BACKWOODS METALFEST

2-PART REVIEW

Cadiz, Kentucky

10/29/2005

Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons, and you will find that it is to the soul what the water bath is to the body. - - Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894).

This quote made long ago still holds true today.  What possesses bands to work their tails off?  What makes a show promoter bow to the ridiculous demands of a tour rider?  What influenced me to write about our local scene? Simply stated, a passion for music. Those of us in this industry have a thirst, a missing piece of the puzzle, a void that is not filled without music being an integral part of our lives. With the standard rigamaroll that occurs with the egos and eccentrics in this business, it was refreshing to witness something that brought me back to square one this past weekend.

I made the long trek to Cadiz, Kentucky on a beautiful fall afternoon. I had good vibes through the drive as I headed to the ‘who-knows-what-edition’ of the Backwoods Metalfest. This event takes place, literally, out in the sticks. Well, maybe not the sticks, it’s in a recreation center. My fellow columnist and bassist for Derivative, Jacob Robison, is the commander in chief of this shindig for a community that is quite a distance away from any rock shows. I was looking forward to seeing such a unique show in a most unusual place.

The lead-up to the show was a good experience. I was able to catch up with Jacob, meet some new folks, and more importantly, meet some of the bands that would be playing. I found out upon arrival that one of the bands, 3 Minutes to Live, had to cancel due to a death in the guitarist’s family. I was told that a band from the Knoxville area, Swing Shot would be replacing 3MTL in the show. Apparently, they had one day’s notice that they were needed, packed up their stuff and headed to Kentucky. That’s dedication folks! More on Swing Shot later.

I also got to hang out with the guys from Scars Remain. The second review that I did for this site was their first show at Harvey Bangers. I was impressed with them at the time but they were quite rusty due to making their debut. Another NR.net cohort, Winslow Leech is the vocalist for Scars Remain. I caught up with him and the other guys in the band, Jason, Jeff, and Jeremy. These guys have a good band chemistry and it’s nice to see a lack of ego with this group.

And now…..on with the review!! 

ACT I - - SCARS REMAIN

Scars Remain kicked off the show with a bang by breaking into set-opener ‘Dark Unruly Places’. I knew immediately that this band had grown by leaps and bounds and truly sported a unified sound and approach to their songs. Leech poured his heart into the vocals while displaying a commanding presence on stage. Guitarist Jason Lawrence displayed some fancy fretwork on songs such as ‘Full Circle’ and ‘Still Alive’. Of note was a new song entitled ‘The Longest Mile’, which sounded a bit out of place amongst the heavier, more brutal sounding songs but showed more growth in the songwriting department. Bassist, Jeremy King and drummer, Jeff Guevara have honed their backline skills into a tight unit that was fully on display during the bold ‘You Don’t Know’. Scars Remain ended their set on an entertaining note covering Beastie Boys classic, ‘Fight for Your Right (to Party). This group had the unenviable task of opening up a big bill to a slowly building crowd but played with determination and fervor. While Scars Remain don’t play material that is revolutionary or groundbreaking, they remind us all that sometimes a Pabst Blue Ribbon beats the hell out of a glass of Merlot.

ACT II - - DAY I DREAD

Next on the metal docket was Murray, Kentucky’s own Day I Dread. I went into their set with a fresh pair of ears, having never heard any of their material previously. The band consists of members from all over the country and have quickly been making a name for themselves in the western Kentucky area, having recently released their EP entitled ‘Your Skies Will Burn’. The set began on a high note with the frantic, but tightly arranged ‘This Can’t Be True’. Vocalist, Andy Knight sounds like his lungs are going to explode on practically every song of the set. Bassist, TK and guitarist, Rick Scott combine for a formidable axe attack. But, the real star of this band is drummer, Pete McCoil. McCoil is an animal behind his set; reeling off incredible double-bass rhythms and intricate time signature changes. Highlights of the set include the energetic ‘Die for It’ and the ever-changing ‘Brother Jim’. Day I Dread is a talented group with band members that give 100%, so I can’t find any complaints in the dedication department. But, it’s my opinion that there isn’t enough diversity to their material. Vocalist, Knight, has plenty of power and stage presence but how do you gauge a singer of this genre?  I like this style but the only thing that I can give a rating on, singing wise, is on pure stamina. The focus seems to be more on a stable growl than on hitting notes or performing melody lines. The music tends to blend together after a few songs due to the chordal structures. But, this could be their goal. Some bands want to play intense, ‘beat-your-face-in’ music without downshifting. Some of you reading this are probably thinking, “Slayer never wrote a love song” and you’d be right. But, I’m a fan of numerous styles and prefer to hear some variety. To each his own.

I’m not done with this review by a long shot (or a Swing Shot!). Stay tuned for part 2 of the review!

Until next time, I’m out like UT fans loyalty ------>

Uncle Daddy Longlegs

Message from Uncle Daddy: Remember, only YOU can prevent a lame local music scene.

To reach Chris ‘Uncle Daddy Longlegs’ Czynszak, e-mail him at:

Uncledaddy1@hotmail.com