Frozen Soul
Frozen Soul, hailing all the way from Dallas, Texas. Bringing some icy brutality to the death metal game.
All members are as follows:
Chad Green (Vocals)
Samantha Mobley (Bass)
Matt Dennard (Drums)
Chris Bonner (Guitar)
Michael Munday (Guitar)
In the year 2016, members Chad and Michael had a chance meeting at a comic bookstore. The two instantly hit it off as friends, sharing the same taste in games, music, etc, thus
laying the foundation for Frozen Soul to emerge in 2018. How it started was the creation of riffs too heavy for the band that Chad Green was trying to revive, End Times. The first full song written for Frozen Soul was "Hand of Vengeance." In 2019 they kicked off and started writing the inaugural demo which they would perform just a couple of months later at their first show, which was almost completely sold out with the stacked lineup of Blood Incantation and Necrot. The band was mistaken for a touring band at the time by some local hometown individuals
who were shocked to learn that Frozen Soul was local. Their first tour in the summer was a west coast tour and then another tour followed in October including the Midwest. The steady set of shows with names like Obituary, Exhumed, and Vader helped get their name out there.
This band brings a cold touch with their brutal death metal sound with inspirations from old-school death metal bands such as Mortician, Bolt Thrower, and Obituary with themes of ice, winter, death, and dark magic. As of currently, in 2024, they're sitting at 39,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and continue to steadily rise.
The setlist goes as follows for the night:
As Frozen Soul entered the stage, I prepared for one of the coldest and most amazing sets I've ever experienced. I smiled so much when they started playing. Almost instantly, a circle pit started, and havoc was being wreaked. At one point, the vocalist lifted up the mic stand above his head, showing it to the crowd, and then slammed it on the ground. I didn't see any crowd surfers yet though, which was shocking to me. I asked the security what they would do if I crowd-surfed, they said, "We'd catch you because we don't want you to get hurt" and so I went for it. I ran to someone in the back and asked if they would help me up, and they did. It was during "Arsenal of War" (which so happens to be the first song I ever heard from them). I was the first crowd surfer that night and immediately had others following in my footsteps. Every time I'm at a show, and there's a band that I love playing, I always make sure to give the energy back to the band that they're giving me, and the energy Frozen Soul was giving was absolute cold brutality.
Even though I'm a fairly new fan of Frozen Soul, I have to say these guys have a solid place in my heart as I've grown to love their songs. My current favorite to listen to over and over is Morbid Effigy. When I found out
about this band, I was looking at this tour lineup. I love listening to new bands I've never heard of before, so I decided to give them a shot. When my ears heard Frozen Soul for the first time, I had chills. I have no doubt that Frozen Soul is well on the way to becoming a staple in the death metal community like the ones who are listed on this tour bill such as Cannibal Corpse, Amon Amarth, and Obituary.
Obituary
Obituary, hailing from the Tampa Bay area of Florida. This band was originally formed in the year 1984. All members past and current are as follows:
Current:
John Tardy (vocals)
Trevor Peres (Guitar)
Kenny Andrews (Guitar)
Terry Butler (Bass)
Donald Tardy (Drums)
Past
Daniel Tucker (Bass)
Allen West (Guitar)
Frank Watkins (Bass)
James Murphy (Guitar)
Ralph Santolla (Guitar)
The band was originally named Executioner but then changed after realizing there was already another band named Executioner. The band's name was then changed to Xecutioner. The band released demos in the years 1985,1986,1987; 1985 as Executioner and 1986-87 as Xecutioner. Shortly after the band's first full album "Slowly We Rot," they changed their name to "Obituary." Then there was a lineup change and the band welcomed Frank and James. With the new lineup, they recorded the second album "Cause of Death," released in September of 1990. With this album, they then went on to do a world tour. first in the U.S., then to Europe, and back again. Afterward they had some more lineup changes along with more albums released; one of the albums being "The End Complete" which charted in Europe and the U.S. This then caused the first-ever Obituary music video. In 1997 they grew tired of touring and then took a hiatus but then resurfaced in the year 2003. They have been on the steady rise ever since.
