AUSTIN — In 2004, a pair of metal bands — one hailing from Richmond, Va., and the other from Atlanta — weren’t too far into their careers. The former released an album called Ashes of the Wake while the latter dropped its second record called Leviathan on the same day: Aug. 31.
Little did Lamb Of God and Mastodon know that 20 years later, they’d still be around, let alone on tour together playing those efforts in their entirety.
But that’s what happened Saturday at Germania Insurance Amphitheater to approximately 7,000 fans as both bands played the second gig of their co-headlining “Ashes of Leviathan” tour after kicking off the night before in Grand Prairie just outside of Dallas. Kerry King’s solo band (coverage here) and United Kingdom metalcore band Malevolence opened the show.
How special was this occasion? Mr. T and “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair issued congratulatory videos via social media to Lamb Of God on the 20-year anniversary of their groundbreaking album.
Ashes of the Wake songs usually make up a decent-sized chunk of Lamb Of God’s sets on a normal tour, but this trek marks the first time they’ve played the album all the way through. And that meant kicking off with live staple “Laid to Rest,” which in turn meant there wasn’t a much better way to jump start a band’s set than to have thousands screaming out “See who gives a fuck!” during the midway point.
It also signified that “Hourglass,” “Now You’ve Got Something to Die For,” “The Faded Line” and “Omerta” would ensure that the intensity of a long, muggy mid-90s day-turned-into-evening would not lose any steam if vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell and drummer Art Cruz had anything to say about it.
Blythe even called out for a Flair-like “Wooooo” as the lead-up to “One Gun” and “Break You” (ATM Facebook Live footage here).
Bursts of pyro accentuated the flaming temperatures and performance for both Lamb Of God and Mastodon, with the latter adding a different type of flair to its act.
Mastodon utilized breathtaking oceanic special effects on the backdrop to Brann Dailor’s drum kit in playing its concept album Leviathan to Herman Melville’s 1851 book “Moby-Dick.” They also brought out Cysquatch, an imposing one-eyed creature that resembles “The Simpsons” Treehouse of Horror characters Kane & Kodos, during the second of three encores following the album’s completion: “Circle of Cysquatch.”
Bassist Troy Sanders, guitarist Brent Hinds and Dailor took their turns at lead vocals while guitarist Bill Kelliher played plenty of unassuming riffs accompanied by fireworks being released behind the keyboardist. Watch them in action via ATM Facebook Live footage of “Megalodon” and “Naked Burn” here.
Malevolence brought its brand of English metalcore after taking the stage at 5:55 p.m., all culminating in Lamb Of God’s two-tune encore of “Memento Mori” and “Redneck.”
The only other thing that can be said after all of that molten metal? Pity the fool who misses this tour.
LAMB OF GOD SETLIST: Laid to Rest, Hourglass, Now You’ve Got Something to Die For, The Faded Line, Omerta, Blood of the Scribe, One Gun, Break You, What I’ve Become, Ashes of the Wake, Remorse is for the Dead. ENCORES: Memento Mori, Redneck
MASTODON SETLIST: Blood and Thunder, I Am Ahab, Seabeast, Island, Iron Tusk, Megalodon, Naked Burn, Aqua Dementia, Hearts Alive, Joseph Merrick. ENCORES: More Than I Could Chew, Circle of Cysquatch, Steambreather