OMEGA TRIBE, CROWN OF STICHES, ASERAPHYMN

Website: www.thedowntown.net

The Downtown is a mid size venue in Morristown, TN ran by musicians for musicians,. featuring many genres of music but tonight it would be metal! The club located in a Northeast, TN town much like any other but the crowd here is legendary among the regional bands of the area. Ad newly renovated stage / lighting and rabid crowd response and you get one helluva metal show!

Opening the show was Knoxville’s AseraphymN who will not be reviewed for reasons of bias.

Second up was Morristown’s “Crown of Stitches,” a 4-piece hardcore band with enough grind to wear down the best dental work. These guys have a slow, southern edge with a touch New Orleans hardcore.. The string-work of Guitarist Keith White and bassist Chad (Kirby) Kerr is reminiscent of Soil Work or Six Feet Under with maybe a bit of Machine Head and even a slight Black Sabbath edge. Vocalist Brandon Molzon describes the sound as “southern sludge codeine metal.” These guys site influences ranging from Hank Williams to Slayer and everything in between resulting in a sound unlike anything I have encountered… completely original. “Crown” is a band that knows how to use speed and the absence thereof to create a musical density that escapes many bands (especially considering that they have only been together for 7 months). Their stage presence had a majority of the club on their feet and in front of the stage, leaving little doubt that they have become local favorites despite their relatively short tenure.

Closing the show was another local favorite; Johnson City, TN’s hardcore headliners “Omega Tribe.” O.T. launched into their set with songs from their 2nd full-length release “Necromegacon” sending heads swinging and fists pumping. This TN based quintet featuring former members of “The Forgotten”, “Punching Judy,” “One30Edge” and “Filo Beddo”are turning heads in the Eastern U.S. scene with songs that have more hooks than a Vietnamese prostitute..

Front man Pat Carter’s looming presence and spit in your face demeanor wrap the audience. The string-work of guitarists Jason Walsh, Gene Hughes and bassist Johnny Blackburn pound-out riffs terracing from welding speed into groove drenched Neurosis-like breaks. I’ve attended several O.T. shows through the years, and seen them perform painted with Woad, clad in leather and spikes, then on other occasions with T-shirts and caps.. You never know what you are going to get from these five veterans of the metal underground but they never fail to rip your head off live. With work beginning on their 3rd release in November, 2004 I would venture that a U.S. tour is in their immediate future.

Omega Tribe website:
www.omegatribe.net

Releases:
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Studio CD
Necromegacon CD
Omega Tribe Live CD

(All Omega Tribe pics. were taken at Ireson's Pub, Bristol, TN.)

Crown of Stitches email
(vocalist – Brandon Molzon):
ABDUNN0682@aol.com

No Releases
No Website