Their sound takes inspiration from bands like Savatage, Nasty Savage, Morbid Angel, and Death with themes of Death and Gore.
The setlist from that night is as followed:
I remember right before Obituary came onto the stage when the curtains were still closed, the lights shined onto the curtains with their logo; then the curtains opened, and Obituary was on stage ready to bring the energy; and they sure did. I remember seeing some push pits start at the beginning of the first song. After I was done shooting photos, I went into the pit myself to let some of my energy out because I know, when I'm listening to a band that I'm vibing with, I tend to get energetic. After going into the pit, I then promptly crowd-surfed my way back to the photo pit.
Like with Frozen Soul, I also surprisingly hadn't heard of Obituary up until this tour was announced. The first song I listened to by them was "Redneck Stomp" and I was an instant fan. I'm absolutely planning to see this band in concert again
Cannibal Corpse
Cannibal Corpse was formed in Buffalo New York.1988 was a good year for death metal, as Cannibal Corpse was born. All members past and current are as follows:
Current:
George "Corpse Grinder" Fisher (Vocals)
Eric Rutan (Guitar)
Rob Barrett (Guitar)
Paul Mazurkiewicz (Drums)
Alex Webster (Bass)
Past:
Chris Barnes (Vocals)
Bob Rusay (Guitar)
Pat O'Brien (Guitar)
Jack Owen (Guitar)
Cannibal Corpse is said to be one of the most important death metal groups in the 80s and 90s as they paved the road for others. Drawing inspiration from thrash bands like Metallica, and Slayer to Death Metal bands like Morbid Angel, Autopsy, Possessed, and Death; Thus created the sound that we all know and love that is Cannibal Corpse. It features themes such as Gore, Zombies, Necrophilia, Cannibalism, and Torture.
Alex Webster came up with the name Cannibal Corpse as a way to describe a corpse that was going to eat you. In March of 1989, they had their first show at Buffalos River Rock Cafe
and after just a year, they were already signed with Metal Blade Records. For their first four albums, Chris Barnes was a large part of the creative force behind the band as the vocalist and lyricist. Afterward, Cannibal Corpse and Barnes parted ways because of some personality differences as well as increasingly poor vocal performances. In 1995, Cannibal Corpse
introduced George "Corpse Grinder" Fisher as their new vocalist. And ever since, the band has taken off and gone on to do many albums as well as countless tours and concerts.
Sources show though, that there have been a lot of stigmas behind Cannibal Corpse, especially over in Europe. They have been getting regulated for years because parents and teachers have gathered over the years to make complaints. They think that Cannibal Corpse is dangerous for their children, when, in all honesty, that couldn't be farther from the truth. They're just trying to spread the word of holy music that is death metal. For a band that has had a lot of stigmas, they are doing amazing. They currently sit at 673,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. They're named to be one the staples and most famous bands in death metal history.
The setlist for the night is as follows:
When Cannibal Corpse started their set, I immediately sprung into action because I knew this would be a vicious set; and I was correct. Immediately, 30 seconds into the first song, I counted a couple of crowdsurfers. The mosh pit was absolute brutality with a capital B. Circle pit after circle pit and pushpit after pushpit, the crowd did NOT let up. After the third song was done, I immediately went to the back of the crowd to find someone to help me up to crowd surf. I crowd-surfed not once but twice during this set as I just had to get my energy out. I made friends with a couple of people near the side stage and one girl was telling me she had never crowd-surfed before, so I told her I'd help her up and I did. I ran with her to the back of the crowd and found someone to help lift her up and when she got up in
the air, she had the biggest smile. I can't count how many people I saw moving during. Cannibal Corpse's set. I remember being up top on the second floor when "I C** Blood" came on. I always love the little speech George gives right before it starts that goes like, "This is a song about shooting blood from your - "
I just recently in the last couple of years became a Cannibal Corpse fan. the first song I ever heard by them, cliche as it sounds, was "Hammer Smashed Face." I've been a growing fan ever since. Cannibal Corpse in my honest opinion has paved the road for what this genre of music should be. They are the epitome of brutality, as well as hard work.
