Even though Bonaroo took center stage this year considering that it is one of the most outstanding Tennessee festivals to attend ever. There was another great line-up just off of Exit 111 one of the main routes to Bonaroo. A spectacular two day show that took place in Cookeville, TN. Fat Rock Inc. Presented a show like no other to The Factory Live Music Club. Live traveling acts such as Shattermask a Dreamscape Recording Artist from St. Louis, MO., also Culture of Silence a local Cookeville band, Point Blank a Domestic Records Recording Artist from Florida, Exposed Nerve a Local Cookeville band and Solvi a band from Nashville, TN.
Backing up the crazy vocals of this band is lead guitarist Zeus, with his highly evolved metal style and rocker to the bone sound he has the job down to an art transmitting lightning bolt leads that blend right in to the sound. Filter the bands imported European bass player really puts the funk into this project with slaps and pulls of a jazzy kind that go right along with the beat of the drums let out by Mighty Mouse. This speedy drumzolez will keep you on your toes banging beats with low Brazilian style tones while also backing his boys up with melodic vocals and demonic screams.
All together Point Blank's stage performance is top notch, Point Blank has made their selves known in the state of Tennessee as a definite crowd pleaser. This has been the farthest that Point Blank has ever traveled , and looks as though they did an excellent job considering that their guest list was completely full of people who are ready to hear more from them.
Point Blank Website - www.myspace.com/pointblankdk
Photo - Compliments of Point Blank
Kryos, The Lyrical Aggressor - Point Blank
Sty - Point Blank
Following Point Blank was Culture of Silence a Cookeville local band, showing their support to the their scene. They have a sound all their own and you never can tell what they are gonna do next, they have songs varying from slow strike your lighter songs with hardcore metal undertones to fast paced rock your head off straight metal songs.
Starting with Steven who covers rhythm guitar and lead vocals, when it comes to moshing who needs a pit? This one man mosh pit really gets into his music and shows every emotion involved. Varying from slow clean verses to high and low pitched screams, he’s the perfect front man for Culture of Silence. New bass player DJ made his first appearance with Culture of Silence and did a fine job, playing four songs with the band and keeping up with every note, looks as though DJ had been playing with Culture of Silence for years. Next up Clay Shiner the lead guitarist, tearing it up with homegrown riffs and energy to boot, if you can keep up with him, he will be sure to send a smile out from the stage right to you. Not only does Clay have his own unique guitar style he can pull a switcheroo and whip out the bass as well to keep the show going.
Wait a minute!!!! Is that JACK BLACK?? Surely not must be Culture of Silence drummer Jon Vincent this insane drummer makes his five piece sound like a 10 piece. Rocking out fast paced beats that will make your head spin while keeping his style hardcore yet so simple, at least he makes it look simple anyway. The only thing I can picture in my mind while watching this guy drum is an octopus doing the dishes, his arms are all over the place and he never misses a beat.
What really get’s me about these guys is how dedicated the members of the band are, it seems they will stop at nothing to play a show no matter what obstacle they have to get over. The crowd was pleased, especially when they broke into "Dorian Grey"an infinite ballad well known to any and all Culture of Silence fans around. Over all their performance was inspiring, letting everyone know that they are here and ready for the Tennessee scene.
Culture of Silence Website - www.myspace.com/cultureofsilence
Steven- Culture of Silence
Jon Vincent - Culture of Silence
Clay Shiner - Culture of Silence
Last but not least on this very energetic and eventful night, Headlining the show, SHATTERMASK a Dreamscape Recording Artist from St. Louis Missouri. If you haven’t heard of these guys yet take a minute to read this because you are surely missing out on the action!!
Shattermask puts on a hardcore in your face high energy show, starting with Tech the guitarist who also does back up vocals. Tech was voted and won The best guitarist award in the 2005 St. Louis Emergenza Finals and if you saw him on stage you would know why. Taking his beat step leaps of hardcore while still staying right one time with heaviness and style. Just look into those wide eyes staring back at you and tell me you can’t feel his riffs vibrating right through you, then he screams adding lyrical incline to every note. His style is uncut and perfected, melodic yet heavier and more hardcore than you have ever heard.
Blending this with the creepy crawly bass lines of "The Boogieman" as he is all over that bass plucking, slapping and thump, thump, thumping in the night. Sometimes you can find yourself mesmerized by his hands crawling effortlessly around every low tone that is heard. As he is simple in mannerism on stage yet right on time with all of his other band members, at times when you would think the sound was coming from a guitar you would realize that it was in fact "The Boogieman" with yet another bone chilling bass riff.
What would you have without Joshuwah?? The drummer with fast paced double bass under clean beats you want to hear time and time again, working with a huge set Joshuwah projects a sound from his drums that is evolved. He is not just good, ladies and gentlemen he is a professional with a mohawk. If you get a chance to watch him on stage preforming with his band mates, don’t let the fact that he is sitting down fool you, he is still hard to keep up with. He keeps the beat going that’s for sure, with a straight up metal in your face kinda attitude.
The frontman for Shattermask is out of this world insane and crazy on stage doing things with his voice that have the sound man wondering what button he just pushed. Well good news for the sound man he didn’t push anything!!! 9MM Priest is his name, and his voice, it’s all him! From radio’s fading in and out, throwing his voice around the bar to his own delays, screams and non modified growls. He is all natural, a prodigy if you must to the world of truly talented musicians.
Priest won the 2005 St. Louis Emergenza Finals best vocalist award and it’s not too hard to figure out why. On top of his lyrics hitting home with his insanely melodic vibrato combined with his sinister grin type of style, Priest is hard to keep up with rhyming so fast all you can do is bang your head to keep up. As well as his very energetic lyrics and stage presence Priest has another surprise, Did he really just do a back flip while he was still singing? Yes!!.9MM Priest is of Brazilian decent and he practices Capioera faithfully so don’t be surprised when he does back flips, cool kick flips and other capioation moves right on stage while he is preforming. This drives the crowd wild and there are always some raised eyebrows.
Needless to say he has the looks to go right along with it, with his crazy hairstyles varying from braids to a Dragon Ball Z style spikes about 4 inches high, his physique and his outrageously unique style wrap it all up in one non-breakable 5'8" package coming straight at you!
All together they form the simply complete and completely evolved band called Shattermask, bringing a stage performance like no other to Cookeville, TN. and wherever they go. Synchronized in time never missing a beat, interacting with the crowd and just straight up putting on one hell of a high energy show with the respectable sound of a very talented and hard working band.They bring it live and professional with an extremely hardcore aftertaste.
Shattermask had the whole crowd on their feet and unable to stop moving. The energy was insane and the music they let out was unforgettable, they had the crowds attention that is for sure. They were cheering, head banging and slam dancing all night long, they couldn’t get enough of Shattermask. So lucky for all of Shattermask’s new found fans, they made a second appearance to play at The Factory Live Music Club the following night, Saturday June 17th. Wait till you see what happens next.
Shattermask websites - www.myspace.com/shattermask or www.shattermask.net
Written By: Wenzday Winter
Photos Taken By Eric Loftis - ELo Photography.
Shattermask, Wayne Tango- Fat Rock Inc., and Wenzday.
Shattermask onstage @ The Factory 6/17. Photo taken by: Snow
Tech
9MM Priest