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Soulfly, Limp Bizkit

Next ish: Cradle Of Filth, Strapping Young Lad, Ozzfest

Apologies to Cold but I was too late to see their set so I can’t review them.

Limp Bizkit are relatively new on the scene but have still managed to build up a large following in that short space of time. Mixing rap with heavy guitars could hardly be called a new phenomenon but the band are quite adept at what they do and proved for some interesting listening. Certainly the kids down the front were enjoying it and a lot of them obviously knew the songs judging by the amount of shouting along. However for me I just found the set a little too manufactured. It’s difficult to pin down but I almost felt that all the stage moves were well choreographed and the band weren’t quite putting their all into it. After a few songs the set did seem to drag along with songs blending into one lumpen mass. Admittedly this may be due to the QMU curfew meaning the band had to streamline their set a little. So Limp Bizkit were ok but hardly what I’d call inspiring. However before the closer, a cover of George Michael’s Faith, the band decided to ask for a girl from the crowd to come up on stage, and let me assure you that it wasn’t to play guitar in a COC type of way. No the band instead decided to drag themselves into the eighties rock mentality by demanding that some "titties" be shown. I’m sorry but I don’t find this funny or clever. Sure metal used to be about sexism and shagging every bimbo around, but nowadays I feel that metal is one of the only forms of music which is willing to embrace anyone, of any sex, colour, age or nationality. I’m sure Limp Bizkit have many female fans and maybe they should learn to respect them too. After all I didn’t see anyone getting their dick out on stage.

Soulfly were a different matter altogether. Coming out blazing with the ferocious Eye For An Eye the band preceded to destroy the place with their own mix of extreme heaviness. No stage prancing here, Max and co were not simply going through the motions. Not just playing songs from the Soulfly album such as Bleed and Tribe some older Sepultura songs were thrown in. I was simply amazed when Beneath the Remains was introduced and when the band shifted into the crushing mid section of Dead Embryonic Cells I was expecting the whole place to erupt. However it was during these old songs that I observed with some interest the new found split in metal. Sure the kids were raging to the Soulfly stuff and the Roots material such as Attitude, but when older songs like Nailbomb’s Wasting Away (Fucking awesome by the way) where played many of the new kids just didn’t seem to know how to act. Alarmingly this was even evident during the Chaos A.D. stuff. I guess maybe some of the new kids have still to venture that far but I urge them to do so because they are missing out on some cool stuff.

Highlight of the set had to be when Benji from Dub War joined the band for an incredibly energetic version of Prejudice. And when the band finished with NO it suddenly dawned on me that this was Max without Sepultura and to tell you the truth I didn’t really miss them.

However Logan did not seem to fit the Soulfly fold as comfortably as is possibly expected. While Max, Marcello and Roy seemed to fit closely and work well together Logan seemed a little lost. Maybe it was Max overshadowing him but Logan did not seem as noticeable as he did when playing with Robb Flynn and co. In fact he looked exactly like what he is: a session musician. I’d be very surprised if Logan does stick with Soulfly as I’m sure that he has other plans in mind. After all it takes a lot to leave a band as successful as Machine Head and I’m sure he’ll want to see his plans fulfilled.

Despite this Soulfly were still surprisingly tight for a new band and if they continue like this then all bodes well for Ozzfest. Max is most certainly back and ready to start a new tribe.

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Graeme