This is absolution

So last night was Taste of Chaos! A great line-up with Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Every Time I Die, In Flames and Killswitch Engage. We got to the academy just in time to see Maylene and the Sons of Disaster fronted by He Is Legend singer Schuyler Croom due to Dallas Taylor being absent from this tour and their previous tour! Not that you would have guessed that Schuyler was just filling in. He did a pretty spectacular job, getting the crowd going and singing his heart out a a lot of respect has to be given to the guy!

Next up where Every Time I Die, having only just started listening these guys after hearing their latest effort New Junk Aesthetic I couldn't wait to check them out live and they didn't disappoint, it was blistering loud hardcore with a southern rock edge. Keith Buckley's vocals are intense and songs such as 'Ebolarama' and 'Roman Holiday' powered their way across the crowd. They got a great crowd response and with minimal interaction they let the music speak for itself.

In Flames were next, I can't say I'm particular fan of their music, I have at least 5 albums on my computer and thought I'd give them a listen before the show but with not much variety in their songs I didn't hold much hope for them live. They did not convert me and I will probably never listen to them but they did put on a good show with paint by numbers metal I couldn't fault them.

Finally Killswitch Engage took to the stage all sporting white tuxedo t-shirts, very smart! It was quite clear who everyone had to come to see with horns raised high from the front to the back. Opening with My Curse with the crowd singing along to every word it clear from the word go that they were to here to have a good time. Howard Jones ever the charismatic front man and Adam Dutkiewicz 'bringing the cape back into metal' was on form bounding around the stage and cracking jokes between songs. Bathed in a red light for the majority of the show and an impressive stage setup Killswitch cranked out the hits, with 'My last serenade', 'The end of heartache' and 'Starting over' off the latest self-titled album all getting an airing. With an encore of 'Holy Diver' and with the crowd baying for more they left the stage to rapturous applause and I left with a smile plastered to my face.