Amon Amarth
Amon Amarth; Sweden's finest death metal, was formed in 1992 in Stockholm, Sweden. All members past and current are as follows:
Current:
Johan Hegg (Vocals)
Olavi Mikkonen (Guitar)
Ted Lundström (Bass)
Johan Soderburg (Guitar)
Jocke Wallgren (Drums)
Past:
Niko Kaukinen (Drums)
Anders Hansson (Guitar)
Martin Lopez (Drums)
Fredrick Andersson (Drums)
Their sound brings a melodic yet brutal tendency with their lyrics based on Norse Mythology and tales before the current Christan era. Though they're death metal, many people often call them Viking metal for their lyrics are Viking and Norse mythology-themed. Their first demo release was in 1994 called The Arrival of the Fimbul Winter. It was self-released and self-financed. 1996 they signed with Pulverised Records and then released their first EP "Sorrow Throughout the
Nine Worlds." 1998, they then signed with Metal Blade, releasing the debut full-length album "Once Sent From The Golden Hall." From then on, they have performed multiple Canada and U.S. tours, made countless festival appearances, and directed multiple music videos, with appearances in over 100 metal magazines.
As of 2024, Amon Amarth has 1.2 million Spotify monthly listeners with their most popular song being "Twighlight of the Thunder God" and they continue to grow.
Since 1992, Amon Amarth has been on the steady rise and becoming one of the most successful Swedish death metal bands the world has seen.
The Setlist for the night is as follows:
When Amon Amarth came onto the stage, I was excited to be able to photograph this band, not only because their music is amazing but also because they put on an amazing show.
Amon Amarth most definitely had the crowd going; With their countless fist raises and
moshing. There are several points during the set that stood out to me.
During one song, they had this person in an astounding and breathtaking costume on stage enacting this part and the vocalist was pushing him around. At another point, the vocalist was drinking some sort of alcohol from his horn, and I thought it was the coolest thing. While I was in the photo pit taking photos of the crowd, I noticed this small child and her father a couple of rows back; I looked at the father, smiled, and picked up my camera and they both posed. I thought it was the most precious thing. Another moment
during my time photographing Amon Amarth, I was on the second story looking down over the crowd and at the stage. A song was about to start when I yelled over the pit into the crowd to start a rowboat pit. Thankfully they listened and people did it. At yet another point, I was walking down to the photo pit to sit and enjoy the show, I noticed this fan in the crowd drawing this awesome sketch of the person in the costume on stage. I complimented him on his drawing and asked him to take a picture of it.
When I was 15, I was shown Amon Amarth by a friend at the time. I remember the song I was shown too. "Gods of War Arise" from the album "With Oden On Our Side." It made me feel like I was about to go into battle almost. I'm fairly certain though that's how all Amon Amarth listeners feel when they're listening to them. Amon Amarth, in my opinion, has cultivated the way for what Swedish death metal should be.
Being able to say that I'm lucky enough to be in the same timeline as this genre of music is an understatement. I'm in awe to see so many faces and people from different walks of life come together to celebrate, move, and enjoy such an amazing genre; Death Metal. Throughout the years, death metal has had such a stigma behind it being "evil" or "satanic" when it just isn't the case. Death metal has evolved, and more and more faces have joined the community of individuals who enjoy this genre. Without fans, (and the bands of course), there would be no concerts really. Keep showing up to concerts, supporting the opening acts as well as the rest of the touring bills, listen to their music, buy their merch, and don't forget to show people music to bring more love and support into this community.
Amon Amarth
Cannibal Corpse
Obituary
Frozen Soul
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