Exmortus ,The Black Castle,Los Angeles,CA 3/25/11

Well... Never been to the Black Castle before. The venue was OK but goddamn the area was like an NWA music video. I was scared but wanted to laugh at the same time.  I almost died getting Chinese food! Anyway this place was closed down for like a year. It now has new management and doesn't know how to have bands play in the right times and stuff. The show started at 6:00, and I went at 7:30 and 2nd band was playing. I know I usally review all the bands but the first 3 bands were all black metal band with their Kiss make up and sadly all sounded the same. I couldn't tell which band was which, one of the logos I cant read, and one of them was a substitute for Crossover and my hometown hero's SMD (Guess what that stands for). SMD couldn't play due to one of their bass players being ill and they called a small hiatus. SMD is a great band that I will review for you guys as soon as the come back! Sucks,they ddin't play. One of the main reasons I went.

I reviewed this next band for you guys before. (I saw them on the same bill with SMD and Exmortus I had to go!). Temple Of Dagon, my favorite local Crust band went up. Their singer, Mr. Red announced to the audience, "We're Temple Of Dagon,and as you can tell, we're the only TRUE black metal band here." They started and I head banged like bobble head. Thrash kids seemed to like these guys. I was wondering how they got into the bill at first but I saw the drummer from Merciless Death/Dismantle (I see this guy at almost EVERY show I go to) helping them out. First I thought he was being a nice roadie but then I saw him setting up his drum set. I remember they needed a new drummer,and who better else to play for them than Gio; a :funny ass thrasher and bad ass drummer. Temple finished their set and I told Kyle the bass player how much sexier they got with Gio and how much I love the band. Seriously download their EP, Book Of Azatoth for free. Its fuckin good.

When we got there we saw Bay area thrashers Zombie Holocaust setting up merch. I've seen and talked to them before. The singer is a really nice and a great front man and also a cool dude. We were talking to him about the upcoming Bay Area fest, Slaughter By the Water II (which hopefully I will be attending) and other stuff. He gave me and my buddies ZH Party Patrol bracelets so we felt cool. They started to play and the kids were really diggin' these guys. They played and I sang along to Boba Fett (their tribute to the Star Wars... Metal nerds rule) and cheered em on. They usually have boogie boards and they throw Lei's around, but not this time. Strike Force is the name of their full debut. Check it out,you will dig it!

As I said earlier the show wasn't set up great so I left after Exmortus and me my friend were pooped and had a after party to attend. Sucks cause Ive seen Witchaven twice but never enjoyed em (1.Stoned 2.Outside). See 'em if you got the chance for good Blackened Thrash Metal and check out their debut album Terrorstorm. So Exmortus was setting up. These guys have a reputation here in LA for being a unique Technical Death Thrash band. Both times Ive seen 'em were great and front man Conan is a really cool dude who cracks jokes with me and my friend. They played a very good set with some new songs I'm excited to hear on the new album which they're recording. I flashed Conan twice cause I love sExmortus (what I call them). Last time I saw them I let my buddy punch me in the face and record it so that I could get a free Exmortus shirt. I got it! This band I very fun and check out In Hatreds Flame.