Review by Eric Layton:
On December 3, Atlanta played host to the Scumdogs of the Universe–GWAR on their Blood of Gods tour. Also on the bill were Ghoul, NC metallers He Is Legend, US Bastards, and local thrashers Death Of Kings. I was shocked when I arrived at the Masquerade at the number of people that turned out on a Sunday to be covered in blood and every other bodily fluid.The line was crazy long and everyone was wearing white so they could show proof of the carnage they were about to dive into.
First up was Death Of Kings, who blistered through a short but brutal set. Amos and the 3 Matts brought their A game and got the crowd primed and ready for the rest of the night.I have seen them quite a few times but this was one of the best performances I have seen. With the new album“Kneel Before None”, look for these guys to do big things in 2018.
Up next, US Bastards from Richmond Virginia. These guys showed their Punk influence, as well as some metal roots. Their biggest pop of the night was when they covered Motorhead’s Killed By Death. They reminded me of Cryptic Slaughter, with a tinge of DRI. I enjoyed them and would check them out again the next time they come through town.
Following the US Bastards, were the NC band He Is Legend. I have to admit they were terrible! And their fans were pretty bad too. I couldn’t have been more uninterested in their lack luster performance. The lead singer resembled Shooter Jennings in a Burzum shirt, but by the end of the performance all I could think of was the picture of Kanye West wearing the Testament shirt. They reminded me of the legendary NC band Corrosion of Conformity, but they did not deliver on that. Their fan base was sizeable but they were all drunk and man, they stunk the place up.
Ghoul was up next and got the venue rocking. The Ghoulunatics were out in full force for a great performance. These guys delivered a great show, with lots of blood and guts dowsing the crowd and priming the pumps for GWAR. The characters and stage show were really entertaining and I could not think of a better band to incite the crowd into a frenzy and get them ready for the main act.If you have not seen them, do yourself a favor and check them out!
At last GWAR took the stage, picking up the storyline with the band having gone into hiding. Two soldiers were looking for them and were quickly decapitated. The blood started flowing, the metal was raging, and the pit was on fire. I have never seen so many people wanting to be in the pit, and covered in blood. GWAR delivered a great performance with a setlist covering their full career; including favorites Saddam a Go-Go, Black and Huge, and The Morality Squad with GranBo! They brought out the Pope and killed him and even had our current president as a character. I have never seen them before and I can tell you I will see them again. The combinations of great music, great theatrics, and videos delivered a rewarding way to spend a Sunday night. The huge crowd left beaten, bloodied, and entertained which was great to see for the metal scene in Atlanta.
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