Beyond Threshold and Hatebreed - December 15, 2011 - Majestic Theater Madison, WI (Turkey Vulture Records)
I made a last minute decision to go see Hatebreed at the Majestic Theater in Madison, WI on Thursday, December 15, 2011. Of course I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed, since I’ve never been disappointed at a Hatebreed show. I don’t remember seeing the opening band, Beyond Threshold, before but once they came on it was a familiar look and sound. I quickly found out that they are a great opener.
Beyond Threshold was formed in 2006 and is under the Turkey Vulture Records label. They are from Rockford, IL which seems to be a hotbed of great bands lately. Vocalist Erik Virgin has a great voice that could have made him millions working as a demon voice-over in movies, but is put to excellent use in this metal band. He had pretty good stage presence; although I was a little worried he was going to wear holes in the stage pacing back and forth. He spent a lot of time interacting with the crowd, including going onto the floor between the stage and barriers.
The backup vocals from one of the guitarists and the bassists fit in perfectly. Unfortunately, while the Majestic is a beautiful location it was not original designed for metal shows, so the sound wasn’t perfect and the drums and bass were drowned out a lot. Even so, it was a great show that got the crowd moving and ready for Hatebreed. I really enjoyed the show they all put on and their sound and I will definitely be tracking them down more often. They have their first album, “Revolution,” out already and another is expected to be released in 2012. Check them out at their Facebook page.
I won’t waste my time actually reviewing Hatebreed. Anyone who has ever seen them live knows what to expect and anyone who hasn’t seen them live should put it on their bucket list. Strong vocals, great guitars and bass, and heavy double-bass drums make Hatebreed one of the best metal bands around. When Jamey Jasta comes on stage, you don’t expect the huge voice from him. In this show, they made it a very metal Christmas with decorations on all of their gear and the drum kit. The juxtaposition of a hardcore metal band and Christmas lights, stockings and a Christmas tree made the show that much better. Check out the video below of them performing Last Breath live at this show.
