Goatwhore, Wolvhammer, and Kastasyde rock Chicago’s Cobra Lounge with a hardcore death metal showcase.

There’s no better way to kick off Halloween week than a good, hard metal show. Cobra Lounge, Chicago’s best, most intimate rock venue, crammed as many leather-clad metal aficionados in their doors to bear witness to some of the best metal around.

Up from the cemeteries of New Orleans, Goatwhore reigned supreme with flawless execution and pure power. Vocalist Ben Falgoust never fails to give his all and always plays up to the crowd by pointing, laughing, and giving plenty of guttural screams to rouse his audience. Sammy Duet is equally engaging and shreds a guitar with a feral passion.

Death metal isn’t for everyone, but there are quite a few bands that do it right, and Goatwhore is one to check out if the genre appeals to you. It’s always fun to go to metal gigs with musician friends. They are harsh critics, and they notice if anything is missed. What’s better is when they are left impressed and speechless no matter how many times they’ve already seen the band. Goatwhore has that ability to leave a remarkable impression on their fans. Down to earth, interactive, easy to talk to and talented to an almost impossible degree.

Touring with their newest offering, Constricting Rage of the Merciless, Goatwhore has to be one of the hardest working bands in the business these days. They are constantly on tour either headlining or gladly playing with others. This year alone they were featured on the Metal Alliance and Summer Slaughter tours.

Wolvhammer and Kastasyde are local Midwestern metal bands that have amassed quite the following themselves. It would be a daunting task for lesser known bands to support Goatwhore, but both bands held their own and gained a new fan here.

Black metal mayhem surrounds Wolvhammer, and what seemed to come out of them feels haunting and ancient to a degree. Lyrics aren’t always the easiest thing to glean from many bands in the genre, but fans will tell you that words aren’t always what matters. It’s almost a melancholy malaise that hearkens back to a feeling of deep seated pain that everyone identifies with.

Through years of touring, recording, and a constant desire to evolve, Kastasyde has shown itself as one of Chicago’s most exciting bands. Blending a mirage of influences including metal, blues, and rock, the band has created a sound that is unique unto itself. There were many people in the crowd who appeared to be excited to see Kastasyde. Having heard about them but never seeing them live, there seemed to be somewhat of a high expectation of them being a band from Chicago. It’s safe to say they did not disappoint and gave the audience an exhilarating show.

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Goatwhore
Website | Facebook | Twitter

Wolvhammer
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Kastasyde
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Cobra Lounge
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About The Author

Originally from Southern California and currently residing in Northeastern Indiana, Alex Savage is a Senior Photojournalist on staff who has been with us exclusively since the very beginning of Naional Rock Review. Specializing in rock and Scandinavian metal, she's known for her raw and moody style of music photography.