Baroness
Mohawk, June 1After a stupefyingly dull opening by True Widow, grindcore four Rotten Sound couldn’t help but look good Saturday at Mohawk. Capping their 20th anniversary tour, the Finns alternated rumbling mosh with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it speed metal, clearing the stage of any lingering ennui. High expectations accompanied this well-attended show, as Baroness finally takes its 2012 masterpiece Yellow & Green on the tour it should have enjoyed before a harrowing bus accident derailed its promotion. Barring the truncation of its set list due to festival limitations, the Georgia-born quartet delivered on its promise, keeping the energy flowing for more than an hour through its prog-kissed hard rock anthems. Favoring Y&G, the revamped quartet pumped power into “Take My Bones Away,” “Swollen and Halo” (from Blue Record, its origin signposted by blue lighting cues), and “March to the Sea,” yet hit its peak with the sweeping “Cocainium” and epic “Eula,” the latter’s brooding lyrics cathartic in light of recent events. Baizley said little, letting the music do the talking and guitarist Pete Adams hog the spotlight. Baroness’ fearless leader did thank fans for standing by the band during its darkest hour, his sincerity giving the final songs extra grace and clarity. Flowing through rifftastic rockers “The Sweetest Curse,” “Isak” (from Red Album), and “The Gnashing,” Baroness proclaimed its gratitude by reveling in a second chance.
This article appears in June 7 • 2013.
