View Full Version : Skeletonwitch -- Manchester, NH -- September 22nd, 2012

09-22-2012, 11:20 PM
This show got moved 3 times in the weeks coming up to it. First it was in Manchester then it was in Nashua then it got moved back to Manchester because the place in Nashua stopped running shows or something because of fights breaking out or some bs like that. It ended up at a place called Rimmons Club. I live in southern Maine so this was the closest of the shows and fell on a day off to go so I hopped in my truck(aptly named Truckbot because he is an autobot) and rolled on down solo.

I only had some Mapquest directions to guide me but I made it in one peace only to find this "club" was in a gated suburb district of Manchester. Really weird and turns out it was private and you could smoke inside so for all the smokers it was heaven. Doors were supposed to open at 5 but I got there at 330 so I walked around and found a yard sale where I bought a hardcover copy of The Shining for .50 cents!:rocker:

I went in the venue at 5 and no one took my money so I asked around and eventually learned they would boot everyone out and collect money after. 6 comes and they do it to my utter joy. The venue was litterally just a big room with a bar a couple pool tables and no stage so it had an intimate feel. First band started at 630 prompt

Dead Death was up first and they were a bunch of kids under 21 who were prolly still in high school playing a sick batch of Death/Thrash. Vocalist had some killer growls and they have some real nice riffs. They did a good cover of Creeping Death and I was apparently the only one in the crowd who knew the lyrics ugh. Ended up having a 4 man wall of death during their final song.


After them was Zombie Fighter who were straight up a Skeletonwitch worship band. They had some nice riffs but their songs dragged on sometimes. Did a sweet cover of Hellion/Electic Eye that apparently from the looks was the only one who knew what Hellion sounds like.


I went and grabbed some merch after them. Got a Skeletonwitch shirt and shot the shit with them about the Kave they played up in Bucksport Maine and to their description it is "a building out behind some ladies house in the middle of nowhere" made me giggle. Nice guys. Also grabbed the Havok Time is Up album and one of Early Graves albums but I got that after they place

I shuffled back up to the front for Acaro! I love these guys but this wasn't quite the show they should have been on as they dont' really fit the thrash/Death vibe but after hearing Early Graves I changed my mind on that. They were amazing as always and one day are gonna break out of Mass and get big quick. They played a new song called the Chains of Freedom and by the sounds of the song whenever a new album drops its gonna be great.


After them was Sexcrement and holy cow were they awesome. They are a mix of Suffocation style Death metal and a bit of Pathology in the vocal stylings with these weird ass cricket/frog noises. I lvoed it! They were super sleezy too with 2 strippers litterally going through a ruitine as they were playing and it was perfect. The mix of strippers and live music really made things a lot more awesome. I only remember one song title and that was Glory Hole Casserole. Made me lol.


Finally Early Graves started. It was like 9 or so at this point. These guys blew me away. They had what I felt was a Slayer sound mixed with Napalm death and some hardcore influence. Great stuff with a ton of feedback that worked perfectly. Vocals were kinda lost in the mix but I can't complain about the sound because this place had no sound system. It was all rigged up with whatever the promoter ended up bringing.

No idea about the setlist but I assume it's the same as all the other shows


Havok was on after and holy moly! They went right into it and never let up. They didn't do much talking it was just song after song of awesome thrash. Easily some of the best modern thrash out there right now but seem to be lost in the mix. I didn't know everything they played but what I remember is

Prepare for Attack
Scumbag in Disguise
From Cradle to Grave
Time is Up

It's out of order too but I was headbanging my ass off.


Skeletonwitch was last obviously. This was my 3rd time seeing them and first time headlining. My god are they awesome live. Just like Havok they started and never let up except to thank us for sticking around through "234" local bands. By this point though most had left because they all suck or were just supporting one of the local bands. These guys were having a ton of fun and you could see that. They were passing the mic off to people so they could sing and Chance ended up getting some of the crowd to pick him up and carry him around. Bringers of Death was a highlight of the set. I think they cut a song or 2 our but I'm not sure. It was the same setlist as the other shows though.


Overall it was a great night of Thrash and I'm looking forward to seeing Morbid Angel next week.

One more not some dude was selling a ton of CDs and had Bolt Throwers In Battle There Is No Law album and Mayhem's Deathcrush EP. If I hadn't spent money on merch I would have bought as they were $18 and $15 respectivly

09-23-2012, 12:05 AM
What kind of shirt designs did they have?

09-23-2012, 01:27 AM
no Burn songs from Havok makes me sad :(

09-23-2012, 04:29 AM
Havok played Point of No return in VT.

09-23-2012, 07:02 AM
What kind of shirt designs did they have?

Skeletonwitch had the Abomination demon in a church
a logo hoodie
a baseball shirt with the demon
A black and white one with some cool looking design

All theirs were $15 except the hoodie which was $35

Havok had the No Karate Kicks in the pit shirt which i wanted and a shirt with the Time is Up guy on it both were $20

Early Graves had an upsidedown cross shirt and something else and those were $20 as well

09-23-2012, 07:44 AM
Did Skeletonwitch have those cool grinders?

09-23-2012, 08:34 AM
I didn't see them but I wouldn't be surprised. I did see the pint glasses though

09-23-2012, 08:57 AM
That's kinda funny that the headliners shirts are cheaper than the openers.

09-23-2012, 09:02 AM
I went on their web store. No grinders, but holy fuck they are selling vaporizers! That's awesome.

09-23-2012, 09:24 AM

Sounds like some Bowl Cashing Green Sorcery.

There was an Obscura version of that Silver Surfer vape too.

09-23-2012, 09:52 AM

Havok's shirts were 15 in Allston the other night (I picked up the No Karate In The Pit Shirt, Apparently they don't like New Hampshire;)

Skeletonwitch also had a shirt making fun of the cover of Appetite For Destruction with all the band members faces on a cross with Worship the Witch written under it and a really badass one with a skull coming out of a cloud. They had about 7-8 shirt designs with a sweatshirt, pintglass, a ton of stickers, and all of their records excluding At One with the Shadows on CD and vinyl.

09-23-2012, 10:08 AM
Sounds like some Bowl Cashing Green Sorcery.