When I learned about the concert featuring the bands Almost Dead, Atheist, and Cryptopsy at the end of February at the Proxima club in Warsaw, I knew I couldn’t miss it. I managed to combine this trip with sightseeing and my first visit to my newborn son in the capital of Poland. Leaving my offspring in the care of my mother and her sister, I headed alone to the club where the concert was to take place. As it turned out, I met many long-lost friends there, including some from my hometown.
The first band to take the stage was Almost Dead. The American group, existing for 22 years, warmed up the crowd with their solid performance in the thrash/hardcore/groove genres. Their latest album “Destruction is All We Know,” released in January by Innerstrength Records, already sounded promising, and it was even better live at the concert. The band looked great on stage, and their songs sounded fresh and dynamic. The level of performance was very high, confirming my belief in the musical value of Almost Dead. After their performance, I decided to delve deeper into their studio albums to further familiarize myself with their work.
Next up were the veterans from Atheist, showcasing their skills in progressive death metal. The band’s set mostly consisted of songs from their iconic album “Unquestionable Presence” from 1991, but also included many other classics of the genre. Atheist’s vocalist, Kelly Shaefer, delivered a superb performance, elegantly leading the entire show. His vocals were full of emotion and perfectly matched the band’s intricate compositions. Atheist highlighted their jazz inclinations, giving their music a unique character. Songs like “Piece of Time,” “Formative Years,” and “No Truth” sounded truly great live. Additionally, Kelly and the entire Atheist team left a very positive impression, exuding good humor that also infected the audience.
The last band of the evening were the masters of technical death metal, Cryptopsy. I was most looking forward to their performance, and I was not disappointed. The American group unleashed destruction mode and completely swept the audience with their incredibly technical and brutal sound. However, it wasn’t just the music that caught the attention during Cryptopsy’s concert. Their drummer, mercilessly pounding on his drum kit at insane speeds, was a true showman. The band delivered one of the most intense live performances I’ve had the opportunity to see this year. The tracks from their latest album “As Gommorah Burns” sounded amazing, but older hits like “Back to the Worms,” “Detritus (The One They Kept),” “Sire of Sin,” “Blasphemy Made Flesh Medley,” “Phobophile,” and “Orgiastic Disembowelment” all ripped live. Frontman Matti McGachy killed it with his growling and could put most practitioners of this vocal technique to shame. Cryptopsy’s sound was very satisfying, considering the limitations of the club where the concert took place. The entire event ended with a destructive finale, providing the audience with a real dose of death metal feast. This concert was not only a musical experience but also a great opportunity to experience three different musical styles. Almost Dead, Atheist, and Cryptopsy delivered diverse sounds and emotions to the audience, attracting a sizable crowd (around 400?), who surely left the club feeling very satisfied.
