Looking for a good place to see flashy and exciting music played at high volume, have your mind blown by dark and powerful sounds, or just stomp around like a drunken goon with your shirt off? Then a heavy metal concert might be just the place for you. Each month I'll be offering my top picks of the upcoming metal shows in town that I think shouldn't be missed. And I'll try really hard not to make fun of the ones I think should be avoided as if it were the Gathering of the Juggalos.
Pallbearer with Fister, ((Thorlock)), and Jesus Chrystler at the Firebird August 7 8:00 p.m. / $10
An album title like Sorrow and Extinction should give some insight as to what Little Rock, Arkansas' Pallbearer is all about. The band plays gloomy and emotionally heavy doom metal in the tradition of bands like Cathedral and Asunder. If you're unfamiliar with the style, imagine some of the more melodic passages from Metallica's Master of Puppets album played on 33 rpm instead of 45. Fresh off an appearance at last month's Hellfest in France, alongside such giants as ZZ Top and KISS, Pallbearer will paying their second visit to the Firebird this summer, previously opening for Boris back in May to quite the warm reception. Sharing the stage with the band this time around will be St. Louis' own doom anti-heroes, Fister, (this show will be the first of a small run the two bands are doing together throughout the Midwest). Also on the bill is the Vol. 4 worshipping almost-local ((Thorlock)) from Cape Girardeau and the farewell performance of St. Louis' Jesus Chrystler.
