Slipknot, Slayer, Hatebreed, God Forbid
TCC Exhibition Hall, Monday, Aug. 2Tucson's metalheads walked through hellfire and brimstone Monday night. During a day off from the current Ozzfest tour, Slipknot and others paid a visit to the TCC Exhibition Hall.
Century Media Records' up-and-coming aggressors God Forbid kicked off the evening with a 20-minute display of brutality. Songs such as "Force-Fed" and "Better Days," from their latest effort, Gone Forever, whipped the crowd into shape for what was yet to come.
"You want to see me fail; you won't get your chance," yelled front man Jamey Jasta as Hatebreed opened their set with "Proven." Jasta's onstage intensity served as a model for the slowly building mosh pits. Acting as soldiers awaiting his command, the crowd split in half at Jasta's behest to battle each other in one violent pit. With the fury of songs like "Empty Promises," "Perseverance" and "Tear It Down," Hatebreed proved why they are the kings of the hardcore metal scene.
Thrash metal icons Slayer continued the onslaught with a 70-minute set. During their opener, "Disciple," the crowd got behind lead singer Tom Araya in belting out the chorus, "God hates us all." The classic "War Ensemble" followed.
"This song is about the ultimate rule of karma," Araya informed the crowd as Slayer ripped into "Payback." Reunited with the band, Dave Lombardo proved how and why he revolutionized metal drumming.
One by one, all nine members of Slipknot shadowed their way onstage before blasting into "(Sic)." Percussionists Shawn "Clown" Crahan and Chris "Nose" Fehn stood on top of their drum kits, joining singer Corey Taylor in declaring, "You can't kill me 'cuz I'm already deep inside you," to the crowd.
"Say what you want to about Phoenix, but Tucson has got some shit," Taylor told the crowd. "You guys are louder than shit."
During "Duality," the crowd managed to be louder than the band during the song's chorus. The two elements caused the rafters in the Exhibition Hall to shake, while Crahan bashed his kit with a baseball bat.
During the performance of "Spit It Out," Slipknot subjected the Tucson crowd to its "Craziest Audience Test." Before the climax of the song, with the house lights on, Taylor commanded the crowd to sit down, and the crowd responded. At Taylor's cue, the crowd jumped up and erupted into the most gigantic frenzy imaginable.
"Is everybody OK?" Taylor asked the crowd. "I think that made me shit my pants."
