Light This City: Live at Gold Sounds- Brooklyn, NY 11/9/18

On November 12, 2018, Bay Area, California, melo-death act, Light This City headlined a killer show at Gold Sounds in Brooklyn, NY (my first time at this venue, which I loved!). And, I was on-hand to bring you the kick ass details!

The first band that I got to see on this rainy night in New York, was Generation Underground. The band was down to only two members on this night (for various reasons the others could not be there), but they forged on, regardless. The band opened with a fun cover of the Sepultura classis "Bloody Roots", then went into their own songs. Their music has has a catchy nu-metal tinge to it. And, thanks to both the sound and band members, had a lot of energy to it.

 

Next up were Brooklyn's own Apparition. This kick ass hardcore band was fucking killer live! Their sound has a very Hatebreed/ Walls of Jericho sound, which I simply adored! They had a replacement drummer for the night who did a great job. And, led by their energetic singer and pulling out some groove laden and heavy sounds, they fucking owned that stage!

Next up were hard rock/ metal act Gygax, who have and will be supporting label mates Light This City throughout this East Coast/ Canadian tour. Named after Gary Gygax, the co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons, they have a great, swagger filled, old-school sound to them. Their music definitely has a very Motorhead, Dio, Guns N' Roses-esque sound to it, that fans of classic rock and metal will simply eat up! They are also a fucking blast to see live. With a ton of talent and a fun sounding set, they truly rocked the house!

Finally, it was time for a the headliners: Light This City! I have a been a huge fan of this amazing band since I first heard and bought their third album Facing the Thousand. They would release one more album, the masterful Stormchaser, before breaking up. They then returned this year, a good ten years later! Their latest release Terminal Bloom, which I reviewed here: https://www.themastergio.com/2018/05/light-this-city-terminal-bloom-album.html, is without question one of the year's best releases. I had never seen them live before but always wanted to. With all of this in mind, I was so fucking pumped when I heard that they would be playing and so close to my hood, no less!

They played a bunch of songs from their latest, as well as classics. The band has such immense musical talent and energy. Fronted by the lovely and ass kicking Laura Nichol, they are the complete, killer package. One that honestly blows away many other similar bands, that may get more press coverage. A terribly underrated act, this concert proves what I have known for years: that they deserve to be bigger and heard by many more metal fans.

They finished off their amazing set with the absolutely amazing and classic track "The Unwelcome Savior", which was their encore. This is the song that introduced the band to me, and always gets me pumped. It's one of my go to tracks when I am feeling like shit. With this all of this in mind, it got me to do something I never do: I jumped right into pit! It made an awesome night even more kick ass for me.

After the show, I met two of the band members, drummer Ben Murray and the aforementioned signer Laura Nichol. I made sure to tell them about my love for the band, my five out of five review of their latest, and how I think it is one of the year's very best releases! They were both so nice, gracious, and down to earth. This was the perfect closer to the night.

Be sure to get their latest album and catch them live if you can. You won't be disappointed, I promise! And, tell them Master Gio sent ya!

Awesome T-shirt I picked from them at their merch table on this night.

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Light This City- Terminal Bloom (Album Review)

Musician: Light This City
Album Title: Terminal Bloom
Genre/ Subgenre: Melodic Death Metal
Label: Creator-Desctructor Records
Release Date: May 25, 2018

Full disclosure, I am a huge fan of Bay Area melodic death metal band, Light This City. Their last album, Stormchaser released a decade ago, was one of the very best album of 2008. They had put out what was to me their best work up and until that point, and then broke up. I remained a huge fan of their work listening to their music often. So imagine my pleasant surprise, when I found out that they were returning this year with a new album! 

That album is Terminal Bloom, and when I got my review copy I couldn't have a happier journalist. So, does it live up to the decade long wait? I am here to say fuck yeah and then some! Terminal Bloom is a fucking masterpiece of the sub-genre, one that reinvigorates it and the band itself. It is so fucking good that it actually feels as if no time has passed. The decade of them being apart has clearly served to make them even better than they were before, releasing their finest album, yet. 

