Six Feet Under Raised Expectations At Skyway
Been a bit since I’ve been to my favorite genre of show, metal. And with a lineup like promised, opening acts VVolfmask and Wormhole then co-headliners Six Feet Under and Kataklysm this would be epic. Headed down to Lyon’s Pub for a pint and a bite beforehand to calorie up for a fun night. Little did I know the night wouldn’t go exactly as hoped.
Having had some schedule mix-ups and time changes in the past at Skyway (Studio B), made sure to double and triple checked not only their website but everyone’s socials (if they had them) to make sure the doors and set times were as previously listed. Yep. 7pm doors, 8pm music. Perfect. I always like to get to the venue at least a half an hour before the initial band takes the satge. Get a peep at the crowd, make sure my credentials are figured out, etc. Normal stuff. As I got to security at the bottom of the stairs, hear some wild drums and deep guitar tone playing. Uh, what? Along with almost everyone in line and in the audience, apparently the doors had changed to 6pm without any notice or change to the website information, so VVolfmask was playing to an almost empty room when I got there at 7:20pm. Not again. The previous show at Skyway’s Studio B I attended, the exact same BS happened. Grumbling metalheads attempted to sink into the few seconds of the opening act. They finished a few moments after getting there, for the squeak of sound that was heard by my ear, it was good? Right after they finished, ending with silence from the crowd as they took down their instruments and started moving backstage. Felt so bad for the band. Not only did the set times change by an hour, turning my gaze around the room I noticed Kataklysm’s merch was nowhere to be found. Odd. Look up their IG to see they just posted a “due to unforseen circumstances” post saying they wouldn’t be on the remaining 3 dates of the tour. Minneapolis was the first to be missed. I know things happen, but the double whammy of venue time fiasco and one of the co-headliners pulling out was a gut-punch.
Well, 2 out of 4 is still 2 hopefully entertaining sets. Milling through the floor, the popular topic of the night was discussion of the “shitshow show” being the common refrain. Things happen, and bands get held up or sick, so get that totally but the schedule times being messed up is amateur fluff and shouldn’t happen EVER.
Baltimore-born Wormhole thankfully saved the day. Their brutal mix of classic intense death metal with a layer of melodic and tech slathered on generously. New to the band since 2022, lead vocalist Julian Kersey is a fantastic front man. Intense and imposing, he commands the stage well. Nice and warm guttural vocals glittering throughout the songs. Easy to listen to even if you don’t know the jam, founding Wormhole members and in real life brothers, Sanil and Sanjay Kumar, will get you into the mood. Fast fingers, tone crispy as a fresh fountain beverage, they were fantastic to watch. You can hear and feel the influences of videogame soundscapes and sci-fi echoes throughout their catalog, and they translate impeccably to the stage. Swirling in fresh ingredients to a beloved genre? Well, better just make your own sub-genre. It seemed like half an hour flew by while listening to them. Maybe due to my attempt to savor every flavor, my brain hung on every note knowing there would sadly only be two bands to enjoy versus four. Would love to see a longer set from Wormhole next time they are in town. Encompassing what you want in a new-to-you band was easy for them: Wormhole is energetic, engaging, crave-able!
For as angsty as the audience was with the set time debacle and Kataklysm’s absence, there was still a buzz in the air for Six Feet Under. There was an adorable young metalhead (about 9/10 years old I think) there with his dad having a blast in the pit. It got a bit hairy during some of the songs, but the big boys in the circle made sure the little guy wasn’t obliterated. Gotta love community values.
Six Feet Under has a bit of a reputation. Anyone encountering the namesake has their own two cents to add to the piggy bank of hearsay. Lead singer Chris Barnes is a legend in the metal genre and music industry, starting out his career as the original singer for Cannibal Corpse. “Hammer Smashed Face” is highly prominent song in the death metal world, go do yourself a favor and look up the 1993 live performance in Moscow of it on YouTube. His vocals are absolutely insane and textured. Well, guess what? After over three decades he sounds fucking amazing live.
Akin to a wild animal caught in the death grip of a taloned demon, the squeaks and groans and yowls he can create are sick. All for a unique sound, my ears perked up at the first drowning piglet wail heard and was fully invested. Barnes is a treat to see perform. His face contorting while expelling each utterance, twisting and seizing as he molds the lyrics.
Not a lot of time for small talk as Six Feet Under pummeled through their nearly 20 song set in stride inside Studio B for the small, but mighty crowd. A handful of moshers kept the floor opened up for the duration of the set for those who wanted to take a spin or two (including the brave 10 year old previously mentioned). The kid himself took some very gentle shoulder checks with some of the pit bosses! Was fun to see the next generation of metalhead having a blast.
Barnes, guitarist Jack Owen (formerly of Cannibal Corpse and Deicide fame) and company grooved through songs that included opener “War is Coming”, “Victim of the Paranoid” and “Ghosts of the Undead”. Naturally the band closed the night out with their version of “Hammer Smashed Face”. What started as a night with doubt and uncertainty became another enjoyable night of metal music in the Twin Cities thanks to Wormhole and Six Feet Under pulling through for those of us in attendance. Assuredly there should have been many more in attendance. Not sure if this is a fault of the venue/promoter or what as this is not the first show at Studio B with a bit of lackluster attendance, but a good time was had nonetheless.
