Rustbelt Rock Review

By: Z.M. Delgado

Rustbeltrockreview.com

Volume #174: Bittersweet Revenge, Lower 13 & Heartsick

1/24/2025

Dunlap’s Corner Bar 3258 W 32nd St, Cleveland, OH 44109

Good evening my friends and welcome to another installment of the Rustbelt Rock Review. This week I had a totally awesome time, while visiting a new location. I found myself flying solo as I headed out the door and pointed my car west. Dunlap’s Corner Bar was my destination and new music was my objective. You see Friday night was a special occasion. Cleveland music powerhouse Bittersweet Revenge was debuting their new EP “Heartache Unveiled” live, and I wanted to be their to hear every note. So I arrived at Dunlap’s and made my way inside. I paid the cover and passed Jimmy “The Dook” Fedor of Roxxxstarradio on his way out. He vowed to return quickly and then vanished into the night. I made my rounds of the bar, saying hello to a few familiar faces and perusing the merch. Satisfied that I had gotten the lay of the land I stepped outside for some fresh air and a generous puff upon my vape. Once back inside I saw the Cavs game was on behind the bar. I found a place to stand and watched the game while I awaited The Dook’s return. Soon enough he did reappear and not long after we encountered a few more of the usual suspects. I don’t remember who arrived precisely when, but I recall spending a sizable portion of the show in conversation with Terry “The Bull” of Bessemer Saints/Olathia as well as Jake from Inducing Panic. We also had another sighting of the Tundra boys, who are always out supporting the scene… when they’re not Rockin’ it themselves. So the time slid by and the room really began to fill up. Soon enough, I saw a quartet of musicians approaching the “stage”. (The stage itself is JUST big enough to accommodate a drum set and some amps. The musicians performed on the floor amongst the people.) The crowd, which had become quite sizable, now gathered around and prepared for the first musical offering of the night.

Up first was Lansing, Michigan’s Heartsick. They are a four piece built from Vocals, Guitar, Bass and Drums.) They opened up really heavy, and immediately grabbed my attention. The stage presence of their singer was outstanding. He headbanged, jumped around and raged like a madman throughout the entirety of the set. Their style was kind of hard to pin down; no one genre was dominant in their sound. I detected some elements of Hardcore, Death Metal and NU-Metal as well, so I’d hate to throw a label out there. The vocals on the first song were all screams and growls, but by the time we got into the second song, “Sleep Cycles,” he began to mix in a lot of cleans. Even with the clean Vox, the music stayed aggressive and the crowd seemed to love it. It was around the third song when I began to take notice of the show within the show: The Drummer. This guy was really impressive. His play was flawless and devastatingly heavy. In addition to this he was frequently seen twirling his sticks or tossing them in the air, all while delivering concussive blasts. Simultaneously, the singer leapt up onto a low wall and stood precariously above the crowd. He then jumped off, delighting the fans, before continuing as if nothing had happened. Huge cheers ushered in the song “Event Horizon,” a song sent out to lovers of horror movies. The crowd was undeniably feeling it as they broke out their closing number, “Animal Instinct.” The singer went berzerk, headbanging uncontrollably. The floor before the stage was drenched in sweat, solely due to this one man’s passionate performance. The fans ate it up and really exploded with excitement as the set drew to a close. Heartsick said goodnight and the crowd broke up and went back to the bar. Now I got to watch as frustrated musicians tried to tear down and set up their gear in a room that was packed with people. It bordered on comical as the bands tried to maneuver in and out through the inebriated crowd. All that being said, the job got done, and soon enough Heartsick was out and Lower 13 was in and ready to blow some minds.

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

Now Lower 13 is no new attendee to the RbRR. No, they have graced it’s pages many times and with good reason. Known for the complexity of their music as well as their spectacular two part Vocal attack, Lower 13 is always a treat to see perform. Built from three musicians, Guitar/Vocal, Bass/Vocal and Drums, their music is an amalgam of styles. In would say they have a sound so unique that it sort of defies categorization. With all that being said, I had a few minutes to contemplate such things, as the set was initially delayed due to a problematic microphone. In time the sound guy worked it out and we had ourselves a fully functioning band again. The crowd led out a mighty cheer as the first notes of “More Time” began to pour from the PA. Undeniable heaviness erupted as Lower 13 broke into the set with fury. Beginning with roaring vocals, the two men attacked the mic’s in monstrous fashion. Then in a quick turnabout they abruptly switched to soaring clean harmonies on the chorus. The drum work was fantastic, hard hitting and complex, all delivered by a blur of headbanging hair. Add in a ripping Guitar chorus and you have one hell of an opening number. The crowd screamed in approval. Next came “Swallowed by light.” The drums were calamitous; cymbals crashing without relent. Intricate Bass work followed as well as a flurry of impressive lead licks. “Shining Star” had me flabbergasted. The bands ability to produce stunning Vocal harmonies while playing elaborate compositions is truly a thing to behold. I wasn’t the only one in awe. The crowd continued to be heavily engaged, Rocking out, headbanging and singing along. “The One to Blame” was next and it was fantastic. “A truly bad ass piece of Metal” is what my notes read on the subject and I stand by that statement. Slamming breaks, nasty riffs, growls and harmonies and every note air tight, this song is a beast. Following that they dropped one of their fan fav’s “Embrace the Unknown.” In a frenzy of notes the Bass took off, alongside ripping Guitars and naturally the crowd went wild. Next we were treated to a Drum solo, while the Guitarist swapped out instruments. Once all was settled, the band finished up with a phenomenal cover of System of a Down’s “Chop Suey.” The crowd sang along at top volume, as the band brought their set to a climax and then a close. All in attendance screamed sending Lower 13 off in high style. And so we reached another lull in the action. We milled about, and suffered through some unfortunate club hits through the PA, as the bands changed over again. The crowd didn’t stray far though as Bittersweet Revenge was getting ready to saddle up.

