Rustbelt Rock Review

By: Z.M. Delgado

Rustbeltrockreview.com

Volume #194: Void, Assault, Rip Ryde & Tundra

June 16th, 2025

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

Greetings and salutations! Welcome back to the Rustbelt Rock Review. We have a bonus issue this week, as I was fortunate enough to attend a bonus show, so to speak. The show in question was the debut of Louisiana’s Void in Cleveland. In support they had some of the North Coast’s most talented acts: Assault, Rip Ryde and Tundra. With a line up that stacked this was a show I was not willing to miss... despite the fact that it was going down on a Monday night. So I strapped on my Battlevest and hit the highway, arriving at the legendary Grog Shop right as doors were opening. I paid the man and slid inside. There I greeted the various band members as they drifted about. Not surprisingly I was quickly joined by the man himself: Jimmy “The Dook” Fedor of RoXXXstarradio. The Dook proclaimed it Joint Thirty, and we adjourned to the street for some much needed refreshment. Returning to the club we soon our ran into our friend Tree, with her as always was Terry “The Bull” of Olathia & Bessemer Saints. Also in the house was Greg from Atomic Witch and Nick from Galactic Reptile. In addition we had a sighting of 200 Stab Wounds Vocal/Guitar, Steve. Cruising through the crowd, mingling with familiar faces melted away the time. Then without further delay, the show began and at last the Metal did flow.

First to the stage was Tundra. This is a four piece, Traditional Heavy Metal band, made up of Vocals, Guitar/Backing Vox, Bass and Drums. Before they even began, I found myself impressed with the size of the crowd. There was a very nice amount of people in attendance, Monday night or not. Opening with “The Voices Are Calling” they dove into their set. With instantaneous fire, Tundra came out and they pulled no punches. With intricate musicianship they charged through their first track, dishing out shredding solos and piercing lead Vocals. Breaking out a wicked riff, they dove into “Hell’s Heroes.” The tempo was driving and the Kick Drum ran wild as this banger unfolded. On their trademark cover, Thor’s “Thunder on the Tundra,” the Guitars and Drums continued to impress me. “Tried and True” demanded a bit of call and response between the band and the fans. Wielding a legit sword, Tundra’s frontman led the fans through the paces and we all sang along. “Grim Reaper” was 5 String Bass fury. The band exhibited some nice stage presence, Rocking out and getting down for the crowd. Finally closing out the set, they broke out a second cover. This time it was the classic “Breaking The Law” by the immortal Judas Priest. This was a strong rendition with a bitchin’ solo and a big Vocal finish. I do proclaim and wholeheartedly believe that the Metal God would be pleased by this ripping offering. The crowd screamed. Shouts rose and hands clapped as the fans collectively let Tundra know that they had certifiably Rocked the house. With Tundra through, we returned to the sidewalk in front of the club and roasted another bone.

Back inside, as the fans meandered about, I noticed our associate, Laura of the Blunts, had arrived. She joined our party, as the crowd before the stage thickened. Meanwhile, Rip Ryde was gearing up and getting ready to begin. This is a five man band built from Vocals, two Guitars, Bass and Drums. They began with a melody and a tempo that were both blazing. “Crypnotized” was all driving riffs and slick Bass work. The Vocals were clean, the solo was wicked and the Kick drum action was killer. The crowd gave up a big cheer as the song ended. Next they jumped into “My Oh My” and immediately the frontman was Rocking out. The chords were strong and the Bass ran wild. Showing some social conscious, they discussed the plight of the Native American on “Dance for the Massacre.” On this track Rip Ryde undeniably ripped; plain and simple. The Drum work was pure punishment met by a galloping Bassline that kept crowd engaged. “Forever Numb” opened with blistering notes and savage rhythms. Fast paced it rolled on unstoppable. Here I really zeroed in on the Bass player and observed his play. The man is a phenom! His fingers move in such a way that they must surely be made of rubber. It is truly impressive. Here the Rip Ryde got gut punched by every bands nemesis: Technical Difficulties. There was an abundance of feedback on stage, that took a minute to track down and eventually eliminate. With the sound problems placed in the rear view Rip Ryde broke into “Stop, Rip and Roll.” This song had great energy that had the crowd completely enthralled. Finally closing out the set they dropped “Jack of Spades.” The riff was bitchin’, the Bass line throbbed and the Drums packed in a solid groove. The Vox took on a snarling quality that added a lot of punch to the mix. All in all this song left it’s mark on the performance. It’s not the hardest, nor the fastest song in the set, but somehow it was the best. In a large part I have to say it was due to the phenomenal Guitar solos that fill out a sizable portion of the track. It was a bone breaking shredfest to say the least. Upon it’s conclusion the crowd threw out a mighty cheer. Rip Ryde had been pulse pounding and the fan response reflected that. The band began to break down their gear and we slipped back outside to burn down.

