LIVE: SOULFLY – April 28, 2018

Venue: The International

City: Knoxville, TN

Date: April 28, 2018

Review and Photographs by: Rachel Craig (http://www.rachelcraigphotos.net/)

Soulfly made their return to Knoxville after nearly 3 years on their From The Amazon To The Nile Tour. This show was full of brutal metal and energy. Knoxville-based Christian metal band Absent From The Body started the show. They got the mosh pits moving early and delivered anthemic riffs with agonizing screams. Absent From The Body’s frontman Jason McMahan is currently battling cancer, so I give him a lot of credit for getting on stage and delivering a solid show. Another Knoxville band played next, called Scent of Remains. The band recently welcomed new members, including frontman Chris Wright, who has been a staple in the Knoxville metal music scene. Wright also delivered plenty of interesting facial expressions while working the crowd. The band has a distinct 80s Metallica vibe. Nile was the unique act of the show. They’re a death metal band that pulls inspiration and sounds from ancient Egyptian lore and other mystical stories and art. Their sound features deep guttural growls and backing tracks full of resounding choirs, horns, and the occasional gong. Nile inspired all the windmill-type of headbangers in the room and got most of the space to turn into a circle pit. Their setlist included songs like “Ramses Bringer of War,” “Kafir,” “Call to Destruction,” and the final song, “Black Seeds of Vengeance.”

However, it was obvious the crowd was anxiously waiting for Soulfly. Max Cavalera is a famous name in metal music, and his presence shows a deep level of experience that gives respect to their early 2000s sound. They also have a lot of longtime fans and quirks that make them stand out from other bands in the same genre. The music alone was enough to keep the energy going in the circle pit. They played plenty of recognizable songs, like “Frontlines,” “Back to the Primitive,” and “Rise of the Fallen.” Cavalera also led the crowd in a resounding chorus of “Ole ole ole ole, Soulfly Soulfly.” The show concluded with “Jump Da Fuck Up” and “Eye For An Eye.” This was a show to satisfy any metal fan who needed to jump in a good circle pit, chug a beer, and enjoy the music.

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Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries