How loud is too loud? That was the question on my mind last Thursday as I watched Connecticut doom trio Sea of Bones roll in cabinet after cabinet, a backline that literally took up the entire stage at Three Kings Bar in Covington. Keep in mind that Three Kings is like 12' x 50', max, in my estimation. I definitely picked the wrong night to forget my earplugs (for the 457th consecutive show).
Sandworm, a Cincinnati trio, opened the show with a short 20 minute set consisting of just two songs. These guys had a pretty unique lineup, with drums and bass accompanied by synths that basically just made swirling wind noises. There were sparse screeched vocals, but it basically amounted to a 20 minute bass solo, which is fine with me. If you have the chops to pull it off, bass can be a pretty cool lead instrument, and this dude was definitely up to the task. I'm not sure if they're just getting started and haven't fleshed out the setlist or if they were restricted by a set time, but I'm looking forward to checking them out again and hearing some more.
Cincinnati's reigning doom lords Grey Host were up next, opening their set with a new track that started off mellow and built up to the trademark heaviness that the 5-piece is known for. Already known for long, epic compositions, Grey Host is looking to reach the rare territory of 20+ minute tracks with their latest gem. In total, the Host doomed out for 45 minutes and every bit was as fantastic as we've come to expect. I don't want to slurp these guys too much, but some bands just resonate with certain people and I really dig the Grey Host sound. Doom perfection.
Okay, let's get back to that monster backline. I was heretofore unfamiliar with Mammoth guitar cabs, but it turns out that one of the dudes from Sea of Bones builds the cabinets. I guess if you're building your own rig, you can afford to bring as many damn cabs as you want. Pretty sharp looking wood grain cabinets, too. I was obsessed, to say the least. After the backline was in place and I took a shitload of pictures, my attention shifted to the guitarist's pedal board, which is about the size of your average kitchen table. These guys don't fuck around with gear. But how did it sound?
From the opening note, you didn't merely hear the sound, you felt it. Every inch of my body was vibrating. It was absolutely unbelievable. I'm not a good enough writer to adequately describe the feeling. You really had to be there to understand. Being unfamiliar with Sea of Bones catalog, I didn't really know what to expect, but I was delighted with their brand of doom/drone that combined with the massive sound to create the heaviest fucking show I've seen all year. Unfortunately, they only played for 30 minutes, including a quick break to replace a bass drum head (which was also comically oversized, by the way). I'm already looking forward to seeing these guys around next time and if you're anywhere near an upcoming show on this tour, you owe it to yourself to experience the wall of doom.
So to answer the question, I think "too loud" is a sliding scale and when you can back up the sound with killer riff after killer riff, no harm no foul. Now excuse me, while I go buy a half dozen 8x10 bass cabs.
Sandworm, a Cincinnati trio, opened the show with a short 20 minute set consisting of just two songs. These guys had a pretty unique lineup, with drums and bass accompanied by synths that basically just made swirling wind noises. There were sparse screeched vocals, but it basically amounted to a 20 minute bass solo, which is fine with me. If you have the chops to pull it off, bass can be a pretty cool lead instrument, and this dude was definitely up to the task. I'm not sure if they're just getting started and haven't fleshed out the setlist or if they were restricted by a set time, but I'm looking forward to checking them out again and hearing some more.
Cincinnati's reigning doom lords Grey Host were up next, opening their set with a new track that started off mellow and built up to the trademark heaviness that the 5-piece is known for. Already known for long, epic compositions, Grey Host is looking to reach the rare territory of 20+ minute tracks with their latest gem. In total, the Host doomed out for 45 minutes and every bit was as fantastic as we've come to expect. I don't want to slurp these guys too much, but some bands just resonate with certain people and I really dig the Grey Host sound. Doom perfection.
Okay, let's get back to that monster backline. I was heretofore unfamiliar with Mammoth guitar cabs, but it turns out that one of the dudes from Sea of Bones builds the cabinets. I guess if you're building your own rig, you can afford to bring as many damn cabs as you want. Pretty sharp looking wood grain cabinets, too. I was obsessed, to say the least. After the backline was in place and I took a shitload of pictures, my attention shifted to the guitarist's pedal board, which is about the size of your average kitchen table. These guys don't fuck around with gear. But how did it sound?
From the opening note, you didn't merely hear the sound, you felt it. Every inch of my body was vibrating. It was absolutely unbelievable. I'm not a good enough writer to adequately describe the feeling. You really had to be there to understand. Being unfamiliar with Sea of Bones catalog, I didn't really know what to expect, but I was delighted with their brand of doom/drone that combined with the massive sound to create the heaviest fucking show I've seen all year. Unfortunately, they only played for 30 minutes, including a quick break to replace a bass drum head (which was also comically oversized, by the way). I'm already looking forward to seeing these guys around next time and if you're anywhere near an upcoming show on this tour, you owe it to yourself to experience the wall of doom.
So to answer the question, I think "too loud" is a sliding scale and when you can back up the sound with killer riff after killer riff, no harm no foul. Now excuse me, while I go buy a half dozen 8x10 bass cabs.