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

Stoned to the bone and I was ready to Rock. In fact, I was more than ready. You see, Assault was up next. At this point I was excited to say the least. This was the first Assault gig in a looooong time, and I was chomping at the bit to watch the boys get down. Like a kid on x-mas morning I squirmed in anticipation as they set up. For those of you who are new to the Review, I’ll break it down for you. Assault is a four man Thrash Metal band formed from Guitar/Vocals, Bass/Backing Vocals, Guitar/Backing Vocals and Drums. They began with their customary, lighthearted stage banter. From there things were anything but lighthearted, as they broke into “Death Solution” and abruptly flattened the room. Just like that the “Kings of Cleveland Thrash” were back with a vengeance. With great stage presence and furious play, Assault did what they do best… they Thrashed! Frontman Dylan’s voice was like a meatgrinder. Snarling and wrathful he delivered the lyrics with vile energy. Diving into “Pinnacle of Suffering” a pit erupted, led by the boys in Tundra. The solo’s spun like buzzsaws, tearing apart everything in front of them. Meanwhile, the mythical Bassist, “Rolling Thunder” laid down slick lines of grooving, throbbing power. Next came the title track of their debut album “A Blind Eye.” On this one the Drum work of Owen was amazing, hardhitting and complex. “Leech” followed and had the crowd headbanging to the thunderous rhythm. Turning up the velocity they broke out “Obey/Decay.” The pace at which they played this one was mind blowing. Guitarist Zeke vibed with his eyes closed. Playing at blistering speeds he absolutely slaughtered his solos. At center stage Dylan fired back, taking to his Wah Wah pedal he bent his notes as he set his strings ablaze. Here is where we got a real treat: new Assault! For the first time in two years, we got brand new tunes from the fearsome foursome. The song had no name, but it did have rapid fire riffs, a sweet melodic breakdown and a bitchin’ solo. After that they played yet another new one, which I also loved! It had a super ripper riff that was completely devastating, the Drums hammered and their were some tandem Guitars that put the icing on the cake. After the two new ones, they jumped right back into the album and hit us with my personal favorite: “Antebellum.” This song I have christened “the ripper’s ripper” for it’s unbelievable speed. What is even more unbelievable is the fact that they notoriously play it even faster live! At this point the boys from Void rushed the stage. They had in their possession perhaps a dozen inflated rubber gloves which they proceeded to pelt Assault with. The gloves bounced around the club and were volleyed about by the fans for the remainder of the set. Finally closing out their time Assault dropped what is unquestionably their heaviest song: the mighty “Obliviate.” As the band Rocked out hard, the hammering heaviness came pouring forth from the speakers. The crowd went wild, headbanging and matching the bands energy pound for pound. At the songs conclusion the raucous fans let out cheer, long and loud. They were clearly loving every song and every note. In an atomic wave of white hot solos the Thrash Kings returned. With some brand new material under their belts, Assault was back! I for one couldn’t have been happier. With joy in my heart, we returned to the picnic tables outside the club and burned down one more time before the headlining set.

Up from LaFayette, Louisiana, Void was poised and ready to Rock N’ Roll. This five piece Thrash band is made up of Vocals, two Guitars, Bass and Drums. With a fog machine rolling, they filled the club with a cloud. They took to the stage wearing some sort of fancy costumed shirts. Looking like Olde Tyme Swashbucklers, they broke into their set, and immediately began kicking ass. Opening with “Lazarus” they began ripping without mercy. Clutching a very cool chain link mic stand, their singer began Rocking out hard. With a huge Voice their frontman led the onslaught with his energy. He wasn’t alone either. In fact the entire band exhibited great stage presence. “Return of the Phantom” was next. It had some very nice back and forth on the Guitars, some solid backing Vox and a nice melodic portion tucked within. The crowd loved it and gave up a big cheer. Next they played one I didn’t catch the name of; it was perhaps called “Voodoo.” I’m not sure. Whatever it was named, it was another killer. Packing a more operatic Vocal it also held some sick Bass action and nice solo. Fourth in the set came a song called “First In, Last Out.” This song my notes describe as “Totally awesome Thrash.” A short and sweet description. The crowd loved it, as they headbanged with glee. Following that came the bands newest release, “Apparition.” This song was bad ass, and was loaded with sick Drum fills and dual Guitar shredding. “Gateways of Stone” was next and another dose of hard driving Thrash Metal was what we got. “9 Blood Moons” had a very cool Drum intro and again I made notes about the bands exceptional stage performance. They moved and grooved, headbanged and interacted with fans, all without missing a note. Finally closing out the set they broke out a song they introduced as “Victims of the Blade.” A mosh pit started up and the fans gathered around banged their heads with vigor. This was a fitting end to a fantastic set. The fans screamed and applauded loudly as Void brought their set to a close. I for one was very impressed. Void is without a doubt a top notch Thrash act, who completely Rocked the Grog Shop on their first ever visit to Cleveland. I would suggest them to all Thrash Metal fans, especially for those who dig on Testament and Anthrax.

And just like that the show was over. We said our goodbyes and headed to the cars. Off I drove into the night and not quickly enough to my bed. It was late for a Monday, and I had an early morning ahead of me. But sometimes that’s the price you have to pay for the love of Metal. Exhaustion and sleep deprivation put aside, it had been one hell of a show. Tundra killed it. They kicked off the show with their trademark frozen riffs and set a fire under our asses. Rip Ryde impressed me with their great song writing and complex musicianship. Assault brought their A game and delivered on their promise to bring us new music… which was amazing! Finally Void introduced themselves to the Cleveland Scene and I have to say we all got along just fine. They brought their brand of Southern Thrash to the North Coast and they Rocked the house, plain and simple. So there you have it. Another show, another review, and now, another goodbye. Thank you so much for reading! Don’t forget to bang your head, hoist your horns and always wear your earplugs. I’ll see you out there.

Until next time, Rock on, Rustbelt,

-Z.M. Delgado

Rustbelt Rock Review

Rustbeltrockreview.com

6/18/25

Links:

Void

https://officialvoid.com/home

Assault

https://www.assaultcle.com/

Rip Ryde

https://ripryde.bandcamp.com/