Gig Report : Goatwhore & Havok
It’s been a mystery for quite some time as to why Goatwhore isn’t playing in front of sold out crowds in the larger theatres across America. After seeing them five times already in various cities, their shows are usually in smaller bar/club venues with anywhere from 30 to 100 people. And when they’ve been included on massive tours like the one when Celtic Frost reemerged with Monotheist and the one last year with Cannibal Corpse, Between the Buried and Me and countless others, Goatwhore was at the bottom of the bill.
Goatwhore April 5 at Cheyenne Saloon
How is that even possible, considering how well they play live and how stellar their music is? Goatwhore has always written some of the most vicious-yet-catchy blackened metal and every time they release a new album, the critics typically give them glowing reviews.
Goatwhore is also an act that is constantly on the road and playing gigs whenever and wherever, yet they somehow still are relegated to near obscurity, at least that’s how it seems every time I’ve seen them live. With so many songs that are filled to the rim with memorable hooks and savage riffs, these guys should be huge (at least in metal terms).
In any event, Goatwhore swung back through Las Vegas and tore apart the Cheyenne Saloon like they’ve done before. This time was no different, though there were a few more people in the ol’ saloon than before, so hopefully that means their reputation is finally starting to circulate. But regardless of the crowd size (being in a 21+ bar certainly has hampered the amount of attendees), the New Orleans veterans laid waste to the place and never looked back.
After a few local opening bands played their hearts out, anchored by the incredibly talented Tyrants of Torment, Denver thrashers Havok took to the stage and burned through a surprisingly short set of only eight songs. After some technical difficulties during the opening song “Covering Fire”, Havok got things rolling into high gear.
Havok played an arsenal of some of their best tracks like “Point of No Return” and “Scumbag in Disguise” as well as two new songs from their upcoming new album: “I Am the State” and title track “Unnatural Selection”. Though their set was rather brief, Havok did a well enough job to set the stage for Goatwhore.
When Goatwhore took the stage, it was well past midnight, but it didn’t matter to anybody in attendance. Though their sound was a bit muffled compared to the other times I’ve seen them at the Cheyenne Saloon or abroad, they still were tight and devastating.
After opener “Collapsing in Eternal Worth”, the NOLA boys followed it up with the scorching “When Steel and Bone Meet” and the pulverizing “Parasitic Scriptures of the Sacred Word.” Goatwhore wasn’t finished at that point, though, as the devilish fiends incinerated the crowd with a virtual best-of from their entire catalogue.
After set highlight “Alchemy of the Black Sun Cult” about halfway through the performance, Goatwhore pulled no punches until they ceased operations with the savage “Apocalyptic Havoc.” When it was all said and done, Goatwhore once again proved they are one of the best live acts going today. Hopefully at some point enough people will wake up to the notion of how superb a band they are and start packing the house whenever they come through town.
Goatwhore’s Setlist:
1 Collapse in Eternal Worth
2 When Steel and Bone Meet
3 Parasitic Scriptures of the Sacred Word
4 The All-Destroying
5 Alchemy of the Black Sun Cult
6 Nocturnal Holocaust
7 Baptized in a Storm of Swords
8 Sky Inferno
9 In Deathless Tradition
10 Judgement of the Bleeding Crown
11 An End to Nothing
12 Apocalyptic Havoc
(no encore)
Havok’s setlist:
1 Covering Fire (Dave’s amp blew a fuse 2 mins.… more)
2 Point of No Return
3 Scumbag in Disguise
4 Cradle to the Grave
5 I Am the State
6 Unnatural Selection
7 D.O.A.
8 Time Is Up
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