In a city rich with death metal culture, a new band stands tall at its center with a flare for all things science fiction.
A few blocks away from the baseball relic of Wrigley Field lies the Underground Lounge. A mere door on Newport Ave gives way to a steep staircase that leads one to the subterranean space which showcases great acts in the local rock and metal scene. On a cold Friday night, and for just $6.66 at the door, any Chicagoan can hear the sounds that churn up from the depths of the Midwestern metropolis.
Khazaddum opened up the night. This technical death metal band drove in from just north of Chicago – the land of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Their J.R.R. Tolkien-inspired lyrics pair well with their musical chops. On the whole, it shows that this group has done their fair share of homework before taking to the stage.
Next came Floridian Black Metal outfit, The Noctambulant. This concert was their last performance their two-week national tour, starting in California. Their set brought all the spikes and hellfire one could hope for as well as plenty of headbanging grooves and haunting solos. Metal enthusiasts should keep an eye out for this group, and their blackened hot sauce for sale at merch, as they continue to travel and grow.
And at the apex of this black hole stood Chicago’s secret weapon: Nucleus. This four-piece death metal band knows when to solo, when to chop, when to shred, and when to just rock out. They are armed with well-researched musicianship and science fiction-laden lyrics. Nucleus is a band of geeks for geeks. Come April 2016, their new LP, Sentient, will be released for the human masses off of the Unspeakable Axe Records label.
Keep an eye on them as they begin to invade your ears and terrain.
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