The crowd packed in tight around the stage area. Each and every person in the room seemingly itching with anticipation. Soon enough the amps were plugged in and the players were all in place. It was time for Bittersweet Revenge. For those of you who aren’t familiar with BSR, here’s the basic stats: They are a five man, Hard Rock band. They are made up of Vocals, Two Guitars, Bass and Drums. And they are the reigning champions… holding the title of the best in their genre, according to the Cleveland Music Awards. Bittersweet Revenge has graced the pages of the RbRR on several occasions in the past, but never in so intimate a setting. I was excited to see how it would all play out. The band opened up with a new one, entitled “Silver or Lead.” This was a very solid jam, with heavy churning riffs and big screams. The band was surrounded by fans, pressing in close as the music flowed. Despite their limited space, BSR still performed with outstanding stage presence. The Guitarists rocked out, the Singer was jumping up and down and the Bassman was a constant source of activity. The crowd energy was amazing, matching that of the band right of the bat. Up next was another new one, “Sinner.” This one had a nasty Bassline, mellow and smooth verses and a gritty chorus. The energy all around me was palpable as the crowd moved to the music. Here we got an epic Vocal performance on “Borrowed Time.” This one had the whole crowd singing along... and The Dook was seen throwing down with his can held high in the air. The party vibe only intensified as “Hair of the Dog” poured from the speakers. All around me people were dancing and singing along at the tops of their voices. This one demanded a huge cheer and it got one. At this point the fans were absolutely boiling with excitement. Another new one came next; a number entitled “On Deaf Ears.” This song had a mellowish opening, but it picked up pretty quick. My notes read that it had a “dope Bass line,” “a scorcher of a solo” and that it was “great song” all and all. The next offering from the new EP was “Cigarettes and Sunshine.” This was another killer track. It had a “ripping solo” and climaxed in a “hard ass throwdown.” During this song a man in a skull mask appeared, and began throwing out BSR T-shirts, dancing around and in general stirring up the crowd. The fans really dug this new material, cheering wildly at it’s completion. I believe the next one was “Thrill to Chase.” This song had a hard, fast, romping cadence. Led by the man in the skull mask, a moshpit formed. People swirled and collided and booze flew in all directions. The floor was soaked and flying bodies threatened to overturn the sound board. It was wild. A contagious energy swept the room as the crowd raised their voices to sing out a powerful chorus of “Whoas!” Next the dropped the last one “Blackout” which once again summoned a moshpit. The room reeked of spilled alcohol and sweaty passion. The party raged all around me as fans stomped their feet and banged their heads with glee. Of course that was not the end, and Bittersweet Revenge graced us with “One More Song!” I’m not sure which song they played last, the set list simply says “Last Song, “Cheers!”” so we’ll just go with that. Whatever it was called the band threw down hard and the fans followed suit. Everyone was dancing, moving and shaking it like fools and with good reason. With a real ripper of a solo the song climaxed and soon the set came to a triumphant close. Not surprisingly the fans howled in approval. Collectively the voices rose and sent Bittersweet Revenge off with their heads held high.

And just like that the night came to an end. The Dook and I headed out into the night and then parted ways. I hopped in my car and headed east into the frigid blackness. On my ride home I reflected on what an excellent evening it had been. Heartsick had been intense. They brought in their sound from Michigan and without a doubt impressed the fans here in Cleveland. Lower 13 never disappoints. They blew minds and clutched hearts as they punished the speakers on track after intricate track. Finally Bittersweet Revenge was uncontested excellence. They showcased their new material and hit us with old favorites across a set that won’t soon be forgotten. BSR always brings the fire and their fans always show up in force, but this one was special. Intimate and intense this set will surely stick out in our collective memories. With that I will bring this edition to a close. Bang your heads, hoist your horns and wear your earplugs. Thanks for reading.

Until next time, Rock on, Rustbelt,

-Z.M. Delgado

Rustbelt Rock Review

Rustbeltrockreview.com

1/26-1/27/2025

Links:

Bittersweet Revenge

https://www.facebook.com/bittersweetrevenge216/

Lower 13

https://www.lower13official.com/

Heartsick

https://heartsick.us/