» Arch Enemy 2014 11 22  
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Reviewed by MettleAngel
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Special guest: Kreator, Huntress
City: Cincinnati, Ohio
Venue: Bogarts
Date: 22 November 2014
Huntress set length: 30 minutes
Kreator set length: 55 minutes
Arch Enemy set length: 75 minutes

Damned, I am daunted and disheartened; frustrated and feeling rebarbative; bothered and peeved that it has taken a month to publish this live review. I was all set, ready to write, edit, and submit my review over the Thanksgiving Weekend, or what is left of that Holiday, now usurped by Black Friday. Unfortunately, my laptop died, thwarting my chances of meeting my goals, as my work was trapped on a desktop page I could no longer access. Eventually, I bought a new laptop, and I began the tedious process of rewriting the entire examen, but then I became incapacitated due to a wicked strain of the flu, since apparently my flu shot from a month ago just did not work effectively.

Now, with the unholiday season in full swing, and amiss, I have been faced with one form of disruption, delay, or another; leaving me wondering if I would ever complete this endeavor. Well, here it is for those who were there, or even care.

Huntress

For a Saturday evening, with the temperature being exceptionally warm, I was quite surprised that the show began right at 6:00, so damn early. As we were stuck in heavy traffic, since it was "The Festival Of The Lights" at our local Zoo, we completely missed Chicago's Starkill with their Children Of Bodom meets Blackguard appeal. Thankfully, we arrived just as Huntress hit the stage.

This was our second time seeing the ex-Playboy Mansion's Topless DJ Jill "Tuesdae" Janus as she lead her band of badasses into a frenetic frantic frenzy, this time joined by two members of Holy Grail: Eli Santana on lead guitars, and Tyler Meahl on drums, respectively. The over-hyped Huntress really does little for me musically, and with Jill's recent breast enhancements, I was even less enticed. Thankfully, Eli and the other musicians played the newer material like "Harsh Times" and "Black Tongue" with enough passion to present me with some level of promise.

With all the exceptionally talented female fronted acts, Huntress may never reach their zenith, since Sister Sin, Crucified Barbara, and Bug Girl are all better bands, even if Jill did write "I Want To Fuck You To Death" with Lemmy! However, they continue to be selected as the opener for several notable acts, so I eat my words, as evidently this provides them with plenty of exposure, something with which Jill Janus is all to accustomed.

Performance: 6 chalices of 10
Stage sound
: 7 chalices of 10
Best
: I Want To Fuck You To Death
Worst
: Zenith

Setlist:
Spelleater
Destroy Your Life
Harsh Times On Planet Stoked
I Want To Fuck You To Death
Zenith
Black Tongue
Eight Of Swords

Kreator

I always revel in the carnage of Kreator, even if they should be headlining more often, but not over Accept! I had not seen them at Bogarts since 1987 when they were with Voivod. I wanted to witness them last year with Over Kill, but our car died while we were driving to Columbus, so we missed that performance. I realize that they have released newer albums, which I highly appreciate, I just wish they would still play more older material.

They did treat us to "Extreme Aggression", and even "Pleasure To Kill" as the closing cut, but they teased us with only the intro for "Awakening Of The Gods", when Mille split the crowd in two to form a wall of madness, and then they only played the first half of "Endless Pain"; leaving us longing for more twisted dirges. Where was "Betrayer", "People Of The Lie", Terrible Certainty", "Flag Of Hate", etc.? I pine for the classics! How many times must we hear "Phobia"!

I tend to zone out the terror when this cause for conflict is spewed. Speaking of this annoying track, from their worst release - 'Outcast', what was with their mini merch girl? She looked like she was conceived after that no so fabulous disaster, but before 'Endorama'. She was so young, that she did not even know anything about the band, other than the shirts which she was selling, which sucked except for the Long Sleeve "Pleasure To Kill" which I purchased in 2XL, as so many of my older shirts no longer fit my frame.

So enough with my voice of digression, overall, in retrospect, Kreator did a fine job. The musicianship was top notch unstoppable brutality, and the lighting was intensely incandescent. Prior to attending this barrage of endless insane torment or extreme aggravation, I had just watched 'At The Pulse Of Kapitulation - Live In East Berlin 1990', so obviously I was stoked for a real riot of violent revolution. The moshers were mostly weak, but at one time they all did place their hands on each others' shoulders and dance around like a deranged horde of chaos, straight out of "A Chorus Line". I wish I had taken a picture of that!

Performance: 7 chalices of 10
Stage sound
: 7 chalices of 10
Best
: Extreme Aggression
Worst
: Phobia

Setlist:
The Patriach/Violent Revolution
Civilization Collapse
Extreme Aggression
Phobia
Enemy Of God
Voices Of The Dead
Awakening Of The Gods (Intro)
Endless Pain (first half only)
Victory Will Come
Suicide Terrorist
Mars Mantra/Phantom Antichrist
Impossible Brutality
Hordes Of Chaos (A Necrologue For The Elite)
Pleasure To Kill

Arch Enemy

The revolution begins, and it was quite cool to watch the bantam beauty: Alissa White-Gluz rush and strut her stuff with the eternal Arch Enemy as they declared war on us all. This new leader of the rats exists to excite. The ravenous raven-haired, blue tinted pixie formerly of The Agonist was transfixed in mind; transpierced in body, as she flailed all around the stage. It is difficult to imagine her having sung for Nightwish and Kamelot, as she recoils with that sinister growl, symbolic of any nemesis.

I really only paid attention to the first part of the set, so I could take pictures, then have time to mingle with my friends in the crowd. It was cool that Christopher Amott was playing live as Nick Cordle had exited recently, and Jeff Loomis had not quite joined the fold. The ever ill-fated Sharlee D' Angelo towered mercifully over the the diminutive little lass, who would still kick ass, and perform high kick jumps in the vein of vintage David Lee Roth.

As with Kreator, I would have preferred to have heard more seasoned selections, but riffs from "Ravenous", "My Apocalypse", Dead Eyes", and "We Will Rise" would suffice. The newer songs like "As The Pages Burn", "You Will Know My Name", and "War Eternal" would leave me no more regrets; even if I would have also savored the lament of: "Never Forgive, Never Forget".

A number of cuts from 'Khaos Legions' were performed, as this was the final release to feature Angela Gossow. This however, left the more appealing 'Rise Of The Tyrant' side dishes overlooked. Either way the wages of sin were well-served and the anthems of rebellion prevailed.

Performance: 7 chalices of 10
Stage sound
: 7 chalices of 10
Best
: Dead Eyes See No Future
Worst
: Under Black Flags We March

Setlist:
Intro: Tempore Nihil Sanat (Prelude In F Minor)
Enemy Within
War Eternal
Ravenous
Revolution Begins
My Apocalypse
You Will Know My Name
Bloodstained Cross
Under Black Flags We March
As The Pages Burn
Dead Eyes See No Future
No Gods, No Masters
Dead Bury Their Dead
We Will Rise
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Khaos Overture:
Yesterday Is Dead And Gone
Snow Bound (Instrumental)
Nemesis

Related links:
www.huntresskills.com
www.kreator-terrorzone.de
www.archenemy.net
www.facebook.com/huntresskills
www.facebook.com/kreatorofficial
www.facebook.com/archenemyofficial