NOVEMBER 25th 2013
COVENANT 20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR
Review By: Metal Mom
Photos By: Char Tupper
http://www.metaltitans.com/concertpics/covenant-20th-anniversary-tour/
Morbid Angel making this a USA tour only, there was no way I was going to miss this incredible show. So in the car and off to Studio 7 in Seattle, Washington , only a 2.5 hour drive down, but this was incredible and well worth the time.
First off, Studio 7 is famous for having local bands play to support the bigger acts, and I have always applauded this action, great idea to give the locals some stage time. So I will go through briefly the 4 locals that played. First up tonight is HERETICON, in all fairness, never heard of this band before. They are fairly new to the black metal scene, and have many influences that have inspired them. I am sorry though, I hate to say anything negative, no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t get my head wrapped around their music. I would like to see them have some structure to their music, and maybe a little more vocal capability. It would not take much to put that into play and they would have some promising shows. But I will say that they gave it their all. They were not slackers, they came on stage and tried their best.
Next is my favourite local band, sort of local, they are out of Tacoma. Every time I see these guys perform, they put on one hell of a show. Once again BEYOND THEORY stole the show among all the local bands, with a great performance, impeccable talent and a way to get the crowd so hooked on their music, that there is either moshing or headbanding to the max for their whole set. I never left my spot, and I noticed that the floor spaced filled more too. There is much enthusiasm from the band themselves on stage, which adds to their performance. I am always elated to know they are playing in support of the other bands. Don’t miss these guys, don’t miss the opening/supporting band when its Beyond Theory, because you are really missing out. And guys - thanks for the shout out to Metaltitans, much appreciated. And please, don’t think that the shout out made my decision any different, these guys nail their set with a lot of energy and mingling with the fans while on stage. Keep up the great work.
Next is FUNERAL AGE, another band I had not heard of, but you know me, always give the bands a listen, and always try hard to find something positive. They have been around since 2003 as Funeral Age, with influences like Emperor, Slayer, Immortal. I am not sure if they are a death metal (they have that look), or a blackened thrash metal. You would have to see them yourselves to make up your own mind. Musicially, I really enjoyed them, I also liked that they looked the part they wanted to be. My only concern was the vocals, just didn’t have that darker brutal style that I think might have fit in better. But again, they came out and gave it their all, their best for the crowd. And remember, this is just my opinion. Looking around the room, many were enjoying.
GRAVENLOCH, was the direct support for Morbid Angel, I have seen these guys play before, but not with the newer lineup. It seems to work for them, they manage to gather different aspects of the metal genres and put them together and create something quite unique to their band. The floor at this point had filled up a lot more. This wasn’t a sold out show, maybe 3-400 people. True metal through and through. I would like to see them dress a little more metalish, I think that would also help them to bring more to their performances. All around good set. 
The next band tonight, is of course the headliner, the one who is going to play one of their most recognizable albums in their career (in my opinion), Covenant. That band is none other than MORBID ANGEL. Do I really need to say more. I don’t, but I will. I have been waiting for this tour since July, and since it was only a USA tour, I was well prepared to travel to Seattle to catch this. There is no mistaking that this was a great decision on my part. This was actually a great opportunity for me to stand up front and watch one of the masters at work. Usually Studio 7 doesn’t come equipped with a photo pit, but tonight it did, making it easier to hang on, while people behind did what they did best - mosh. Covenant was performed front to back with such exuberance, such perfection and an enormous amount of energy, that it transpired over to the crowd. As many of you know, there are some songs that have never been played live before, so it was an honour to watch and see the intense performance by each and every member of Morbid Angel. There were a few crowd surfers but they soon realized that this was NOT going to be tolerated, and with good reason. Never fear, there was moshing happening if you needed to get physical. The only two original members David Vincent (vocals/bass) and Trey Azagthoth (lead guitar) from the Covenant line up along with DestrucTHOR (guitar) and Tim Yeung (drums) executed this album to perfection, demolishing the boundaries of talent and imagination over many years. They completed the entire album and added some other tracks much to the pleasure of the crowd, and myself. What I could not believe is when they took their instruments off and exited the stage…what….everyone around was asking where are they going, they need to play more. Well yes, they did need to play more, and it truly didn’t feel like they had played their Covenant album with some bonus songs. That is how much I enjoyed this show, make no mistake MORBID ANGEL stands alone, they truly are an icon of death metal. There are only 9 dates left on this tour, and trust me, it’s not to be missed. I came away with a much newer respect for Morbid Angel and their music.
