Dazzling, Punishing Chaosmos to Witness and Absorb:  Origin, Abysmal Dawn and Tombs Joyful Performance in San Diego

May 31st, 2022

            Perhaps this current holiday weekend, or the number of shows that have been clustered as of late, the turnout tonight was quite disappointing.  I’ve defended the San Diego Metal fanbase for years, but on this show, I cannot.  This quality lineup deserved a whole lot better.

            With Killitorous still out of commission from van issues, spawning a few days prior, Tombs would start off this 3-band evening, with an unreleased track, “Ghoul”, unexpected Death ‘N Roll, to say the least.  Although there was a minor technical difficulty with Todd Stern’s guitar setup, the grimy distortion gave those sliding, eccentric power chords, the headbanging power to the fans that did make it today.  Thinking this would be Tombs’s entire set, “Obsidian” channeled tremolo-picking Black Metal, showing off the diversity within music genres.  Nothing extravagant, or overwhelming, just high energy between various songs, especially the short, yet impending, dooming distortion in “We Move Like Phantoms”.  “The Hunger” kept more with that similar “DNR” style from before, as Mike Hill’s boneyard-like raspy vocals went along the palm-muted chugging chords during the chorus.  A few ghoulish-sounding melodic solos performed by both Hill and Stern, Tombs’s 30-minute performance passed by swiftly, as the various amount of Doom-ish, slamming chords, as well as Thrashy Black Metal to mix, had their opening performance serving a dish of old-school mosh vibes of fun.  A tour with Goatwhore and Tombs, would be delightful.   

1.  Ghoul

2.  Obsidian

3.  Black Sun Horizon

4.  The World is Made of Fire

5.  The Hunger

6.  We Move Like Phantoms

7.  Mordum

            Their reputation certainly deserved, earned, and optimistically proceeds, Abysmal Dawn’s long-awaited live show, left off just as it did in 2020.  Starting the set from their latest EP, Nightmare Frontier, “A Nightmare Slain” featuring a killer tremolo riff ensemble with a beautiful transition between the low/higher notes, delivering a chaotic sequence of musical terror.  Continuing to impress and wow fans alike, James Coppolino’s mastery around the drum kit bring out the very best in the music, with pinpoint double-bass and wildly blasting/cymbal combinations.  “The Path of the Totalitarian” showed that variety and playing, with changing levels of furious blasting, shifting to mid-tempo tom fills, and precarious ride fills, all in the first minute.  Exceptional to see such a drummer perform, we’re ever so lucky to see prominent musicians like this.   

Tonight’s Abysmal Dawn set were taken from nearly every record, displaying the technical brilliance from the musicianship, and adventurous avenues taken for stellar segments and long-lasting harmonies.  The start/stop triplet attack in the intro to “Coerced Evolution”, demonstrates the catchiness, attention to quality groove, as well as Abysmal Dawn able to write powerful songs on the slower aspects of tempo.  Charles Elliott’s sinister growls of outstanding diction and bite, not only rule in the studio work, but are 10x more impactful, twisted, and captivating to hear on-stage.  Factor that with the calculated accuracy and ability, performing stopping solos as heard in “My Own Savior”, Charles has become one of the more necessary musicians, front men and guitar players, to witness in any capacity.  Quite possibly one of their greatest tracks ever in “The Inevitable Return to Darkness”, the lasting twin-melody section performed by Charles and Vito Petroni ended this furious 45-minute set.  The ones in the venue, gave all the support and horns to Abysmal Dawn, one of the better live acts in the Extreme Metal genre today.  Disappointment, is not found in their vocabulary. 

1.  A Nightmare Slain

2.  The Path of the Totalitarian

3.  Inanimate

4.  Coerced Evolution

5.  Mundane Existence

6.  My Own Savior

7.  Hedonistic 

8.  In Service of Time

9.  The Inevitable Return to Darkness

            From the explosive sweep-picking intro to “Expulsion of Fury”, this was to be one of their even better performances to date.  I’ve challenged fellow Metalheads, bands in interviews, and anyone else with a pulse, to graciously desire and accept bands performing from the majority of their discography.  For the collective amount of songs, from every studio release, it was to be the most varied, well-rounded, and glistening setlist, I’d seen from Origin.

            If Archspire has the claim for being the fastest band in the world, Origin certainly has an argument for 2nd place, and then some.  John Longstreth’s concentrated hyperblasting, fantastic multi-dimensional cymbal playing, and tsunami of eclectic tempos, works especially well in the band’s shorter than normal songs, displayed in “Purgatory”, and in the mid-section of “Accident and Error”, the snare hits following along the vocal patterns, while the double-bass assault demonstrated simultaneously.  In the same vein as Jamie St. Merat, Chason Westmoreland, Kenny Grohowski, and Tomas Haake, as one of the most astounding drummers in Extreme Music today, and in general, John Longstreth’s exceptional level of excellence keeps Origin in the running for many accolades and accomplishments alone.

            To say Origin’s lineup is All-Star level, would be insulting to that prestigious title.  What would seem to be permanently a four-piece for the last decade or so, the monumental foundation of the band, allows each member to shine, in an abhorrent of ridiculous ways.  You can see some of those from bassist-extraordinaire Mike Flores in the title-track intro to their soon to be released album, Chaosmos, as the whirlwind of high-end bass notes could be heard matched in tone and unique sound quality, with Paul Ryan’s similar sounding riff.  Being absurdly technical isn’t just in the swift direction of the riffs, but using different sounds with instruments to create those soaring levels of misdirection.  Quite possibly the most talented bass player, I’ve ever seen.  And, in keeping with the outstanding choice of songs, “Saligia” from I believe their most underrated record, Entity, with a well-balanced amount of transitions and compelling riff structures, in a near 7-minute track, something that up until this record, was quite the rarity from Origin.  Jason Keyser’s incredibly vibrant stage presence of vigor, rapid-fire growling, and ability to say exactly the right thing to the crowd every time, leapfrogs him as a must-see on how to conduct the stage, irrespective of genre.  It’s brought Origin to another level live, something that is hard to believe considering who it is.  And to not leave out the driving force musically, Paul Ryan’s brilliant, tidal wave gushing, complex sense of note structures, remarkable songwriting, and a shocking level of overall guitar understanding, all demonstrated in “The Aftermath”.

For the ones that made their way to the show, we were all glowing in disbelief, from such an impactful, headlining set from Origin.  With growing rumours of the high-quality in their upcoming record (this week), Chaosmos, this would cap off a sensational year for the band, and carrying that Extreme Metal flag strong for Origin.        

1.  Expulsion of Fury

2.  Purgatory

3.  Thrall:Fulcrum:Apex

4.  Accident and Error

5.  Ecophagy

6.  Chaosmos

7.  Disease Called Man

8.  The Burner

9.  Saligia

10.  Banishing Illusion

11.  Redistribution of Filth

12.  Truthslayer

13.  Portal

14.  The Aftermath

15.  Unattainable Zero