Practically every song on here ranks a perfect five star. Hence whittling it down to just a few highlights was hard as fucking hell, but let's go right into it. The opening song "Reality in Disarray" has a beautiful and serene acoustic intro that builds and builds until it becomes an all melo-death assault. The guitar driven beginning on the awesome "A Grotesque Reflection" leads to a powerful and killer song that really shows off the vocals of Lauren Nichol. Her growl sounds better than ever and perfectly accompanies the soaring guitars from Ryan Hansen and Steve Hoffman and the driving drums of Ben Murray. 

The title track has a thundering start that builds into a furious assault that's guaranteed to get you pumped up and ready to kick ass. The lead guitar work on this song serves to further get your blood pounding. "Agents of Fate" is filled with enough rage and fury to open up a can of whoop ass on your and everyone else's ass in a 1,000 mile radius. If you want to bang your head till your neck hurts and well beyond, then listen to "Extinguished". With Nichol's anger filled vocals and the machine gun like blast beats, this song feels like getting punched right in the fucking teeth. I could sign the praises of every other song on here, but you get the idea. This album fuckin rips!

With Terminal Bloom, Light This City have comeback with all guns blazing. If anything the time away has given them the chance to deliver a thunderous and furious masterpiece of melo-death. It is a truly incredible record and very, very strong contender for album of the year. The musicianship is top notch, the vocals some of my favorite in the entire melodic death metal world, and the production superlative. I can't say this anymore clearer other than it is unquestionably one of the absolute must have releases of 2018!

5 out of 5

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The 70 Hottest Babes of 2008, pt. 1: 70-61

As 2008 draws to an end, I think it is time we remember the hotties that made life better this year. Unlike, other lists out there, I don't kiss ass, nor will I have such wastes of space as Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan, or Brittney Spears. By the way looks is not all that influenced this list, but also what she did this year. The more she did or the cooler it was combined with her looks and her personality shall determine her ranking on my list. So over the next few days/ weeks I will post more, till reaching the last ten. Enjoy.

70. Destiney- This beauty from VH-1's Charm School: Rock of Love has stunning eyes. She also has a pretty nice rack!

69. Inna- -Another beauty from Charm School: Rock of Love, this Eastern European beauty has a sexy accent to match her hot bod.

68. Wata- - This cutie from Japanese alt-metal band Boris is not only hot but very talented. To see just what a babe she is check out Boris' video for Smile, which got played quite a bit on the Headbanger's Ball, this year.

67. Alissa White Gluz- - Speaking of a vid that got played a lot on Headbanger's Ball, you need only to go back to begin of this year with metalcore band The Agonist and their video for Business Suits and Combat Boots. She can really sign and scream. And, she is stunner, with her pale white skin, green eyes, and beautiful face. They are currently working on a new album, which I totally look forward to.

66. Eihi Shiina- - The Japanese beauty from Takashi Miike's modern, horror classic Audition was the lead in Tokyo Gore Police. I ain't seen it yet, but goddamn is she pretty! And talented, too!

65. Laura Nichol- - Earlier this year, this beauty made it to Revolver's list of the Hottest Chicks in Metal. Sadly, her amazing melodic death metal band Light This City broke up. But, they managed to put out one last album, the incredible Stormchaser. She has a beautiful face and sexy tats and ranks as one of the most breathtaking women in metal. Plus, her screaming vocals owns!

64. Selma Blair- - OK, so she did not make out with any hot girls this year, or for a long time, for that matter, but she looked AMAZING in Guillermo Del Toro's excellent Hellboy 2. The short hair is a sexy look for, I think.

63. Doris Yeh- - Thanks to being on Ozzfest last year Taiwanese black metal masters Chthonic have been getting lots of press. They deserve it. And, their beautiful bass player also runs a cool myspace. Not only that but she was on the cover of the Taiwanese edition of FHM! If they put out a new album, except this beauty to rank even higher on this list, next time!

62. Kat Von D- - This tattooed, Latin beauty has one of the most enjoyable reality shows on TV in LA Ink and looked killer in her pics for Revolver's The Hottest Chicks in Metal issue. Her cover and foldout poster with Marta is CLASSIC!

61. Jessica Bangkok- - This beauty maybe kind of new to the porn world, but good God is she amazing. Besides, have a gorgeous face, she has a body to die for. The natural boobs are amazing, as is that ass. And, seeing her in action is a godsend. I look forward to more from this breathtaking beauty. Oh, yeah her name is fucking cool as hell, too!

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