METAL FOR THE MASSES REVIEW

The inaugural Metal for the Masses tour stopped in Worcester, MA to showcase death metal's music at its finest. Swedish metallers Scar Symmetry, The Haunted and Dark Tranquillity played alongside Into Eternity, whom hail from Canada. The electrifying event took place before an estimated 1,500 folks on the 23rd of March 2007.
Even before the doors opened, there was a distinct vibe outside the venue. Along Main Street in Worcester (45 miles west of Boston) the evening was fueled by a soothing 50 degree temperature perfect for partying in and around Irish Times and Rehab. The sweet smell of sausages and hot dogs permeated the air in between the smell of cigarettes and boos. The atmosphere seemed quite fitting for a show just minutes away.
Eventually 7 p.m. arrived and fans entered the doors, many briskly made their way pass the employees and security crew. Within minutes, the attendees flocked to the bar, while some curiously visited the signing booth directly across the way.
Surprisingly, the typical t-shirts took a backseat to compact disc's from all 4 bands. At a steep 15-18 dollars, fans could purchase the majority of albums from each band.
Meanwhile, the fans continued to pour in as the eight o'clock hour neared. As I looked around the concrete and brick building, the concert goers all seemed well above the drinking age, despite the fact the show was all ages. Of all 4 bands on the bill, Dark Tranquillity seemed the most popular if taking into account the majority of attendees sported gear from the longest running band on the bill.
Scar Symmetry took the stage first. Despite the subtle warnings of no cameras or recording devices, I quickly whipped out my camera phone to claim a memory from my favorite band on the bill. The show officially kicked off with the cut "Reborn" from their 2005 debut disc Symmetric in Design. Fans unfamiliar with the group were introduced to the Swedes' diverse style ; melodic death metal with a mix of harsh and clean vocals layered over amazing guitar work.
The band also played premier hit "Chaosweaver" before launching into 4 tracks from last year's critically acclaimed (my #1 album of 2006) Pitch Black Progress, highlighted by brilliant renditions of "Mind Machine" and "The Illlusionist". The estimated 6 song set left many listeners mesmerized despite the somewhat small and late arriving crowd. When the band exited the stage around 8:40, I was so satisfied with the set I felt I had already got my money's worth. That hardly ever happens in today's metal.
As Into Eternity's crew set up the stage, I eagerly made my way to the front of the signing booth line. As I stepped up the three steps, I shook the quintet's hands and started tossing accolades their way. Unfortunately, the band understood very little English. Besides bassist Kenneth Seil, the oldest of the bunch, the band seemed a mixture of tired, angry and agitated, though the language barrier may have made things seem worse than I described.
Into Eternity played for about the same amount of time, 6 or 7 songs at an estimated 45 minutes. From what I recall, very little, if any, of 2002's Dead or Dreaming album were played. Songs from Buried in Oblivion, the critically praised sophomore release from 2004, seemed to be introduced late in the set. "Spiraling into Depression" "Splintered Visions" and "Beginning of the End" all were unleashed during the set. While some concert goers seemed dismayed with Stu Block's power metal vocals, their was no bashing of the brilliant guitar work led by Tim Roth.
Since listeners were most familiar with September 2006's The Scattering of Ashes, songs such as "Timeless Winter" "Severe Emotional Distress" and "Nothing" gained the loudest cheers.
At the signing booth, the band appeared happy and loose. I quickly joked with Roth, at one point mentioning all his recent YouTube hoopla, before he starting cracking up and covering his eyes in shame lightheartedly.
Dark Tranquillity took the stage next, receiving the loudest ovation of the night thus far. Diehard fans growled along with Mikael Stanne and head banged to the death metal riffs layered over the keys. The set went on and on, pleasing those in attendance. They played a bit from every album, from The Gallery right up to Character. Despite a quick plug or two for the April 17 release of In Fiction, the band apparently stayed away from recent hit "Focus Shift".
Of the roughly one hour set, songs such as "The Endless Feed" "Final Resistance" "Damage Done" and "The Treason Wall" stood out the most for there modern feel.
After the set, I joined the extended line in wait of an autograph. The sextet sat smiling, greeting fans in between sips of Budweiser. Fans begged for pictures with the band, and the Swedes' gladly honored the diehards request.
As teens flocked towards the stage to watch headliners The Haunted, a few fans stood by the bar in hope of hearing old school thrashers from their 1998, 2000, and 2003 releases. Fortunately, the long set featured a handful of cuts from the aforementioned albums, plus the two most recent releases.
I was one of those aforementioned fans standing by the bar, and while listening to cuts such as "99" and "All Against All", I found myself chatting with the guys from Dark Tranquillity. We talked about new album and the current tour. The guys honestly seemed down to earth.
The Haunted played a very long set, giving us all extra time to drink by the bar and shout about the current scene in metal. Twice the band appeared to finish the set before playing another cut. Most importantly, big mouth vocalist Peter Dolving kept his political spat to himself. In summary, the show was great. The sound, usually horrid at The Palladium, was much improved. Note- Their may be a mistake or two for the songs I recalled. It was a long night and the combination of trips to the restroom, the occasional flirting with females and the three occurrences when I visited the signing area possibly swayed my attention from the songs!