Decrepit Birth
The Kennedy Veil
Aenimus
Blessed Are The Merciless
Y-Incision
Lookout Lounge, Omaha, NE
August 10th, 2019
Live music report by JJ Frederick
Omaha's favorite watering (shit?) hole, Lookout Lounge, hosted yet another quality night of metal on Saturday, August 10th. Headbangers from the Great Plains' metropolis that boasts the privilege of having the tallest building between Minneapolis and Denver were treated to a quality roster of technical death metal when Decrepit Birth, Aenimus, and The Kennedy Veil stopped by on their U.S. summer 2019 tour. Offering support were local heavyweights Y-Incision and Blessed Are The Merciless. What follows will be a brief photo-journal of the evening, complete with what your intrepid reporter can recall between tall-boys of delicious Hamms beer and ringing in the ears from standing too close to The Lookout's eight foot tall tower speakers.
Openers Y-Incision presented their infamous brand of gonzo porno grind to a rapt crowd of about 6 people. True to their modus operandi, Y-Incision performed in varying stages of undress, with lead vocalist Michaelous Rage wearing his signature pantyhose on his head and sexually harassing his band mates on stage. I highly recommend navigating to their bandcamp page immediately to peruse their available catalog, you will not be disappointed by their blasting grind songs about brutal, masochistic, sexual perversion.
After downing another tall boy between sets I headed back to the stage for local deathcore purists Blessed Are The Merciless, who delivered what at this stage in the evolution of heavy music could be considered a form of breakdown orthodoxy. I was kicked ever so slightly in the side of the head by the lone slam dancer in the room, which cemented the band's credentials as the band you need to listen too when it's time to squeeze into your Hot Topic skinny jeans and practice your Jean Claude Van Damme Bloodsport moves like it's 2011 all over again. Good stuff.
Next up were Bay Area Californian technical death metal outfit Aenimus. Although second guitarist Jordan Rush was absent, performing as a four piece did not hinder the band's prowess or stage presence, which was accentuated by lead vocalist Alex Green's bizarre demeanor. Writhing about the stage like a man possessed, between growls he exhibited odd behavior like grinding his face violently into the disgusting floor of the Lookout Lounge's stage or playing with his own loogies. Seriously though, don't put your mouth on that stage, you might catch worms.
The remaining three members executed flawless tech-death reminiscent of bands like Spawn of Possession, Psycroptic, and The Faceless. Note in the corresponding photos the sweet Freemason tattoo that lead guitarist Sean Swafford sports on his right arm. The Alex Jones Prison Planet's song exposing Sean as a globalist shill is forthcoming, I'm sure.
Up next, The Kennedy Veil carried on the tech-death theme, with a healthy dose of breakdowns interspersed. I must say I was mesmerized by vocalist Darren Liwen's glorious beard. It is absolutely gorgeous and I am consumed with jealous rage over my comparatively inadequate neckbeard.
Finally, Decrepit Birth hit the stage to much fanfare. Another Bay Area band, which has been at it since 2001, Decrepit Birth was one of the earliest bands to blend technical death metal, pioneered by acts like Atheist and Death, with brutal death metal by bands in the style of Suffocation or Disgorge. After their lukewarm reception to their 2003 debut ...And Time Begins, Decrepit Birth cemented their cult status with 2008's Diminishing Between Worlds. Touring in support of their forthcoming release, Axis Mundi, the venerable Bill Robinson lead the band through a relentless set mixing much of their back catalog and some new songs as well.
The nap he took through the four opening acts apparently helped to keep him energized, as he hit the stage refreshed, with the youthful vigor he likely would have had when he first bought the Chuck Taylors he was wearing 35 years ago.
Decrepit Birth executed a solid set, which was capped by the band's excellent cover of "Crystal Mountain" by the aforementioned Death. All in all, patrons of the Lookout were treated to yet another night of intense extreme metal.
