a five man Melodic Death Metal band. They are comprised of Vocals, two Guitars, Bass/Backing Vocals and Drums. And yes, as I mentioned earlier, this was their Album Release Party for their debut full length, “The River Above.” They opened up with lead single “Sever the Roots” and immediately set fire to the room. The Guitars blazed, the vocals seared, the Bass quaked and the percussion hit like a meteor strike. “Savage,” “Explosive,” and “Punishing” are some of the words I use to describe the set that was to follow. Magnificent and powerful, the music of “The River Above” is a masterful work of songwriting… and as I was about to discover, it is pure Heavy Metal magic when performed live. Quite simply, Druparia is the total package. They are a pairing of gorgeous melodies with limitless heaviness. They have the ability to both tug at your heartstrings, while simultaneously breaking your neck. Suffice to say, they flawlessly intertwine both beauty and beast. On tracks like “In Repose, Descend,” “Bereavement” and the epic closer “When Cranes Return” Druparia proved that they are an unstoppable juggernaut of Death Metal. The crowd was mesmerized by each track. They roared as each song climaxed. They stood awestruck as the next stunning composition began. Over the course of their eight song set they held the crowd utterly captivated and completely enthralled. By the time it was over we were sufficiently exhausted yet still hungry. The fans screamed for more, but no encore would have been enough. Druparia could have played on and on and we would have been more than happy to stay and bang our heads into the wee hours of the morning.

Alas, all good things must come to an end and that unfortunate end did arrive for Druparia’s set Friday night. The lights came up, the crowd dispersed and soon enough Chen and I found ourselves on the Shoreway headed east toward home. We spent the trip in conversation; discussing the nights events. We agreed it had been a most triumphant evening indeed. Storm Reaver kicked things into high gear early starting the show off with a blast of Death Thrash fury. The Jotunn showed us the meaning of perseverance, as they battle through illness and a reduced lineup to provide us with a slamming Deathcore set. Blood Coven was a beast to be sure, bringing an old school Death Metal sound to the stage. And finally Druparia was nothing short of phenomenal. They delivered a set of incendiary quality and left the crowd screaming for more. In short, it was a banger and I and damn sure glad that I was in attendance. So thanks for reading. Bang your heads, hoist your horns and always wear your earplugs.

Until next time, Rock on, Rustbelt,

-Z.M. Delgado

Rustbelt Rock Review

Rustbeltrockreview.com

12/29-12/30/2024

Links:

Druparia

https://druparia.bandcamp.com/

Blood Coven

https://bloodcoven.bandcamp.com/album/blood-and-battle

The Jotunn

https://jotunn.bandcamp.com/